Club Obi Wan

*I've done the Search and haven't found any answers to the question I have.

I suppose it's been established now by experts in this field that the Stetson Temple saw some screen time in Temple of Doom, notably in the scenes shot in Sri Lanka.

How has the hat evolved since 1983/1984 until now? Have the specifications changed on it or is it still the same hat that was made back then?

I've seen some photos of the Temple and it's not bad. eBay sometimes has a few up for bid...

Same here! I just don't want to pull the trigger on it if it doesn't make a decent Temple of Doom fedora.

I am, however, probably the only guy who likes the way this hat looks.



But that looks more like a tapered HJ to my untrained eye, rather than a Stetson.

The hat on the airplane looks more like a Stetson to me...

gabrielle wrote:I've seen some photos of the Temple and it's not bad. eBay sometimes has a few up for bid...

I totally disagree with you. I've had a few because they taper real quick and lose their color... fast.

Fast colors... I crack me up.

I would actually discourage anyone from getting one since we have other vendors that offer a better product for a few dollars more.

I've had the exact same experience with my two early, and I DO mean early Stetson 'Temples', though at the time they were sold under the Temple of Doom label.

The fur felt versions (if you can find them) are a completely different animal, and probably one of the nicest versions they ever made.

That said, I believe the new Stetson's have had their crowns pushed out just a bit more to not look as tapered as they were in the 'day'...though I think they're still in the extremely low height of around 4 3/4". Their materials have gone down hill, but then all the Stetson products don't seem to have the 'umph' they had even in the '80's...and that's not saying a whole lot. From all recent photos I've seen, they're pretty much the same hat as back then, but with that slight change I mention above.

As incorrect as they were/are, I was quite partial to the cloth sweatband, as it was extremely comfortable, but the first sign of perspiration, they immediate soak through to the ribbon and outward.

If you're wanting one for nostalgia reasons and as a fair weather, no rain type hat....they're not a bad buy.

They were the very FIRST hat we had for our hobby, and for that reason, at least in my opinion, deserve a place at the table. Everyone who collects our hats should own at least one.

Regards! Michaelson

I have two Stetson Temple hats, both fur felts. I purchased the first at least 6 years ago, and I have no idea how long it sat on the shelf before then. However, I purchased the second 2 or 3 years ago, and they are both very similar in design.

While they make nice fedoras, I agree with Michaelson's comments that the crowns are really too short to be considered a good Indy-style hat. Contrary to Michaelson's comments, however, both of my hats have leather sweatbands, and have stood up well to sweat.

That being said, I prefer the higher crowned hats, and no longer wear either hat. Furthermore, the older hat is a size 7, and I'm really a 7 1/8, so its always been a little tight. Given these issues, I'm considering selling the hats. The size 7 is a tawny color, with a black ribbon, and the 7 1/8 is caribou, with a black ribbon. If anyone is interested in either of these hats, feel free to send me a private message.

Perhaps later I can post some pictures, just to aid in the discussions in this thread.

So if I'm looking for the hat that it closest to the screen used product placement Stetson...?

Michaelson wrote:They were the very FIRST hat we had for our hobby, and for that reason, at least in my opinion, deserve a place at the table. Everyone who collects our hats should own at least one.

Regards! Michaelson

Were I to disagree with you, which I might be just for the sake of debate and not to be militant, I would say that if everyone owned one then that would encourage other hatters to make more fedoras of the same lesser quality.

If the demand for these fedoras when up, someone would increase the supply since some executive would believe that's what we 'really' want.

Just a thought. Not trying to bust on those who love their Stetson Temples.

You missed my point, Ren. I said anyone who was a serious collector of our gear should own one, as it's earned it's place at the table. I never said they should WEAR the thing!

Contrary to Michaelson's comments, however, both of my hats have leather sweatbands, and have stood up well to sweat.

Really? That's a new one on me! I never saw one with a leather sweat...even my high end fur felt Paramount acquired version has the cloth sweat band with the gold Stetson seal.

Regards! Michaelson

Cassidy wrote:So if I'm looking for the hat that it closest to the screen used product placement Stetson...?

I can tell you this much - I own a current production Temple. It looks nothing like any hat in any Indy movie. The brim is much narrower, the crown much lower and tapered. Possible more so than the DP. I'm not complaining, because I didn't buy it as an Indy hat. But I want to make sure you understand.

Now, if you like Stetsons, they have a new model (actually a re-released model) called the Nostalgia, which is much along the lines you're probably going for. Check it out;

http://www.getahaton.com/Stetson_Nostal ... 4.nost.htm

I understand they are readily available for not much more than $50.00 at the Stetson outlets. For those seeking an extra, not-strictly-Indy hat in something other than brown, the Temple might be an option. The Nostalgia should also be available through the outlet -- now or soon.

Just to throw my two cents in...

I have a caribou Stetson Temple (fur felt of course..I wasn't even aware they made a different version, unless you guys are talking about something else). It's not at all SA and even reblocked and rebashed, it's not going to look very SA, however I will say this: it's the most comfortable hat I own.

I don't know what it is about it, but it's amazingly comfortable.

ehtyva wrote:Just to throw my two cents in...

I have a caribou Stetson Temple (fur felt of course..I wasn't even aware they made a different version, unless you guys are talking about something else). It's not at all SA and even reblocked and rebashed, it's not going to look very SA, however I will say this: it's the most comfortable hat I own.

I don't know what it is about it, but it's amazingly comfortable.

My temple (new version) is pretty comfortable too, and i wear it with regularity. I never rebashed the hat, it looks fine the way it comes, and never bought it with the intention of making it look like an indy. Its too short, and has too much taper too be a decent indy. But it looks great with a pin striped suit, and i can't complain about it. However im pretty sure the sweatband is made of a material unidentifiable to me. Its not leather, its not cloth, its more like a imitation leather. It has a plastic feel to it, but its better than the band in my Peter Bros (circa 2002).

i think i paid $70 to $80 bucks for mine. it won't bash into anything decent so i would keep it the way it is. also, the wide ribbon (1 3/4" i believe) makes the crown look that much shorter than what it already is. i wouldn't call this a 'good' hat if you are putting it in the context of indiana jones.....not by far. i was warned by the gentleman at peter bros not to buy this hat. i guess i shouldn't have been so pig-headed

i would say she'd be a good hat to wear casually here and there...do some gardenning in or taking a walk to the store. it seems to be constructed well and keeps the sun off your head. it would be my last pic of a hat to take travelling. my 2 cents.

As far as I know, the official Stetson Indy and the Stetson Temple were two completely different hats. Here are photos of a Stetson fur felt Indy I bought in 1984:

[url]http://i220.photobucket.com/albums ... 0_0511.jpg

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd12 ... 0_0508.jpg

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd12 ... 0_0507.jpg

Around the same time, I bought a Temple from J.J.'s in NYC that was a totally different hat. It was made of lighter felt than the licensed Indy and did indeed have a leather sweatband, a smaller crown, and a wider brim and ribbon. It also came with a Stetson pin and a red feather. As I recall, it had a white liner with a red and gold Stetson logo.

The Stetson Indy pictured was a far superior hat to the Temple, which began shrinking soon after I bought it. The official Indy, which I was told was pure beaver, was a very tough yet soft hat and could take a variety of different shapes easily. Perhaps not the most SA Indy hat ever made, but a very high quality hat nonetheless.

Jack

I think most of us own hats aside from our Indys. Why? Just because of variety and a love of hats. I have a Barmah Squashy Suede in mocca and I love it, it's well worn and well loved. I'm saving up for "The Lover" from Baron Hats and I also have ball caps, although I rarely wear anything other than a fedora or my Barmah Squashy. I'm just saying it is ok to grab a Temple to wear around maybe as a rain hat or just something to really abuse when you don't want your beloved fedoras getting really torn up. There's nothing wrong with that and even Camptown or Jimmy Pierce offer other types of hats like the C-crown. But if you want a real fedora then stick with the hatters mentioned in this forum for a true Indy.

I bought two of them back in 96'. The had leather sweats and were under Stetsons "Sovereign" label, same as Stetons "Nostalgia" model, which was the first fedora I ever had that really looked like an Indy hat. My next hat was a Miller Raider, and had the Stetson "Sovereign" label.

Now this is interesting; of the two Temples, one turned nearly red, shriveled up, and the dye leaked badly while the other one stayed an even brown color and thought it did shrink, didn't look too bad and went on to a friend of mine. Of the Nostaligia, and the Miller, the Nostalgia shriveled up and went red, while the Miller is still wearable today. I did nothing different with any of them, but the results were all different.

I have thought about getting another Stetson, but my experience with this Sovereign line is way too unpredictable for me.

Cassidy, I too am a fan of the look you posted. It seems that all too often when someone references a ToD hat, they mean the hat in the cockpit scene. There are many fine looking styles in that movie. I think if you are going for that look and want a Stetson, forget the Temple and go for the Miller #257. It will nail that look far better than the Temple that is now available. Take this advise from one who has spent over $400.oo on this line of Stetsons!

Weston

In further defense of Temple, worn as a non-Indy hat, I find it makes a great "quickly grab it and go" type hat. It looks fairly good with most of the clothes I own, as long as it matches color wise.

Now, I forgot about the Miller. It is another good option to consider.

If your hat doesn't absolutely have to be a Stetson, I would put in a plug here for the Christy's Adventurer from http://www.hornetshats.com. Mine is a perfect TOD hat, although not as tapered as the one pictured at the beginning of this thread.

Jack

And available in many more colors than just about ANY other offering.