Best option for for protecting fedora from heavy rain & snow?

[EggHead]

In medium to hard rain I wear Akubra. There are thicker and thinner felt Akubras.
This is where I get mine, takes about 3 - 3 1/2 months for delivery.
http://everythingaustralian.com.au/

 

[m0nk]

Everyone has pretty much hit the nail on the head... but just another whack at it...

Akubra hats are my go-to when it rains. While I have worn one of my vintage Stetson's or Dobbs' hats in rain, I'll still grab an Akubra Fed IV (I have two different colors) when the rain looks fairly consistent or nasty. I would say you have a lot of the same responses here, either go with an Akubra or a cheap beater for the weather, so it's really up to you which route you go. However, if you get an Akubra, but still want a great vintage style, the Federation IV can be found only at hatsdirect.com, and it's what I would recommend.

And FWIW, each Fed IV I've ordered arrived in about 2 weeks...

 

[alanfgag]

In medium to hard rain I wear Akubra. There are thicker and thinner felt Akubras.
This is where I get mine, takes about 3 - 3 1/2 months for delivery.
http://everythingaustralian.com.au/

I would highly recommend one of these. Delivery time is considerably shorter.

 

[mikespens]

:eusa_clap

 

[DavidJ]

I've learned a few new things from this thread. I don't mind wearing a vintage hat in the rain, if it's on my head when the rain starts. Like m0nk, I'll grab my Akubra if I know it will rain later on. They're great hats.

 

[Mystic]

I would highly recommend one of these. Delivery time is considerably shorter.

Nice...

what's the height on that open crown? lol

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

I can see there is a strong consensus that Akubras will stand up to harsh weather better than many other hats. Thanks again for all the advice.

The consensus leads me to think that it might be a good idea for me to get an Akubra and use that as a beater hat.

When I searched the web and followed the links in this thread to look for Akubra hats, a new problem arose, because I couldn't find one that fits all the aesthetic criteria of what I want.

Namely, I want a fedora in navy blue, that is not a cowboy-type nor a country-type hat, and that does not have eyelets on it.

Does Akubra make hats that fit those criteria? If so, where would I find them?

 

[danofarlington]

Akubra makes dress hats. I don't know about blue, rather doubt it. But their dress hats include the Bogart, Sydney, the Executive, and others. Their own website will have a complete listing, and there are outlets such as Everything Australian, Hats Direct (both in Australia) and David Morgan (in the U.S.) that carry Akubra hats. Their dress hats won't have eyelets.

 

[gtdean48]

...
Namely, I want a fedora in navy blue, that is not a cowboy-type nor a country-type hat, and that does not have eyelets on it.

Does Akubra make hats that fit those criteria? If so, where would I find them?

Not sure you'll find one in navy but go for a Moonstone & get a navy ribbon put on it. I'd leave it as is & wear it with most any color scheme. JMHO

 

[m0nk]

I haven't seen anything resembling dark blue, but light blue-grey (moonstone) is possible. I don't think Akubra has any navy colored hats.

 

[Gromulus]

For a time Akubra manufactured and one of the distributors in OZ carried a navy blue Stylemaster. I picked up one on eBay last year and saw another there a couple of weeks back.

I concur with Tom re. a Moonstone Fed IV (or Stylemaster), a more universal color IMO.

 

[EggHead]

A darker grey with custom blue ribbon would work too.

Alan - nice suggestion, but subject to being too airborn in the area where I live and requires the use of one limb.
.. and with public transportation sometimes both upper limbs are needed!

 

[tealseal]

I can see there is a strong consensus that Akubras will stand up to harsh weather better than many other hats. Thanks again for all the advice.

The consensus leads me to think that it might be a good idea for me to get an Akubra and use that as a beater hat.

When I searched the web and followed the links in this thread to look for Akubra hats, a new problem arose, because I couldn't find one that fits all the aesthetic criteria of what I want.

Namely, I want a fedora in navy blue, that is not a cowboy-type nor a country-type hat, and that does not have eyelets on it.

Does Akubra make hats that fit those criteria? If so, where would I find them?

My daily hat while living in Kingston, ON, was a tawny fawn Fed IV from Akubra. Stood up to hail, snow, hard rain with no ill effects. As many have noted, how the hat dries is of paramount importance.
Get yourself a Hat Jack and some sort of stand to put it on so the brim doesn't contact a surface. The jack will prevent shrinkage, and the stand will prevent brim deformation.
The Moonstones look very good, but I don't have one (yet). They are tough, but nice enough to be used as a daily dress hat.
Akubra makes a lot of "City" hats, not just "outdoorsy" type lids. Check out Hats Direct.

But won't your ears get cold in the winter with a fedora?

Earbags. 'Nuff said. Portable, convenient, warm, and they fit nicely under a fedora.

 

[Joe Rotax]

If you are near Toronto, Herb's Boots has about 10 Akubra styles to choose from and they also ship:

http://www.herbertsboots.com/categories/Apparel/Hats/Felt-Hats/

They have two stores just north of Toronto. I was by there last week and tried some Akubras on - one was a perfect fit, maybe I should have bought it.

 

[Walt]

I just can't bring myself to wear either a vintage hat or a good modern fur felt (some moderns for obvious reasons) if I know there is any great chance of rain or it is already raining before i go out....

I have some oil tanned cotton canvas hats--one is a Cabela's made by Outback looks more fedora than western. Water runs off of it like water off a ducks back. Sure it's a cheap hat, but I guess I'm just too protective of my hats--especially those hard or expensive to replace 50+ years old hats!

Always a good idea to have those mini umbrellas in the brief case/backpack/under the car seat just in case--I have several. I can usually find them for under $10 apiece (probably more like $5) and they are pretty good at shielding the rain should there be a surprise storm when I have my prized hats on.

I've seen some vintage hats with some liner staining that I suspect came from being worn in the rain rather than Dapper Dan hair gel or dirty hair.....

Beater fur felt hats that aren't cosmetically perfect are also candidates for rain wearing!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

SWIMMING BEAVER HAT: My VS, sahara colored, all beaver fedora has been soaked in the lake and come thru the experience outstanding.

See my post #5186 here; http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?13023-Art-Fawcett-Hall-of-Fame/page519. The hat was truly soaked and yet looked outstanding as soon as that evening, (post #5199, http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?13023-Art-Fawcett-Hall-of-Fame/page520.

Hat after it went swimming last fall:

A pic from a couple of weeks ago:

I can not suggest that the above hat is a "rain hat," nor a "foul weather hat." My hats get worn and when they get wet, they must recover in style and form to stay at my house. The hats must be functional in the Minnesota, USA weather. The rain has fallen on the beaver hats on occasion and popping them to open crown on a form and letting them air dry has been working to date.

A couple of my vintage rabbit hats have gone swimming accidently. They recovered well. It did take a bit more effort to get them on a form, treat the leather and let them dry. They have taken a bit more time than the beaver to dry.

The above said....I do have in my jacket pocket and soft briefcase a cowboy hat plastic raincover. They have been used many times. As it has been mentioned by others, no need to abuse the fedoras, rather protect them the best we can and put them to use.

A hat that can not be worn is not much use to me. Too delicate to suffer a fall or rain drops, too delicate to live at my house.

Best, Eric -

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

Question: do you guys agree with this statement, that I found on this site, http://www.thehatshop.com.au/pages/Akubra-Sizing-.html:

The leather inner band of an Akubra hat may shrink slightly with use. Do not expect a tight-fitting hat to ‘loosen up’. With normal wear, your Akubra will shrink on average about ¼ to ½ a size. If left wet to dry in the sun it can shrink much more.

So it is best to purchase an Akubra slightly loose-fitting and adjust it by placing folded tissue or newspaper under the inner leather band, then removed as the hat shrinks. If you purchase a correct fitting sized Akubra, in 6 months time you will find that the hat will be too small for you.

I also have the same question for non-Akubra brand hats.

At the moment when one buys a hat, should the hat fit now, or should the hat be too big now, with the assumption that it will fit properly later, after it shrinks?

 

[tealseal]

Question: do you guys agree with this statement, that I found on this site, http://www.thehatshop.com.au/pages/Akubra-Sizing-.html:



I also have the same question for non-Akubra brand hats.

At the moment when one buys a hat, should the hat fit now, or should the hat be too big now, with the assumption that it will fit properly later, after it shrinks?

I don't particularly agree. Yes, my Fed and Stetson sweatbands do shrink a bit after wearing, but not 1/2 a size! As I wear them, they loosen up a bit. My head measures a perfect 23", and I get my hats in size 7 3/8 or 59. They fit, but aren't tight; I have room to pull the hat down more to tighten it up during a wind.

Now I've had my Fed a while, it shrinks less between wearings. My advice: Get a hat jack, and put your hat on it when you're done with the hat for the day. Especially if it's gotten wet!!

 

[-30-]

"Always a good idea to have those mini umbrellas in the brief case/backpack/under the car seat just in case "
QUOTE Walt.

I call mine my Insurance Policy.


Regards,
-30-

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

As I was awaiting registration for this board and before I made the OP, I bought a Borso hat, and just received it today. It looks awesome.

Now I have to either make sure I have really good protection for it every time I go out, or wear another hat.

The Akubra Stylemaster would be the perfect solution for me if I could get my hands on a navy color version of it. I don't like grey. All of the online vendors that I could find that carry the Stylemaster do not currently have it in navy. One vendor in Australia told me that navy is not in fashion right now. That vendor also offered to ask Akubra on my behalf if they have any dress fedoras available in navy. I am awaiting word back about that, though I am not expecting good news.

Right now my plan is to buy a Shaynecoat and a bubble umbrella, and use both of them simultaneously, any time it rains or snows, in order to protect my Borso. Even with all that, I am still skeptical that my Borso would come through heavy snowstorms 100% unscathed.

Therefore, I still want a beater hat as well.

My local hatter used to carry Biltmore Presidents, but since after Biltmore went bankrupt, they only carry Biltmore Royals now. Their price for a Biltmore Royal is just under $200. That doesn't feel like a good value for my dollar, especially since about 7 years ago or so I could get that same hat for $135; and before Biltmore went bankrupt, I could get a custom-made Biltmore President for just under $200. Rather than pay $200 for a Biltmore Royal, I might as well pay $50 more to get a second Borso that is identical to my first, and use the first Borso as a beater hat. My local hatter carries no other options for me in terms of buying a navy fedora.

About the thoughts I've just discussed, I have two questions:

1. Do you have any recommendations on from where I might buy a high quality of bubble umbrella? Or are all bubble umbrellas pretty much the same?

2. Is there a better value for my dollar than buying a second Borso in order to solve my problem of having no beater hat in navy? By that I mean, are there currently any good navy beater dress fedoras available that cost around $150 or less, that are not made by Akubra (since Akubra currently has none in navy, or so it seems)? Along this line, I was thinking of Stetson perhaps, but I don't know what the terms mean, like "Royal Quality, "Sovereign Quality," "Imperial Quality" etc, and I also don't know if Stetsons make good beater hats?