New Panama from Brent Black

[toastedskin]

We Need the Review

We need this review, because cost and quality comparison between competing venders, who all claim a superior product and deride the product of others, is beneficial, not only for the potential consumer, but also for the vendors involved. Spending $1000 on a hat is a major expenditure, that one would only normally make if fully informed. But because there is no independent expert/advisor/review board to judge between the quality of certain vendors' hats, we are reliant upon, and grateful to, individuals such as Panamadub who can lay out the funds necessary for an independent evaulation. Panamadub's experiment was perfectly crafted -- spend the same amount on three different hats, and judge the qualitative differences. The results of Panamadub's experiment could help a number of potential consumers choose between the high-end vendors, and make us more confident of a major expenditure.

Panamadub, we would appreciate, and be so grateful, if you would not take the time to judge the quality of those three hats for us, and give us your expert and informed opinion.

 

[John Boyer]

Brent Black claims to be the best at Panamas but I dont think Ive read too much about them at the lounge. I mean they certainly have very nice looking hats (some more tempting than others)but my question does anyone even have a brent black panama?

Yes! I recently purchased a Gatesby Fedora from Brent Black. It was a wonderful overall hat purchasing experience from sizing, selection and on through the finished product.

It is significantly superior to all my other Panama type hats. It is difficult to describe and I don't even think pictures would be any more enlightening but the weave resembles and feels more like fabric.

I hope to purchase a Brent Black Optimo later this year, styled after that wore by Teddy Roosevelt.

John

 

[Panamabob]

Nice Optimos. One is an Art Fawcett creation with curled brim. The other is a Gus Miller creation (close to a $1000.00 hat) with a more flattened top. It went to the UK and the buyer is a member here, so maybe he'll chime in.

 

[RBH]

I really like the crown on that Fawcett hat.
Its rounded like my hat is.

 

[mike]

I really like the crown on that Fawcett hat.
Its rounded like my hat is.

I agree, although damn those hats are huge! What, were they made for Godzilla?!

 

[big kahuna]

The only Panama I own is a Brent Black..

I have had my BB "Afficionado" for about 4 years now. It has traveled from CA to Boston, FL, Mexico, HI, and many stops in between. It is a bit sweat stained and smudged, but I think that shows character and is a testament to me liking the hat and its quality (BTW, it is a approx. 600 wpi).

Is it the best hat out there? Was it worth the price? Are there better bargains to be found? These are all points that can be argued ad-nauseum. Here are the reasons I like this hat.

• It fits. I wear a 8 1/8 long oval, and the hat fit nicely right out of the box. Brent said that it was one of the largest hats he has ever worked on. The crown is 5" and the brim is just over 3.5" with curl (it would be wider if the brim was flat!) As you can imagine, one does not buy bucket-head sizes off the shelf, and there are limited resources out there for those of us that are "living large."

• The customer service has been great. Before I was going to spend hundreds on a hat, I had lots of questions (durability, materials, future customer service, etc). Brent kindly indulged me and answered my questions thoroughly. Never was I made to feel that I was wasting his time. I wanted a hat that I could wear often and that would last, not just for special occasions. When my hat was crushed for a weekend under the folded rear seat of my car, He reassured me that he would do his best to bring it back from the dead, and his re-block of my beloved brim may have been better than when first arrived, if possible (absence does make the heart grow fonder!).

• Quality and workmanship are impeccable. I make things with my hands (as a hobbyist), and I admire quality products and workmanship. Given, I am not a hat expert, but the fact that this hat looks good and is intact after being put through major rain storms, heat, humidity, being blown off my head on numerous trails and mountaintops, my daily sweating regimin, and having been cigar besmirched and alcohol besotten, is a testamonial to me about quality and materials.

The bottom line: I am happy. Would I purchase from Brent again? When the time comes, you bet. Am I willing to look at someone else's products? I would be foolish not to compare...and this board is the right place to do that!

 

[CRH]

I have had my BB "Afficionado" for about 4 years now. ...

Thanks for the review, bk.

Wise choice getting a big brim. That hats looks great!

 

[Byzanti]

As someone who's looking to buy a first Panama, I'm wondering whether there's an unwritten rule here that you don't disclose how much you've spent?

Certainly there are some wonderful hats here, but an indication to the cost would be incredibly helpful. I mean, are these $500 hats or $5000 hats? Although we're all waiting for the experiment, I'd still quite like to know how others have faired!

 

[M6Classic]

Between us, my wife and I own seven panama hats from Montecristi in Santa Fe, NM. They have been purchased across the past twenty-five years. I would guess that the replacement price of each hat would be in the $1,000 to $2,000 range, and we average about $25 per hat per year in maintenance. While they fit exactly, are all blissfully light, flexible and durable, and provide comfortable shade in dire climates, each hat has its own personality and is in its own way perfect.

Do I recommend that anyone else pay $1,000 or more for a piece of woven straw? Absolutely not! It is absurd to buy hats of this quality...just as it is absurd to buy a Patek watch, a Leica, or a Porsche. Bear in mind that one can spend many times the cost of a Patek, Leica or Porsche for a watch, camera or car, and one can easilly spend $10,000 for a panama hat.

I spend serious money on my hats and cameras, but I would never spend a lot for a watch or a car. Everyone has to decide for him or herself what he or she is willing to pay for any item and why. I happen to like wearing good hats and since I am highly resistant to change, I want my hats to last pretty much forever...which according to actuarial tables for me should be circa 2030, but I expect my son to keep my headgear alive.

Buzz

 

[CRH]

...

I spend serious money on my hats and cameras, but I would never spend a lot for a watch or a car. ...

Buzz

I like your style, M6...

Welcome to the lounge .

 

[M6Classic]

I like your style, M6...

Welcome to the lounge .

Thanks! It is indeed a pleasure to be here!

Buzz

 

[Aerol]

Bump.

 

[Panamabob]

Yeah, I wonder what happened. I can only wish that the hats were not similar, or that on was far superior and he doesn't want to crush spirits? [huh]

 

[Carlisle Blues]

 

[marvelgoose]

I am subscribing to this soap opera, uh, thread out of pure cussedness. I think we should all PM panamadub and tell him we're going to lobby the bartender's into changing his name to panamadud unless he comes across with some pictures. His account gives the location as China so it could be that he really can't post pictures or even get back in here due to all the weird firewalls. Anyway, I've sent my PM, let's all pile on!

As for Panama Hats Direct, I subscribe to his email list just to pass them on to my sister, an English teacher, as examples of how you can embarrass yourself world wide. His has a knack for mixing up homonyms on his sight[sic].

worthlesswithoutpics

 

[Carlisle Blues]

lol lol lol lol lol

 

[Panamabob]

Fiasco? Soap Opera? At least I know the guy has our hat. Art blocked it and mailed it to him in Hong Kong. Maybe he doesn't want to hurt my feelings.

 

[HungaryTom]

"Dear all,

I have been browsing this site for a while and got many valuable information.

I have recently conducted and experiment and ordered one panama hat, with the same budget (more or less 1000 USD each) from three different makers : Brent Black, Panama Bob and Casey at Panama Hats direct".

Well this is mine from Panama Hatworks of Montecristi being less than 1K - some 0,9K USD.

This Montecristi is there, real and existent. Just to show that Bob has them and sends them.:cheers1:

Sorry for double posting - customer loyalty obliges.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Any word??[huh]

 

[Paul Oliva]

I have bought hats from Casey Dalzell and Brent Black. I bought Casey's best and a 1000 Monticristi from Brent Black. I can tell you that there is no comparison between the two, with Brent's hats being in an altogether elite class versus Casey's hat. Brent's hats are custom fit (no ungainly rise on the side brim from being too tight), and the blocking is so crisp and beautiful by comparison. Make no mistake, comparing the two hats side by side makes it obvious that Brent's hat is far far superior in every way. Two other hatters worth comparing would be an equivalent hat from Optimo Hats of Chicago and Monticristi Custom Hat Works and would love to know if they rate compare to Brent's work. I still doubt they are as nice as Brent's work though. Thank the good lord Brent is keeping this forgotten art alive!