Indiana Jones Collectors Edition 100% Beaver Fur Felt Hat

[BryceW]

So I did the newby thing and bought this hat. I have had long since learned the error in my ways after browsing COW post for about a year.

The thing is I already spent the money(overpriced I know) and the hat is actually of relatively good quality. I wear it hiking and as a general outdoors adventure hat. Given that I don't want to spend more again, has anyone re-bashed one of these hats into a more screen accurate form?

P.S. This is my first post and I would like to thank all the COW members for the volumes of information I have gleaned by browsing your board; To bad I hadn't read a little more sooner.

[DR Ulloa]

Welcome to COW! Do you have pictures of how the beaver DP was held up?

Dave

[theinterchange]

Weclome aboard BryceW! I'd love to see photos as well.

Randy

[BryceW]

I think it has held up exceptionally well(No real previous experience. Just my impression after about 100mi of back country trail blazing). This has been my first experience with a quality felt hat. The picture I just took is a bit blurry but besides needing a cleaning to eliminate some water(and possibly tree sap) stains and dust it is essentially the same as when it was taken out of the box.

http://homepage.mac.com/bryce_williams/1.jpg

Here are some higher quality pics. I would love to here your opinions.

http://homepage.mac.com/bryce_williams/fedora1.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/bryce_williams/fedora2.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/bryce_williams/fedora3.jpg

[kiltie]

Oh boy! I get to be the first one to say it: Let's see it on your head!!!

Lots of people look at the Indy Gear in lotsa different ways, as you've seen: The stitch Nazis, hat aficianados, etc... and people who USE their gear. I'm in the middle. I appreciate the quality SA goods, and I really appreciate the "real world" items. Things that are in the SPIRIT of Indiana Jones. That said, I think that's a great hat, because you've used it in real life. Worn it without pretext and essentially " taken it out of the house". Once the money is spent, it's spent. No sense in second guessing yourself, or letting people second guess you. You've worn it, and apparently enjoyed wearing it. Have you gotten $400 worth of wear yet? If not, wear it some more. It obviously holds up fairly well.
You'll get plent more input and advice ( Akubra, AB, etc...), but I think it looks like an adventure hat, people would call it an Indy hat, it has intrinsic collectible value, and you've enjoyed it. I certainly wouldn't regret that. I'm sure you'll come to find other aspects beyond the shape are ultimately less than desirable ( construction quality, etc... esp. those who will say it won't survive a reblock, which may or may not be true ), but if it's opinions you want, I think it's a-okay.

[BryceW]

Thanks. I am with you. I actually want gear that is of the quality it can be used in the real world. As I have learned though you can have the Indy accuracy and real quality. I do love my hat and it will get used and abused for years to come. I bought it without enough research when I was beginning this hobby. I must say though that regardless of film accuracy I get a bit of pleasure abusing my $400 hat while tearing through the underbrush. I think a good hat needs to have some experience under its belt.
Here are a few pics from a hiking trip I took with my father this past summer.

http://homepage.mac.com/bryce_williams/hiking1.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/bryce_williams/hiking2.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/bryce_williams/hiking3.jpg

[theinterchange]

That's beautiful country!

And I'm of the school that says you should have gear suited to YOU not just a movie hero.. and like I've said before.. that's not a bad thing. I like screen accuracy, but I like having things to my taste, too.

Randy

[darthjones]

Wow. I have been actually wondering about that hat big time. I have AB's over here but still so curious.

Love the idea of having the licensed Indiana Jones logo and box and all that.

What I would do in your position is this:

Get Penman or Steve (though he is probably too busy) to reblock it and replace the ribbon on the outside with the real stuff.

Otherwise, keep all the proper logo work in there and you should have the best of licensed and custom all in one.

The brim width already looks good on you but have that checked out too if you like.

I say pretty cool!

[jacksdad]

I agree a good reblock with a new ribbon and you've got a winner there. welcome aboard

[IndianaJack91]

The hat actually doesn't look that bad. Anways welcome to COW!

[binkmeisterRick]

I think this may be the only positive DP thread in COW history! Seriously, it's nice to see one of the DP beaver hats outside of the marketing pictures. It also sounds like it's serving you well, too, Bryce! If you have a 100% beaver body, then it should stand up to many years of wear. If you're looking to make it more screen accurate, then a reblock, as some have mentioned, will do you well. However, I am also of the belief that one should make his hat his own, and it looks like you've done just that. We all learn something new after joining the ranks here, so you're not the first, nor will you be the last. Welcome aboard and have fun!

[nicktheguy]

Welcome Bryce - always good to see another western Canadian on the boards.

I agree with the above - if you like the hat, and you actually wear it and enjoy it then well done! Hats are a personal taste and as long as it makes you happy then it's a perfect hat for you. Now that you are on the boards though....I don't think it will be your last hat....and as for jackets...

[Chewbacca Jones]

I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised. I did not expect the hat to look as good as it does. If it were me, I wouldn't change a thing, even though it isn't screen accurate. It looks like a good, comfortable hat.

If you want to get it reblocked, you'd have to those who offer the service if they will reblock that particular hat. Some hatters won't mess with certain hats. Keep in mind, too, that a reblock will not change the amount of felt the hat has to offer, which means the crown will probably never be as high as a "proper" Indy hat.

My advice would be this; There are many other hats out there that don't cost as much, but will look more accurate. Hold onto this baby as it is, and save up for a regular Akubra Federation or other similarly priced offering. Then, you'll have your "Indy hat" and your "BryceW hat!"

As for me, well... I might have to get me one of them "Collector's Editions."

[Fedora]

Actually, this hat will last you a very long time. It was subcontracted out to Milano by DP, who is one of the few factories that actually made really good quality hats. They used South African felt for the longest, until that feltmaker went belly up. So, they went with Portgual on their higher end felts, so this is a Portugal felt, which means it is good stuff. Got an adventure look to it as well, and I would bet that is a number 51 block or a comparable one.(a 51 can be another number, with the same shape, but just made by a different blockmaker.) I would imagine these will be rare in the future, so it is a keeper. Not accurate to the CS film, but DP does not sell film accurate hats. Fedora

[Vindy]

Great scenery in the the hiking photos!

As for the hat, it looks good and suits you. Sounds like it's holding up to real-world use nicely. Keep it as is!

[Michaelson]

Portugal felt...VERY good stuff!!!

Regards! Michaelson

[Chewbacca Jones]

With what Fedora just said (and the value of a compliment from him), I feel even stronger advising to leaving the hat as-is. A cleaning, maybe. But nothing else. And now, I really want one!

[BryceW]

Thanks for all the input everyone. I really love my hat but was feeling a little put off after reading so many negative DP threads. I think I have decided to leave it as is. I will eventually pick up an AB when I can convince the wife why I need another hat. Until then I think the only change I will make is to replace the Grosgrain ribbon. Go with something darker,plus mine has the little hole in it where the Official Indiana Jones pin resided.

[Michaelson]

Well, it's true that DP gets roughed up around here....but keep this in mind...

General Motors brought us the Chevette back in the day.....but they also make the Cadallac car line, so there's two sides to that coin.

Regards !Michaelson

[Ripper]

Well, it's true that DP gets roughed up around here....but keep this in mind...

General Motors brought us the Chevette back in the day.....but they also make the Cadallac car line, so there's two sides to that coin.

Regards !Michaelson

I used to have a red 2 door and a brown 4 door Chevette, also known as "The Vette" Sweet cars ,

[Michaelson]

I had a black 4 door '81 myself.

Regards! Michaelson

[Bruce Wayne]

i actually have the higher end dp hat and i am enjoying it a whole lot. it is alot better quality hat than most people would think...

[Oklahoma Jones]

The second and third shot make this a pretty good argument for this hat making a pretty good TOD hat, IMO..............

[Bruce Wayne]

The second and third shot make this a pretty good argument for this hat making a pretty good TOD hat, IMO..............

that was my first thought when i took it out of the box...

[scot2525]

The hat looks the part Bryce and I must say is the best DP hat I have ever seen. I still own a 90's wool felt fedora, it was my first Indy hat and my son is starting to grow into it so it won't be going anywhere anytime soon. A new ribbon and cleaning sound like a great idea but a reblock isn't necessary.

Your pictures are beautiful and I am sure the time spent with your father is "priceless" to you. Welcome to COW Bryce.

PS: Micahaelson my first car was a '84 white 4 dr Chevette, it got me through my senior year of highschool before the engine blew up and don't miss it at all. On the other hand my second car, '89 Camaro RS, I miss greatly. The Camaro even had "Indy" colors.

[theinterchange]

I briefly had a fur felt DP which was pretty nice.. there's a thread way back there where I was getting advice about bashing it. Like I said, even the regular fur one was pretty nice for what it was.

Randy

[BryceW]

Well I ended up taking my hat to get cleaned on Monday morning at a local hat shop, Head Case, here in Edmonton. They called this a.m and I swung by to pick it up. All the stains are gone and it looks like new again. Now if I can track down some of that ultra dark brown grosgrain I will change the band and have this DP looking mighty sharp.

Before Cleaning


After Cleaning

[thecoolmiester]

I say reblock it to a stove pipe, bro.

[Chewbacca Jones]

I'm not positive, but I think Todds Costumes has a dark brown ribbon available. PM Puppetboy and ask him how dark it is.

[maboot38]

I replaced a DP ribbon with a Todd's Ribbon, so here are the photos of the two so you can compare. Sorry if they are a little dark.

[BryceW]

I replaced a DP ribbon with a Todd's Ribbon, so here are the photos of the two so you can compare. Sorry if they are a little dark.

Thanks. I tried too find something at some fabric shops here this evening and nothing even remotely close. I will likely go with the Todd's ribbon.

[thecoolmiester]

I replaced a DP ribbon with a Todd's Ribbon, so here are the photos of the two so you can compare. Sorry if they are a little dark.

that DP seems to have an unusually taller crown.
was it reblocked?

[maboot38]

No, it definitely wasn't reblocked, just rebashed. Here's a link to what I did with it:

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f ... it=Dorfman

[cowboy827]

The hat looked good dirty, but also looks good post-cleaning. You really can't go wrong. I would contact Penman Hats about getting a new ribbon if you're not satisfied with the color or texture of the original ribbon.

[BryceW]

Don't worry, it will have the dirty look again. I just wanted to try and get the stains out.