New VS Vintage Stetson Hats

[deadlyhandsome]

I was wondering what everyone thinks about the quality of brand new Stetson fur felt hats versus their fur felt hats from the 90s, 80s, and older than 80s. I'm relatively new to Stetson hats but I do have a few from the 80s and 90s (4x beaver) which I quite like and I'm curious to how the quality of something newer or older would compare.

I noticed Stetson only makes 4x blends with Buffalo fur now which I've heard isn't nearly as nice as the 4x beaver stuff they used to make so I don't think I would purchase one of those. I am however, debating buying a brand new Stetson Skyline in 6x beaver and I'm wondering how it would compare to an 80s 4x beaver.

Thanks & would love to hear your thoughts!

Just dealing with western hats:
After Stetson stopped making hats in 1970/71 the quality dipped. Although, The quality has been in serious decline for at least a decade before that. Personally, I think of western Stetsons in three distinct groups: 1. Those made in the 1950s and earlier. 2. Those made in the 1960s. 3. Those made after 1970 using the Stetson name but made by other companies. Earlier pre-war Stetsons are in another class, but I have so little experience with them that I can’t offer a first-hand opinion.

When I think of Stetsons made after 1970 I don’t compare them with earlier hats as there is no comparison even though they often retain the same name (e.g., 3X). Taken on their own, these modern Stetsons can be rugged and good looking hats. The felt is thick, the sweatbands are cheaper, the liners are crappy, and most of all the build quality shows a lack of attention and corners cut to save costs. That said, they can be very serviceable. I own many of them and their contemporaries from other hat companies.

It’s hard to make a direct comparison, but I’d say your older 4X Beaver is similar in quality to the current 6X Beaver. The current 6X is very stiff/firm felt, but with age and exposure to the elements it will mellow up some. I have found that the modern 6X is a bit thinner and denser (both good) when compared to a 1980s hat, but it’s also much stiffer...rather harsh in its stiffness but with a decent hand. The differences might also be partly explained by 30+ years of use.

As a thought, these “post-Stetson Stetsons” can be found at very reasonable prices on the used market. I’d get a used 3-5X beaver over the current 6X hats. Stay away from wool/buffalo unless that’s your thing.

 

[Jeffrey W]

Just dealing with western hats:
After Stetson stopped making hats in 1970/71 the quality dipped. Although, The quality has been in serious decline for at least a decade before that. Personally, I think of western Stetsons in three distinct groups: 1. Those made in the 1950s and earlier. 2. Those made in the 1960s. 3. Those made after 1970 using the Stetson name but made by other companies. Earlier pre-war Stetsons are in another class, but I have so little experience with them that I can’t offer a first-hand opinion.

When I think of Stetsons made after 1970 I don’t compare them with earlier hats as there is no comparison even though they often retain the same name (e.g., 3X). Taken on their own, these modern Stetsons can be rugged and good looking hats. The felt is thick, the sweatbands are cheaper, the liners are crappy, and most of all the build quality shows a lack of attention and corners cut to save costs. That said, they can be very serviceable. I own many of them and their contemporaries from other hat companies.

It’s hard to make a direct comparison, but I’d say your older 4X Beaver is similar in quality to the current 6X Beaver. The current 6X is very stiff/firm felt, but with age and exposure to the elements it will mellow up some. I have found that the modern 6X is a bit thinner and denser (both good) when compared to a 1980s hat, but it’s also much stiffer...rather harsh in its stiffness but with a decent hand. The differences might also be partly explained by 30+ years of use.

As a thought, these “post-Stetson Stetsons” can be found at very reasonable prices on the used market. I’d get a used 3-5X beaver over the current 6X hats. Stay away from wool/buffalo unless that’s your thing.

Very useful info, thanks! The 4x models from the 80s are less than half the cost of a brand new 6x so I may just buy a couple more of those before investing in something brand new. That being said, the stiffness (I like my hats really stiff) and density of their new hats appeals to me. I've also had to replace the sweatband in nearly all of my vintage hats so not having to do that for a change would be nice.

I do wish the liners were nicer on the new hats though. I noticed the artwork with the horse drinking from the hat looks pretty bad compared to the hats from the 80s...the colours look off and the overall image quality looks pretty poor in comparison (see attached).

Thanks again! Going to a Western shop this week to see about the Skyline 6x. Curious to see what it feels like/looks like in-person.

 

[Jeffrey W]

Just dealing with western hats:
After Stetson stopped making hats in 1970/71 the quality dipped. Although, The quality has been in serious decline for at least a decade before that. Personally, I think of western Stetsons in three distinct groups: 1. Those made in the 1950s and earlier. 2. Those made in the 1960s. 3. Those made after 1970 using the Stetson name but made by other companies. Earlier pre-war Stetsons are in another class, but I have so little experience with them that I can’t offer a first-hand opinion.

When I think of Stetsons made after 1970 I don’t compare them with earlier hats as there is no comparison even though they often retain the same name (e.g., 3X). Taken on their own, these modern Stetsons can be rugged and good looking hats. The felt is thick, the sweatbands are cheaper, the liners are crappy, and most of all the build quality shows a lack of attention and corners cut to save costs. That said, they can be very serviceable. I own many of them and their contemporaries from other hat companies.

It’s hard to make a direct comparison, but I’d say your older 4X Beaver is similar in quality to the current 6X Beaver. The current 6X is very stiff/firm felt, but with age and exposure to the elements it will mellow up some. I have found that the modern 6X is a bit thinner and denser (both good) when compared to a 1980s hat, but it’s also much stiffer...rather harsh in its stiffness but with a decent hand. The differences might also be partly explained by 30+ years of use.

As a thought, these “post-Stetson Stetsons” can be found at very reasonable prices on the used market. I’d get a used 3-5X beaver over the current 6X hats. Stay away from wool/buffalo unless that’s your thing.

Oh, and on a side note...I've been looking for a pre-1970s Stetson western hat for a while now but wow are they hard to find in decent condition.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Oh, and on a side note...I've been looking for a pre-1970s Stetson western hat for a while now but wow are they hard to find in decent condition.

Don’t I know it. I’m always looking for 1950s and earlier hats in my size and they don’t show up very often and they usually aren’t cheap when they are found.

I’m not trying to up-sale you, but you can also get a custom hat made to your specifications for perhaps less than you think.

 

[Dm101]

I figure hat quality is a lot like people quality nowadays.

The older....the better.

 

[1961MJS]

J...Stay away from wool/buffalo unless that’s your thing.

Hi
I looked up "Stetson Buffalo Hat" on Google and found that Boot Barn says that they're made of buffalo felt. Is the above statement stay away from Wool AND Buffalo hats? When I saw that i was wondering about a wool / buffalo felt blend. They're also priced like a wool hat which made me wonder. Buffalo meat isn't exactly a huge seller, so I figured it would be as high as bunny fur.
Later

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Hi
I looked up "Stetson Buffalo Hat" on Google and found that Boot Barn says that they're made of buffalo felt. Is the above statement stay away from Wool AND Buffalo hats? When I saw that i was wondering about a wool / buffalo felt blend. They're also priced like a wool hat which made me wonder. Buffalo meat isn't exactly a huge seller, so I figured it would be as high as bunny fur.
Later

Buffalo felt is technically wool felt.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hi
I looked up "Stetson Buffalo Hat" on Google and found that Boot Barn says that they're made of buffalo felt. Is the above statement stay away from Wool AND Buffalo hats? When I saw that i was wondering about a wool / buffalo felt blend. They're also priced like a wool hat which made me wonder. Buffalo meat isn't exactly a huge seller, so I figured it would be as high as bunny fur.
Later

Not only is buffalo felt a type of wool felt, it’s also, in my one experience handling it in a store, rather coarse. It doesn’t make a nice hat compared to fur felt.

 

[1961MJS]

Not only is buffalo felt a type of wool felt, it’s also, in my one experience handling it in a store, rather coarse. It doesn’t make a nice hat compared to fur felt.

Hi, OK, first of all, I completely understand that buffalo felt is coarse. The back of a buffalo is coarse, the belly of a bunny ain't, makes sense.

Now, back to the whole wool felt thing. I don't get it, but I started looking stuff on buffalo felt and wool felt. Basically I don't understand why pressed fur from bunnies, beavers, and nutrias makes hats, but fur / hair off a buffalo and a sheep makes hat shaped things that fall apart. I did see that Beaver fur is hollow, buffalo fur isn't, but still absorbs loads of water.

Later y'all and thankss for starting to explain things. Feel free to expound on the subject while I go look stuff up.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hi, OK, first of all, I completely understand that buffalo felt is coarse. The back of a buffalo is coarse, the belly of a bunny ain't, makes sense.

Now, back to the whole wool felt thing. I don't get it, but I started looking stuff on buffalo felt and wool felt. Basically I don't understand why pressed fur from bunnies, beavers, and nutrias makes hats, but fur / hair off a buffalo and a sheep makes hat shaped things that fall apart. I did see that Beaver fur is hollow, buffalo fur isn't, but still absorbs loads of water.

Later y'all and thankss for starting to explain things. Feel free to expound on the subject while I go look stuff up.

Hi, OK, first of all, I completely understand that buffalo felt is coarse. The back of a buffalo is coarse, the belly of a bunny ain't, makes sense.

Now, back to the whole wool felt thing. I don't get it, but I started looking stuff on buffalo felt and wool felt. Basically I don't understand why pressed fur from bunnies, beavers, and nutrias makes hats, but fur / hair off a buffalo and a sheep makes hat shaped things that fall apart. I did see that Beaver fur is hollow, buffalo fur isn't, but still absorbs loads of water.

Later y'all and thankss for starting to explain things. Feel free to expound on the subject while I go look stuff up.

It’s not that wool falls apart. And certainly there were once great hats made from wool, particularly in Europe in the first part of the 20th century. It’s just the properties of fur felt (not that all fur is equal or suitable for hat making) compared to the properties of wool. Good fur felt is very fine and the individual fibers are of small diameter. The furs also have microscopic barbs that allow it to interlock and “felt” very tightly. Conversely, wool doesn’t felt as tight and it often requires stiffeners and binging agents or it is spongey and of low density. Wool also tends to shrink when it gets wet and dries. The materials are just different and have different properties.

 

[1961MJS]

Thanks, that helps a lot.

Later