What's a wind trolley?

[Hoss & da Posse]

Used to be able to buy a short length of cord with "gator" clips on each end to keep ball caps from blowing away from the convenience mart. A similar item sewn into the rear of the hat under the sweat with a single clip might fit the bill these days...stays up and out of the way until you decide to clip it to a collar. No lapels or button holes necesssary and even a t-shirt has a collar that could be clipped onto...

 

[ScionPI2005]

I only have one hat with a wind trolley, and that is my Adam Executive from one of Johnnyphi's auctions. So far, when wearing that hat on days with some wind, I have had no problems or valid fears for the hat to go flying off of my head. However, I suppose that depending on the situation, I could see myself using the wind trolley; though it would probably be a very rare occurrence. I do like the way the hat looks with the wind trolley though, and wouldn't dream of removing it just because I may rarely, if ever, use it. The hat has been around for sometime longer than I have, so I wouldn't think of removing its wind trolley.

 

[Spencer]

Does anyone have a pic of a wind trolley they could show a newbie??

 

[Lefty]

It's the button on the string that wraps around the hat. One end of the string is sewn to the hat, while the other is sewn to the button. The rig is unwound and the button is secured through a lapel hole.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Does anyone have a pic of a wind trolley they could show a newbie??

If your hat doesn't have one, you can make one with a two binder clips with a short piece of cord between if you're heading out into windy conditions. Heading to the market in our 35-50 mph blizzard Saturday night, I kept one hand atop the hat between house & car and then car & market. I don't think it would've blown off - but better safe than sorry. Someone had a post awhile back thinking using a hat trolley was a bother...until in Chicago walking across a bridge and last saw said treasured hat blow down the river out of sight.

 

[CaddyKid21]

My hat trolley is not elastic, and works differently I think. The button is stationary, and then you take the string from around the crown and but it around a button with the *Fixed-slipnot*, is this common?

 

[spim]

 

[gtdean48]

My hat trolley is not elastic, and works differently I think. The button is stationary, and then you take the string from around the crown and but it around a button with the *Fixed-slipnot*, is this common?

My Stetson has a loop on one side of the button & the line going back to the hat on the other when removed for use. When affixed to the hat around the ribbon, the line is pulled thru the loop to form a lariat like loop to hold it in place around the crown. Not sure what you mean by fixed-slipnot?

 

[Corky]

the Trolley is purely decorative

The answer to this question is that the Trolley is purely decorative. It is never to used by anyone who does not want to be looked upon as being in the same sartorial league as C. Montgomery Burns.

 

[CaddyKid21]

My Stetson has a loop on one side of the button & the line going back to the hat on the other when removed for use. When affixed to the hat around the ribbon, the line is pulled thru the loop to form a lariat like loop to hold it in place around the crown. Not sure what you mean by fixed-slipnot?

Yup, mine is how you described yours.

 

[JimWagner]

A couple of hats I bought recently have come with functioning wind trolleys. My Akubra Campdraft has one. At first I thought it was just decorative, but after messing around with it a little I figured out it was functional. Haven't actually used it though.

I guess I only ever saw them in use in cartoons.

On the other hand, I did have a Panama blow off in Atlanta a couple of months back. In hindsight, after my wife stopped it getting away by stepping on it, it might have been nice to have been using a wind trolley. Luckily she only stepped on the brim - her aim was off.

 

[Edward]

Yes, I have had them on a couple of hats and use them. While I don't quite care for the look of them in action, it is still a much more dignified look than running up the street after a hat...

 

[theinterchange]

When I think of wind trolleys, my mind immediately run to the episode of The Beverly Hillbillies when "Luke Short's boy" comes to visit. He's wearing a boater [I believe] with a wind trolley attached to his jacket. lol

I tried in vain to find a photo of this ensemble.

Randy

 

[BanjoMerlin]

I saw an old Cagney movie this summer (he wasn't a gangster) and he was wearing a boater with wind trolley attached. Quite obvious even in the BW movie but few today would know what it is.

 

[rogerb40]

I don't think that any device for securing your hat in high winds can be very 'elegant, but it seems pointless to have such a device if it is not usable .....hats are (often) expensive items!

However, I don't much like the idea of a cord which goes OVER the brim ...seems very clumsy.

I'd like to see something which resides INside the hat when not required but has a thin cord (maybe elasticated) which can be 'unfurled' and attached to one's collar/lapel.

It seems to me that a small plastic crocodile clip would fit the bill, and could be quite unobtrusive ...no less so, say than the ear-cord(s) of an iPod.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Wind Trolley usage: Why yes I do! It matters the enviornment you frequent. My hats must often do double duty - fashion and utility.

I was in Yellowston area, state of MT this past weekend at our vacation home and found the trolley invaluable. I went trout fishing and my Stetson Playboy just touched the surface of the water. If it went in to the water the current, then the rapids would have carried it away. Only the black bears, better fisherperson's than I, would have been able to capture it. Darn bears really can swim, manage fast rivers and even rob picnic baskets.

On Sunday, my J.C. Penny Marathon, OR like hat, and I did an all day back country climb and the wind trolley was again used. My Patagonia fleece top, lacking a button opening has a snap pocket and worked to snap the loop thru. My hat blew off twice on steep exposed slopes, but did not leave my posession. All together a great hat for the back country. I did not loose it, nor did it get soiled with dirt. Some brow sweat, yes. The sweat wiped off. As an aside, the Marathon worked better in the gusts. The more pliable Playboy brim would fold down in my eyes, unless I would turn my head. Small caution, but if you are working a stream for an ellusive fish, it is annoying.

My experience dicatates that a wind trolley hat is needed at our vacation home in MT.

Still thinking about the ellusive fish missed last weekend, Eric-

 

[James71]

I dont seem to use them much, but I like them.

My silverbelly CD has one. I removed the one from my glen grey CD when I re-ribboned it.

 

[RBH]

I have never used one. But I love the way they look on a fedora.

 

[HatsEnough]

I used it once. But usually I forget its there. I do like how they look on a fedora, though, I agree with RBH on that.

 

[avedwards]

I have a black homburg and a brown velour-finnish fedora which both have one. They're my only vintage hats and I'd hate to lose either so I would use the wind trolley if the wind was strong enough. As far as I'm concerned a wind trolley in one's lapel looks a lot less silly than a person chasing after a hat that blew off.

The only problem I have is that two of my suit jackets don't have lapel buttonholes so I wouldn't know where to attatch the cord.

I'm tempted to buy a Campdraft simply for the wind trolley, but I'd want to change the ribbon for a wider one and I don't know if that would be possible without taking off the button for the wind trolley.