The Open Road Guild

[Frunobulax]

Apparel >> Hats >> Links to Important Hat Forum Threads. .

You'll find threads on Open Roads, Stetson advertising, on with images of old Miller-Stockman catalogs, etc.

Fun fact: the original incarnation of the Open Road was not a thin ribbon hat.

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[Just Daniel]

The ad from 1937 is out there, I think on the Open Road thread. Someone reposted it after I found a ‘38 era OR in Mexico. I’ll try to look for it later if you don’t find it first.

excellent thanks, I’d love to see an early advertisement of these hats if anyone out there has one?

 

[Just Daniel]

Aha. See post #7

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/vintage-stetson-newspaper-ads.94877/

 

[Just Daniel]

And post #558 below:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-open-road-guild.7047/page-28

The search engine here on FL is notoriously limited, but you can search for anything using google with the added text: site:thefedoralounge.com

It is a decent way to work through all the posts.

 

[Fivesense]

After a couple years of deliberation, I finally took the plunge on the Open Road 10X in toast.

I sure am happy with it. I love the classic shape and cattlemen crown. As much as I love the various bashes of fedoras, I'm a cattlemen crease type of guy. The venting on the OR straw is great for warmer weather and acts like air conditioning when there's a nice breeze. I have a handful of traditional, wide brimmed cowboy hats, but the 2 3/4" brim of the OR is so versatile when going in and out of doors.

Now I can't wait for fall, whereupon I'll decide between the 6x felt and the Royal Deluxe. There's a case to be made for both, with the RD having a slight edge in versatility. Any thoughts on the matter will be welcomed.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

After a couple years of deliberation, I finally took the plunge on the Open Road 10X in toast.

I sure am happy with it. I love the classic shape and cattlemen crown. As much as I love the various bashes of fedoras, I'm a cattlemen crease type of guy. The venting on the OR straw is great for warmer weather and acts like air conditioning when there's a nice breeze. I have a handful of traditional, wide brimmed cowboy hats, but the 2 3/4" brim of the OR is so versatile when going in and out of doors.

Now I can't wait for fall, whereupon I'll decide between the 6x felt and the Royal Deluxe. There's a case to be made for both, with the RD having a slight edge in versatility. Any thoughts on the matter will be welcomed.

The vented Open Roads are compelling hats. We’d love to see photos.


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[Fivesense]

The vented Open Roads are compelling hats. We’d love to see photos.


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I love this hat the more I wear it. I have a number of straw, palm, and vented cotton type hats. This has fast become my favorite.

 

[jlee562]

Yah I think I have to grab one of those from JJ, I was looking at them last night (browser tab still open, lol).

Going on a trip next month and it would be nice to not have to baby my Panama OR.

I did have a chuckle upon seeing the "authentic x's" imprint on some of these (others have the regular OR imprint). Would sure love to know what an "authentic x" means for a shangtung hat.

 

[Fivesense]

Yah I think I have to grab one of those from JJ, I was looking at them last night (browser tab still open, lol).

Going on a trip next month and it would be nice to not have to baby my Panama OR.

I did have a chuckle upon seeing the "authentic x's" imprint on some of these (others have the regular OR imprint). Would sure love to know what an "authentic x" means for a shangtung hat.

I think “authentic x” means somewhere between 6-12x, which for Shantung may mean, oh who knows what.

Either way, I really like it. It handles steam and while it takes awhile, subtle changes are possible.

I don’t plan to beat this hat, but I won’t baby it either.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Yah I think I have to grab one of those from JJ, I was looking at them last night (browser tab still open, lol).

Going on a trip next month and it would be nice to not have to baby my Panama OR.

I did have a chuckle upon seeing the "authentic x's" imprint on some of these (others have the regular OR imprint). Would sure love to know what an "authentic x" means for a shangtung hat.

Those pesky counterfeit Xs!


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[deadlyhandsome]

I love this hat the more I wear it. I have a number of straw, palm, and vented cotton type hats. This has fast become my favorite.

Looks great. I’m not the biggest fan of shantung, but on that hat it’s really a good way to go.


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[Fivesense]

Looks great. I’m not the biggest fan of shantung, but on that hat it’s really a good way to go.


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If the hemp had vents, I’d likely have gone with that. Or if they made a palm with vents.

But the Shantung OR looks and feels classic. It works.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

If the hemp had vents, I’d likely have gone with that. Or if they made a palm with vents.

But the Shantung OR looks and feels classic. It works.

I’m right there with you. The vents are great and go a long way to tip the scale that direction. This is a great hat to take advantage of the qualities of shantung.


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[Fivesense]

Is there a link or post number(s) in this thread that discusses the advantages of the 6X felt vs. Royal Deluxe Open Road? I know the stiff vs. softer factors, which is likely what will determine my decision, but I'm wondering if anyone has a particularly compelling utilitarian reason for either.

I don't wear hats for fashion or to complement my dress; I wear them for utility and if the hat happens to be a cool style like the Open Road then that's a bonus. Regardless, either the 6X or RD can dress up whatever I'm wearing.

I suppose the ability to re-bash the Royal Deluxe is key. Just musing here, so any thoughts are welcomed.

 

[Frunobulax]

Is there a link or post number(s) in this thread that discusses the advantages of the 6X felt vs. Royal Deluxe Open Road? I know the stiff vs. softer factors, which is likely what will determine my decision, but I'm wondering if anyone has a particularly compelling utilitarian reason for either.

I don't wear hats for fashion or to complement my dress; I wear them for utility and if the hat happens to be a cool style like the Open Road then that's a bonus. Regardless, either the 6X or RD can dress up whatever I'm wearing.

I suppose the ability to re-bash the Royal Deluxe is key. Just musing here, so any thoughts are welcomed.

Are you comparing a modern 6X with a modern RD, or vintage? Does the modern RD come open crown?

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[deadlyhandsome]

If you’re talking about new hats, you’ll need to move soon to get a Royal De Luxe (RD) Open Road (OR) has discontinued making them. I’ve owned the 6X and it you want a hard wearing hat for protection it does an admirable job. However, if it doesn’t fit you perfectly it is so stiff that it doesn’t easily conform to your head shape. It also isn’t easily reshaped, but with lots of steam and time you can reshape the 6X hats. The RD OR is on my list for a future outlet purchase. My RD Stratoliners are excellent hats and the felt is quite impressive.

As the prices are usually so close, I don’t know who would chose a 6X over a RD. Then again, at full retail prices you can get a custom made hat for less than the Stetson.


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[Fivesense]

Are you comparing a modern 6X with a modern RD, or vintage? Does the modern RD come open crown?

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I'm considering a new Open Road. As to the RD, I've only seen it with the cattleman crease, but others may know differently.

 

[Fivesense]

If you’re talking about new hats, you’ll need to move soon to get a Royal De Luxe (RD) Open Road (OR) has discontinued making them. I’ve owned the 6X and it you want a hard wearing hat for protection it does an admirable job. However, if it doesn’t fit you perfectly it is so stiff that it doesn’t easily conform to your head shape. It also isn’t easily reshaped, but with lots of steam and time you can reshape the 6X hats. The RD OR is on my list for a future outlet purchase. My RD Stratoliners are excellent hats and the felt is quite impressive.

As the prices are usually so close, I don’t know who would chose a 6X over a RD. Then again, at full retail prices you can get a custom made hat for less than the Stetson.


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Interesting... Why is the RD OR being discontinued? I guess technically one could re-bash a Stratoliner into a cattleman crease.

At retail, I've found a new 6X OR for about $160. A new OR RD seems to be going for about $180-$200, but just this morning, now that you've said they are discontinued, I can't seem to find any in Silverbelly in my size (7 3/8)!

I've found a couple of the 1865 Distressed, but I prefer to do any of my own distressing "naturally." There are also some in Sage, which isn't a bad option.

The more I research, the more I think I prefer "Natural" vs. Silverbelly, at least in Open Road.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

A personal perspective:
New stuff is nice. Unmolested, all the wear and character is your’s, not someone else's. As for new hats, excluding customs, the newness is the appeal, imho. The quality and craftsmanship, the durability and longevity of modern new hats are variables only time will bare out. With vintage hats these variables are well established.
If i have $160-200 for an Open Road style hat purchase, i’m looking for a vintage hat without question, because there is no way your bang for the bucks will be greater with a new modern. Imo
You will get new and unmolested, much lesser quality and craftsmanship, and then have a hat not worth $160-200 like you would with a vintage.
To each his own but for the money, i’ll look patiently for a little/lightly worn OR style vintage hat and will find them in short order and know a new kind of newness that only a vintage hat can bring.
To me, that’s what we do here.
Just a perspective....ymmv.
Bowen

 

[Fivesense]

A personal perspective:
New stuff is nice. Unmolested, all the wear and character is your’s, not someone else's. As for new hats, excluding customs, the newness is the appeal, imho. The quality and craftsmanship, the durability and longevity of modern new hats are variables only time will bare out. With vintage hats these variables are well established.
If i have $160-200 for an Open Road style hat purchase, i’m looking for a vintage hat without question, because there is no way your bang for the bucks will be greater with a new modern. Imo
You will get new and unmolested, much lesser quality and craftsmanship, and then have a hat not worth $160-200 like you would with a vintage.
To each his own but for the money, i’ll look patiently for a little/lightly worn OR style vintage hat and will find them in short order and know a new kind of newness that only a vintage hat can bring.
To me, that’s what we do here.
Just a perspective....ymmv.
Bowen

No doubt the character of a vintage is going to be a major part of the appeal, as well as the quality.

I've yet to venture into vintage, yet I know that's what most folks here do. Maybe this is the hat that could be my first step into that realm.