Club Obi Wan

If I want a Raven Bar style Raiders hat, whats my best option?

Adventurebuilt Henry from Mark in the EU? ... I'm currently in the UK so it could make sense

Or the Raiders rabbit for 275 from the Penman Hat Company?

Sound off please, I value all your opinions and although my purchase is a bit off I like to get my research done well in advance as I start saving money ...

edit: I did the see the link ' Newbies: Which hat should I get' but looking for expert opinions here ...

Erich

I have a Henry and one of Todds Uptowners. Both make extremely good Raiders hats. The Henry is a lovely soft felt but the Uptowner is around half the price at $149... Visually you'd be hard pressed to tell them apart. I previously owned a Magnoli HJ which was a nice hat but to be honest I prefer the Uptowner and the Henry over it. Link to my comparison pics between Uptowner and Henry if you haven't seen it- http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43596

Hope that helps

Jasonalun has a Garrison Raider which he bashed into a Raven Bar and it looks quite nice. The Garrison Raider runs about $250 and is a very nice hat. I own one myself and couldn't be happier.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43579

Of the two you propose, I'd go with the Henry.

Regards! Michaelson

Well when you say it like that Michaelson, really I shouldn't narrow it to just those two choices, I'm open to any that will make the best replica of the style i'm going for ... thanks for the replies so far

djd, based on those pics, I like the Henry, it has slighty less 'roundy' bumps on either sides of the main crease going down the centre ...

Cannuck_Indy_Fan wrote:Well when you say it like that Michaelson, really I shouldn't narrow it to just those two choices, I'm open to any that will make the best replica of the style i'm going for ... thanks for the replies so far

I 'said it like that' because those were the two choices you presented us as being the two you were choosing between.

Now that you've opened the flood gates, you may as well prepare yourself for suggestions of every hat made for this community, as everyone has their favorite.

Good luck.

Regards! Michaelson

From what I've seen second hand, I'd suggest the Henry. Simply because it has a longer history around here, and even it's relatively short compared to Adventurebilt proper.. but the Uptowner hasn't been here long enough to give a good review of how it acts over time.

Also, you may want to look at the Fed IV Deluxe. Guys like Holt have proven that they make scary good Raiders hats, despite being bashed [no pun intended] as not very SA by the hat nazirazzi.

My last suggestion being said, I'd still lean toward the Henry if you were willing to pay that much for a hat "quick".

Randy

Wonderful hhaha I've emailed Marc about his Henry so I've started with him

I'll investigate the FED IV DLX, I'm not a nazi, and I like scary good Raiders hats, and Holt always seems to know what he's talk'n bout

e

Cannuck_Indy_Fan wrote:djd, based on those pics, I like the Henry, it has slighty less 'roundy' bumps on either sides of the main crease going down the centre ...

The bash is down to me rather than the hat... The Henry's a great hat- the Uptowner is a great hat for the money. Depends on what you want to spend

From the two choices I would have to go with the Henry - however - I don't own an uptowner (yet) and do own a Henry and looooove it.

Well now I have this Fed IV delx to look at as well ... hahah guess the best for the cash is a good feature as well ...


edit ... the dlx is quite affordable ...
e

I'd go with the Penman. You just can't beat his price. And there is nothing like a custom, hand made hat. Well worth the money and the wait involved. I have two and one on the way and have not been let down yet.

Dave

One extra thing for the people from the UK, anyone bought one here? Or only shipped them in from elsewhere ...

E

Block shape, felt characteristics & materials. Who reproduces the best hat with most or all of these features. Block shape, because you need vertually no taper for a Raiders hat. Felt is important because you may want something durable. The raiders fedora was obviously rabbit, but the Henry is 20% beaver, making it more durable. Materials, the Henry & Penman have THE ribbon that was used in the movies.

At any rate, from budget conscious to higher end:
Fed IV Deluxe, Henry (factory hat), Penman Raiders (custom, pure rabbit).
-OR-
(depending on preference, features sought after)
Fed IV, Penman Raiders (rabbit), Henry (20% beaver felt)

Good luck with your decision. Any of these will get you a Raven Bar look.

Wow Texan, thanks for the articulate reply!

E

No sweat. We've all been there.

Cannuck_Indy_Fan wrote:One extra thing for the people from the UK, anyone bought one here? Or only shipped them in from elsewhere ...

E

I got mine shipped from the US as Penman had my size in stock. Had to pay around £30 in customs charges. If you order from Marc you'd avoid these being in the EU and all...

I'm sure Marc will get back to me quickly, but does anyone know his current price for the Henry?

E

Well, going from TexanScott's list, I would put the Garrison Hatters' Raider as tops Raiders hat for your money, even though I've had a couple Federations and loved them, had a Henry and liked a lot of things about it, and I have a Penman and love it as well. The Raider has the best Raiders block shape, in my opinion. It is a high quality, durable rabbit, and is going to last you as long as you need it to if you take reasonable care of it. It is also the least expensive custom hat you can get right now. Made to measure just as you want it. $260 for a custom hat is a steal right now, and won't be around much longer, I would bet.

After that I would say a Penman, a Federation, and a Henry. The Henry is down on my list only because it is a bit too expensive for what you get, in my opinion. I know many will disagree with me. But it is a factory hat, as nice as it is. I would go custom with Garrison or Penman (his custom rabbit hats are $275) before I would go with a factory hat for $270 or $300. But that's just me.

I'm surprised the newly reintroduced rabbit AB hasn't shown up on the list yet, as Steve was and is the original master of the SOC/Raven bar Raiders bash. It's in that same price range too.

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=43569

Regards! Michaelson

Taking into consideration the cost of duty, I reckon the Henry from Marc will be the cheapest of the elite offerings, but its early days, lots to look at ...

which one is that Michaelson? ... and whats SOC stand for? and where can it be purchased?

edit completely missed your link, sorry

e

Thats true. I forgot David's hats were $260. I'd still vote for Penman though. I think the extra $15 is worth it for what is a better Raiders block (my opinion; I know there are some that prefer LLS's) and the SA Raiders ribbon. This really boils down to preference though. It all depends on what your preference is. I'd say look around at a ton of photos and see what you like more. If you want a hat that will last you forever, I'd definately go with one of the custom hats. Even a rabbit hat can last you a lifetime if you take care of it but those factory hats don't really last. The Federation and Henry are the only ones I ever see hold up to the elements. If you want something deadly SA, then I say you have to go Penman of AB. But if you want a general Indy feel from your hat, any of the ones suggested work fine.

Oh and SoC is Streets of Cairo.

Dave

I can't speak to the Henry because I've never even seen one in person. But nothing beats a well made custom hat. Penmans are exactly that.

Still, I would inquire about shipping costs from the US and work out your total. I'm not saying you should get the lower priced hat, but that you should weigh what it will cost you to get a Penman versus how much you think it's worth to get ahold of one. For example, I have seen and held an AB Deluxe, and considered getting one. But the cost for me here in the States outweighed my desire to have one. I did not think it was enough of an improvement on Steve's to warrant the extra cost (shipping, currency conversion, etc.).

is Steve the owner of Penmans?

aka the youtube basher?

e

Cannuck_Indy_Fan wrote:is Steve the owner of Penmans?

aka the youtube basher?

e

No, Steve is owner of AdventureBilt, USA>

John is the 'youtube' basher, and owner of Penman hats.

Regards! Michaelson

No, John Penman owns Penman, Steve is Steve Delk of Adventurebilt fame.

Randy

EDIT:: beat me to it!

Okay thats what I thought, I was confused with Chewbecca comparing an AB deluxe to Steve's when I thought they were one and the same

e

I have to be honest if I had to choose i'd rather the hand made Penmans over a machine made Henry any day. Without insulting John, can one tell the difference, and where is so, I reckon i'm only going to spend the money once, might as well get it right ... without spending 699 Euros, arg

Cannuck_Indy_Fan wrote:Okay thats what I thought, I was confused with Chewbecca comparing an AB deluxe to Steve's when I thought they were one and the same

e

Just to add to the confusion - the AB Deluxe is made by Marc whilst the AB is made by Steve! The Deluxe is the Euro version of the AB....

ahhhh right, in my mind the deluxe the expensive American or EU one, okay well deluxe it out ... £300 US no more ...ahah

and the pounds buys less and less these days ...

You really can't go wrong with a Penman, in my opinion. It is a custom made hat with the correct Raiders ribbon, which only Penman and Adventurebilt have. John is a master of his craft, and he will deliver to you a hat you can be proud to wear!

I will be able to verify that statement [first hand] very soon, John's currently working on my rabbit Raiders. I've verified that John knows what he's doing vicariously since seeing his first work here.

Randy

Just wanted to pop in here and say that the 275 price of my handmade rabbit includes a bengaline penman hat box.

BendingOak wrote:Just wanted to pop in here and say that the 275 price of my handmade rabbit includes a bengaline penman hat box.

Yet another reason why you can't go wrong with a Penman!

And his hatboxes are AWESOME. Just got my LC Penman on Friday, pics to come, it came in one of his hatboxes, and they are top notch!


Travis

Anyone who has read even a handful of postings on this forum knows that we can debate an issue like this ad nauseum.

There are so many great offerings now for Indy hats, and an infinite number of opinions, that it is impossible to single out any one manufacturer. Each one of us may have a different set of needs and qualifications, based on size of pocketbook, anticipated wait times, durability of felt, ribbon color, bow design, or brand names embossed on sweatbands or in liners. The distinctions are endless.

Having said that, I recommend the Henry. It takes a great bash and its versatile enough to work for any of your favorite scenes. Given the beaver/rabbit fur blend, it is more durable than rabbit felt and less expensive than (most) beaver felt. And I like having the Adventurebilt name on my lid.

But that's just one more opinion to add to the many.

In terms of complaints about one vs another, the Henry has one thing which I don't care for.. the Casper liner.. as in no AB logo on the top of the crown. Otherwise, I'm ok with the hat. The Federation Deluxe, is pretty dark for SA out of the box. The Penman, Garrison, and AB [CUSTOM] lines all have lead times to consider.. a VERY minor problem vs the product you receive in the end, but if you're in a hurry, a factory hat's the only option.

Randy

As many have said, there are almost as many opinions as there are members here on what's the best hat out there. Of course, it all depends on several factors such as wait time, cost, SAness ( ), durability, and so on.

If you're shooting for around the $300 range, and a little wait isn't a factor, I'd go for the either the Penman rabbit or LLS' Raider over the Henry. I agree with Jasonlaun on this one. I've only seen a Henry (not examined it closely) in passing. It looked terrific. But for the price, you can get a handmade hat from either company that have had excellent reviews by those who have bought them (I have two Penman's myself [beaver, however] and can tell you they're out of this world). The Henry is a factory hat (though, by all accounts a very nice one). But, if I can spend about the same amount and get either a handmade hat by someone who knows his stuff or a factory hat, I'm going the handmade route every time.

To further add to the confusion, there is also Peter Brothers who offer hand-made hats in this range as well. I've not read that much about them, but what I have read has all been positive.

I'm gonna have to agree with my Kentucky neighbor. I'm the "Henry" in passing that he saw in Walmart of all places. I noticed his jacket and he noticed my hat. It was actually kinda neat two gearheads meeting like that out of nowhere in the middle of Kentucky.
Anyway, I agree completely that if you can get a handmade hat over a factory, do it in a heartbeat! I love my "Henry" but am saving up to buy a handmade Adventurebilt from Mr. Delk soon. Actually, my secret identity this Christmas at our local mall will help me purchase that. So, Santa might literally bring me a handmade Adventurebilt this year!

It was a surreal, nice experience. My first time meeting a gearhead out in the wild.

And, let me say again, your Henry was a great looking hat.

Go the Akubra.......
Time and time again I'm amazed why people seem to ignore this hat.
IT'S A BLOODY GOOD HAT!!!!

My Akubra fed IV has been beaten enough now it makes a nice Raiders hat. My biggest gripe about it is the bow; it just isn't very nice. Kind of looks like the bow on the LC hats to me, but definitely only bears a passing resemblance to the Raiders hat bow. The Henry (that is my personal Henry) has a nice bow and ribbon. Just something else to look at while choosing a hat.

Look at all the great posts, the funny thing is, the more you read the messages the more you want your hat! I can almost feel it now! And whats a 'bengaline penman hat box' look like? Checking Penman site now ....

e

It get very expensive shipping a hat from the US in a hat box! John shipped my Henry without a box to keep shipping costs down... Just another factor to think about!

Are you kidding, DJD? It gets expensive shipping a hat in a hat box IN the US, too. haha But would be more of an issue going overseas, yes.

Randy

djd wrote:It get very expensive shipping a hat from the US in a hat box! John shipped my Henry without a box to keep shipping costs down... Just another factor to think about!

Sorry that is wrong my friend. I shipped yours without a hat box and at the old price because of two reasons. 1, I had one in your size in stock that I bought at the old price and I sold it to you at my old price. 2, Old price , box hat box. All my hats now come with a Penman hat box.

theinterchange wrote:Are you kidding, DJD? It gets expensive shipping a hat in a hat box IN the US, too. haha But would be more of an issue going overseas, yes.

Randy

The only way shipping get expensive with the new hat boxes is if you want it in a day or so.

BendingOak wrote:

djd wrote:It get very expensive shipping a hat from the US in a hat box! John shipped my Henry without a box to keep shipping costs down... Just another factor to think about!

Sorry that is wrong my friend. I shipped yours without a hat box and at the old price because of two reasons. 1, I had one in your size in stock that I bought at the old price and I sold it to you at my old price. 2, Old price , box hat box. All my hats now come with a Penman hat box.

Oh, sorry John I misunderstood. I didn't need a box anyhow

djd wrote:

BendingOak wrote:

djd wrote:It get very expensive shipping a hat from the US in a hat box! John shipped my Henry without a box to keep shipping costs down... Just another factor to think about!

Sorry that is wrong my friend. I shipped yours without a hat box and at the old price because of two reasons. 1, I had one in your size in stock that I bought at the old price and I sold it to you at my old price. 2, Old price , box hat box. All my hats now come with a Penman hat box.

Oh, sorry John I misunderstood. I didn't need a box anyhow

Thats cool. Right now thats how all my hats come. With a hat box.