Club Obi Wan

Does anyone own one of these Dorfman Pacific IJ21 Indiana Jones Weathered Cloth Fedoras? It features a 2 1/2" shapeable brim, a pinchfront crown, and a comfort cloth sweatband.




Here is the description off one of the websites:

Please note this hat is a wonderful twist of the Indiana Jones style hat.
It is heavily weathered, designed for the most rugged individuals.
Distressed detailing will vary from hat to hat. The Indiana Jones™ Weathered Cotton Safari Fedora is a great rugged looking hat.
The weathered cotton blend has the look and durability of leather but lightweight.
The 4" high crown has a 1" wide self band with the official Indiana Jones™ pin. The wired stitched brim is 2 1/2" wide in the front and back and 2 1/4" wide on each side. Self sweatband.


I'm looking to get something for doing yardwork to keep the sun off my head. The cheap crushable wool hats are very hot and uncomfortable in the hot sun. And I don't really want to be wearing my Camptown or one of my nicer Lee Keppler fedoras.

How are these heat and comfort wise? Any other comments?

Thanks!

I saw these hats at the sporting goods store Academy and they actually looked really neat. Did look very adventurous and Indyish. The crown actually looked blockier and squared than the picture does here. the only reason I didn`t buy it was that when I put it on, it felt very heavy on my head. I could not imagine being outdoors in the hot sun with it on.

I did many years ago, picking up one to use as a yard hat. Heavy, hot, and leaked like a sieve if caught in the rain. I wasn't impressed and soon got rid of it.

A true 'form over function' hat, in my opinion. Looks nice, but not every useful in actual use.

Regards! Michaelson

Sure is an ugly looking thing.

Gailen

I've never seen one of those DP cloth hats in person, but judging from the picture I don't think that tight weave will allow for much ventilation

For yardwork in the hot sun a cheap straw hat would probably be a good option for keeping your head cool and shaded.

Regards, Geert

Michaelson wrote:I did many years ago, picking up one to use as a yard hat. Heavy, hot, and leaked like a sieve if caught in the rain. I wasn't impressed and soon got rid of it.

A true 'form over function' hat, in my opinion. Looks nice, but not every useful in actual use.

Regards! Michaelson

Hold the phone Mark, are you saying a DP was poorly made?
Say it isn't so!

Yeah, I hate to break it to you like that, but sometimes ya gotta let go.....

Just goes to prove that they'll license just about anything.

Gailen

The company that ponies up the most money up front gets the license. It's always been the case when it comes to LFL licensing.

That's why the USW Legend wasn't officially licensed by LFL last year. It was accepted, but USW refused to pay the up front monies, as LFL insisted on a monsterous percentage up front payment based on what THEY projected as being the annual sales figure. USW refused. They did all the work, and would have made pennies on the dollar.

Companies like DP could do that, though, as they knew they could sell their hats anywhere, from internet websites to side road souviner shops. USW on the other hand had a limited market.

So, as always, it's all about the money and the volume of sales by a potential licencee.

Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:The company that ponies up the most money up front gets the license. It's always been the case when it comes to LFL licensing.

That's why the USW Legend wasn't officially licensed by LFL last year. It was accepted, but USW refused to pay the up front monies, as LFL insisted on a monsterous percentage up front payment based on what THEY projected as being the annual sales figure. USW refused. They did all the work, and would have made pennies on the dollar.

Companies like DP could do that, though, as they knew they could sell their hats anywhere, from internet websites to side road souviner shops. USW on the other hand had a limited market.

So, as always, it's all about the money.

Regards! Michaelson

Isn't it always? No quality standards, Nothing but money.
That's why I always said if they licensed a diary it would be junk.
Gailen

Isn't it always? No quality standards, Nothing but money.
That's why I always said if they licensed a diary it would be junk.

Oh I dunno...It's beside the main post, and apologies for that, but the diary that Indy Magnoli worked on was decent...Nothing amazing, but not "junk"...It was well done, and decently worked on..Looks good and was cheap too...Licensed as well...Nothing special, but not so bad...

As for the hat, yeah, I'd still say go with the straw for yard work...In summer that weight will kill you rather than protect you from the sun...

Regards!

True, it's not ALL 'black and white', as they do have a lot of really good licensed items to go along with junk. The Magnoli item is an excellent example, and I have one in my collection....but for the most part, it's all in the volume sales that they make the big bucks, rather than the higher end examples.

Regarding the hat in question, Stetson also made a licensed cloth version that looked EXACTLY like the DP, but wasn't distressed. Same problems with it too. Only place I saw it sold was at JCPenney back in the late 90's.

Regard! Michaelson

Sorry, I didn't realize his diary was licensed. I consider it one of the best and in high demand by collectors. Stupid me.

Gailen

If you're looking for a hat to do yardwork in and keep the sun off of you, you should look for at least a 3" brim. If you want it to be weatherproof, look for "oilskin" cotton (I think that is what it's called).

Try Hats in the Belfry. I got a 3" brimmed oilskin cotton hat for under $50.00. It doesn't look dressy, then again it's for working in and staying dry in. It also has vents so that the heat can escape. The one I picked up is called the Outback Trading River Guide Oil Skin Safari on page 2 of the below link.

The "Protection Collection". Fairly inexpensive, US made and imports:

http://www.hatsinthebelfry.com/category ... -hats.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

trdaggers wrote:Sorry, I didn't realize his diary was licensed. I consider it one of the best and in high demand by collectors. Stupid me.

Gailen

They were talking about "The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones" (at least I think), which is a really nice book, but I don't think it is an extremely sought after collectors item.

Regards, Geert

Yeah, that's the one.

Regards! Michaelson

Wow! Thanks for all the great input guys! I have been using a cotton with mesh crown hat like this one for over 15 years!



The problem is it never looked that great, kind of funky with that mesh crown, and after a short while the crown just collapsed. After all these years the hat now has holes in, is very beat up, and is starting to fall apart. So I figured I need a new hat and it might as well be an "Indy" hat!

At first I figured just get an inexpensive real Indy hat. But even a Todd's hat is over $100 and I just couldn't see myself wearing a real fedora for doing yard work. The crushable felt hats were my next idea but I remember having one of theose many years back and it was hot, itchy, and I think the color even ran when I sweated. Then I saw this Indy cloth hat. Figured it would be similar to my cloth mesh hat without the mesh crown collapsing.

I'm not worried about rain. If it rains I just stop working! It's more keeping the sun off my bald head! I did think of a straw hat and I do have a straw Indy hat. But again it's too nice to get all beat up. And living here in Hawaii the straw hat is great for more of a casual dress up hat for going out. I wear it quite often as it goes well with shorts which I wear 90% of the time anyway.

So that brings me back to this cloth hat. It looks like it will hold up better than my old mesh crown hat. It should definately help proetct my head from branches and brush when I'm trimming trees and the weight shouldn't be a problem as I've worn other heavier material hats in the past. The thing that still concerns me is the dark color absorbing the heat and no vent holes to let it out.

I think I may still go for it. At $41 shipped to Hawaii I won't loose much if it doesn't work at all. Like I said it probably will be good for brush cutting as it looks pretty tough, but I may end up getting a straw hat for riding the mower every other week cutting the three acres of lawn I have.

I'll keep you all posted and do an update to this thread if I do decide to get it.

Thanks again!