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Wearing a fedora when it's windy

APP Adrian

A-List Customer
Messages
364
Location
Toronto
I bought my first felt this summer. The FED IV deluxe in moonstone.

I don't have a wind trolley and it gets really windy here in Toronto during the Fall and Winter months. Should I wear my felt when it's windy without a wind trolley?

Or should I just ushanka for the next 6 months.
 

APP Adrian

A-List Customer
Messages
364
Location
Toronto
Has anyone lost their hat in the wind?

Did your wind trolley save your hat? Please share your stories!
 
Last edited:
Messages
10,605
Location
Boston area
If it's properly fit, and you develop a vigilance with the ability to turn INTO the gusts, you'll be fine. But stay vigilant, and be sure to have one hand free...
 

Genuine Classic Gangster

One of the Regulars
Messages
163
Location
Canada
I've had winds blow hats off of my head before. But I've always been able to retrieve them from the sidewalk or roads where they landed. So I suppose I didn't "lose" them.

I don't like how wind trolleys look and I feel like they interfere with the aesthetic of a hat, so I never use them. I ended up cutting off the wind trolley from a hat that came with one.

If I feel strong winds coming on, I have learned to ensure that my hat stays off of the ground by holding the front of the brim with my fingers. Winds aren't going to be able to loosen my grip.

The downside to this method is that sometimes strong winds come around suddenly, with no warning whatsoever. When that happens, winds can take hats off my head before I have a chance to hold the brim. But I'd rather take the risk of my hats hitting the ground sometimes than to look ridiculous, which I would if I were to activate a wind trolley.
 

stratcat

One of the Regulars
Messages
212
Location
UK
I've been out in some pretty strong gusty winds with my fed IV. If it fits well then I've found, as above, that turning my head into the wind (or looking down) keeps the hat on. Also the brim seems to give and flap a little giving you a bit of a warning.
I've not had the wind blow my hat off and I wouldn't envisage it ever doing so.

I've recently bought an open top car (an mx5/miata). I wear my feds and campdrafts while driving with the top down and despite getting occasional gusts and buffeting from cars and trucks I go past my hat has stayed on.
The brim flaps about a bit though. Mind you slowing down a bit might help:D

Make sure it's a snug fit and you'll have no problems.
 

stratcat

One of the Regulars
Messages
212
Location
UK
I think I've used the wind trolleys on my campdrafts twice and both times they annoyed the hell out of me. I don't bother now.
I've never lost a hat either.
 

Bushman

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,138
Location
Joliet
It's almost happened to me. Gladly I had a quick hand and was able to grab it before it blew away.
 

Lt.hats

A-List Customer
Messages
375
Location
Atlanta,ga
There were some high winds at Yellowstone last week. Several times I had to grab my hat to keep it on my head. . I saw several hats laying off the sides of the board walks near the hot springs, that were obviously recently blown off some unlucky persons head. I assume the park rangers retrieve them each day,


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Messages
13,023
Location
Germany
In Thuringia, in my little hometown, spring of 2015:

I stood at a main-streetcrossing, waiting at the traffic-light. Suddenly, heavy wind blows away my very light Strellson Trilby very fast. Trilby went down on street just around the corner, 15 metres from where I stand. I sprinted for him and the next car, which could overrun him, stopped early enough and let me pick him up. The street were clean, so there was no dirt on Trilby.
 

Rogera

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,365
Location
West Texas
Stratcat and hatsRme got it right APP. The more you wear the hat the more you'll have a feel for the wind and how to keep the hat on your head without so much lighting reflex action being necessary.
 

moontheloon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,592
Location
NJ
agree with everyone above

you learn to keep your hat against the wind

and I've found that with a proper fitting hat a tiny bit of perspiration creates a suction seal that would take a pretty strong wind to break as long as you are not using your brim as a sail
 

Nyah

One of the Regulars
Messages
283
Location
Northern Virginia, USA.
My story is very similar to Trenchfriend's. I was standing on the corner, waiting for the the traffic signal. I had my hands full and I wasn't paying attention to the wind. Hat blew off and rolled down the street. I only had to avoid one car, fortunately and also, my friend picked up the stuff that I instinctively dropped. What they say is true, IMO: There's nothing more goofy than a man chasing his hat. Good thing I wasn't trying impress a lady at the time.

I'd like to have a wind trolley that's tucked inside the crown when not in use. Then, when it's time to use it, the cord doesn't have to cross over the brim.


Admin, please merge this thread with the redundant one.
 
Last edited:

EstherWeis

Vendor
Messages
2,615
Location
Antwerp
Like you all said before, a proper fit makes all the difference.
I have some hats I can wear while driving my bicycle around town.
Even with strong winds.

I do find that the bigger the brim, the bigger the chance of them flying.
Brims finished with a wire even catch more wind.
But when you turn your head against it they should stay put. ( i always feel like a human umbrella :D )




Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk
 

WideBrimm

A-List Customer
Messages
476
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Just wear a snug hat and keep a hand free and you'll be fine! If you've got a real nice hat and it won't stay on your head in the wind, then carry it!
A snug wool fedora tends to fit better on the head in the wind than does a felt fedora!:cool:
 

Fed in a Fedora

Practically Family
Messages
739
Location
Dixie, USA
I was working at an airfield and the wind started to take my CampDraft. The button of the wind cord was attached to my shirt top button hole, but I caught the hat before it reached the end of the cord. However when I went to put the wind cord back after doing my job, it all came apart. My opinion is that they are not particularly reliable.

Fed
 

H Weinstein

One of the Regulars
Messages
224
Location
Maryland
Had a hat blow off my head a couple of times, but never lost one. (yet!)
If I know it's really windy, I'll just stick with a baseball hat, not a loved and valued Akubra.
If it's breezy with an occasional gust, I might risk wearing a western hat with a stampede string (very practical addition).
 
Messages
13,023
Location
Germany
If it's allday middle to heavy windy german weather, like late summer to autmun, I prefer the classic "aerodynamic" flatcaps. I think, they are the real allround-practical headwear, already, because of his old backround as "the" workers-cap.
I like them the same way as classic hats.

If invented today, they would be priced as "modern functional-clothes". :D

KitKat Werbung Enten 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nlu8YSEJ60I

Cult! :eusa_clap
 
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Retro Spectator

Practically Family
Messages
824
Location
Connecticut
When I first got my first hat, I was worried, but I am not anymore. I wear my most beat up hat (my heavily beat up, stained, and modified Scala New Yorker, transformed into a Stetson Gun Club looking hat) when it rains, or is windy. Stingies are immune to the wind it seems.
 

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