Tips for best "all weather" hat

[Wolfmanjack]

I am out in the field in all kinds of weather. Out on the lake in an open boat at near freezing temps in a downpour, I wouldn't wear anything else but my Filson Shelter Cloth Packer Hat with a chin strap.

I pull the hood of my Gore-Tex parka up over my head, clap on the Packer, cinch up the chin strap and I'm good to go. No rain down my neck, no rain in my face, and the wind cannot harm me. Serious conditions demand serious equipment.

 

[Gusman]

Kabutu,

Thanks for your reply. Not to mention the eating of "Fugu" in Japanese restaurants and the fact the have really sharp samurai swords in Japan . In the Netherlands and France a lot of people eat homemade "chocolate mousse" made of raw egg whites to make it fluffy......

It's the same with wearing hats I think. When I was in Texas for business (Irving near Dallas) it's quite common to wear a western hat, but here in the Netherlands it's not so common. Actually it's quite rare when somebody wears a hat, western or fedora it doesn't matter, they are all "special"..........

Regards,

Gusman

 

[carldelo]

Polypro straw option

Hey Gusman, if you're looking for an all-weather straw option, earlier I posted about this hat which is on sale, a polypro Joe Fedora:

This is my summer outdoor hat for hiking and kayaking, it looks very much like straw but is cooler and impervious to water. It would be a good biking hat on a summer day, I think. The brim can be snapped down like a regular fedora - it even has a wind cord - just a thought...

Here's the thread: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=43009

 

[elvisroe]

Bashing your hat...

I agree that Akubra make great all weather hats and it was my search for a new all-round classic fedora that led me to "the Hattery" (home of hatsdirect.com) and the Fed IV. Googling the hat after my first look led me here and it was the overwhelming enthusiasm for the hat about the lounge that tipped the balance!

I've got to say though that it took me quite a while to find a shape that worked for me. Fortunately there are a stack of examples around the lounge.

The tall stove-pipe crown is a pretty different to any hat I had worn and it does take a bit of getting used to. It's also worth reading some of the advice on this site about hats to suit face shapes etc.

I found that being a tall guy of medium build with a longish face, a tall-blocky look really didn't work for me. After about 5 or 6 re-bashings I settled on a lower crown, long diamond bash and a bit more taper. I'm now very comfortable wearing it.

Great hat, just don't be discouraged if at first it's not quite right - it'll get there!

 

[Gusman]

Akubra Stylemaster or Federation IV?

Hi all,

I'm planning to buy my first Akubra (after having tips from the Fedora forum). I've already made contact with Hatsdirect for the right size measurement etc. and I'll go for a (dark) grey color I think because I've red on the forum this is a color fits well at almost any kind clothing from suits to jeans.

But I cant decide what to order: ans Akubra Stylemaster or Federation IV? They look both "tempting" to me or may I should order them both ? Any advice is helpful..........

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Gusman

 

[OddSteve]

Hey Gusman,

I was in the same situation a few months ago and I opted for the Fed IV.

At first I was a little concerned about the tall crown, I thought that maybe I'd feel somewhat self-conscious with it. But once I had it bashed and on my noggin, it was like someone had nailed a big grin into my face

But that being said, I still want a Stylemaster lol

 

[Gusman]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of buying the Akubra Stylemaster although I'm a little bit uncertain about the size to order. I've red the posts on hat sizes on the forum and I've measured a circumference of 60,5 cm. So a Stylemaster 61 would do the trick even if there is some shrinking of the leather sweatband. This seems to be also the advice from Hatsdirect.....

On the other hand I have a "L" size (59 cm) Stetson Evergreen Traveler with a fabric sweatband that also fit's comfortable. So now you see my dilemma, there's a difference of two sizes between these two hats.

Regards,

Gusman

 

[carldelo]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of buying the Akubra Stylemaster although I'm a little bit uncertain about the size to order. I've red the posts on hat sizes on the forum and I've measured a circumference of 60,5 cm. So a Stylemaster 61 would do the trick even if there is some shrinking of the leather sweatband. This seems to be also the advice from Hatsdirect.....

On the other hand I have a "L" size (59 cm) Stetson Evergreen Traveler with a fabric sweatband that also fit's comfortable. So now you see my dilemma, there's a difference of two sizes between these two hats.

Regards,

Gusman

I would believe your measurement and Hatsdirect - it may take some time to shrink down to your size, but better a little loose than too tight.

 

[Lefty]

 

[Matthew Verge]

I have been on the very edge of ordering a Fed IV for weeks. All I hear is good, and this post is very informative in particular because I am back packing Europe this fall for a month and I plan to wear the hat! Weather, as you can imagine, is thus very important.

 

[Kreissaege]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of buying the Akubra Stylemaster although I'm a little bit uncertain about the size to order. I've red the posts on hat sizes on the forum and I've measured a circumference of 60,5 cm. So a Stylemaster 61 would do the trick even if there is some shrinking of the leather sweatband. This seems to be also the advice from Hatsdirect.....

Regards,

Gusman

I wasnt that sure myself regarding the size. Measuring 61.5cm with a long oval head I got a size 62 with both my Akubra Felt hats and they immediately fell over my ears.
Affter some wear and careful application of hot tap-water and a hair-dryer on the sides of the crown (just the 3-4cm above the leather hatband) both shrank to a perfect fit!!!

 

[hatflick1]

Another suggestion.

http://watership.imperialheadwear.net/main.php?navarea=Collections&catid=9

 

[Gusman]

Akubra Stylemaster

Hi all,

I've ordered at Hatsdirect an Akubra Stylemaster size 61. Although it was "tempting" to order a Federation IV as well (and saving on shipping costs) I've decided to order just a single Akubra. I'm not certain about which Akubra size fits best, so I thought it would be best to order just one to start with.

After I received the Akubra Stylemastyer and wearing it for a few weeks (and evaluate the size) I think I'll also will order an Fedora IV. But for now I'll just wait until the Stylemaster arrives.

Every day when I come home from work I'm curious if the package has arrived.........

Regards,

Gusman

 

[Couch-Commando]

Hello, I've been lurking for years. I bought my first hat nearly 10 years ago after reading about the water resistant properties of fur felt. My current hat is a Bailey's fur felt cowboy hat I got used on ebay for dirt cheap. It has served me well, but is starting to get soft, and lose water resistance. It seems to soak through the hat band stitching in 20 minutes of heavy rain. I hate using umbrellas, and love wearing hats in the rain/snow when walking to work.

I've been meaning to buy a new hat for a long time. It is my understanding that the higher the beaver content, the more water resistant the hat. I've been thinking about buying a Stetson brand cowboy hat. I know from reading that no one really knows what the beaver content is of the various quality levels, but I was wondering if anyone knew the minimum number of "X"s I should go for to get a highly weather proof hat. I'm not married to the idea of a Stetson. I noticed that Bailey sells a pure beaver cowboy hat for around $600 that I'm also considering. I'd prefer to spend under $400, but my budget is flexible.

Thanks for your help!

 

[belfastboy]

Hello, I've been lurking for years. I bought my first hat nearly 10 years ago after reading about the water resistant properties of fur felt. My current hat is a Bailey's fur felt cowboy hat I got used on ebay for dirt cheap. It has served me well, but is starting to get soft, and lose water resistance. It seems to soak through the hat band stitching in 20 minutes of heavy rain. I hate using umbrellas, and love wearing hats in the rain/snow when walking to work.

I've been meaning to buy a new hat for a long time. It is my understanding that the higher the beaver content, the more water resistant the hat. I've been thinking about buying a Stetson brand cowboy hat. I know from reading that no one really knows what the beaver content is of the various quality levels, but I was wondering if anyone knew the minimum number of "X"s I should go for to get a highly weather proof hat. I'm not married to the idea of a Stetson. I noticed that Bailey sells a pure beaver cowboy hat for around $600 that I'm also considering. I'd prefer to spend under $400, but my budget is flexible.

Thanks for your help!

If your budget is that high I would strongly recommend you look into a custom hat from one of the many great custom hatters here in the Lounge. For $350 to $400 you can get a custom 100% Beaver fedora custom made to your specifications. In my experience you cannot beat a custom hat. The heavier western weight hats might run you a touch more but the hatters list pricing on their websites. They too can fill you in on their opinion of the water resistance of beaver blends versus pure beaver.
NorthWest Hatters and VS are in southern Oregon if you are anywhere close it is fun to go in person rather than via email.

 

[Couch-Commando]

Interesting, I had tried googling custom hat makers but hadn't found any 100% beaver hats in that kind of price range. I'll check them out. I intend to eventually pick up both a nice western hat and a nice fedora. I'm located in North Carolina. Most of the shops within a few hours drive seem to stock mostly boots, and not many hats.

 

[belfastboy]

Interesting, I had tried googling custom hat makers but hadn't found any 100% beaver hats in that kind of price range. I'll check them out. I intend to eventually pick up both a nice western hat and a nice fedora. I'm located in North Carolina. Most of the shops within a few hours drive seem to stock mostly boots, and not many hats.

Alley Kat Hats is an east coast custom hatter. I am on the west coast and we are blessed with a bunch of great ones. They are all Master Hat Makers and their 100% Beaver fedoras run from $325 to $375 with the western weight a touch more. Here is another thought....have you considered an Akubra rabbit felt? They are an Aussie made hat, stylish and tough as nails. They take rain and snow with great aplomb and bounce back very very well. I am a big fan as they are great value. You can land one cheaply as the US $ compares so favourably to the Aussie $$.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Welcome to the lounge. To answer your first question you need a 6X for your Stetson hat to be 100% rabbit. As in, no wool in the blend. Past that I have no idea.
With your price point go custom. You can get a 100% beaver hat for that. The only recommendation is try to find someone who uses a conformer so it’s fitted to your head properly. Outside of that welcome and have fun. Keep us posted on your progress.
BTW if you want to temporarily beef up your existing hats weather proofing, spray it with Scotchguard. Makes it weather resistant for 2-6 months.
Johnny

 

[jlee562]

Wellema and Black Sheep Hatworks will both do a 100% Beaver western for under $600 (actually $500 and $450 respectively). Northwest Hats is probably a bit under that.

I have a Resistol 10x beaver Cogburn hat which I wear a lot in the rain. Seems to be holding up quite well. I've also given it a spray of water protection. 10x is the lowest level that Hatco considers part of their "premiere" western hats (10x, 20x, 30x, 40x, 50x, 100x).

Akubras are also good for bad weather, but if it's in your means, I would highly suggest a custom beaver hat over an Akubra. You will end up with a much nicer finished product.

 

[KarlCrow]

Go custom. That's my next move.