Fur felt quality and qualities

[Mojave Jack]

From the discussions, it seems obvious that the beaver fur felt is of higher quality than the rabbit, and both are better than the wool. Are there other options in there, too? Does the beaver felt hold its shape better, repel water better, all of the above...? In short, what are the advantages of the different felts?

Being out in the Mojave, the temps soar quite high. After checking out the "need a summer weight hat" thread, are any of the felt types lighter or cooler than others, or is a straw hat about the only alternative?

[Hemingway Jones]

From the discussions, it seems obvious that the beaver fur felt is of higher quality than the rabbit, and both are better than the wool. Are there other options in there, too?

You are absolutely right in your classification system there. As for other options, there are various fur blends. Fedora was offering a beaver / rabbit mix, but he stopped since most people wanted either one of the other.

Does the beaver felt hold its shape better, repel water better, all of the above...?

It does indeed, which is how beaver acquired its reputation as the best material for fur felt hats.

In short, what are the advantages of the different felts?

I think there is a hierarchy at work here where whatever advantage a wool hat might have is superceded by a rabbit hat, and a beaver by a rabbit.

Being out in the Mojave, the temps soar quite high. After checking out the "need a summer weight hat" thread, are any of the felt types lighter or cooler than others, or is a straw hat about the only alternative?

Personally, I wore my baver AB in the rainforest, though it was hot. I have heard of people removing their liners for the summer. I have a panama hat for summer and am looking to acquire another.

I don't know whether a less dense fur might be cooler in the summer. I think, as Jerry said when he was turning into Kramer, "The difference is negligible."

[fedoralover]

Never waste your money on a wool fedora. Wool is great for shirts, socks and suits but not fedora's. They absorb water and don't hold their shape at all.

fedoralover

[Mojave Jack]

I have a panama hat for summer and am looking to acquire another.

HJ, is your panama the one you show in the "need a summer/lightweight hat" thread?



That's a sharp hat! I have a cheapy straw that I wear a lot, but I'd like to get a better one. What brands and styles have you had or are looking at?

[Texas Jones]

The beaver is much softer, to the touch and also in terms of durability. It does hold it's shape better and it much, much easier to shape.

[Hemingway Jones]

I have a panama hat for summer and am looking to acquire another.

HJ, is your panama the one you show in the "need a summer/lightweight hat" thread?
That's a sharp hat! I have a cheapy straw that I wear a lot, but I'd like to get a better one. What brands and styles have you had or are looking at?

Hey, thanks Jack!
Yes, that is my summer hat. I bought it in Puerto Rico in a local hat shop there, named Garpol, I believe. I really want a black and white panama in the "Planter hat" style. I want something more generic.

I really can't recommend a brand because I don't know of any. There were some orders last year going in for an Indy-style Montecrisit, which looked really cool. That vendor had a lot of styles.
Here is some information on it.
Here is some more.

[Mojave Jack]

Dang! I was supposed to be hat shopping when I was in Puerto Rico?! I spent all my time drinking mojitos!

[Hemingway Jones]

Dang! I was supposed to be hat shopping when I was in Puerto Rico?! I spent all my time drinking mojitos!

That is time well spent! Actually, I was inebriated when I bought my hat. I stumbled into this shop in Old San Juan, I had read about it in the guidebook. The man who owns it was great. The first question he asked was, "What are you going to be using for?" He steered me away from the upper end and more delicate models to a more robust and modest hat, which could take far more punishment. It is definitely a cool souvenoir.

[Baggers]

Well, to veer back to Mojave Jack's question concerning felt weights and summer heat, I've been toying with the idea of popping for one of Fedora's Adventurebilts after reading all the great reviews. His web site lists a lightweight felt as an option and I'm wondering if it would be light enough for those of us who live in hot dry/humid locales. Perhaps if Fedora reads this he could give us his take. After all, his snail mail address is in Mississippi, if nothing else, he would certainly be able to provide an informed opinion!

Cheers!

[Michaelson]

I kinda wish he'd look into the ventilated sweatband, like JJ is using in his Camptown. I've found beaver, full or blended, to be VERY hot for our neck of the woods, and you're further south than I am. As I reported in my Camptown review, I wore that one this weekend with the ventilated band, and was quite comfortable, considering the hat is a beaver blend, but because OF the ventilated band, air was able to move around my head more.

I wear a vintage Borsalino most of the time in summer, and it's a VERY lightweight and thin felt...but with a solid leather band, I find I perspire as much with that hat as I do a heavy beaver hat, so it's the function of the sweatband to give more circulation around the head rather than the felt content to cool you....or at least that's been MY experience.
Regards! Michaelson

[Baggers]

Interesting. Now that you mention it, hats that I thought should have been more comfortable in the heat than they actually turned out all had solid leather sweatbands. My Akubra Slouch for example. It seemed comfortable at first, but then I noticed that sweat wasn't being absorbed by the band, it was being repelled and sliding down my forehead to drip onto my eyeglass lenses. I usually wound up grabbing one of my Tilleys and using it during any strenous outdoor summer activities if I didn't want to have to keep taking my hat off continuously to wipe my brow and the sweatband with a hankie.

Cheers!

[Fedora]

Course, if you really wanted a cool sweat band, go with cloth. Nothing would breath better. Is the vented leather band you speak of, like the old Borsalino's bands with the corrugated material at the front of the hat, layered beneath the leather and the sweat? I would think that if the leather sweat just had holes in the band to allow for air flow, not only air would flow but sweat as well. If the barrier of the solid leather sweat was breached, by holes, it would not take long until you had a ring of copious white sweat stains circling the hat. Not a bad thing if you are looking for the Cairo look. Fedora

[Michaelson]

No. Think of the type ventilitated bands that you find in military and law enforcement hats with vent slots cut at intervals around the entire band, and I don't recall ever seeing those fellows with the sweat rings you mention on THEIR dress hats in summer.

I've found cloth good, but they soak through to the outside, or at least the old Stetsons I had did.

Regards! Michaelson

[Fedora]

I don't recall ever seeing those fellows with the sweat rings you mention on THEIR dress hats in summer.

Heck, you can't keep them out of the airconditioning!! Fedora

[Michaelson]

Ya got a point there, feller!!! High regards! Michaelson

[Mojave Jack]

My Akubra Slouch for example. It seemed comfortable at first, but then I noticed that sweat wasn't being absorbed by the band, it was being repelled and sliding down my forehead to drip onto my eyeglass lenses.

Baggers, I've found the same thing with my Akubra! The lining is now a roan color nearly to the top of the hat! And I've had an eyeful of sweat!

I know its not screen accurate but what about other types of fabrc sweatbands, e.g. coolmax? I replaced a vinyl (!) sweatband in my regulation Aussie bush hat with a coolmax band from a Columbia boonie. No sweat bleedthrough yet, but will the sweat absorption of the coolmax band help to alleviate that problem down the road?

[Hemingway Jones]

The sweatband on my Akubra tightened from sweat. It is like that torture in the old cowboy movies where they would tie the man down, wet a strip of leather and tie it around his neck, so when the sun dried it, he would slowly be strangled. My Akubra did that to my head! It's very tight now. Ouch. &

[Michaelson]

If you have a stretcher/hat retainer, HJ, turn your sweatband wrong side out, wet the entire inside of the band with water, applying the water with your finger...turn the band back right side in, then install the retainer. Tighten it until the band has been stretched back to a comfortable size, then set the hat aside. The band will dry overnight, retaining the resizing you've done with the retainer. The hat will now be as comfortable as it was before it shrank, and will hold quite a while that way. I've done this to hats with shrunken bands for years with complete success.

Regards! Michaelson

[Hemingway Jones]

If you have a stretcher/hat retainer, HJ, turn your sweatband wrong side out, wet the entire inside of the band with water, applying the water with your finger...turn the band back right side in, then install the retainer. Tighten it until the band has been stretched back to a comfortable size, then set the hat aside. The band will dry overnight, retaining the resizing you've done with the retainer. The hat will now be as comfortable as it was before it shrank, and will hold quite a while that way. I've done this to hats with shrunken bands for years with complete success.

Regards! Michaelson

Oh, wow, Michaelson! Thanks for the tip. A stretcher / retainer sounds indespensible. I will have to get one. Tips like this should be organized on the main site someday. Thanks.

[Michaelson]

PB has a REAL good one that's made of plastic. That's what I use. Regards! Michaelson

[Renderking Fisk]

It's getting warmer up here, and I find myself more comfortable with the AB then anything else I've worn.

It also has a taller crown with some space between the top of my head and the fedora. I have no idea if that has anything to do with it. But its a thought.

[J_Weaver]

It's getting warmer up here, and I find myself more comfortable with the AB then anything else I've worn.

Same here. I find my AB just a comfortable as my canvas bush hat or any of my ball caps. I went for a short hike today and started reading Raiders. While sitting in the shade reading I noticed how cool the sweatband felt against my forehead.

[Lao Feng]

Greetings all --

1. YES! One should have a hat stretcher / hat keep or these pups will shrink over time. (I cry over two Stetsons that shrank after being in storage without a hat keep in them).

2. I have 3 "Hat Jacks" sold by Noggin Tops. Good items

3. BUT....the wood blocks are .... dare I say it....Tapered!!!!!!!

4. Q: Any hat stretchers out there that are NOT tapered?

[Michaelson]

I haven't experienced that with the plastic PB version. It's more of a donut shape with a screw in the center that expands the stretcher in two directions. I've experienced no taper to date from this unit.

Regards! Michaelson

[Bufflehead Jones]

Michaelson,

The wooden hat stretcher that he is referring to, has the outside edge very tapered all the way around. Mike Marosy and I have the same one. I didn't know that the sides were tapered like that when I bought it. Mike has a relative that has some kind of commercial sander and he took ours and sanded the edge flat. No more taper.

I would never have used it the way that it was. I am sure that it would have caused a hat to taper.

[Michaelson]

Thanks, Buff, I know the one he's talking about. My answer sort of blended the hat taper and the stretcher shape taper discussion into one, mixed up blend of weird information. It's an art, don't you know.... Regards! Michaelson

[Bufflehead Jones]

Us old guys have to help each other out. Happy birthday, by the way. Glad you finally caught up with me.

[Michaelson]

Thanks, Buff! High regards! Michaelson