THE SUNBODY ASSOCIATION

[BobC]

Here are a few more pictures.

We were finally able to go to a place that Mrs. C and I could both enjoy. There was a small cigar manufacturing and sales room and a jewelry store both in the same location. And they had free beer! Now that's the kind of place we need in this country.

The aging room. Man did it smell good in there!

Lighting our free cigars for us:

They also had Dominican rum and Dominican coffee for sale. You can't help but have a good time with rum, coffee, cigars and free beer.

Sorry, I didn't take any pictures in the jewelry store, but I did spend some US dollars there. lol

I also snapped this picture of one of our maids.

 

[RBH]

Here are a few more pictures.

.... And they had free beer! Now that's the kind of place we need in this country.

....

I also snapped this picture of one of our maids.

Free beer is almost as good as moving beer!!!!

Wow.... and you came back....

 

[Thwack]

I'm...

Gearing up for the summer months and I had a question or two about these hats. First, what is the difference between basic palm and fine palm? Secondly I know most, or at least a lot of you, have akubra fed's. How do these compare size wise? I have a 61 fed (since January) and it fits nearly perfectly now that it's shrunk a little to my head (to be honest I wish it would shrink just a little more). Should I stick with that size or do the sunbody's not shrink?

 

[jpbales]

This is what the Sunbody website says about picking the right size:
https://ssl.webwize.com/Sunbody//pages.cfm?ID=21
"We sell two types of hats: Guatemalan palm leaf and Mexican palm leaf. The Guatemalan hat (most of the hats on our website) have a foam-padded cotton twill sweatband that tends to shrink about 1% with heat and moisture. This is about 1/2 of a hat size (1/16" diameter). If you are buying a GUATEMEALAN hat, we recommend buying a hat that is just a little bit loose to allow for this shrinkage. This usually means buying one size larger than you normally wear."

Well, the Sunbody does shrink a little. I'm between sizes 59 and 60, and I ordered a 60. When I get it wet and stick it on, it fits perfect for a while then once it dries it gets a wee bit smaller (still comfortable though). So if I were you, I would probably order the 61 since it will probably shrink a tad, probably right to your size.

When I got my Fed IV, which is a size 60 (I'm a 59.5 to be exact), it seemed to be waay too big, and it required some shrinking and I still have foam strips in the side, although it has shrunken and conformed better since I've gotten. When I got my 7 1/2 Sunbody, it fit almost perfectly, maybe a tad big (plus my head is long-oval, so I had to wet it and get it to conform). Now, it conforms to my head and fits almost perfect, but perhaps on the small side.
Honestly though, I'd only take that lightly. Each one of those hats is hand made, plus I got mine from eBay, so who knows. Someone else here got their from eBay (quite possibly from the same seller) and said theirs was way too small.[huh]

I don't really know much about the difference between the basic and the fine. However, their site does say this though: "A four inch brim hat requires 150 feet of braid. The fine palm hats require 250 to 300 feet of braid." I would venture to say from that, and looking at their pics too, that the fine palms are thinner and sewn closer together and have more rings, probably making the hat look smoother and neater.

 

[jpbales]

Seinfeld...

Here are a few more pictures.

We were finally able to go to a place that Mrs. C and I could both enjoy. There was a small cigar manufacturing and sales room and a jewelry store both in the same location. And they had free beer! Now that's the kind of place we need in this country.

The aging room. Man did it smell good in there!

Lighting our free cigars for us:

fftopic:
I don't know if any of you guys have ever seen the show Seinfeld, but there's an episode where Kramer tries to pass off some Dominicans as Cubans to a cigar businessman (and fails). In the end, the Dominicans get a job making crapes (replacing the original makers, who were Cubans), and it turns out that the crapes are squirting hot juices out into peoples faces. "The Dominicans... they're wrapping the crapes too tight... That's why you gotta have real Cubans!"

 

[Thwack]

JPBales, thanks for the answer. I had found the stuff about the sweat and it shrinking a half size but I just thought I'd ask. I haven't tried on enough hats to definitively know I'm a 61. Thanks again.

Bobc... now that looks like a good vacation!

 

[rrog]

Well, let me throw my hat into the ring. I just got off the phone with Scott, from Sunbody, and ordered the 3" Fedora with the wide hat band. This will be my first summer fedora, so I'm looking forward to getting it in about a week.

rrog

 

[rebelgtp]

Well here is my recent Sunbody I picked up. I've been doing quite a bit of paleontology work lately and I'll be doing a ton of work this spring in summer in some pretty harsh sun. Decided I needed a new lid and here it is. Got an open crown 5 3/4 inch crown and a 3 1/2 inch brim. Put it under the tap and soaked the heck out of it and got it shaped up in a couple minutes.

 

[jpbales]

very nice! :eusa_clap

 

[Woodfluter]

You guys are a very bad influence...

...just pulled the trigger on two Sunbodys. Golf Gambler (someone who lays bets at Augusta?) with 3.5" brim, and an open crown 3" brim, both fine Ecuador. Think I'll shape the latter into something resembling that short-brimmed "Gus" of Spencer's.

I'll post pics when they get here and the dust has settled.

 

[rrog]

That's some nice work there, rebel.

rrog

 

[rebelgtp]

Thanks rrog. When I first got it I was worried I wouldn't be able to get a good shape out of it, but that is what I managed on my first try. Its amazing how pliable the body gets when wet. It is completely different then the dry body, the dry is flexible and "light" feeling. However when you wet them down they feel a little stiffer but pliable kind of like soft plastic. Once it dries it goes back to the original feeling but keeps the shape you gave it when wet.

 

[rrog]

Mine came in today. That's pretty good service. I ordered it Monday, got shipping notification on Tuesday and received it here on Thursday. I've already done some minor forming of the brim. I'll try to get a picture posted over the weekend. I'm liking it so far.

rrog

 

[portolan]

New Sunbody Fedora

I asked them to put a ribbon on the crown and bind the edge so the two match. This is the fine weave Guatemalan palm fedora. It has a big brim. My impression is that it is very well made. Puts my straw Stetson to shame. I bought a Sunbody on the bay that was a 7 1/2. It was much too small, so my wife is wearing it. This one is a 7 5/8 and is just ever so slightly big. Go figure!

My impressions are that it is a really great hat, well made for a terrific price. Thanks to Rusty for alerting us to these great hats.

 

[portolan]

Now that I look at this online.....I need to make deeper

front dents, don't I? From what you all say, I guess I can just dunk it in some water and shape.....wish me luck...

 

[hollowpond]

I'm gonna get me one just like that and attempt a pencil rolled brim.

 

[BobC]

That looks good, Phil. I may have to get another one and have the brim bound like you and Rusty did.

Pinching the brim is so easy, I pinched mine a little tighter too. Just wet it, pinch it and let it dry.

 

[BobC]

I'm gonna get me one just like that and attempt a pencil rolled brim.

Be sure and post some pictures of your pencil roll, won't you, HP. I'd be interested in seeing how that looks.

 

[jpbales]

front dents, don't I? From what you all say, I guess I can just dunk it in some water and shape.....wish me luck...

it could use a tighter pinch, but it really does look great the way it is anyway! Nice hat!

next time I get one, I think I'm going to go for a taller crown like the ones you guys have. The shorter crown makes the brim look soooo much bigger!

 

[RBH]

Looks great Phil!!!
A tighter pinch would be good, as to the size, when you are able to wear it all day [I MEAN ALL DAY!] dunk the whole thing in water...tighten the pinch and wear it till dry. It should fit better.. you may need to repeat a time or too but it should mold to your head.