What Hat Are You Wearing Today 1?

[Sans Witt]

yes...hopefully i'll have pleasure of being his translator on his next trip to Ecuador.

 

[danofarlington]

yes...hopefully i'll have pleasure of being his translator on his next trip to Ecuador.

Wow, that would be quite interesting. You have a super hat, but my impression is that his hats cost ten million dollars. I don't want to hear the price of the individual item, but it appears as though you get great quality from him.

 

[warbird]

His hats are certainly nice looking. Beautiful in fact. That said, Panama Bob sells hats as well made for a tiny fraction of the cost as well as paying the weavers more money for the hats than BB does. Several other sources do the same. I have heard of his business practices for many years from many sources and I'm not impressed with him.

 

[Sans Witt]

by no stretch of the imagination are his hats cheap. I visited his work shop, had a few pints of Guinness with the man, and talked hats for a few hours. I've seen first hand the time and quality that goes into his work. I own several other panama hats and have had the pleasure of seeing what Brent and Optimo have to offer first hand at a few price points...I'm going to find it hard to buy a pamana from anyone else.

 

[Lefty]

That said, Panama Bob sells hats as well made for a tiny fraction of the cost as well as paying the weavers more money for the hats than BB does.

That's repeated a lot around here, and repetition is yet to make anything true.

 

[warbird]

That's repeated a lot around here, and repetition is yet to make anything true.

I've heard from more sources than TFL and by those who have no knowledge or connection to TFL. PB isn't the only one who offers hats for a fraction of the cost. Be my guest is what I would say to anyone who wants to pay more huge amounts more for something than can be had for less. Lots of people spend hundreds of dollars on special blue jeans and purses that are no better made than top quality products from those selling products, not names. That's just me. Some custom hat makers charge $1-2k for a hat no better than one from Art or Mike Moore. They get it because of their name and because they have been duped into thinking the only way to have a hat like that is to pay the exclusive price for one. Not saying their product isn't good. I do pay for custom made products at times such as hats from Mike Moore or Russell Moccasin or cowboy boots using leather from animals I have taken. But I look for quality at the best price possible.

I'll even say I will take back business practices and what he pays to weavers and simply say the same quality can be had for a small fraction of the price. That in itself is good enough for me. Same can be said for other things like straw hats. Many of them made by the same companies with different brands sewn in. One costing much more than others. I'm looking for quality at a value, not name.

That said I would be glad to sell anyone who would like a custom made 1911 style pistol with numerous choices on roll marks or none at all for the bargain price of $4k. Also choices of internal components and external accessories from top name companies. It won't run any better than any other well made 1911 costing $1500, but you could say it was custom made.

 

[Lefty]

Something can always be had for less. That doesn't make it the same. Before I knew enough, I listened to everyone here and thought that wpsi was the one factor that differentiated an expensive panama from a cheaper one (aside from blocking and trimming). Not long afterward, I learned that, at least for me, weave selection is far more important. I've yet to see a less than perfect weave from New Mexico, Illinois, or Hawaii. On this site, I see a lot of this:

 

[Sans Witt]

i rather like this game.

 

[warbird]

Something can always be had for less. That doesn't make it the same. Before I knew enough, I listened to everyone here and thought that wpsi was the one factor that differentiated an expensive panama from a cheaper one (aside from blocking and trimming). Not long afterward, I learned that, at least for me, weave selection is far more important. I've yet to see a less than perfect weave from New Mexico, Illinois, or Hawaii. On this site, I see a lot of this:

I would say also that some people sell only the highest quality hats with very little offerings for less perfect, less costly items for those that can only afford that. If Optimo and BB want to only sell the finest grade of hats that is up them. They have a standard that they will only accept and I appreciate that. this is a comparison of apples and oranges in some ways. The quality of a hat made by a 16 yr old with only a few years of experience and one from a master is a much different matter. When comparing the highest quality from each I have found the quality the same. Just my opinion from my experiences.

 

[Lefty]

Panama Bob sells hats as well made for a tiny fraction of the cost

I huge amounts more for something than can be had for less. Lots of people spend hundreds of dollars on special blue jeans and purses that are no better made than top quality products from those selling products, not names.

If Optimo and BB want to only sell the finest grade of hats that is up them. They have a standard that they will only accept and I appreciate that. this is a comparison of apples and oranges in some ways.

Things always take this turn. It's about variety and availability. Sometimes you get lucky and get a well woven cheap hat. You might even buy a $1200 panama that's the equal of a $10k panama from one of those "up-market" guys.

Heck, it's about the kids.

Nuts.

To me, weave quality matters, and the photos above couldn't make my point any better.

 

[warbird]

I didn't mean to hijack this thread to take it on a tangent on panama hats. Buy whatever you like and spend your money however you like. I don't mind spending money on quality and often do on things I value spending for quality or sometimes out of necessity. Many people ask me constantly why I spend so much on battle ready rifles when I can buy one that looks the same for much less. I say because I have used them to defend my life and run thousands of rounds in a few days on them quite often. Lesser quality doesn't hold up. in the end I guess it is about what your needs and wants are and how much you are willing to spend for your perception of quality v. value.

I will also note in the most open of ways that I own several panamas from BB, PB and others. I rarely in the end like the blocking of them, don't much care for their tendency to floppiness and in the summer more often wear Guatemalan palm western style hats than any of my panamas.

 

[Sans Witt]

I'll agree with that...I was talking to Brent and he says that stiffening my hat isn't an issue....its just the un-stiffening it later that would be the problem...

 

[Panamabob]

Heck, Lefty, just send the hat back and let me swap it out.

 

[Lefty]

The photo with the bad weave that I posted - that's not my hat. It's a recently posted one.

I appreciate the offer, but I'm not interested.

 

[Panamabob]

Was the hat $12,000.00? When I look up the photo, the only order I can find with that man's name is a $90.00 hat. I'll do some more research tomorrow to see where the hat was referenced here.

I'm unclear on why you wish to do this (make me look bad, put me down, treat me like dirt, etc.) each and every year to me. My last post on the subject. Good life, Lefty. Stay nice.

 

[RBH]

Its getting close to post time for this thread.
Gents take it back to where it belongs or be ready for the lock.

 

[alanfgag]

Weave envy is painful.

I put a quarter on one of my panamas... it helped.

:couch2:

 

[Sans Witt]

taking my optimo for a night on the town....

 

[The Good]

taking my optimo for a night on the town....

That is a very nice porkpie, Sans Witt! One of the nicest I've seen so far. How wide is the brim, and how tall is the crown?

 

[Chinaski]

Zetwal, love that Mannion. Thanks for bringing it out again!