in chicago a hat company called optimo hats ----------

indyclone · Post by **indyclone** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 10:57 pm

will make indy hats for about 550 bucks is that a good price ?

spenyk · Post by **spenyk** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 10:59 pm

um it'd have to be one spectacular hat. I'd say look at other companies to compare.

indyclone · Post by **indyclone** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:01 pm

they say they are the best company in chicago and they are close --- they will re-ribbon my dorfman for 20 bucks while i wait

u2_m4r1n3 · Post by **u2_m4r1n3** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:03 pm

I'd say don't do it- AB makes there's for $400... and that's the authentic KOTCS hat makers. So, I'd say go to there site, order one, and just wait it out. Or order one of their "factory made" hats. Email them for more info on that- that's still new to me.

Post by **Holt** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:05 pm

Agent5 has an optimo.his is an awesome hat.very raiders

indyclone · Post by **indyclone** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:07 pm

here is there website http://optimohats.com/ i will be taking my hat to be re-ribboned and i will ask more questions, and see some examples --- they said over the phone they have made plenty of indiana jones hats styled after the raiders hat --- so they do know what style i'm looking for. but llike i said i will ask more questions

indyclone · Post by **indyclone** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:09 pm

i have seen agent5 hat in pics and he lives a town over from me --- i will have to see the hat in person and then decide to get them to build me one

fedoralover · Post by **fedoralover** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:34 am

Here's a pic of my Optimo Indy. They make a great hat, but they are a store front business and as such they have a higher overhead, so the price is much higher. Also make sure you ask what the felt is made of, you may be getting rabbit when you could have had beaver for a lower price at Adventurebilt. Also the pic in my Avatar is an Optimo as well, the color doesn't show up well but it is london Gray.

fedoralover

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 1:02 am

There are many good choices currently being offered here on COW. It also depends on what type of felt you want, rabbit or beaver? Most of these high quality hats are offered for much less than $500.

Acubra Fed IV--Heritage, Camptown 1936 & 1954 models, Jimmy Pierce Designs--Curry, Pennman--beaver felt, the Adventurebuilt's, and the Explorador made by fans in Argentina, to name a few.

Just depends on what you are looking for?

BoilermakerJones · Post by **BoilermakerJones** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:27 am

My father has an Optimo fedora - non Indy. My brother gave it to him as a present and when my parents went to the store my mother about had a stroke when she saw the prices. It is a beautiful hat, but as you mentioned, the price is high.

Also, Optimo hats are floppier than some other hats. My Federation IV is much stiffer and my brim is larger than on my father's hat. The Federations are a bargain now. The Deluxe is now just a little more than I paid for the regular just a few months ago.

If you search for Optimo on this site, you should find a lot of information. They have been making Indy hats for a long time.

As Texan Scott said, only you can determine what you are looking for.

Matt

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:33 am

At the time the Optimo was discovered it was undoubtedly the best Indy hat you could get in terms of construction and quality combined. Now though, there are many others that stand up to the Optimo when considering quality vs. cost when speaking specifically about an Indy hat. It's hard to match Optimo when discussing non-Indy hats, but IMHO, there are other Indy hats of equal quality for less money. I don't see how anyone could dis-like an Optimo because they are incredibly nice hats, but if you are searching for absolute perfection then I would go with one of Marc's AB Deluxe hats. I say this because his felt seems to be right in-between the light/middle weight felt which makes it perfect for an Indy hat and the block on the AB is just perfect. The Optimo block IS a good one, but it's not perfection. Steve spent many hours perfecting that block and it shows.

Also, as is with many of the Indy hats, you will not be satisfied with the hat right out of the box. You have to shape it, take time with it and make it into an Indy hat. Out of the box they're stiff and fresh. Definitely not an Indy hat. In the end I'd at least check out Optimo. Know ahead of time that they'll probably attempt to get you to buy one of their hats and that's not a bad thing, but make sure you've done the homework first so that you know what it is you're looking for.

Mark, you've already replaced the ribbon on your DP and it looked great to me. Is there any reason you want Optimo to switch it out again? They can do it and are a great cleaning/re-blocking station but if you can do it yourself, why not?

Indiana Johnson · Post by **Indiana Johnson** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 3:46 pm

Before you shell out the money for an Optimo, I have a suggestion. I know he's not as common over here, but there is a fellow named Art Fawcett that is a regular on www.thefedoralounge.com

He is an outstanding hatmaker, and our own Steve Delk recommends him when people are searching out a more traditional 30's or 40's style fedora hat. He doesn't advertise an Indy style fedora, and I don't know if he shies away from doing one. But he can make just about any style of hat. He uses the exact same Winchester felt 100% beaver raw bodies as Steve, and offers a myriad of colors. I own one of his hats, and it is as well made as any on the market, certainly as good as Optimo. His average hat price is $305, and his turn around time is 10-14 weeks. Send him an email. He can be contacted at:
www.vintagesilhouettes.com

indyclone · Post by **indyclone** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:22 am

agent5 wrote:At the time the Optimo was discovered it was undoubtedly the best Indy hat you could get in terms of construction and quality combined. Now though, there are many others that stand up to the Optimo when considering quality vs. cost when speaking specifically about an Indy hat. It's hard to match Optimo when discussing non-Indy hats, but IMHO, there are other Indy hats of equal quality for less money. I don't see how anyone could dis-like an Optimo because they are incredibly nice hats, but if you are searching for absolute perfection then I would go with one of Marc's AB Deluxe hats. I say this because his felt seems to be right in-between the light/middle weight felt which makes it perfect for an Indy hat and the block on the AB is just perfect. The Optimo block IS a good one, but it's not perfection. Steve spent many hours perfecting that block and it shows.

Also, as is with many of the Indy hats, you will not be satisfied with the hat right out of the box. You have to shape it, take time with it and make it into an Indy hat. Out of the box they're stiff and fresh. Definitely not an Indy hat. In the end I'd at least check out Optimo. Know ahead of time that they'll probably attempt to get you to buy one of their hats and that's not a bad thing, but make sure you've done the homework first so that you know what it is you're looking for.

Mark, you've already replaced the ribbon on your DP and it looked great to me. Is there any reason you want Optimo to switch it out again? They can do it and are a great cleaning/re-blocking station but if you can do it yourself, why not?

i replaced the ribbon on my granfathers old fedora not my dp, i want my dp to have the dark band ---but if i did i would have to take out the inside lining and i really don't want to do that and they will be able to do it without touching the inside and for 20 bucks which i can handle --- at least i know a professional will do it , thanks for the concern agent5

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:52 am

If that's the case, then yes, I'd take it up there. They'll treat you right.

Bruce Wayne · Post by **Bruce Wayne** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:35 pm

i love all my optimos that i own. i live close by as well, their felt is thicker this year compared to last years models. the quality has gone up as well. all their felt hats are 100% beaver. if you can afford them, i recomend them...

indyclone · Post by **indyclone** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 1:39 pm

here are some pis of my dorfman --with new ribbon---sorry pics are kinda dark