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THE SUNBODY ASSOCIATION

Messages
12,017
Location
East of Los Angeles
My first Sunbody purchased circa 2005
View attachment 247002 View attachment 247003
It seems to have acquired a bit of a tan over the years. :cool:

My latest SunBody: 4” brim and 5 1/2” crown. The brim came completely flat but I gave it a little shape...I should add that I bought this used and the small flaws in the brim edge weave is how it arrived to me. It’s not a dress hat so the little character issues bother me not at all.
To my mind the brim curl gives it a hint of a "sombrero" look, but I like it that way and I think it really suits you. Looks like it's in really good condition; I wouldn't even have noticed the "small flaws in the brim edge" if you hadn't mentioned them, and even after it made no difference. Nice!
 

ETBass

One of the Regulars
Messages
219
I am getting ready for summer in the Deep South. I have a nice Panama hat but I came across the Sunbody's today and I ordered one that I like the look of and it appears to be named after someone on the site. RB Hathcock?
KwvcDng.jpg
 

Beef

New in Town
Messages
32
Location
Denver, CO
I am getting ready for summer in the Deep South. I have a nice Panama hat but I came across the Sunbody's today and I ordered one that I like the look of and it appears to be named after someone on the site. RB Hathcock?
KwvcDng.jpg
Excellent choice. I have one of the "Outlaw" hats. It has become my favorite summer hat. It's a little on the heavy side, but I love how it looks.
 

johnnycanuck

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,008
Location
Alberta
I am getting ready for summer in the Deep South. I have a nice Panama hat but I came across the Sunbody's today and I ordered one that I like the look of and it appears to be named after someone on the site. RB Hathcock?
KwvcDng.jpg
I remember when this style came up. One of the custom hat makers from the Midwest said the most common work he did was reshaping Stetson Open roads to have the Gus crease. Looks good.
Johnny
 

Just A Hat Rack

Practically Family
Messages
619
Location
Buckeye Nation
Sunbody is offering a "soft palm" without stiffiner. Anybody have experience with these? Are they any lighter than the regular production hats? The information says reshaping the crown is not advised but it seems a softer straw would actually be easier to reshape.

https://www.sunbody.com/index.cfm/product/597_7/mexican-soft-gus-3-brim.cfm
Its got me curious too. Reshaping requires soaking the straw, so I wonder if these hats aren't very water friendly? It also mentions that there's a wire for shaping the brim. That also makes me think that changing the crown may affect the integrity of the straw and crown structure, or being able to truly rid the hat of its previous crease. Kind of like trying to recrease a factory creased fur hat.
 

ETBass

One of the Regulars
Messages
219
I remember when this style came up. One of the custom hat makers from the Midwest said the most common work he did was reshaping Stetson Open roads to have the Gus crease. Looks good.
Johnny
@johnnycanuck I came across these yesterday online and was happy to see a thread here on them. I read through the thread last night and people that have them(Sunbody hats) seem to like them and say they are great in the rain which is important where I live. After seeing some of the people that posted in the thread who are serious about hats saying they were decent hats I decided to give one a try. I saw a couple of Akubra owners relate them to Akubra's as being a quality product for the money. Can't wait to get it and give it a whirl.
 

ETBass

One of the Regulars
Messages
219
Got the Sunbody today in the mail. Added a beaded hatband to spice it up a little.
Gb30dVW.jpg

Eiw3I3P.jpg

UMpYEGg.jpg

Cxt11KJ.jpg


I like it so far. I think it will tighten up a little and there is just enough room for that. I think this will get a lot of wear this summer even with shorts and t-shirts and flip flops.
 

Just A Hat Rack

Practically Family
Messages
619
Location
Buckeye Nation
Got the Sunbody today in the mail. Added a beaded hatband to spice it up a little.
Gb30dVW.jpg

Eiw3I3P.jpg

UMpYEGg.jpg

Cxt11KJ.jpg


I like it so far. I think it will tighten up a little and there is just enough room for that. I think this will get a lot of wear this summer even with shorts and t-shirts and flip flops.
Nice hat! It will wear a little heavy in the summer months, but it's good to soak and throw on your head to cool off. It's also nice that you can change the bash and brim shape with ease if you ever want to try something different. I have a band that is very similar for my Sunbody that I bought from local Navajo in Monument Valley. It is shown in my profile pic.

Thanks Al. it will soon be time to put it into service.
Not soon enough!
 

ETBass

One of the Regulars
Messages
219
Nice hat! It will wear a little heavy in the summer months, but it's good to soak and throw on your head to cool off. It's also nice that you can change the bash and brim shape with ease if you ever want to try something different. I have a band that is very similar for my Sunbody that I bought from local Navajo in Monument Valley. It is shown in my profile pic.


Not soon enough!

@Just A Hat Rack I saw yours in the thread. I liked the beaded band so much I decided to add one to this one.
 

Short Balding Guy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,871
Location
Minnesota, USA
Got the Sunbody today in the mail. Added a beaded hatband to spice it up a little.
Gb30dVW.jpg

Eiw3I3P.jpg

UMpYEGg.jpg

Cxt11KJ.jpg


I like it so far. I think it will tighten up a little and there is just enough room for that. I think this will get a lot of wear this summer even with shorts and t-shirts and flip flops.

Kicking summer hat! The beaded band does add eye appeal.

I have had one on order for a few weeks. My neighborhood does get a warm season, just a bit later than many of our southern Forum members. This hat, like ETB's, is a 2.5" brim. I have a 3" brim and used it hard last summer. It worked like a champ. I am hoping this smaller brimmed hat will not show as much brim distortion with hard wear.

Excellent hat ETB.

Last summers hat pic.

i-qr69Lj8-M.jpg


Eric -
 

ETBass

One of the Regulars
Messages
219
Kicking summer hat! The beaded band does add eye appeal.

I have had one on order for a few weeks. My neighborhood does get a warm season, just a bit later than many of our southern Forum members. This hat, like ETB's, is a 2.5" brim. I have a 3" brim and used it hard last summer. It worked like a champ. I am hoping this smaller brimmed hat will not show as much brim distortion with hard wear.

Excellent hat ETB.

Last summers hat pic.

i-qr69Lj8-M.jpg


Eric -
Thanks Eric. That looks like a nice one.
 

Short Balding Guy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,871
Location
Minnesota, USA
Good afternoon. Before heading to work I submerged my new Sunbody fedora into 5 gallons of water. I purchased the 2.5" brim oak-colored teardrop Sunbody Hat (https://www.sunbody.com/index.cfm/product/428_6/2-12-inch-brim-oak-colored-tear-drop.cfm) . The hat shipped ASAP and arrived during a snowstorm last month. I did not take a pic of the new hat, but here is a pic from the Sunbody website of same hat.

i-3Qg4bPh-M.jpg


I came home to find that the hat was ready for some shaping. As you can see from the pics I gave the hat a light teardrop with a bit of a tugboat (rake from front to back). The soaking wet palm weighed a LOT more than light, but was ready to take on the shape.

i-CTM5HFD-M.jpg


The brim I molded by hand also. The brim shape I made into a gentle snap brim not reducing the back brim's sun protection much.

i-jcxjbLG-M.jpg


Since my head is not the same shape as the purchased hat, I have been wearing the hat around and letting it take my heads shape as it continues to dry.

i-85pjrvt-M.jpg


i-XBpqMjk-M.jpg


The Sunbody hats are dynamite warm-weather or work hats. I am reminded of the Timex advertisements of old, "they take a licking and keep on ticking." My experience is the same with the Sunbody palm leaf hats.

The band is an addition. The black bands get water logged and slip, slid around.

I add a note of caution for folks picking up the oak colored palm leaf hats - a lot of "oak color" came out in the water. I rinsed the hat a long while under the hose. I have no idea if the color would come out during use or stain clothing. Caution tells me to rinse hard and avoid answering the stain question.

i-kDxfcM7-M.jpg


Today will be the first mid 70'f day of the year. My hat is drying on my head and will be ready.

Cheers, Eric -
 

ETBass

One of the Regulars
Messages
219
Good afternoon. Before heading to work I submerged my new Sunbody fedora into 5 gallons of water. I purchased the 2.5" brim oak-colored teardrop Sunbody Hat (https://www.sunbody.com/index.cfm/product/428_6/2-12-inch-brim-oak-colored-tear-drop.cfm) . The hat shipped ASAP and arrived during a snowstorm last month. I did not take a pic of the new hat, but here is a pic from the Sunbody website of same hat.

i-3Qg4bPh-M.jpg


I came home to find that the hat was ready for some shaping. As you can see from the pics I gave the hat a light teardrop with a bit of a tugboat (rake from front to back). The soaking wet palm weighed a LOT more than light, but was ready to take on the shape.

i-CTM5HFD-M.jpg


The brim I molded by hand also. The brim shape I made into a gentle snap brim not reducing the back brim's sun protection much.

i-jcxjbLG-M.jpg


Since my head is not the same shape as the purchased hat, I have been wearing the hat around and letting it take my heads shape as it continues to dry.

i-85pjrvt-M.jpg


i-XBpqMjk-M.jpg


The Sunbody hats are dynamite warm-weather or work hats. I am reminded of the Timex advertisements of old, "they take a licking and keep on ticking." My experience is the same with the Sunbody palm leaf hats.

The band is an addition. The black bands get water logged and slip, slid around.

I add a note of caution for folks picking up the oak colored palm leaf hats - a lot of "oak color" came out in the water. I rinsed the hat a long while under the hose. I have no idea if the color would come out during use or stain clothing. Caution tells me to rinse hard and avoid answering the stain question.

i-kDxfcM7-M.jpg


Today will be the first mid 70'f day of the year. My hat is drying on my head and will be ready.

Cheers, Eric -
Wow Eric! You made that into an awesome hat. The shape and the band look really good on the oak color.
 

Short Balding Guy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,871
Location
Minnesota, USA
Wow Eric! You made that into an awesome hat. The shape and the band look really good on the oak color.

Thanks for the hat compliment sir. The palm leaf hats are very easy to shape after a thorough soaking. As to oak color - I like it. The bleached looks, looks, looks - well bleached. A place for bleached, but for most of my down and dirty warm weather tasks I believe this hat should do me proud.

Enjoy your Sunbody hat sir.
 

jonesy86

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,610
Location
Kauai
I often don't wear straws because they just get blown off my head by the NE Trade Winds. For some reason I haven't grabbed this Sunbody off the rack for some time. it worked pretty well for a 22 MPH wind beach day. The heavier palm and shape of the hat enabled me to pull it down a bit tighter and keep it in place. Also, I am not really worried when it starts raining, I go for a swim because the water temperature is warmer than the air and the hat seems to take well to a bit of a shower.
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