Leather Sweatbands... I don't get it (yet)

[Dave Keith]

Sweatbands

I live in Texas and am a pretty big guy (code for fat) so I appreciate what you are saying about sweatbands! I have no problem with sweatbands in quality hats, but even the lightest felt is unwearable for me here during the summer.

The sweatband in my Panama that Art Fawcett re-sized and reblocked for me is without doubt the MOST comfortable I have ever worn in any hat. It is, as you describe, a soft roan band with a matte finsish.

I have no idea about the source or availability of this band other than Art Fawcett, but he might be the go-to guy for such a band when he gets his shop re-opened this fall. By the way, I am only a satisfied customer of his.

 

[Matt Deckard]

This is an interesting subject and I really haven't thought about it much. I have hats with shiny sweatbands and I have hats with matte sweatbands and the shiny ones to me are very sealed off when it comes to absorbing sweat. You could go with a padded cloth sweatband like Stetson was using in some dress hats in the early 80's, the problem is that unless you have an easy way of taking it out and putting it back in it will become gross and moldy. I think the advantage of the leather is that it relatively holds it's own after years of being hit by oils and salts from your head.

The cloth sweatband doesn't hold onto your forehead as well as the leather, though if someone can make a detachable cloth sweatband in the vein of a detachable collar, I'm sure it would catch on with some wearers.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Have you tried a roan leather perforated sweatband ?

 

[dlgilbert]

I haven't tried a perforated one.

I did read, in an older thread here, that a milliner uses those metal scrubby things used to scour pots (not steel wool) to rough up the smooth surface a little bit in order to get rid of the problem I'm talking about. One of the regulars here (can't remember who it was at the moment!) was having problems with an Akubra sweatband giving him an allergic-type reaction where it touched his skin.

I'd imagine that getting rid of that super-smooth, shiny finish would probably do the trick, but I don't want to ruin the sweatband, either, so I figured I'd check to see if anyone here has tried anything similar.

Cheers!

 

[Brad Bowers]

Those of you that have high-end hats from Art and Optimo, do they use sweats as soft and supple as those on vintage hats? I have yet to see anything modern that is as soft as those. Modern ones certainly aren't supple.

Brad

 

[crazylegsmurphy]

I never thought that growing up playing hockey would amount to anything, but I guess it has.

I was a goalie, so as you can expect, sweat in the eyes...not a good thing. Anyway ITECH made a very skinny cotton like sweat band that you would peel off the back and stick it to the helmet. Then, you could peel it off when you wanted to change them.

They come in a little package at any of the major sporting outlets...let me see if I can find them.

These are similar, but the ones I have come in a small foil package and are about the same thickness as a Fedora Sweat.

http://www.inlinewarehouse.com/descpage.html?pcode=RP529

If I'm by a Sport Chec today I'll see if I can grab one.

 

[dlgilbert]

Brad,

I don't have any vintage hats, but the sweatbands I got from Optimo (one on a Monitcristi and two on felt hats) seem to be very soft and supple. Sadly, I don't have a good base for comparison to vintage hats, though.

I only have a problem with the shiny, smooth finish.

crazylegs,

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll keep my eye out for something like that.