Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Moderators: Indiana Jeff, Dalexs
- Clipper
- Archaeologist
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:13 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Hey everyone!
Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting Herbert Johnson while I’m vacationing in Europe for the next 2 weeks. I’ve been very excited to visit their store and to see their Raiders poet in person.
The store is very small, but they had many hats to see including Last Crusade models in rabbit, Raiders in beaver and One clipper. We discovered my size was 59 and luckily they had one 59 Beaver Poet in stock which was exactly the hat I would have custom ordered. There is something so nice about being able to try on a hat first before buying it, especially one this pricey. I purchased it and had it shipped directly back home so I wouldn’t haven’t to lug it around Europe for 2 weeks. Also avoids UK sales tax that way.
I will post a full review once I have worn it a few times but I had a very positive impression of the quality, specs and craftsmanship, not to mention to the very friendly and helpful staff. The hat fit me perfectly and I think even looks better on me than my other hats. Maybe it’s because it doesn’t have the Raiders turn. Not sure. But it looks great. I will tweak the bash and dial it in later but so far I do recommend it to anyone who has been on the fence.
Anyway here are some photos, enjoy! And thank you Herbert Johnson!
-Clipper
(I’ll clean up the photos later. Best I can do on mobile)
Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting Herbert Johnson while I’m vacationing in Europe for the next 2 weeks. I’ve been very excited to visit their store and to see their Raiders poet in person.
The store is very small, but they had many hats to see including Last Crusade models in rabbit, Raiders in beaver and One clipper. We discovered my size was 59 and luckily they had one 59 Beaver Poet in stock which was exactly the hat I would have custom ordered. There is something so nice about being able to try on a hat first before buying it, especially one this pricey. I purchased it and had it shipped directly back home so I wouldn’t haven’t to lug it around Europe for 2 weeks. Also avoids UK sales tax that way.
I will post a full review once I have worn it a few times but I had a very positive impression of the quality, specs and craftsmanship, not to mention to the very friendly and helpful staff. The hat fit me perfectly and I think even looks better on me than my other hats. Maybe it’s because it doesn’t have the Raiders turn. Not sure. But it looks great. I will tweak the bash and dial it in later but so far I do recommend it to anyone who has been on the fence.
Anyway here are some photos, enjoy! And thank you Herbert Johnson!
-Clipper
(I’ll clean up the photos later. Best I can do on mobile)
Last edited by Clipper on Sun Dec 29, 2019 5:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Canyon
- Legendary Adventurer
- Posts: 6132
- Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2003 3:16 pm
- Location: Swooning over my husband (and Indy!!!)
- Contact:
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Thank you so much for sharing! I'm sure this was an awesome experience.
I love the photos and the hat looks great on you.
I love the photos and the hat looks great on you.
- Indiana Joosse
- Dig Leader
- Posts: 594
- Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 3:38 am
- Location: Uithoorn, the Netherlands
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Thanks for posting this, it looks great!
I am looking forward to my own Herbert Johnson, as I was lucky enough to win one in the Adventurers Summit charity raffle.
I am looking forward to my own Herbert Johnson, as I was lucky enough to win one in the Adventurers Summit charity raffle.
- Forrest For the Trees
- Museum Curator
- Posts: 1234
- Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:01 am
- Location: Okay, it's not really the South... it's Texas
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Awesome! Those hats look great on you. So cool to be able to go there in person. Thanks for sharing!
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Awesome lid! You need to curl that brim, though. Looks too flat and new. Give it some Indy character!
- Clipper
- Archaeologist
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:13 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Oh I definitely will. I only got to wear it for a few mins before they packed it up to be shipped back to California. I’ll have my way with it when I get home and post new pics.whipwarrior wrote:Awesome lid! You need to curl that brim, though. Looks too flat and new. Give it some Indy character!
I think I may keep this as a non turn hat though. It looks so nice as is. Also would differentiate it a bit more from my beaver Adventurebilt Raiders which has the turn.
-Clipper
- Castor Dioscuri
- Expeditionary Hero
- Posts: 2179
- Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:52 am
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Lucky!!! When I visited a few years ago, Indy HJs weren't even a realistic option and I was directed to a different store.
The third pic down though, are those both Indys? They look different in color, and I wonder if we'd have an option to pick what shade of brown to go with...
The third pic down though, are those both Indys? They look different in color, and I wonder if we'd have an option to pick what shade of brown to go with...
- Clipper
- Archaeologist
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:13 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Yes both were Indy's. One was a last crusade model in rabbit (darker in color), and the one I bought was a Beaver Raiders (lighter color for Raiders).Castor Dioscuri wrote:Lucky!!! When I visited a few years ago, Indy HJs weren't even a realistic option and I was directed to a different store.
The third pic down though, are those both Indys? They look different in color, and I wonder if we'd have an option to pick what shade of brown to go with...
I really love the hat. It actually looks a little different on me than my other hats. I would say the brim is slightly shorter on the sides, and the crown is slightly taller in the front.
I'll have to update with some more photos soon.
-Clipper
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Update! (please)
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
The destination you were is a "must go" for my next trip to London ...
Thanks for sharing your experience
Thanks for sharing your experience
- iwantamorganreelbad1
- Laboratory Technician
- Posts: 185
- Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 4:39 pm
- Location: Arkansas
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
The HJ store is definitely a treat! I went in March of this year and was like a kid in a candy store. Wasn’t able to buy one then but I just placed an order today for a Rabbit Raiders w/turn. Yours looks fantastic, sir!
- 3thoubucks
- Professor of Archaeology
- Posts: 1133
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2002 1:26 am
- Location: San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
- Contact:
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Merry Christmas! I need one under my tree!
- Clipper
- Archaeologist
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:13 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
haha sorry about that! Ok here's an update. This had become my number one fedora. Now all the rest of my hats just don't seem to look as good on me, or are as comfortable to wear. This hat holds its shape so well, yet the Beaver is so soft. It just feels good on the head and the leather band is so soft too. It almost stretches to perfectly form to your head.Grendl wrote:Update! (please)
That being said! I'm not sure the proportions are exactly screen accurate. My Steve Delk Adventurbilt that I had reblocked by Penman is a spot on replica of the raiders hat IMO. And I would say the crown is slightly shorter, and the brim slightly wider on that. However, it doesn't look as good on me for daily wear and thats ok, it sits proudly on my shelf. The Herbert Johnson however, I wear all the time now. More than I ever wore hats before and I do have a nice collection. It just always looks and feels good to wear!
Here are a few more pics. My style has gone through a bit of a transition lately.
-Clipper
Photos are from test fitting for Halloween. First two are of the HJ, third is of my Delk KOTCS reblocked into Penman Raiders legacy, final ones are the HJ again.
- Canyon
- Legendary Adventurer
- Posts: 6132
- Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2003 3:16 pm
- Location: Swooning over my husband (and Indy!!!)
- Contact:
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Clipper, the photos are great, and your gear looks awesome!!!
- Clipper
- Archaeologist
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:13 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Thank you!Canyon wrote:Clipper, the photos are great, and your gear looks awesome!!!
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
May I inquire of the Herbert Johnson hat owners as to whether you notice a difference in floppiness or thickness in the HJ Rabbit and the HJ Beaver?
If you have an HJ Rabbit but not a HJ Beaver to compare to, I would still be happy to hear about these details even without a Beaver comparison.
Thank you. And they do look amazing. I see the HJ hat releases on my Instagram and I am starting to think about purchasing a Rabbit felt.
Thank you.
If you have an HJ Rabbit but not a HJ Beaver to compare to, I would still be happy to hear about these details even without a Beaver comparison.
Thank you. And they do look amazing. I see the HJ hat releases on my Instagram and I am starting to think about purchasing a Rabbit felt.
Thank you.
- Michaelson
- Knower of Things
- Posts: 44483
- Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:55 pm
- Location: Out here knowing stuff and things and wishing I were with the family at Universal Studios Orlando
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
I have handled both and could not tell a difference. The finishes are quite compatible.
Regards! Michaelson
Regards! Michaelson
- Clipper
- Archaeologist
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:13 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
In the store I was able to handle quite a few of both Rabbit and Beaver and there was definitely a difference. For rabbit, they definitely do a nice job, and I was tempted to get Rabbit purely because the original Raiders hat was indeed Rabbit. It's a smooth to the touch finish, However! the beaver was soo much more subtle and soft that it was a no contest winner. If you ordered a Rabbit and had never seen a Beaver Im sure you will love it, but if you hold both in hand it will be very hard not to choose the beaver, even with the heftier price tag.AttyOzzy wrote:May I inquire of the Herbert Johnson hat owners as to whether you notice a difference in floppiness or thickness in the HJ Rabbit and the HJ Beaver?
If you have an HJ Rabbit but not a HJ Beaver to compare to, I would still be happy to hear about these details even without a Beaver comparison.
Thank you. And they do look amazing. I see the HJ hat releases on my Instagram and I am starting to think about purchasing a Rabbit felt.
Thank you.
-Clipper
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Thank you for this information, Clipper. You have given me much to consider!
-
- Archaeology Student
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 6:56 pm
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
The fedora looks great...got any info on this leather jacket? Looks good and plenty of room with a hoodie underneath...Clipper wrote:haha sorry about that! Ok here's an update. This had become my number one fedora. Now all the rest of my hats just don't seem to look as good on me, or are as comfortable to wear. This hat holds its shape so well, yet the Beaver is so soft. It just feels good on the head and the leather band is so soft too. It almost stretches to perfectly form to your head.Grendl wrote:Update! (please)
That being said! I'm not sure the proportions are exactly screen accurate. My Steve Delk Adventurbilt that I had reblocked by Penman is a spot on replica of the raiders hat IMO. And I would say the crown is slightly shorter, and the brim slightly wider on that. However, it doesn't look as good on me for daily wear and thats ok, it sits proudly on my shelf. The Herbert Johnson however, I wear all the time now. More than I ever wore hats before and I do have a nice collection. It just always looks and feels good to wear!
Here are a few more pics. My style has gone through a bit of a transition lately.
-Clipper
Photos are from test fitting for Halloween. First two are of the HJ, third is of my Delk KOTCS reblocked into Penman Raiders legacy, final ones are the HJ again.
Thanks!
- Clipper
- Archaeologist
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:13 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Ha sure, and thanks. It’s a Lucky Brand Bonneville cafe racer style cow hide jacket. Black but with a broken in brown hue to it, like black coffee. Great jacket and wasn’t crazy expensive. I believe they are still available. It’s a size small so it’s pretty snug when zipped up but I never really zip it.fortysixandtwo wrote:The fedora looks great...got any info on this leather jacket? Looks good and plenty of room with a hoodie underneath...Clipper wrote:haha sorry about that! Ok here's an update. This had become my number one fedora. Now all the rest of my hats just don't seem to look as good on me, or are as comfortable to wear. This hat holds its shape so well, yet the Beaver is so soft. It just feels good on the head and the leather band is so soft too. It almost stretches to perfectly form to your head.Grendl wrote:Update! (please)
That being said! I'm not sure the proportions are exactly screen accurate. My Steve Delk Adventurbilt that I had reblocked by Penman is a spot on replica of the raiders hat IMO. And I would say the crown is slightly shorter, and the brim slightly wider on that. However, it doesn't look as good on me for daily wear and thats ok, it sits proudly on my shelf. The Herbert Johnson however, I wear all the time now. More than I ever wore hats before and I do have a nice collection. It just always looks and feels good to wear!
Here are a few more pics. My style has gone through a bit of a transition lately.
-Clipper
Photos are from test fitting for Halloween. First two are of the HJ, third is of my Delk KOTCS reblocked into Penman Raiders legacy, final ones are the HJ again.
Thanks!
-Clipper
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Looks splendid! I'm considering a beaver poet myself... what color is yours? Regular sable or deep sable?
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
I don't know 100%, but I am fairly certain that his hat is a normal sable color.
- jlee562
- Professor of Archaeology
- Posts: 1129
- Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:50 pm
- Location: San Francisco
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
Deep Sable was introduced this year, so a Sept 2019 hat would be standard sable.Hedji wrote:Looks splendid! I'm considering a beaver poet myself... what color is yours? Regular sable or deep sable?
- Clipper
- Archaeologist
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:13 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
Re: Just visited Herbert Johnson in London
They showed me that they had two colors of Sable in the shop. Raiders Sable and Dark Sable which they used for Last Crusade hats. Also those two colors were available in Beaver or Rabbit.jlee562 wrote:Deep Sable was introduced this year, so a Sept 2019 hat would be standard sable.Hedji wrote:Looks splendid! I'm considering a beaver poet myself... what color is yours? Regular sable or deep sable?
I really wanted the raiders color and beaver felt and was lucky they happened to have my size in stock!
-Clipper