Panama Hat Thread

[job]

In my opinion steam will not help the straw. I would think that what is lost over time is the natural oils of the straw.

 

[BR Gordon]

This hat was purchased in 1979. While living in the Caribbean it remained flexible, but in desert southwest the hat is less so, but still usable. I wear this hat at least two or three times a week during the summer.




The only thing that I do is get it cleaned and re-blocked every few years, as needed.

 

[thespoiler]

In my opinion steam will not help the straw. I would think that what is lost over time is the natural oils of the straw.

Yeah, I think you are right here.... If I had an old hat I would experiment...

 

[Panamabob]

Went out shopping in the San Diego area yesterday and came upon the Village Hat Shop. THe ladies inside were clueless and their customer service was laughable. Every decent hat had to be reached with a pole and you could tell they were not in the mood to be asked for hat after hat. Regardless I did find a nice little Stetson that I had never heard of. It is a discontinued style and I did get a discount after haggling with the saleswoman a little bit. I have some questions for you Panama experts though. What weave is this? What part of Equador do you believe it came from? Also I would like a rouigh grade idea.Thanks

Did you get a chance to match this against your other Cuencas?

 

[RBH]

...I can't help but believe that most places in Virginia would be humid enough to keep them in good condition. But only having visited, I'm just guessing

And if that does not work....come to Arkansas in July!

 

[Shangas]

I'm going to Singapore in less than a month.

I'll be taking my Panama hat with me.

I'm curious to know, does rain/water harm Panama straw? Like if I'm suddenly caught out in a tropical monsoon without an umbrella (a likely occurrence in a country like Singapore), is my hat likely to be ruined? Stained? Lose its shape? Become a lump of slosh like newspaper? Or is the hat designed to deal with water like this?

 

[job]

Keep it away from water.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

I'm going to Singapore in less than a month.

I'll be taking my Panama hat with me.

I'm curious to know, does rain/water harm Panama straw? Like if I'm suddenly caught out in a tropical monsoon without an umbrella (a likely occurrence in a country like Singapore), is my hat likely to be ruined? Stained? Lose its shape? Become a lump of slosh like newspaper? Or is the hat designed to deal with water like this?

I would pick up a Akubra Capricorn they are a poly straw hat and do well in any kind of weather.

Akubra-Capricorn-Review

 

[Panamabob]

I would pick up a Akubra Capricorn they are a poly straw hat and do well in any kind of weather.

Akubra-Capricorn-Review

Poly meaning plastic, not panama straw (paja toquilla).

Rain won't ruin the hat, but it will certainly take the blocking out, unless heavily lacquered.

 

[Shangas]

I merely ask because the hat will be my mainstay while in Singapore. And Singapore weather can be somewhat unpredictable. Granted, there is a "dry" and "rainy" season (in a manner of speaking), massive monsoonal downpours can happen at the drop of a hat, with next to no warning. So I just want to make sure that if I should get a Panama wet, it's not a lost cause from the get-go. Like, if I dry it out properly, will that ensure its survival, etc?

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

The grass hats, Sun Body get wet, they just swell a bit and repel water after that stage. Sun Body is in Houston Texas, and well, you're in Australia. I don't think Panama's swell like that. I'd consider an Akubra with vents, and get a hat jack to let it dry on.

Just my $0.01, I don't have much Panama experience.

Poly meaning plastic, not panama straw (paja toquilla).

Rain won't ruin the hat, but it will certainly take the blocking out, unless heavily lacquered.

I take that to mean you won't want to wear the hat after it gets really wet.

 

[Rick Blaine]

New Christys'

Sold at A Baker & Sons - Nassau, The Bahamas, an ongoing concern I may add. Although this looks to have a bit of age on it anyway. A little thick & woody, but I have now, with nominal success recreased it into a fedora. I haven't got the brim quite as I would have it, yet, or I'd post an after photo.
I DO particularly like the bound brim.

 

[jayinhk]

Hi everyone! My name's Jay, and I'm from Hong Kong. I've lived in New York and traveled extensively, and I'm here because I've wanted a Panama Hat for years! The closest thing I have is a handwoven buntal trilby from Bulacan in the Philippines. The Philippines was a former Spanish colony, and buri palm 'panama' hats have been woven there since some time in the 1800s. There appears to be a lot of misinformation on some hattiers sites about buntal. I wanted to upload a pic, but for some reason I'm getting an 'undefined' error.

I have, however, just ordered an extra fino fedora from Ecuacorp on eBay. Hopefully I get a decent hat from them: for $90 shipped it was a good deal, but hopefully it arrives in one piece! I will be in Bulacan later this year and it should be interesting to show them my panama while picking up some buri hats!

 

[gtdean48]

... I wanted to upload a pic, but for some reason I'm getting an 'undefined' error.
...

You can't upload directly like utility seems to imply. You have to post the photo to a hosting site, like Photobucket, then use IMG tags to imbed it in your post to the forum. HTH...

Oh yea.... Welcome to the Lounge.

 

[jayinhk]

Thank you, I figured I'd try that approach next!

 

[jayinhk]

Me in my Bali buntal trilby.

The inside. Please excuse the sweat stain!

Side view.

 

[randooch]

Sold at A Baker & Sons - Nassau, The Bahamas, an ongoing concern I may add. Although this looks to have a bit of age on it anyway. A little thick & woody, but I have now, with nominal success recreased it into a fedora. I haven't got the brim quite as I would have it, yet, or I'd post an after photo.
I DO particularly like the bound brim.

Hey, I was just there a few weeks ago! Here's the only good section of the shop:

 

[Mikeymex]

Hey everyone! I have a Montecristi blocked by Art Fawcett that is my "go to" hat. The other night walking home with my son, we got caught in a huge downpour. I did take the hat off while we ran through the rain, but it ended up soaked anyway. I laid it out that night and the next day with a little hand prying it is fine . . . but . . . the ribbon seems to have stretched out a bit and has not bounced back. Any tricks or remedies for the band? It is not so loose that someone would really notice, but I do. Let me know . . .

 

[JohnnyCairo]

Hi,

Here is my first vintage hat. It arrived today from an Ebay seller. Very happy with the fit, however it smells like mildew. Pretty strong. Any suggestions for ridding the odor?

Secondly, I was wondering if anyone might be able to take an educated guess on the this hat might have been produced. Did a little research and found the maker went out of business in the 80s. So I figure it's at least 30 years old. I am hoping to narrow that down.

I's a fine piece and I love how it fits, just really need to get that smell out. Thanks!

 

[Chasseur]

I merely ask because the hat will be my mainstay while in Singapore. And Singapore weather can be somewhat unpredictable. Granted, there is a "dry" and "rainy" season (in a manner of speaking), massive monsoonal downpours can happen at the drop of a hat, with next to no warning. So I just want to make sure that if I should get a Panama wet, it's not a lost cause from the get-go. Like, if I dry it out properly, will that ensure its survival, etc?

Getting caught in a summer storm in Seoul a few years back with my Panama made me swear off Panama hats for travel. Basically if it gets really wet there is a high chance of losing the blocking. We have the same problem here in Hawaii, we can get rain showers almost any day of the year. I cannot get a hat re-blocked locally and I do not fancy mailing off a Panama every other year to be re-blocked on the mainland, so I've moved on to two Akubra poly straws: a Capricorn for casual and outdoors stuff; and a Country Club for suits, sportcoats, etc.

Having said that I do love the look of a Panama and they are cooler than the poly straw in hot, humid weather.