What to look for in a straw hat?

[adamgottschalk]

...Aside from a shape and color you like. What characteristics make a good straw hat? What are good-but-affordable brands for nice straw hats? Particular dealers? A brief run down of straw-hat styles and history anyone? Some of the prices I've seen for nicer ones are out of control--$350?! Must be some labor intensive weaving of the finer ones?

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

...Aside from a shape and color you like. What characteristics make a good straw hat? What are good-but-affordable brands for nice straw hats? Particular dealers? A brief run down of straw-hat styles and history anyone? Some of the prices I've seen for nicer ones are out of control--$350?! Must be some labor intensive weaving of the finer ones?

Adam, Depends on the quality you want. I think Panama Bob's Montecristis start at $150, which is an incredible deal. I've seen very, very crappy Panamas in places like Nordstroms for $125. You can get Cuencas, not as fine a weave, for much less. $350 is not out of control for a fine Panama. From Panama Bob you can get a really good one for that price, at most other fine hatters across the nation, that same hat would cost about $1,000. And yes, the weaving is VERY labor intensive. For a good idea how all these wondeful hats are made, go to:

http://www.panamas.biz/

or

http://www.brentblack.com/index.html

and you will have a much finer appreciation of these works of art.

My advice, go to the Brent Black site to see how Panamas are made, but buy them from Panama Bob or from Art Fawcett, who gets his hat bodies from Bob, but blocks them himself. Art's blocking is far, far better than the blocking you get from Ecuador.

Regards, KC

 

[SHARPETOYS]

I have bought Montecristi Panama hats from Panamabob for less than a $100. The same hat at BB site was over $500.

Buy the hat not the hype!!

 

[tonyb]

Well, now I know where I'll be shopping.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Me too. I bought a beautiful Panama from Bob for well under $100. Now is the time to start thinking about those summer hats, fellows.

 

[Mycroft]

Me too. I bought a beautiful Panama from Bob for well under $100. Now is the time to start thinking about those summer hats, fellows.

It's always summer here What about the count and tightness of the weave in a hat? How about that as a quality to look for?

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

It's always summer here What about the count and tightness of the weave in a hat? How about that as a quality to look for?

The weave count is very important. When you look at either of the websites I mentioned above, they talk about that. Weaves per square inch, the tightness of the weave, the straightness of the weaves, there are all sorts of things that come into play when looking at a fine Montecristi Panama.

Check this out:

http://www.brentblack.com/hatgrades/panamahatgrades2.html

KC

 

[Twitch]

Boy straw brings back memories. In the 50s summers I can recall all the older guys' straw fedoras. Nobody in St. Louis wore Panamas but simply light weight hats with generally like 2" brims and cloth bands in place of ribbons.:cool2:

 

[SHARPETOYS]

I just tell Robert what I want.

I guess that it is best to talk to Robert directly and tell him exactly what you want. Think about who is blocking the hat and the differences between finishing and cost. I would suggest USA blocking, but if price is important, put more money into the hat now.

 

[spiridon]

I've got several Biltmore "Flattops", a couple of Dobbs, and a Stetson in straw. I like all of them.......and I had better, since I wear a straw hat for the majority of the year here on the Gulf Coast.
The Dobbs and Stetson are of the "Panama" style and are reserved for social functions and such, while the Flattops are used for everyday wear.

 

[adamgottschalk]

My new straw hat will be...

The weave count is very important. When you look at either of the websites I mentioned above, they talk about that. Weaves per square inch, the tightness of the weave, the straightness of the weaves, there are all sorts of things that come into play when looking at a fine Montecristi Panama.

Check this out:

http://www.brentblack.com/hatgrades/panamahatgrades2.html

KC

Thanks for the great info. More than I even knew I wanted know on that page. Now I'll just have to see which "grade" I have the coin for when the time comes. I like the looks of that "Planter" style.