The worst hat money can buy

webley420 · Post by **webley420** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:13 am

What is the worst Indy hat you can get . Is there an Indy hat that you think is the saddest thing a fan can buy? You see I have a Miller "Indy" hat and I have been told it is a pane in the butt to reblock a Miller is that because it is made out of cheap material?
How would you rate the Miller to other "Indy" hats?
Which ones are beater and which ones are not as good as the Miller?
The only other guy that I know that has a Miller is IndyFist and his hat looked geat.

Indiana Texas-girl · Post by **Indiana Texas-girl** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:16 am

The Dorfman crushable version.

Indiana Williams · Post by **Indiana Williams** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:24 am

i would say the Dineyland ones are the worst, they dont even have a lining

Zach R. · Post by **Zach R.** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:25 am

Yep, Dorfmans=Poo.

webley420 · Post by **webley420** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:40 am

Would you say the Miller is just one step above the Dorfman or can it run with the big dogs?

Indiana Texas-girl · Post by **Indiana Texas-girl** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:00 am

Depends on which Dorfman you're talking about. Wool Dorfman is about as low as you can go. Their fur felt version is pretty decent (for the price) if you get it reblocked to get the tear drop bash out and reblocked with a center dent. The hats at Disney are Dorfmans, by the way. I think it's a great hat for a little kid who needs a starter hat and will outgrow it in a few years. It wouldn't make sense to buy a little kid an expensive hat to have him outgrow it few years later.

Oh and I'd say the Miller is definitely a few steps above the Dorfman wool.

Indiana Williams · Post by **Indiana Williams** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:08 am

when i was at Disneyland i noticed alot of people,mostley adults, were buying the Dorfman fedora.and another thing i noticed they were selling a LC style indy jacket for $300

,you can buy a wested for that.

Post by **Jens** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:05 am

Did you ever see a "Mayser" Indy hat?
Mayser makes nice dress hats, yes. And I remember a lot of "adventures" in my Mayser-Fedora (it was my first "real" Indy hat), but quality and look of that Fedora was (compared to other hats with the same price) worst.

-- Jens

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:15 am

Pagey wrote:When I first joined COW I seem to remember the Miller was still fairly highly regarded. Over the years it's been eclipsed by the Akubras and Peters bros and now of course the ABs. I've never seen one in person but I remember I nearly ordered one.
I

To add to what Pagey has said, I like the Miller. I have tried one on and I think it is a very nice hat. It is miles above a Stetson. It is an odd reddish color, but I kind of like it. Here are pictures of Indiana Fist's Miller in comparison shots with an Akubra and my 100% Beaver Adventurebilt. Fist picked his up for $40 on eBay. Not a bad find at all. Of course, I prefer my Adventurebilt to all other hats, but to ascribe a Miller to the same level as a Dorfman is way off the mark, in my sometimes humble opinion.

Indiana_Tom · Post by **Indiana_Tom** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:26 am

Like Jens said, here in Germany (and I'm talking about the time BEFORE we all discovered indygear and this forum!) the Mayser "official" hat was the one and only hat to go. Here are some pics:

The expensive model:

and the "Young Indy" model (aka. the cheaper alternative):

Wrong colors (except for the young Indy model perhaps), taper...

You know, it's a shame that someone claimes these products as "original" and so. But we all know better

@Hemingway: Nice pics! I like this "tomb" in the background!

Regards,

Tom

prairiejones · Post by **prairiejones** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:14 am

Tex girl is right. Dorfman is junk. I do think that they would be great for a kid, though. They make kids sizes and can get them at lifestylestore.com. I'm thinking of getting my daughter one.

prairiejones · Post by **prairiejones** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:16 am

Hemingway, great looking Akubra. I should be receiving mine this week. Needless to say, I will be taking peeks at those pics while I bash mine.

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:51 am

Indiana_Tom wrote:@Hemingway: Nice pics! I like this "tomb" in the background!

Regards,

Tom

Thanks Tom. TOMB was a great time. It was a great backdrop for an mini-Indy summit.

prairiejones wrote:Hemingway, great looking Akubra. I should be receiving mine this week. Needless to say, I will be taking peeks at those pics while I bash mine.

Hey, thanks. That Akubra served me well. I am sure you will do great with you bash.
This is my favorite reference page for bashing: MK's ROLA Fedora page.

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:52 am

Personally, I wouldn't say 'Dorfman' and 'Miller' in the same breath. They're no where NEAR the same in terms of quality, and I usually place the Miller just a hair below an Akubra myself, if cared for properly. Regards! Michaelson

Renderking Fisk · Post by **Renderking Fisk** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 10:04 am

This is my PERSONAL experience, other people have had diffrent things to say...

The Stetson "Ark" and "Temple" are pretty bad. They looked great out of the box, but as the weeks went by they tapered and the crown size shrunk. They were so bad I almost gave up on wearing fedoras, until I found Hats Direct and later Steve showed up.

prairiejones · Post by **prairiejones** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 10:42 am

Hemi, That page is already in my Favorites. I've studied it well.

Indiana Texas-girl · Post by **Indiana Texas-girl** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:33 pm

prairiejones wrote:Tex girl is right. Dorfman is junk. I do think that they would be great for a kid, though. They make kids sizes and can get them at lifestylestore.com. I'm thinking of getting my daughter one.

I just wanna qualify that the fur felt version isn't junk if you can get it reblocked with a center dent put into it. I quite like my Dorfman fur felt, but it has developed some noticeable taper in the last 3.5 years.

eaglecrow · Post by **eaglecrow** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:36 pm

I remember the "good old days" when I really thought that the mayser hat is a great Indy-hat. It was my first hat which I enjoyed till I wasn't able to put it onto my head any longer.

Here is a "vintage foto" of me wearing a Mayser when I was 16:

#### hat or not, I had some great adventures with it. Nethertheless I think my adventurebuilt is wearable, too

Indiana_Tom · Post by **Indiana_Tom** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:43 pm

BreinederIndy wrote: Nethertheless I think my adventurebuilt is wearable, too

Hey Daniel, any new pictures?

DanielJones · Post by **DanielJones** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:36 pm

when i was at Disneyland i noticed alot of people,mostley adults, were buying the Dorfman fedora.and another thing i noticed they were selling a LC style indy jacket for $300 ,you can buy a wested for that.

Jpevh:When at Disneyland did you happen to see anyone wearing their Disney Indy Hat backwards. I saw at least two people doing that. Not youngsters either. Older men who, one would think, knew how to wear a hat. And they were probably wondering why it felt so uncomfortable. LOL

Cheers!

Dan

Indiana Texas-girl · Post by **Indiana Texas-girl** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:08 pm

Daniel, didn't you know that is the new hip way people are wearing fedoras these days?

Renderking Fisk · Post by **Renderking Fisk** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:50 pm

Do they serve mixed drinks at Disneyland? I came home to find my fedora on backwards after getting loaded.

Band Director Jones · Post by **Band Director Jones** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:56 pm

Maybe they were trying to get the "Raiders Turn" and got a little carried away.

Bufflehead Jones · Post by **Bufflehead Jones** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 6:20 pm

I guess they are the same ones that are used to wearing their ball caps backwards. Some people just don't know any better.

DanielJones · Post by **DanielJones** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:26 pm

They didn't look like ball cap wearers. But they do serve wine & mixed drinks at the Califorina Adventure side of the park Ren, and that is where I saw them, so that has to be it. LOL

And as far as the hip way of wearing a fedora is concerned, I'll stick to being a square and look good doing it.

Cheers!

Dan

nicktheguy · Post by **nicktheguy** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:53 pm

Those disney hats on backwards are versatile - as you round the corner towards pirates of the carribbean you can put it on sudeways and flip up the brim and presto........Arrrrrrrrr Matey!!!!!

Indiana Williams · Post by **Indiana Williams** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:48 pm

nicktheguy wrote:Those disney hats on backwards are versatile - as you round the corner towards pirates of the carribbean you can put it on sudeways and flip up the brim and presto........Arrrrrrrrr Matey!!!!!

i think i saw people doing that

along with others wearing it backwards.

JerseyJones · Post by **JerseyJones** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 5:09 pm

whew....thank goodness....NO CAMPTOWNS ARE LISTED !

My vote - DORFMAN ! Ugh !

Curator Rick · Post by **Curator Rick** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 8:03 pm

I've started out with a DP fur felt reblocked and it has held up very well. The wool version is an expensive souvenier. For $80. the Fur is good for the money. It was easy to reblock dosen't have a taper like some others I won't mention and has held its shape well. When you say Dorfman point out that it is the Wool that is @#$% thank you slamming something us newbies start out with is in bad taste. CR

webley420 · Post by **webley420** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 11:57 pm

I think you can make a DP look like a nice Indy hat for a little while but once you start having an adventurer in it it will turn to @#$% real fast

Zach R. · Post by **Zach R.** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 12:00 am

Yeah, my hat was looking really good for a while after I rebashed it. Then it got wet, shrunk, and the ribbon turned a really odd tan color.

Curator Rick · Post by **Curator Rick** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:16 am

I wonder how they are made then as I've worn my DP every day since Jan. and I've shoveled snow in it, mowed grass and been rained on twice now with no real effects other than dirt. Compaired to the Jaxon Iconoclast I just got the DP is better qual. The Jax brim is cut off center and the fur felt is shedding

I'm sending it back. Didn't mean to get cranky on the last post. I just happen to like my DP it looks great and while it's not an AB it's all I've got for now. CR

Renderking Fisk · Post by **Renderking Fisk** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:04 pm

webley420 wrote:I think you can make a DP look like a nice Indy hat for a little while but once you start having an adventurer in it it will turn to @#$% real fast

You're talking from "Years of Research out in the feild..." aren't you?

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 6:50 pm

webley420 wrote:I think you can make a DP look like a nice Indy hat for a little while but once you start having an adventurer in it it will turn to @#$% real fast

Ah yes, my friend, I remember when folks were taking turns putting a center dent on yours at Joes's Stock. I think it was Dalexs who gave it a nice center dent.

webley420 · Post by **webley420** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 7:40 pm

Renderking Fisk wrote:You're talking from "Years of Research out in the feild..." aren't you?

Well I dont know about years of research but I can say this you can go out in the rain and role around in the dirt and your DP will keep its shape but when you start repelling in to thirty foot wells or crawling through culverts. That when your DP will start to take a beating.