Straw hat recommendation?

[winter_joe]

We are back in stock with the DelMonico Retro $97.50. It is a very nice grade 6 Panama with a tear drop crown and a 2 3/4 brim. Although it does not say it, it does come with a leather sweat

Jeff
Living the Dream at
DelMonico Hatter

What's the crown height? Sounds interesting.

 

[Jedwbpm]

What's the crown height? Sounds interesting.

Hi Joe the Crown is 4" at the front pinch 4 1/2" at its highest point.

Jeff Dyer
Living the Dream at
DelMonico Hatter

 

[Ankerstjerne]

Hello Jeff,
The Sanibel Panama on your website interests me (along with free shipping until Jun 30). What is its crown height, and is the sweat band leather?

 

[Jedwbpm]

Hello Jeff,
The Sanibel Panama on your website interests me (along with free shipping until Jun 30). What is its crown height, and is the sweat band leather?

The Sanibel is almost identical to the Retro in size even though they come from two different makers. the same crown and height and brim. The Sanibel is a grade 8 while the Retro is a 6 and the Sanibel is Bleached while the Retro is natural. Hope that answers your questions.

Jeff
Living the Dream at
DelMonico Hatter

 

[bendingoak]

If money's no object, try this guy...Brent Black is one of the best when it comes to custom made Montecrisitis...but he's also pricey....

https://www.brentblack.com/pages/panamahats.htm

I couldn't agree more. Great guy and very passionate about his work and hats.

 

[totallyfrozen]

I feel so cheated! (rant ahead)

I live in Houston, Texas where the summer weather can go from sunny and 95 degrees to a pouring thunderstorm within 30 minutes. I've been shopping for a hot weather hat that has a little class but can stand getting caught in the rain. Sure, I have a couple of boonies that were issued to me in the Army but those don't look too classy. So I've been in the market for a good straw hat. I've been intentionally avoiding the Chinese cheap-o Toyo "straw" because, frankly, I don't want a paper hat. I've read tales of toyo hats getting wet and falling apart or going limp and losing their shape. Besides, I'm not a 6 year old; I want a man's hat.

So I recently found a vented straw fedora that my wife actually likes (which is a challenge for me because more often than not says she doesn't like most of the hats I'm interested in). It was marketed as 100% organic raffia straw. So I bought this hat from Hats in the Belfry (from whom I previous bought a Harris tweed ivy cap that is one of the nicest hats on the planet). When I get the hat, it seems rather soft and light. I look at the tag inside and it says "100% Toyo"!
I feel so cheated and misled!

So I'm back online shopping for a genuine straw hat (not paper but one made from actual plant fibers, you know) and every where I look the choices are toyo, toyo, and toyo! Have the Chinese taken over the straw hat industry? Where can a man find a genuine straw hat these days?

I'm looking for something in a trilby style with possibly a stingy brim (no more than 2"). Any suggestions on where to find a real vented straw hat?

 

[Wolfwood]

Straw hats will not hold rain very well. But you could try some of Akubra's straw hats, or perhaps even their poly-straw hats that will certainly withstand rain with no worries (Capricorn is popular). Personally, I have good experiences with the Balmoral (hemp braid) - it looks good and does not mind a rain or two. Mine had soaked in lakes and in worse places and I've still been able to reshape it to almost original looks.

 

[totallyfrozen]

I wasn't planning to wear the hat in the rain, really. I'm concerned with getting caught by surprise where I end up getting the hat a bit wet before I can get out if the rain. Thanks for the helpful info too! I'll check into it. I've heard poly hats can be hot in the sun. Any solid truth to that claim?

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

You're in the same city as Sun Body hats. They're a straw hat and are rain resistant in a weird way. In order to keep the hat nice, you have to soak it every month or so. They're both good and bad. They are grass of some sort and are kind of heavy, a lot heavier than a Panama hat. If you look at the Sunbody thread you'll get a good idea of what they have.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?35187-THE-SUNBODY-ASSOCIATION

One of the loungers works there in the importing section I believe. I buy one every year from my local (well, used to be) hatter in Wichita KS. Vent holes and a custom ribbon usually run me about $65.00.

Hope this helps but Hot weather is best with a Panama hat and they don't do rain all that well.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I also live in Houston. I've bought several nice straw hats from The Hat Store (Richmond and Chimney Rock). They're not cheap, but as you might be finding out, you get what you pay for.

On a side note, an umbrella is a valuable accessory around these parts, when that unexpected shower hits.

 

[fashion frank]

Also you might try the Village Hat Shop they have alot of different hats and or price ranges .

www.villagehatshop.com

I would concur with most of the posters here, water and straw just don't go well together.
All the Best ,Fashion Frank

 

[elveston]

I've worn both the Akubra Zephyr and Capricorn on the 110 degree heat index days here. Even the dark grey Zephyr was surprisingly cool with a nice airflow through the crown. I've also found that the brim of the Zephyr can be adjusted to more of a fedora-like bash (just takes a while).

I also "sweated in" a couple of my new felts during the heat and found that they were warm, but not unpleasant to wear as long as I didn't work too hard (not something I worry about alot). Now that the temperature has dropped down to 95 or so, I'm going to try Art's lightweight Black Cherry. My theory is a lightweight felt without a liner and in a light color should be good up to about 100 or so. At least for a casual outing.

 

[totallyfrozen]

All very helpful, informative replies. Thanks all!...or should I say Y'all.

Yes, I have a decent umbrella. Definitely good to keep it handy.

My G.I. ACU boonie handles extreme heat and rain quite well, FWIW. But wearing it in everyday situations is, IMO, a bit like wearing a pith helmet around everyday. That said, I've even started considering a "civilian" boonie but they don't lend themselves too well to any sort of "dressy" look. From what I've seen, all the boonies are more sporty/extreme casual. My wife said she likes fedoras and wants me to get that style.

I'll check the shops and resources you guys suggested.

Thanks!

 

[g.durand]

Now that the temperature has dropped down to 95 or so, I'm going to try Art's lightweight Black Cherry. My theory is a lightweight felt without a liner and in a light color should be good up to about 100 or so. At least for a casual outing.

I believe gtdean posted one of his VS lightweights some time back and mentioned that it is about the same as a straw hat in the heat where he lives.
totallyrozen, you may not want to go that route yet and order a custom hat, but you can't go wrong with one of Art Fawcett's creations.

I'm enjoying reading about you guys who live in Houston as my immediate family is there. I only go for there to visit for the most part between November and May since I haven't lived there for thirty-five years or so. Nice to know that if I had to go in the hotter months I could get away with a felt hat.