I hesitate to point out

[Rick Blaine]

to my fellow hat junkies on this side o' the pond that the slide in worldwide currency values has apparently hit the UK as well. Hornet hats in London now has the Christry's Adventurer I felt smug about getting for $100 USD about six months ago is now down to under $75 bucks! Today the British pound fell to a six year low against the greenback... heads up.

 

[rgraham]

Time for me to pick up that Bentley.

 

[Selentino]

Great news! I've always loved the quality of the clothes I've purchased in the UK

 

[Bruce Wayne]

hmmm, maybe now is a good time to but that wested horse hide last crusade i have been eyeballing...

 

[rrog]

Hey Rick,
What's the brim size on that Adventurer? It simply says "wide brim" on the website.

Thanks,
rrog

 

[Rick Blaine]

Great news! I've always loved the quality of the clothes I've purchased in the UK

I must say I have been quite pleased with both the Christy's hats I now own... soon to be three, I think... so many colors.

Hey Rick,
What's the brim size on that Adventurer? It simply says "wide brim" on the website.

Thanks,
rrog

It is a nice dimensional - 2 7/8" front & back, 2 1/2 on the sides. Gives it a great swoop. I am thinking of getting it in one of the "mix" colors or the beige.

 

[Colby Jack]

That's a great heads up Rick....I've often looked at that hat...even started an argument (by accident) on COWS about it:eusa_doh: ...It's a gorgeous looking hat...and many of the Indy folks rave about it...

 

[Michael Bonner]

christies

I've got an Adventurer in "green mix", and its a very fine hat. The felt is very thick; thicker than my "western weight" American made hats, but not overly heavy. Felt is very soft, with no stiffener apparant at all. The "green mix" shows on my computer monitor as a grey, but the actual color is a dark green, very close to the "green moss" but not the same. Up close you can see the "mix" in the felt, but not from more than five or six inches. The ribbon work is good, but the ribbon is not "floating". If you e-mail Hornet Hats, they will let you specify the ribbon color. Here's a plus: they WILL block in long oval if you ask. Takes a few weeks.
I ordered a size 63, the largest they show on the web. I have a couple of Akubra's, and size 63 fits. Not so the Christies, and I'll have to have the hat sized to fit someday... too tight now for comfort, but I suspect a hatter can stretch it out enough.
For what its worth, the Adventurer is a fine hat, well made for the price. Heavy felt is probably too thick for wear on warm days. Size appears to be a tad smaller than Akubra.
I have the hat in a traditional bash, not an "Indy" swoop, and it holds the bash well. Hat arrived open crown.
Sorry I can't post a picture. Maybe someday.

 

[Hat Head]

Anyone have experience with Christys'? They look great on the website, and have a great selection of styles and colors.

I'm still a bit of newbie and so far have only acquired two wool felts. This might be a good time for my first felt purchase.

 

[Rick Blaine]

HMmmm...

I've got an Adventurer in "green mix", and its a very fine hat. The felt is very thick; thicker than my "western weight" American made hats, but not overly heavy. Felt is very soft, with no stiffener apparant at all. The "green mix" shows on my computer monitor as a grey, but the actual color is a dark green, very close to the "green moss" but not the same. Up close you can see the "mix" in the felt, but not from more than five or six inches. The ribbon work is good, but the ribbon is not "floating". If you e-mail Hornet Hats, they will let you specify the ribbon color. Here's a plus: they WILL block in long oval if you ask. Takes a few weeks.
I ordered a size 63, the largest they show on the web. I have a couple of Akubra's, and size 63 fits. Not so the Christies, and I'll have to have the hat sized to fit someday... too tight now for comfort, but I suspect a hatter can stretch it out enough.
For what its worth, the Adventurer is a fine hat, well made for the price. Heavy felt is probably too thick for wear on warm days. Size appears to be a tad smaller than Akubra.
I have the hat in a traditional bash, not an "Indy" swoop, and it holds the bash well. Hat arrived open crown.
Sorry I can't post a picture. Maybe someday.

That's interesting, I have the Adventurer in the sable and it is quite a thin felt. Thinner anyway than my regular Akubra Federation III. Thinner too than my Stetson vintage westerns.
Looking at the "mix" colors I wondered if they may not be as finely pounced or are somehow finished differently as they appear to have a longer nap in the mix of colors. Maybe that would account for the different thicknesses.

 

[Jauntyone]

I have the Christies Adventurer in the "Burma" color. The felt is quite nice, smooth and flexible. The sweatband is good quality leather but is sewn in over an eighth of an inch above the brim break, which means that there is no "bell" shape to the sweat and the stitching rubs against the forehead. Also, the felt at the break may touch your skin or hair, leading to stains.
I ordered the Epson too, and the sweat was sewn in the same way. This is the only problem I have with the hats, and the felt really is nice.

 

[carter]

The Adventurer

RB, Thanks for posting this.

I looked at the Hornet Hats website and sent them several questions. The one I am most interested in is whether they will bind the brim on an Adventurer in the same color as the ribbon.
Does anyone know the composition of the fur felt used in the Adventurer?
Does anyone have the Adventurer in either Navy Blue or Peatwood?
It would be helpful if folks who have these hats could post some pictures.

The sweatband is good quality leather but is sewn in over an eighth of an inch above the brim break, which means that there is no "bell" shape to the sweat and the stitching rubs against the forehead. Also, the felt at the break may touch your skin or hair, leading to stains.

Has anyone else noticed this issue with an Adventurer or other hat from Hornet Hats?

 

[Jauntyone]

RB, Thanks for posting this.

I looked at the Hornet Hats website and sent them several questions. The one I am most interested in is whether they will bind the brim on an Adventurer in the same color as the ribbon.
Does anyone know the composition of the fur felt used in the Adventurer?
Does anyone have the Adventurer in either Navy Blue or Peatwood?
It would be helpful if folks who have these hats could post some pictures.



Has anyone else noticed this issue with an Adventurer or other hat from Hornet Hats?

Here are some photos of the sweatband. It is difficult to photograph close-ups but I think you can see the problem in this photo:

compared to a "normal" sweat:

In fact, the sweat is "top-stitched". Every european hat I've ever had, regardless of quality, has had the sweat sewn in like this.
Some more photos:
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg264/Jauntyone_2008/day099-1.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg264/Jauntyone_2008/day105.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg264/Jauntyone_2008/day104.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg264/Jauntyone_2008/day103.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg264/Jauntyone_2008/day102.jpg
Sorry for the bad photography. Also, the stitching on the grosgrain ribbon is rather obvious, not hidden as it would be on a vintage hat. But all modern production hat ribbons are sewn on this way, at least in my experience.
Service from Hornetshats was great. I'd forgotten a few details when filling in the order form and received help from their staff. Shipping was quick.

 

[charlie farley]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=616874&postcount=1073
My Christys is the first one at the top of their page and as for colour, it was listed as navy but it looks more lke black.It may be a good idea to ask them for a colour chart.
Quick delivery.Nice soft felt.

 

[rrog]

Jauntyone,
Is that hat in your picture the one that is the Burma color? Unless the lighting is playing tricks on me, it doesn't appear to be the same color as the Burma shown on their webpage at all. [huh]

rrog

 

[Old Fogey UK]

I don't want to be reminded about the fall in the value of the pound, if you don't mind.

 

[duggap]

I don't want to be reminded about the fall in the value of the pound, if you don't mind.

Trust me, what goes around will come back around. You will be back on top soon enough.:eusa_doh:

 

[Jauntyone]

Jauntyone,
Is that hat in your picture the one that is the Burma color? Unless the lighting is playing tricks on me, it doesn't appear to be the same color as the Burma shown on their webpage at all. [huh]

rrog

It is indeed the Burma. It's probably my less-than-stellar photograpy skills that make the color seem different. Though, looking at the site, I'd say that in person the color is just a bit warmer, or browner than the color sample given.
If the sweatbands were sewn in a bit more carefully, I'd probably own a dozen of their hats by now. As it is, they just arent comfortable enough for me.

 

[Hat Head]

To summarize:

The felt is nice - soft and not stiff. There might be a difference in thickness between solid colors and "mixed" colors"

The service is good, and they'll work with you on ribbon colors

The Navy is so dark it's almost black

The sweat band is stitched in such a way that it's less comfortable than it should be

 

[donCarlos]

I was thinking about the "ambassador" - do they alter the ribbon to contrast with the other colors of the felt?

Anyway, thanks for tip, Akubra has just gained a new competitor!