How to travel with hats

[big kahuna]

Have any of you ever been asked to remove your hat at the security gate?

Last week I traveled to Montana to participate in the Little Big Horn Reenactment...and due to the size, I wore a tall crown Calvary hat on the plane (instead of packing it in luggage)..

I was asked on both ends of the flight to remove the hat and place it through the metal detectors...the same happened on a recent flight to Salt Lake City wearing a panama

 

[Dinerman]

does reeding set off metal detectors? I know on one of my hats, the reeding cover stuff broke, and the reeding turned out to be some kind of piano wire looking material. Most of my hats have something else in there, but how about the metal crimp at the back of the reeding at the seam?

Metal detectors are sensitive now. I had a aluminum grommet on a pair of pants set it off on the way back from Vancouver. Confused the heck out of the security guy because it was hidden in the bottom of a cargo pocket to allow for drainage.

 

[bolthead]

They also ask you to remove your hat for security puposes, you may be hiding something under there.

 

[Dinerman]

They also ask you to remove your hat for security puposes, you may be hiding something under there.

you could be hiding hair and/ or a scalp! Oh no!

 

[Nashoba]

I know you're talking about Fedora's here and pardon a lady for inturrupting but I almost always wear a hat when traveling. I've almost always been asked to send it through the x-ray machine when I go through security these days so now I automatically take it off and put it in the same bin as my shoes and laptop. I"ll then generally wear it until I get to my seat on the plane and then place it on top of my laptop case under the seat in front of me. First thing I do when we land though is put it (and my gloves) right back on.
fftopic:
Speaking of strange things to set off a metal detector though, I was coming home from NJ last week and kept setting off the metal detector. I took off my belt, my rings, we couldn't figure out what was setting it off. I must have walked through it 3 or 4 times so they pull me to the side to go through EVERYTHING I had with with me and wand me. They re-wanded my hat (after having already gone through x-ray), my gloves (I mean really) went through my laptop case, the works. they even patted down my hair checking the hairpins that were holding my hairstyle together! The culprit? The steel boning and metal garters on the girdle I had on under my dress to secure my stockings :eusa_doh: It was a whole different experience to be pat down searchd with half the security agents watching and then complimenting me on my look as I 'redressed' myself when they handed me back my accessories. Needless to say....LESSON LEARNED!

 

[Tango Yankee]

I was asked on both ends of the flight to remove the hat and place it through the metal detectors...the same happened on a recent flight to Salt Lake City wearing a panama

Funny... last time I travelled wearing a fedora I didn't put it through the x-ray machine, but started to take it off before going through the metal detector. Each time I was told to leave it on! [huh]

Cheers,
Tom

 

[bolthead]

Drugs....

you could be hiding hair and/ or a scalp! Oh no!

or contraband, or even a weapon.

 

[Fletch]

I wore a tall crown Calvary hat on the plane [...] I was asked on both ends of the flight to remove the hat and place it through the metal detectors...

They probably wanted to make sure no one was nailed to a cross on the top of it. lol

 

[Kodiak]

I've worn several hats on planes (I said hats on planes... not snakes ). They always ask me to take mine off, even baseball caps (yeah... back before I became stylish).

I generally wear it through the metal detector, never had anything go wrong. I just take it off for ID afterwards. When on the plane, I generally place it on my knee or on top of my satchel, which sits in front of me beneath the seats in the row before mine.

That was with felts though. I'm wearing a Filson Packer hat to England when I leave in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately I've decided to leave the felts at home

 

[Lancealot]

For modern cattle-condition economy flights like most of us are on, I'd take my cue from Indy in Temple of Doom and sweep the hat forward over my face to sleep...

That's exactly what I do.

 

[HDRnR]

I just put the tray down and leave it on there, on short flights anyway.

 

[RBH]

Have any of you ever been asked to remove your hat at the security gate?.

The last two times I have flown I was wearing my AB and the last time I had on my Camp Draft. Both times I had to put them in the x-ray machine. My Camp Draft had a pin on it. Dont think it made a difference, but I still had to take them off.

 

[Chanfan]

The last couple of times I've flown, there's been room in the overheads to place it. I generally always check to make sure it won't be squished by, say, luggage that looks likely to slide, or by folks getting into their bags. If that looks like it may be the case, I plan to just wear it (slouched forward to sleep, for example).

Interesting about the different security line experiences. In my case, I also was taking it off to place in the bins for x-ray, and was told I could leave it on (as long as it didn't have metal in it).

I don't recall, to be honest, if I left it on or doffed it for the ID check. Normally I have my hands pretty full (when flying business I tend to have to check a piece of luggage, and carry on two), so I probably left it on. I did note another traveler with a hat whip his off when talking to the security guards - looked instinctual by the way he did it, when talking to a public servant. One's opinion of if TSA are actually serving the public aside, it's likely not a bad idea - a show of respect might make things smoother.

 

[panamag8or]

Seems like if you doff your hat voluntarily at the airport, they figure you have nothing to hide, and tell you you can keep it on. If not, then they want to see what's underneath.[huh]

 

[Doh!]

I carry mine on my lap or knee when I'm on the plane.

Ditto. And for going through Security, I place it in one of those tubs, usually on top of my shoes.

 

[Edward]

I have just the thing!!!

All you'll need are some scissors, some masking tape and a lot of patience.

Now go ahead and print two copies of this off at your home computer.

Make sure to cut well along the lines (don't want to mess THIS hat up!)

Tape around your head.

When you arrive on your plane, simply pull off and lay flat in overhead storage or underneath seat.

WahLah!!

lol lol lol

 

[Edward]

If Undertow's idea doesn't appeal, take a look at this vintage Borsalino Dinerman bought.

That looks ideal - pity somebody like Akubra doesn't make that now...

I usually stow mine overhead or under the seat in front of me.
On another airport related topic -
Have any of you ever been asked to remove your hat at the security gate?
I've had this happen a couple of times. They were looking at my photo ID and I suppose they couldn't make a positive identification while I had the hat on.

Headwear, anything (including a single layer denim shirt-jacket) that is worn open like a jacket, my shoes (a few pairs of my footwear are steel toecapped, so I would habitually remove those anyhow; at London Stansted they have a separate shoe-scanner - sometimes eveyone, sometimes only a "random" sample - typically guys in their thirties travelling alone, or anyone who looks Middle Eastern).... pretty much the lot. For a while after 9/11 they used to stop me taking my wallets and keys on the plane - they're all attached to my belt with chains. I almost used to argue that I could choke someone with my belt, but i always thought better of it - they'd likely have taken that too for cheek.

Last week I traveled to Montana to participate in the Little Big Horn Reenactment...and due to the size, I wore a tall crown Calvary hat on the plane (instead of packing it in luggage)..

I was asked on both ends of the flight to remove the hat and place it through the metal detectors...the same happened on a recent flight to Salt Lake City wearing a panama

Yes, my experience is anything that adds any sort of bulk over the body that means a bit of it can't be frisked is required to be removed.

I remember back in Belfast in "the old days" - very early 90s, when a couple of us had our first Fedoras, back pre ceasefires when you used to be frisked and bag searched as a matter of course entering shopping malls and department stores, they were always deeply suspcious of sixteen year old kids in Fedoras... I think we were the only people under 60 wearing one in the six counties at the time...

The most hardcore search I was ever subject to was not in an airport, but to get onto the boat to go and see the statue of Liberty in Feb 2004. not that you could get within 100m of the Statue at the time - and they had guards with sniper rifles sitting at her feet. The woman running the search scanner virtually had me strip searched (next time I'm tempted to wear bondage trousers for badness), and then when I'm redressing she says "You'd better hurry up, you're going to miss the boat!" in an irritated tone. I damn near told her where she could stick her Statue of Liberty.

 

[AlanC]

The most hardcore search I was ever subject to was not in an airport, but to get onto the boat to go and see the statue of Liberty in Feb 2004. not that you could get within 100m of the Statue at the time - and they had guards with sniper rifles sitting at her feet. The woman running the search scanner virtually had me strip searched (next time I'm tempted to wear bondage trousers for badness), and then when I'm redressing she says "You'd better hurry up, you're going to miss the boat!" in an irritated tone. I damn near told her where she could stick her Statue of Liberty.

Adds a bit of unpleasant irony to Statue of Liberty. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

As to the Borsalino pocket hat, I do wish someone would make them like that.

 

[barrowjh]

I flex to match the situation on planes. When it is not too crowded, after everyone is in, I might get back up and put it in the overhead rack. Otherwise I wear it or hold it. There's usually not enough room under the seat for my computer bag AND a fedora. Length of flight also makes a difference. Generally follow the 'coat' rule that someone else mentioned in another thread, a fair, simple rule of thumb, and while we might think up a particular situation where it wouldn't apply, in most cases, it works just fine.

 

[Empyrium]

I wouldn't find it comfortable to leave the hat on, while putting my head back against the head rest anyway.....

exactly my thought