Stetson's new beaver fedora

[Hemingway Jones]

Let me when he'll be there, I'll make the 3 hour drive to check it out!
Hey HJ, you up for a little road trip?

Always! My friend.

 

[jamespowers]

Ok you two now have a reporting job for us then if it ever comes to fruition. You can be like the people at Road and Track but for hats.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Harry Lime]

Graham's Dad.

That would be great.
I suppose it is just my desire to go back to a time when I could go into a hat shop and buy a great Stetson hat. From Playboys to Stratoliners to Whippets and even Stetsonians, what I choice you could have and in any color you want. They didn't taper, were water proof and the color didn't run or fade. Now that is a Stetson that was work-a-day stuff back in the golden age. Maybe I am just living inthe past but I am sure there is still the skill and ability to do it. It would be nice if it was at a decent price as well. If a custom hat is cheaper then something is still wrong.
Ok, off my soapbox and off to the local hot rod show.

Regards to all,

J

James,

I believe Graham Thompson's Dad, Tim, has a hot rod or two in the show you attended (judging by area.) He does really cool '32 Fords in the authentic true hot rod style (flat heads, '50's era equipment, etc.) Did you happen to notice a cool 32 3-window he did?

Harry Lime

 

[jamespowers]

James,

I believe Graham Thompson's Dad, Tim, has a hot rod or two in the show you attended (judging by area.) He does really cool '32 Fords in the authentic true hot rod style (flat heads, '50's era equipment, etc.) Did you happen to notice a cool 32 3-window he did?

I saw so many hot rod '32 Fords that I probably wouldn't remember any specific cars. The "Elvis" 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz by John D'Agostino in Lavender and Platinum was quite a crowd pleaser that I remember though.
Wait, I just got out the show guide and it does mention a Tim Thompson from Hilsdale, IL exhibiting a black 1932 3 window. I think I remember seeing it in the North Hall now that I think about it. Interesting to know that he was in the neighborhood.
Rather than hijack the thread further about it, I will post a thread about it with some pictures a friend of mine took. Look for it because we got what we think is the ultimate Biltmore Bob hot rod.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Just an fyi for folks. I just heard that Stetson is putting out a beaver fedora in fall '06. It's supposed to be similar to the Temple. I don't have any real details as my rep doesn't have his sample yet. Maybe Hatco is starting to hear all your demands for a better hat. We'll have to wait and see.

Cheers.

That sure would be nice, maybe they'll start making hats like they used to. I was in a hat shop in Santa Barbara over the weekend and the Stetsons they had were a sorry sight to behold...KC

 

[besdor]

Here is the deal on the Stetson Beaver hat . It will be in the shape of the Temple style that Stetson makes now . This is a 2 5/8" brim with a 18line band. A nice basic hat . It will come in three colors :black , steel gray ,and brown . The price will be less than a Bors beaver ,probably around 275.00 to 300.00 . It is supposed to be 100% beaver . Now we have to wait and see. :cool2:

 

[jamespowers]

Here is the deal on the Stetson Beaver hat . It will be in the shape of the Temple style that Stetson makes now . This is a 2 5/8" brim with a 18line band. A nice basic hat . It will come in three colors :black , steel gray ,and brown . The price will be less than a Bors beaver ,probably around 275.00 to 300.00 . It is supposed to be 100% beaver . Now we have to wait and see. :cool2:

Hmmmm. I am not going to pass judgement until I see it. Steel gray would be cool but they should have called it gun metal.
Who is going to carry this so I can go there and see it?

Regards to all,

J

 

[fedoralover]

And here it is!

Well the current Temple anyway. But the beaver one will probably look just the same.

fedoralover

 

[besdor]

Thanks for the picture, Fedora. It will be available for the fall season ,but I'm sure that you will be able to buy it earlier . The company is now working on the packaging for the hat . I'm not sure if we will sell it . Many people know Stetson for their western hats but for a 300.00 dress hat ,it had:cool2: better be nice !

 

[Michael Mallory]

If you're in Southern California, World Hat Mart is also an interesting place to visit. I'm not sure the proprietors really know hats (truth be told, I've always suspected the place was really a front for spies selling secrets from Cal Tech, which is down the street), but they have such a huge stock that you can usually find something if you poke around long enough.

 

[Michael Mallory]

Sorry...I forgot to specify that World Hat Mart is on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.

 

[Aaron Hats]

Here's a pic of the new Stetson Pinnacle from the latest catalog:

 

[Nathan Flowers]

That's the one we've been talking about?

 

[Brad Bowers]

Well, it's a start. Assuming the felt is up to snuff. At least Stetson recognizes that their interpretation of a classic fedora deserves better quality.

Brad

 

[Aaron Hats]

That's the one we've been talking about?

You betcha.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Question: What color is Caribou? Is it a light gray, medium gray, gray brown, or....?

karol

 

[Aaron Hats]

Caribou is a medium grey.

 

[jamespowers]

Caribou is a medium grey.

Hmmm a real Caribou is tan. The males have a cream colored neck and tail though. :cheers1:

Regards to all,

J

 

[indyguy]

beaver

I saw the new 100% beaver in person the felt is soft but I don't really care for it,it's got a black sweat band and it's short crowned i'm more of a tall crown wide brimmed guy plus it was like 300 bucks I was wearing my adventurebilt and the stetson doesn't even come close neither did the borsalinos.

 

[Matt Deckard]

About the World Hat Mart on Colorado Blvd. Abandon all hope ye who enter!

That place is a joke. You'll have better luck at a California boot barn if you are looking for a good hat an knowledge of hats.

The only shop we have in the LA area that is worth its salt in a way is Baron hats, though I don't trust them to clean or bllock as they have ruined 3 of my hats... ruined!

I go to Baron to see modern offerings. If I wanted a custom hat from that shop I'd go cowboy.

As for the Stetson all Beaver. I think they are looking at what Borsalino did last year with their all Beaver and trying to show some semblance of competition. The All Beaver modern Borsalino fro what I saw and felt was a mess. the fur was loose and I don't think the hat could hold up to daily wear. Modern Stetson felt is much better in comparison to Modern Borsalino.

I fear that Stetson will be one of those stiff beaver felts that wears down after a year or less of wear. I think they should really really start studying some of their vintage works and start copying those heart and soul if they want to get back intot he dress hat market. They weren't all beaver and they hold up better than modern fedoras that are all beaver. With soft floppy dress hats, it's not the beaver, it's the quality of the fur and the process used for felting.

They really need people like us working for them... people who have a passion for dress hats, though I think they prefer to recreate the hat and do so by seeing it as a costume rather than a piece of clothing.