Photographs Of Hats Fresh From Surviving The Elements

[zetwal]

That's the ticket ...

 

[Joshbru3]

Here's my 1950's Adam Executive that got soaked after another "wonderful" Chicago spring downpour. The picture was taken in the CTA train tunnel.

 

[1961MJS]

Here's my Fed III during one of last summer's frog-stranglers:

Hi

My old wool What Price Glory Bush hat got this wet and a bit more. It shrank a LOT, and I need a similar hat for this summer. Note how the pugaree didn't shrink and no longer touches the hat at the top of the pug.

I want a durable hat because this will be my gun range mowing, tree cutting, work hat. I don't want to buy another hat for say 10 years, so DURABLE. If it rains at the gun range, I'm wearing my regular glasses so I'm not blind, AND as eye protection, so keeping the glasses dry isn't really optional.

So, to combine durability AND waterproof / water resistant / it got soaked and I don't have to buy another new hat functionality, what do I want my hat to be made of? I need the "voices of experience" here.

100% beaver
100% bunny
100% fur felt (which I assumed to be bunny)
Doesn't matter if you spray the heck out of it with water proof stuff.
Other options that worked for you.

Thanks

 

[jlee562]

100% beaver is best, but you can find a tough rabbit hat (IE: Akubra).

 

[1961MJS]

100% beaver is best, but you can find a tough rabbit hat (IE: Akubra).

Hi

You're implying that Australian bunnies are tougher than the others? So for durability and water resistance I need to get either a $150.00 (roughly) Akubra or a $300.00 100% beaver hat. Are Winchester's fur felt blanks that much different that what Akubra gets?

Later

 

[jlee562]

I'm implying that all rabbit felts are not created equal. One need only take a modern Stetson hat and compare it to a modern Akubra. If you select an Akubra with the heritage felt, they use wild hare fur, which is more durable than the regular rabbit fut they use. The difference is even more apparent if you compared an Akubra to say, a Christy's. Further, to the best of my knowledge, there are differences in creating the bodies and processes that individual hatters may use to make their bodies more weather resistant. For example, John Penman told me that his rabbit felt bodies (which I believe are made at Winchester) are more durable than Akubra's.

Any fur felt subjected to the elements is going to need a reblock somewhere in its lifespan. How long it takes for that reblock to be needed depends on the quality of the felt and what it's been subjected to.

I will say that my Akubra Fed IV has survived many a downpour and is my "go to" rain hat. They're tough because they're designed for the outback.

 

[1961MJS]

Thanks, JLEE562, that's what I'm after. If I get a Winchester made felt body for a custom hat, I should still be o.k. if I'm reading that correctly. I can swing a custom hat under $200.00, but not a roughly $400.00 full Beaver one. I have to get a new home computer, computer too old, internet too fast.

My Stetson Temple is probably either 100% Bunny, or at least 75%, and it's thin and very flexible. I don't really know how well it sheds water so even at outlet prices, I'm hesitant to find out.

Thanks

 

[frussell]

I don't know how much credit I give all the "wild hare" v.s. American rabbit data, but overall, I would have to agree with jlee. If I was looking for a gun range/chore hat, and didn't want to pay for 100% beaver, I'd use an Akubra. I'm not a Stetson hater by any means, but after buying several of their latest models (Pinnacle, 3 Temples, Saxon, Nostalgia, Open Road, 4X Rancher, 2 "Milan" Lattes, etc...), and trying several types of Akubras (Squatter, 2 Fed IVs, 4 Campdrafts, Silver Spur), I'd have to say that the Akubras hold up to weather extremes far better than new model Stetsons. Another option you might want to consider is having Major Moore or someone build you your exact hat needed, but with western felt, which sometimes holds up better to rain and other problems. I'm sure others will disagree, but I gave all the hats mentioned above a fair try before sending them on their way. Only modern Stetson I kept was my Nostalgia, and that's because it was a second that became deformed slightly when I used steam to crease it, so no resale value. I'd be interested to see what you end up with. Frank

 

[EggHead]

Some factory hats bleed color when they get wet, so you need to be aware of that too. I don't have any of such, but I am sure other can share their experience. I have 3 Akubras and a 1 custom (blacksheephatworks).

 

[johnnycanuck]

If you want the same style of hat that will last, get the Akubra "military"
http://hatsdirect.com/cgi-bin/products.cgi?view=27&returncat=Akubra+Hats&returnpage=1
If not, go for a custom. I have read good things about Jaxonbilt http://www.jaxonbilthats.com/ the rabbit starts at $170 and its custom fit.
My two cents worth.
Johnny

 

[1961MJS]

If you want the same style of hat that will last, get the Akubra "military"
http://hatsdirect.com/cgi-bin/products.cgi?view=27&returncat=Akubra+Hats&returnpage=1
If not, go for a custom. I have read good things about Jaxonbilt http://www.jaxonbilthats.com/ the rabbit starts at $170 and its custom fit.
My two cents worth.
Johnny

Hi Johnny

Thanks for the help. I thought of the Akubra Bush hat, but wanted a lighter color. I have a Jaxonbilt hat and love it, check the Campaign hat thread. I'd buy another from Roy, but I'm looking to "share the wealth" custom hat wise. I need a Major Moore, an Art Fawcett, and probably a Black Sheep Hatworks at some point. I also don't have an Akubra.

Thanks

 

[fenris]

Finally found the thread I was looking for.

Here's a pic of my Fed IV after getting caught in a downpour last Monday...

 

[doggieboy]

A number of years ago I bought a Borsalino from someone on at this forum. They had bought if for their FIL size 7/8 and the size wasn't quite right. He did me a real service and sold it to me for what he had in it. It was a great hat, soft as a bunny's butt and I wore the hell out of it. Maybe 180 days in a year. Anyway, I had truck trouble and was totally soaked in a downpour. The hat shrunk and I'm not too happy about it. I would normally try to stretch it out, but I like the hat too much to try to fix it myself. Still, nothing beats a great hat in crappy weather.

 

[fenris]

That Fed IV Deluxe has been soaked twice already. The first time was while walking to the car in a freak rain shower wherein I had to walk 5 blocks in pouring rain. No visible water droplets as the whole hat was wet! It didn't shrink that much, I think. It's still going strong. Very durable.

 

[Sam Craig]

Appreciate those rain storms, man.

Around here, a "hat fresh from surviving the elements" would be crisp around the edges, faded to a dirty-rag color and covered with dust.

Hot and dry

We're just hanging on for fall.
The crops won't.

Sam

 

[danofarlington]

A number of years ago I bought a Borsalino from someone on at this forum. They had bought if for their FIL size 7/8 and the size wasn't quite right. He did me a real service and sold it to me for what he had in it. It was a great hat, soft as a bunny's butt and I wore the hell out of it. Maybe 180 days in a year. Anyway, I had truck trouble and was totally soaked in a downpour. The hat shrunk and I'm not too happy about it. I would normally try to stretch it out, but I like the hat too much to try to fix it myself. Still, nothing beats a great hat in crappy weather.

The problem may just be that the sweatband shrunk. You could get a hatter to stretch the hat, or replace the sweatband if need be. I don't think the felt shrunk--or shrank--or whatever the past tense of "shrink" is.

 

[MCrider]

Ahh, another wonderful day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing... or maybe not. Here's a picture of me any my Bailey fur after coming in from the rain.

 

[ADHD librarian]

This is my Akubra Silver Spur bearing the brunt of a tropical low (which is predicted to be a cyclone in a couple of hours). Kept my head nice and dry as I cleared up the yard and sorted out a couple of broken downpipes. And, just to be real Aussie about it, the hat was joined by my driza-bone and a pair of RM Williams boots. The jacket doesn't get much use since I moved to Darwin, sure it is wet but it is so hot most of the time that a jacket is useless and you may as well enjoy the rain while it lasts. The cyclone however has dropped the temperatures by about 10 degrees, so sure my house may blow away, but at least I will be dressed well while it does.

 

[mdove]

As long as you are well dressed noting else matters.

 

[DJH]

Hey ADHC, you like as though you are ready for anything the cyclone might send your way.

We had the remnants of a hurricane pass this way some months ago so I also reached for an Akubra to be outdoors. Campdraft in my case...