Seasons for your hats

[Woodfluter]

I'm sorta in the Dewhurst, CRH, Colby Jack camp.

If know it'll be rain-free and not expecting rough stuff, usually cuenca Panama planter. Coolest of all.

Otherwise, lighter weight felts even in the Atlanta humidi-heat. Lately it's mostly been a newer fawn Akubra Banjo Paterson or same-color Fed IV deluxe.

If over 80 F and very humid, and no rain, bare head.

In contrast to Dixon Cannon, when I travel to the Southwest US (pretty often) I find even a pretty heavy cowboy-weight felt is just fine regardless of temperature. The dry air makes all the difference for me! Better off with hat than without, although I'll frequently take it off for steep ascents hiking up canyons.

I think there's some personal thermal factors involved, so really, you have to figure it out for yourself.

- Bill

 

[Colby Jack]

What happens to the Panama in the rain?

Panama's and rain just don't mix...water takes the shape right out...a down pour would ruin one...

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

I told him not to go swimming in his panama. Now it's completely lost its shape!

and this one was normal size till the downpour...

 

[Dewhurst]

Panama's and rain just don't mix...water takes the shape right out...a down pour would ruin one...

Correct. Straw absorbs moisture, PUFFS up, and loses its shape/rots.

So rain and straw are not a good mixture. Some people even sweat enough to cause moisture related problems for their straw hats.

 

[Flitcraft]

Generally go by temp, but I have been wearing a fur felt in the summer lately for hiking- need to find a straw with a wide brim that isn't too delicate.. oh, and affordable...

 

[kaosharper1]

I always seem to go by the temperature. I live in california and really break a sweat with any hat on my head, whenever. Lighter felts help a bit, yet they don't really change the fact that you are wearing fur on your head. I really need a Panama.

Yeah, Matt. We don't have to worry about humidity in SoCal!

 

[Spats McGee]

Season, temperature, occasion . . . I've been wearing a straw all summer, but I finally got to break out a felt today!

 

[daizawaguy]

It is not the temerature, its the humidity. Ever seen Egyptian Archeologists wearing felts, and our comrades down under in their Akubras? Its very hot in both those places, but dry. Try and wear a felt in a humid area or at the beach where you sweat...its like wearing a sweater...in terms of temperature...as soon as you need to cover a shirt with something warmer, the felt comes out.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

It is not the temerature, its the humidity. Ever seen Egyptian Archeologists wearing felts, and our comrades down under in their Akubras? Its very hot in both those places, but dry.

Hell's bells Daiza! I can assure you that Down Under is among the most humid places on earth...and the further north you go, the more humid it gets.

But we still love our Akubras!

 

[kaosharper1]

Hell's bells Daiza! I can assure you that Down Under is among the most humid places on earth...and the further north you go, the more humid it gets.

But we still love our Akubras!

Really? I was just in Jacksonville Florida where it was 90 degrees fahrenheit with 90% humidity. I don't think I could even wear a panama there. It would wilt. When I was in Melbourne it didn't seem to get above 50% humidity which is the worst it gets here in southern California (usually its 20% to 30%). Hence, my ability to wear light felts as long as it's 85 degrees or less. How humid does it get in Brisbane?

 

[Inusuit]

I wear felts year around unless I'm doing heavy, sweat-inducing work in the summer. Then I wear one of two Sunbody straws.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Felts, year round. Work rest and play. Doesent matter. Do what you feel is best.
Johnny

 

[Delthayre]

Longing for felted days

I prefer felt to straw, so I wear them for as long as I can, but when the temperature begins to rise above 70°F or so and the humidity rises above roughly 60%, I change to my panama hat, although I want to experiment with using lightweight felt instead whenever I can at least afford an Artlite.

 

[daizawaguy]

Hell's bells Daiza! I can assure you that Down Under is among the most humid places on earth...and the further north you go, the more humid it gets.

But we still love our Akubras!

http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_averages/relative-humidity/index.jsp

!!??!!

 

[gtdean48]

http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_averages/relative-humidity/index.jsp

!!??!!

We call that very dry around here!

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Geez GT and Daiza - do you really want to argue with an Aussie about how humid it gets here? As for the map..not many Aussies live in the arid centre. See that thin strip around the coastline where the humidity is high? That's where we all live! The "Dead Centre" is a desert and sparsely populated.

Trust me, Brisbane gets into the 90% humidity in summer more often than not. Right now it's winter and the temp today will reach 30 degrees Celsius and the humidity right now at 8:20am is 60%. And winter is our dry season! We're in the tropics here guys.

Do we still wear hats? You bet! That's when you need 'em most. We don't wear them for warmth but to keep the sun off our noggins. Skin cancer is a major problem here. I wear my felts all year, though straw gets an outing in summer too - especially for a day at the cricket.

Kaosharper, you mentioned Melbourne (my favourite city in Oz). It's nowhere near as humid as here, though it has its moments. As I said, the further north you go in this country, the more humid it gets.

 

[tortswon]

I wear felt whenever possible. when the temperature goes above 75 here in Philly, it's generally not possible. Best, Sam

 

[Godfrey]

Kaosharper, you mentioned Melbourne (my favourite city in Oz). It's nowhere near as humid as here, though it has its moments. As I said, the further north you go in this country, the more humid it gets.

Does get Humid in Melbourne (as a bone in the hair native I speak with some authority). I agree with the comment about why we wear hats in Australia. The sun is diabolical, regardless of season, so felts and straws are essential. So much so Akubra had their hats rated for sun protection.

As a year round hat wearer I probably split the year between felts and straws... but is very much a temperature thing for me. The are predicting an awful summer this year (worst than 07') so I'm already giving thought to a new panama... not that I generally need much encouragement!

 

[GoldenEraFan]

It depends on the temperature and the weather for me. If it's below 70 degrees I'll wear my felt fedora's. My wool cap I save for below 60 degrees. New York summers are dreadful and the hot weather stays well into September. I remember wearing a panama hat to the 2007 Columbus Day Parade in early October! The hats I wear in the summer change with the weather. If it's bright and sunny, or slightly cloudy I wear a panama hat, but if it's cloudy and there's a chance of rain I wear my lightweight cap.

 

[CRH]

...

If know it'll be rain-free and not expecting rough stuff, usually cuenca Panama planter. ...

Most of us would appreciate the shade provided by a 3 to 5 inch or bigger brim. I know I do! Before the automobile it was status quo.