Club Obi Wan

I was wondering what you would do if you get stuck out in the rain with your fedora on. I have a Fed Deluxe and do not know what precautions to take before or after the event of getting the hat wet. Suggestions? Experiences?

Expect to have Gremlins grow up out of the hat?
Nah, seriously... A real Federation Deluxe should have NO problem at all even if you take it for a swim! So I wouldn’t worry too much about it, but let’s see what the real experts have to say about this

I wouldn't call myself a "real expert," but I've heard that when your hat gets wet it's a good idea to pop the crown into its original open shape and allow the hat to dry, preferably on a hat block or hat stand of some kind before reshaping and wearing it-- and NEVER resting it on the brim, which can cause tapering. I think Fedora recommends getting a hat block one size smaller than your own for this very purpose. Hope this helps.

Jack

this post is very funny to me because i was caught in a big rain storm today with my fed 4. water was running off my brim and everything.

when i got home, i just placed it on a towel (on the crown) and let it dry. i came back tonite and it looked as though i just pulled it out of the box from hatsdirect.

gotta love akubra!!!!

That's what I have heard from the hatters around here. Just let it dry naturally, but I think better on a stand, and go. I would pop out the sweat band so it drys under there, but that's it.

Akubras were built for abuse, swimming with it wouldn't be a big deal!!!

I'm still waiting for my AB (ordered 11/30/07) so when I wear a fedora it's a Stetson. I don't do anything to it. It gets wet, it gets dry. I reckon hats are for keeping off the rain.

Indiana G wrote:this post is very funny to me because i was caught in a big rain storm today with my fed 4. water was running off my brim and everything.

when i got home, i just placed it on a towel (on the crown) and let it dry. i came back tonite and it looked as though i just pulled it out of the box from hatsdirect.

gotta love akubra!!!!

Happened the same to me, yesterday (I have a Fed IV)!
Place it upside down, let it dry naturally (DO NOT FORCE DRYING!) and don't worry about you hat. Akubras are made to resist!

Ok...but here is a question for you...

I'm going on a 6 day hike on the west coast of BC in two months. The last time I was there, it rained pretty much all the time.

What do you suggest I do about letting it dry at night in the tent?

I wear fedoras in the rain all the time. If they don't get too wet, I just place it on my hatstand until it dries. If it get really soaked, I put a hatjack/stretcher in to be sure it doesn't shrink.
Also, I usually take advantage of a wet hat to tweak the bash if there's something I want to change.

crazylegsmurphy wrote: What do you suggest I do about letting it dry at night in the tent?

Turn out the sweatband if it got soaked through, and rest the hat on something dry, brim up. Don't dry it in the sun, that's all!

crazylegsmurphy wrote:Ok...but here is a question for you...

I'm going on a 6 day hike on the west coast of BC in two months. The last time I was there, it rained pretty much all the time.

What do you suggest I do about letting it dry at night in the tent?

Probably, if in the morning the hat it's wet, I leave it into the tent (but only if I can lock the tent zip)...anyway it's a problematic situation...

Well, unfortunately you pack up and move your tent every day. It's a 75 KM hike.

So, if the hat doesn't dry completely at night, it will definitely be on my head in the day in the sun. It's quite feasible that the hat will be soaked (you hike up to 8 hours a day), in the rain.

I'm sure you will figure it out. Besides wouldn't a nice wet hat feel good in the heat? Also I would bring the hat stretcher if it's going to get soaked through and apply it before you go to sleep, I assume you sleep at some point, that will prevent shrinking. Then just wear the hat again in the morning...

I know part of a hat's purpose is to take a hit for the sake of keeping your head dry, but If the Fed is your favorite hat and you want to make sure it stays in great condition, I'd leave it at home and wear one that doesn't concern you as much.

Even some of the AB's used in CS shrank after being drenched, and they are made of pure beaver. The degree to which a hat will taper or shrink depends on many factors besidees just the brand name, including the quality of the felt run that was used to make your particular hat, and even the weather conditions on the day the hat was made. Your Fed will probably weather the storm, but as Professor Henry Jones Sr. says, "better safe than sorry."

Jack

crazylegsmurphy wrote:Ok...but here is a question for you...

I'm going on a 6 day hike on the west coast of BC in two months. The last time I was there, it rained pretty much all the time.

What do you suggest I do about letting it dry at night in the tent?

Let me see if I get it right; you’re gonna be outdoors on the BC in two months? Man, I really don’t think you gonna have enough time to get your hat dry between rain cycles!

Still, I envy you so, so much! Hiking trip to the BC? Yay! It’s been years since my last time... (I feel nostalgic! Sigh!) Long live Canada and the BC!

BC in two months?

heheh...no two weeks.

But yea, it's called the West Coast Trail, and it's amazing!! I hiked it with my dad when I was 16 - 17 and we're now going back as I'm 30 this year and he's 60.

The first time I went I had a leather Indiana Jones type hat (all that I could find, got it when I was 10). It got soaked!!

I remember you would be walking along, everything is all nice...then BAM, rain....rain...rain...rain......then BAM sun! My first Indy Hat took a beating and tapered like crazy in the end.

Here is a photo of my Dad, brother, and I.



It should be fun, but this is exactly why I posted that poll about which hat to bring on this trip. So keeping with this post, this is a pretty good test to see the best way for taking care of a hat in the rain.

I double envy you now! My dad is a totally indoor man since he got married, so I never went out to this kind of trips with him, and I’m single son. He used to be a real climbing, hiking, trekking, etc. maniac, but mom is a M.D. and she’s too nervous for all that kind of stuff, but still she’s never have been able to control my impulse to go out and do whatever I want.

Now my dad it’s about your dad’s age and he’s getting is a motorhome next month, so no hope for me for a trip like yours... Be sure to enjoy every single minute of those times together with your family!

I hiked alone the BC when I was 20 or something (I’m now 31), well, actually kinda cheated; I wanted to see as much as I could of the real BC on my trip from Vancouver to Edmonton, so I used to hike for a few days, then take the bus to the next area I was interested in and keep on, I did that for a whole month.

Please share your next experience with your hat on your trip, I’m really interested on any feedback you can provide about this kind of experience / abuse for your hat and the results of it for the next experiences of everyone interested here.

I don’t know if this is a good idea or not, but I guess it’s worth trying; I would use a cheap camping pot just a little bit smaller to my head diameter, reshape it using a hammer or something to equal my head oval shape, and take it to the hike and use it at nights as a hatstand but I would cover it with some kind of smooth towel cloth before to help absorb the humidity of the inner side of the hat and prevent any possible deformation (That’s why the slightly smaller diameter thing).

But I guess someone will have a much better and proper idea for the care of your hat here? What cowboys do when they go outdoors with their fur felt hats? :

West Coast Trail.

I've only had a couple of day hikes on Quadra Island.

Vinyl/plastic cover (kinda like a shower cap) from a western wear store.

mwelch8404 wrote:Vinyl/plastic cover (kinda like a shower cap) from a western wear store.

Uhhh ya...nothing says, "I'm Mr. Adventure, look over here, look at me go, I'm not a super nerd!" like a plastic shower cap thing.....

dude- wear it, let it dry as much as it can overnight, wear it again. If it does shrink any, it can always be reblocked. Wear it and enjoy it as part of the adventure, and don't worry about it. Your putting it through it's intended use, albeit a crash course!
Take pics of it before you leave, and when you return for comparison.
Good luck, and have fun!

I use mine as an umbrella. Stick it on a hat stand and let it dry out for a few days.

This may be a stupid question but I haven't heard anyone suggest wearing it on your head until its dry...is this not a good idea?

~Kevin

Sure. I've done that myself with a standard Fed. It works just fine, and actually makes the hat form fit to your head as it dries. Not a problem.

Regards! Michaelson

it soaking wet here in Belgium. raining heavily all day and I put my old Fed on for keeping me head dry.
what i did notice is that there are some dark green spots on my Fed. The green shine it had when I got it years and years ago. Is this because of the stiffner that was used way back? Anyone had this before actually?
Guess it will disappear again in time like it did earlier. I'm just wondering

The older Feds did have that green base. The new ones don't. It will fade back once it's dried, but you want to brush the hat after it's totally dry in order to raise the 'nap' of the fur and even out the color again.

Remember, brush the crown, top, and top brim counter clock wise....and on the bottom of the brim clockwise.

Regards! Michaelson

thanks buddy!

I just returned from my trip and had a great time!! I wore the hat almost everyday and it got rained on twice, but it was fine like everyone said it would be. I actually liked when it rained because I could remold it in a way. The pics from my trip are on this post: http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?t ... highlight=

I’m very interested on getting some answers on this subject as I’ll be visiting Panama in a couple of months during the rainy season with not a hat stand or block in sight - so let’s see if we can get a consensus here:
1)Allow the hat to dry naturally, brim up – no sun or artificial heat
2)Pop out the bash while drying – yes or no?
Any other tips to avoid the dreaded taper?

I always have a plastic bag in my wested or satchel.
So I can protect my fedora from rain...

Tom, when my hat gets soaked, I never pop the bash out. I either set it on its crown, let it dry on a hat stand (usually gently set on an old hat block as if it were being worn, not reblocked) or I drape it over the edge of a desk so the brim an droop. I always let it air dry. Any which way, I've never seen a problem with my hats shrinking up. I'll use the opportunity to tweak them, though.

Panama Tom Jr. wrote:I’m very interested on getting some answers on this subject as I’ll be visiting Panama in a couple of months during the rainy season with not a hat stand or block in sight - so let’s see if we can get a consensus here:
1)Allow the hat to dry naturally, brim up – no sun or artificial heat
2)Pop out the bash while drying – yes or no?
Any other tips to avoid the dreaded taper?

These are questions I also have. Do you pop out the bash?
thanks
Canada

Also don't forget the Scout Rain and Stain application. Keeps the hat in top shape...

Agreed!

Oh, Gary, read bink's response just above yours. There's your answer.

Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:Agreed!

Oh, Gary, read bink's response just above yours. There's your answer.

Regards! Michaelson

Thanks Michaelson.

So you let it dry with the bash intake so it will hold the bash? If it drys with the bash popped out will it lose the bash? What about any tapering that might take place? Is this a natural result of getting the hat wet?
Canada

There are other members who are far more qualified to answer these questions, but to my knowledge...

Canada Jones wrote:So you let it dry with the bash intake so it will hold the bash?

Yes. It's basically the same as using cold water to bash your hat; as it dries it retains the shape of the bash. In fact, you can use the opportunity to change or "fine tune" the bash if you wish.

Canada Jones wrote:If it drys with the bash popped out will it lose the bash?

If it dries with the bash popped out, you simply have to re-bash it.

Canada Jones wrote:What about any tapering that might take place? Is this a natural result of getting the hat wet?

Tapering is caused by shrinkage of the felt. This shouldn't happen to a quality fur felt hat unless you try to use heat to speed up the drying process. If you allow it to dry on it's own at room temperature, there should be no shrinkage/tapering.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong about any of these issues.

I was at Star Wars Weekends at Hollywood Studios last weekend and it rained for about half the day. I was in full gear as I always am until There is an Indiana Jones character walking around the park signing autographs or at least one "Indiana Jones Weekend." I threw my poncho/windbreaker over my Wested and just wore the hat. It's like an instant umbrella! I just keep it on until it dries and it looks as good as new! I even wore it on Splash Mountain @ Magic Kingdom and it got soaked and then it dried! Wear it!!

Thanks. Very helpful.
best
Canada

Why wont you try this special covers that are made for hats. They are pretty cheap! $15 mexican pesos ($1.5 USD aprox).





Greetings and good things!

-Alfonso

I was considering one of those plastic covers like the one above, but when it comes to an Indiana Jones hat, it has a protection factor of 10, but a coolness factor of about 0.

I would honestly rather my hat tapered to a point than be called Princess Jones and the Temple of Perfume the whole trip.

I absolutely will not cover a fedora with plastic,

They are made to be worn and if any tapering should occur, though unlikely if you let it dry naturally, just get a reblock. So much better than wearing a plastic cover on your head...

and what if its like a reaaaaaaaallly nice plastic cover....custom fitted to your fedora and made by PVC that is impregnated by gold flakes???? guess you'll need to get a plastic cover for that as well eh???

if my PVC got pregnant, I'd call a scientist...

-KB

I don't think there is any thing unmanly about putting a plastic cover on your fedora -- especially if it is one of the new $400 AB or AB Delux versions. If you've never heard the parable about the fence on the cliff top or the ambulance in the valley, I'll be happy to share that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" story to any of you youngsters who haven't heard that one before.

I'd like to know that my hat can withstand an unexpected downpour, or if I had to run to my vehicle out in the rain, but if I KNEW I was going to be subjecting it to rain or drenching and I could plan in advance, I think that packing a rain cover for your investment is not such a bad idea. My dress shoes are an investment, costing anywhere from $139 on sale to $400 per pair. Do you think I would intentially step in a water puddle without a $19.00 pair of rubber shoe covers, if I had one available. Obviosly not. But if I didn't have the rubber shoe covers, I'd try to get them into shoe trees or stuff them with newspaper, and let them dry naturally. If packing a hat block is not feasable, I'd opt for the hat jack and try to avoid the delays and waits of sending in a hat for a reblock.

I'm going to look into the stain and water repellent product mentioned above. That sounds like a good choice for emergency protection. I wonder, though, would that affect the hats' ability to breath naturally?

Hello again COW'ers!

Indiana MarkVII: I completely agree with you!!!
In my case, a $200 dollar hat it's a big expense to my pocket, and if i can protect my hat with a $1.5 dollar plastic thing, knowing that i'm going out into the rain... i would deffinitively use it...
I mean... i wouldn't be using the plastic 24 hrs a day, just in the rainy days...

-Alfonso

Piker wrote:I use mine as an umbrella. Stick it on a hat stand and let it dry out for a few days.

Hey Piker, now that your avatar is enormous, what type of bag is that you are carrying? I can actually see it now!!!

Something weird is going on, but at least I can now see your bag in the photo is great, I want one...

Piker, please resize your avatar as per the site rules to no bigger than 100x100 pixels. The script we used to resize oversized avatars caused the site to hang up because it was chomping on too many huge avatars. Please take care of it. Thank you.

I honestly just wear my hats and if it's pouring so be it, or windy, or humid, or blowing sand at the beach. When I get home I put my hat up on a hat rack or lie it gently on the crown, brim up, and let it dry naturally. If it gets really soaked I do pop out the sweat band while the hat is drying. I have never had a hat taper or anything. I do use Scout, 2 applications to keep them more water repellent, but I don't worry about it. If anything were to happen I'll just send the hat out for a nice reblock and maybe change the bash while at it, would give me a chance to create a different look and reblocks are not that expensive...

I guess I just like wearing my hats the way Indy wore them, in and through everything!!!

"Just get a reblock" may sound good on paper, but when you're wearing an AB, you may be waiting several months without a hat when you send it back to get a reblock. Nothing wrong with wearing a plastic cover on it. Eventually, the hat will soak through and water will begin to get on your head once the liner has also been soaked.

I got caught in a rainstorm last night that was so intense, the water soaked all the way through the brim on my beaver AB and was dripping from the underside. This literally happened in less than 10 minutes out in the rain. It was that intense; the hat was completely and utterly soaked.

I popped the bash out (which, IIRC, I had been told to do by Fedora years ago), and sat it upside down in the cylinder that came with an Akubra I used to have. Left it that way overnight, and it was dry enough to wear the next day. I popped the creases back in, and off I went.