Traveling with a nice hat

[ChrisMD]

Guten tag, Herr Jones. As ive been blathering about alot recently, i am going to Disney World around Halloween with all my Indygear for the "Not So Scary Halloween Party". We will be going as Indy and Marion (SOC Marion, thanks Tundrarider). I also do a fair bit or traveling in my off time. I am frequently in Gettysburg, Antietam, or any number of dark dirty places. Here is my dilemma. I can drive to all those places. I fear flying with my hat because I probably wont wear it on the flight and i will have to be stuffed into a bag. How bad is that?

How do you travel with a hat you arent going to be wearing all the time? Will storing it compressed or smashed up (not intentionally) cause damage?

I imagine bringing a trash bag to protect the hat on rides where i will be getting SOAKED is a good idea.

Also ive had beaver cowboy hats lose shape being left in a hot car all day. Can this happen with my rabbit fedora?

Hat in question is my prized rabbit Garrison.

These are the 8am ramblings of a paranoid hat newby. Sorry if this has been beaten to death on here. Im open to all links of old threads!

[Indiana Jeff]

Always good to have a summer travel thread this time of year.

Do not leave your hat in the car all day! With as good as the quality of the materials and craftsmanship is on a Garrison, no felt hat will take well to being locked up in a hot car. Same goes for tossing it in the trunk for a road trip.

Other than that, you shouldn't have any ill effects packing your fedora. I generally wear mine on the plane and either keep it on my lap or put it in the overhead during the flight, depending on the flight duration. On the occasions I've traveled with more than one fedora (don't get my Bride started on that! ) I have packed in my suitcase with no ill effects. What I do is put the fed in the suitcase basically on it's crown with clothes surrounding it "supporting" the brim. Then I put a t-shirts or some socks inside the hat to "fill" it. It may take a bit of knocking around, but again, with the quality of a Garrison, it'll be none the worse for wear. And, this is the kind of natural distressing that makes a hat your hat.

Our very own Steve Delk posted a thread about rolling an AB for travel. http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f ... it=rolling" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Unfortunately the link for the video he shot is not working, but here's one to get the idea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlOlPCNzmyA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm sure others will tell you, "Crumple it into a ball and stuff it in your pocket for travel." Whereas I know a Garrison would spring back from such treatment , you won't see me doing that to any of my hats.

Still another option is to invest in a travel hat box. You'd generally have to go for one made for western style hats to fit the brim. http://www.amazon.com/Hammer-Western-Ha ... B001KXDF12" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As for the hat getting soaked on rides, again, many will say, "Let it get wet." I wouldn't hesitate to wear it in the rain cuz, you know, that's what hats are for; but I assume water in park rides is chemically treated to some degree and I would be disinclined to expose my hat to that.


Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Michaelson]

I wear mine. I've put it either in the overhead bin of a plane, or sit it crown side down under the seat in front of me. Hats rebound when crushed. I use them. I NEVER pack them.

I totally agree with everything Jeff states above about NOT leaving it in a hot car, though if you HAVE to, the car floor is your best bet. Heat rises, and it won't be in direct sunlight....but that's a last ditch effort.

I've traveled with GOOD fur felt hats for decades and have not had a bad issue with any, so don't worry. Wear it, enjoy it, and don't sweat it. It will travel just fine, even if you have to jam it into the overhead bin of a plane with the luggage. Just pop out the dents, put it back on your head and walk to the door.

Hats are tools. Use them as such. Our craftsmen made them to be USED and ENJOYED!

Regards! Michaelson

[Local Land Surveyor]

Hey ChrisMD,
As you know, I am a land surveyor and wear my rabbit Raiders in all weather and climates everyday. I treat all my hats with a water repellent that Steve Delk insisted I use. The hat can take it. Just pop the shaping out to let it dry over night and set bashes back in the next morning. Wet and steam don't mix. Wet alone is ok. I have had mine get wet many times and it is fine.
If you leave it in your car, put it in the trunk. You won't have the added ultraviolet microwave amp up back there like you will in the cab. It will be fine.
If you have a carry on bag, roll it up and stick it there. It will spring back. I've done mine that way many times.



Here it is on a job site a couple of months back.


Back in January


In silhouette on an aerial target.


And after a good lunch

I want hats to be tough and rugged under normal conditions.

With that said, if it conks out on you, just contact me. A real hat needs time at a spa every now and then to refresh.

LLS

[Michaelson]

If you leave it in your car, put it in the trunk. You won't have the added ultraviolet microwave amp up back there like you will in the cab. It will be fine.
LLS

Just to respectfully disagree here, LLS. True, you don't have the added ultraviolet microwave amp back there...you have a true closed oven as trunks are not insulated and there is absolutely no air movement.

That's why I recommended on the floor out of sunlight. At least you can control the interior of the car/truck (which IS insulated) by putting up windshield screens and cracking the windows. Heat rises, and the floor will be the coolest part of the car in summer heat.

JMO opinion, but ALSO based on literally decades of field work in all weather and in all temperature/weather extremes in travel.

Your call, Chris! LLS makes and uses them. I just use 'em.

Regards! Michaelson

[Local Land Surveyor]

Your are the knower of things. We are cool. I am just professing my experience. It is always "User beware" on things.
Got a fresh pot of coffee made if you would like some.

LLS

[Michaelson]

I'll get the fresh pot ONLY if you'll have a cup with me!

HIGH regards! Michaelson

[Ridgerunner58]

I handle air travel two ways. If I'm able to travel with one carry on, I wear it, then store it under the seat in front of me. I have a cloth bag (a dust cover from a Belstaff bag) that's large enough to hold it to protect it from whatever might have been spilled on the floor.

If I have two carry on bags, right before I get on the plane I roll the hat up, put it in a smaller cloth bag (a cotton shoe bag, in fact) which I then put in my under seat bag.

Garrison, Adventurebilt and Penman hats can all be rolled up. Just pull the brim down all the way around, pop out the dents, push one side of the hat in so it looks like half a hat and roll it into a loose tube from one end to the other. I stick the rolled up hat in a small cotton shoe bag which I then put in my carry on bag. When you get where you're going, unroll the hat, pop it back into shape, recrease it and you're done.

Note - some hats, like Akubras, have a wire in the sweatband to maintain the hat's shape. They CANNOT be rolled up because the wire will kink and make the hat unwearable.

P.S. My vote for the car thing (if you have to leave it in the car) goes for the floor in the shade, either in the passenger footwell or the back seat on the floor with a window or sunroof cracked for ventilation.

[Hollowpond]

With both my AB deluxe and my Art Fawcett I have rolled them up during travel with no ill effect whatsoever. I always imagined that's what Indy did with his when he was in disguise in the map room anyways...rolled it up and put it in the old MK VII!!!

[jlee562]

Hats can be stacked!

I've also havea great plastic hat can that fits most fedoras. They're available through Bencraft Hatters in Brooklyn. Not on their website, but give them a ring.



Not my photo, but that's the carrier. Very nifty.

[BendingOak]

question????? why would you leave your hat in your car???? it should be on your head.

Unless you have a hat with a wire hats can be rolled up as long as you don't put a hard crease on them and thats of course if they are a soft felted hats. Western hats or ones with a lot of stiffener Not a good idea. Be aware that most thread being used for the ribbon, liner and even the sweatband break. so be careful not to get them snagged. The most that this happens is the ribbon. with a little care rolling up should be possible. Even with the thread that I use not really possible to break with just your hands. I will admit its a bit over kill but when you state bulldog tuff, well you get the idea. the ribbon and the liner can tear but you really have to yanking on that sucker before they do tear.


I do say when ever i do travel the hat stay on my head.

[Michaelson]

question????? why would you leave your hat in your car???? it should be on your head.

Speaking for myself, I only do so if I'm with a group of folks and go into a restaurant where there is no place but the floor to put my hat. Otherwise, I wear my hat.

Regards! Michaelson

[BendingOak]

I am speaking for myself. Do I ever speak for you?

Its ok to wear your hat if there is no place provided to hang your hat. Just an FYI for all you guys and dolls.

[Michaelson]

I am an administrator here, so yes, occasionally I speak for others, John. I am identifying myself in this response to your question as speaking strictly for myself and my practice and not in official capacity. It depends on where you're eating, guys and gals. Wearing a hat in a fine restaurant is considered rude in many locations.

M

[BendingOak]

I'm sorry must have read something wrong or something got changed because I could have sworn you said " speak for yourself" Thats why you got that respounce from me.

[Michaelson]

No problem. I understand now.

No sir, nothing got changed, and 'speaking for myself.....' is what I wrote and meant.

Regards! M

[Dr. Nebraska S.]

My 2 cents: wear it, or use a hat box. I've worn my AB CS fedora for all flights to and from Israel for excavations, and it is nice to just tip it over your eyes and shut the world out when you need a nap. ;-)

Best wishes,
Dr. Nebraska S.


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[jlhampton]

I've traveled with my Penman gray and Adventurebuilt Raiders at the same time and while flying I would just wear one and use John's awesome hat box to store the other in an overhead bin. It felt a little odd at first to carry around a hat box, but after a while nobody really paid any attention to it, so it was just like carrying around another bag. Plus, I got a ton of comments on the Penman.

jlhampton

[BendingOak]

Thats what they are for. Thanks