Is Borsalino a tough hat?

[Yohanes]

OK, Borsalino fedoras, especially the vintage ones are always highly regarded here. But I have the impression that it's the dressier type - not everyday hat, not a hat that can withstand abuse such as accidentally sat on, pressed , dented, stepped on, falls into ditch, against rain, wind, etc. Not the same hat in terms of durability / abuse-proof as, say, Akubra.

Because most members here said how smooth and buttery feel the felt.. makes me think, oops, can this kind of hat withstand rough condition?

Am I right? How about the modern ones?

 

[Stoney]

I wouldn't take a flamethrower to one, but obviously if they have lasted 60 years or more, they must be pretty well made. lol I wear mine an all kinds of weather and never baby them. They've been sat on a few times and no problems.

 

[bolthead]

I wouldn't take a flamethrower to one, but obviously if they have lasted 60 years or more, they must be pretty well made. lol I wear mine an all kinds of weather and never baby them. They've been sat on a few times and no problems.

I think I can echo this reply as well......:eusa_clap

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Hey Yohanes,

Good question.

Here's the irony of it all: The finer the (vintage) hat - Borsalino being among the very finest - the tougher they are. Also the more beautiful and expensive they are so we tend to want to baby them whether they require that or not. (FYI - You might find that a bound or felted or welted brim edge will be tougher than a raw edge.)

Bump 'em back into shape now and then. Let them dry out thoroughly after a good soaking. Occasionally treat the leather sweatband with Lexol or the like. And give 'em a proper brushing once in a while.

And show us photos as you put one of the old Borso's through some paces. I predict a lot of durable wear in fine style.

 

[shortbow]

I wear the hell out of mine and they just come back for more. As to comparing them to Akubras and the like in terms of durability, absolutely no contest.

 

[feltfan]

I wore my 50s Borsalino "Alessandria" to a test drive of
a Toyota Rav4 a couple of years ago. The salesman put
the rear seat down on it. Flat. I haven't even bothered
to steam it, so you can see the remains of creases, but
it went right back into shape. Which is more than I can
say for the crummy plastic bumper of the Rav4 after I
tried to parallel park.

I have what I assume is a 70s Borsalino cowboy hat.
That is one of the roughest, toughest pieces of felt I have ever seen.
I do need to get around to posting photos of that hat.
I don't wear it often.

 

[4spurs]

one tough hat

My Borsalino Allisandra [sp?], sold by Sakowitz of Houston for $19.95 in 1974. Whenever it blows off my head in the winter, I chase it down the street, and my usual method of catching it is to stomp on it with my cowboy boot, it never seems to hurt the hat one bit, no crease from the stomp, maybe a little dirt from the stomp, but I brush the dirt off. I should use the wind string more often . . . .

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

For starters, I have to say I'm a bit confused as to the exact type of Borsalino I have 3 of...all bought early 1980's, in Florence, Italy. They are very soft, peach-skin, velvety, said (by a hatter, recently) to be rabbit fur. I have strong reasons to believe they were...ladies hats...even though being 100% Fedora in style. The sweatband, for one, was "gros grain" fabric (but I've, since, replaced them with leather bands, and the "knot" of the headband is now on the "port" -right, seen from front- side, like "masculine").

So, are these hats tough?
I perceive them to be very tough, indeed. I mean, they lasted 25 years already, and one of them I worn many, many times. It is only until I started reading this forum, that I "learned" hats should not have to be worn in (heavy) rain. Well, the most worn of my Borsalino's has seen rain pouring down on it more than just one time...I mean...regularly, sogging wet, too.

The hat looks good as new! Always back into shape. Soft. Pliable. Very nice hats they are. And one is ...purple...color (I said, ladies' hat...) pimpy, princely...

 

[Lefty]

Let's put it this way:
A Borsolino is the opponent in next Rocky movie.
Here's Rocky.
The hat is fine.