Considering This Hat

[Stinchcomb]

Anyone familiar with this brand? Opinions?

Seems like a decent hat for the money.

http://www.villagehatshop.com/jaxon_iconoclast.html

 

[MattJH]

Aside from the obvious Burlington Coat Factory specials, that's actually a really nice price for a fur felt. The only exposure I've had to Jaxon hats is a bowler and a "Rocky"-style hat that I ordered from the Village Hat Shop last year before I found The Fedora Lounge. They were both wool felt and, while ordered as a 7 5/8, had to have been closer to a 7 3/8 - 7 1/2 and I had to return them. I see Jaxons sold on the same shelves as Golden Gate, New York Hat Co., and even Bailey sometimes.

 

[TaxMan1]

Got that EXACT hat from them a week ago! I'm new to the "hobby", so I'm not gonna be much help. I don't have anything to compare it to, unfortunately. It looks REAL nice, a deep, chocolate brown. Quite stiff. The wife grabbed it from me the second I walked in the door to steam the brim down, as it was turned up a tad.

 

[AdmiralTofu]

Personally, I have nothing but praise for Jaxon Hats and would recommend them without a second thought. I currently own two Jaxon fedoras -- both wool, but even for wool hats, they're very good quality. I recently received a Jaxon Bogart that I had to send back because it was too big (I'm just exchanging it for the next smaller size). Fur felt, for $68. I'm no expert, but the felt seemed really good quality, and the hat of good construction. I can't wait to get my replacement.

(Incidentally, I haven't had any of the sizing issues Dumbjaw mentioned -- my Bogart was too big because I had measured myself incorrectly. lol The two wool felts I mentioned were sized S/M/L/XL instead of explicitly sized, *plus* they had an adjustable sweatband, so I never knew I was going around thinking I was a 7 5/8 when I'm really a 7 1/2).

Anyway, I digress... big time. I say go for it... Jaxon gets nothing but thumbs-up from me. At any rate, Village Hat Shop has a very liberal return policy, so, if you don't like it, it can go right back, either for an exchange or refund.

I'm gonna go now before I sound like any more of a commercial.

(Edit: forgot to mention... as I understand it, Jaxon is a relatively new brand developed in conjunction with VHS... they say their goal was to provide high-quality hats without the price tags normally associated with them. Sounds like so much P.R. fluff, but in my experience so far, it's been true. Certainly better than my experiences with, say, Bailey so far...)

 

[LeeB]

Jaxon hats

It just so happens that I have that very same hat. I've had it for about eight months and it's been a very good hat. It was a bit stuff to start but has softened. It's been through more than a couple of torrential rains and came out fine.

I also have a Jaxon wool felt hat that is my preferred hat for casual wear and I'm very happy with that one as well.

The hat pictured in my avatar is the Iconoclast that I own. I re-shaped the crown from the original c-crown shape to a modified center dent.

 

[AdmiralTofu]

LeeB -- what's the wool felt one you have? I have their two crushable wools -- the C-crown in grey, and the pinch-front in black. Great for everyday wear... at least until my Bogart comes along.

 

[LeeB]

Jaxon hats

The wool I have is the Wool Aussie. I was not enamored of the wide brim (3") so I cut it to a dimensional 2 7/8" x 2 5/8". It's a very comfortable hat and has weathered a couple of hard rain and snowstorms.

 

[TaxMan1]

So it got wet and it's fine?

 

[LeeB]

Jaxon hats

Yep. After modification I hit it with a light coat of a fabric weatherproofer and haven't had any problems with the hat getting wet. I know it may be a bit of a heresy to say, but I prefer the wool felts in many cases. They seem to wear better and feel just a bit more comfortable especially when I'm wearing one all day.

 

[TaxMan1]

It is QUITE stiff. Glad to hear that, with wear, it'll soften some.

 

[Stinchcomb]

Well, I appreciate everyone’s input. I think I'll order one. I measure 22 7/8", so that should be a size 7 1/4. Are their sizes pretty true?

P.S.
I didn't realize someone else had a post with the same title. OOPS.

 

[RedPop4]

Stan, you're all set.

 

[Stinchcomb]

Stan, you're all set.

What?[huh] Are you talkin' ta me?

 

[TaxMan1]

No, me. I wear a 7 1/4. That's what I got and it fit fine. My BIG dissappointment was I didn't realize it was coming from CA and I live in FL. Being the cheap&$$ I am, I elected ground UPS, which took 5 days. Air woulda been 2 days and "only" $4 more.

 

[AdmiralTofu]

lol You sound just like me, TaxMan. "Fifty cents more and they'll send it by time-travel and it'll get here yesterday? Forgeddaboutit."

fftopic: LeeB - how did the waterproofer affect the texture/feel of the felt, if at all? I've been considering waterproofing my two wools. Thing is (this might sound strange; I don't know), for me, owning and wearing a hat is, for me, just as much a tactile experience as it is functional and fashionable. I enjoy the way my hats feel in my hands when I'm handling them, and wouldn't want that compromised.

 

[LeeB]

Jaxon hats

I was judicious in applying the waterproofer (not a heavy coating) and it did not affect the feel of the hat to any appreciable degree. I know what you mean in the sense of "the feel" of a hat. That may be one of the reasons I prefer the wool felts. They have more of a texture to them.

 

[AdmiralTofu]

Glad to hear somebody knows what I'm talking about. I tried asking somebody at work who's as much of a hat guy as I am (difference being that he's into all kinds of lids -- baseball caps, military hats, anything -- not just fedoras) about that, and he just sort of nodded, said, "Yeah..." and generally had a look on his face like he thought I was a space alien.

Would you recommend any specific brand of waterproofer, BTW?

 

[LeeB]

Jaxon hats

I used a Silicon based general purpose fabric waterproofer (the specific brand name escapes me) but I have used various brands of that type on hats ovethe years and found no appreciable difference. I do remember the one I used was by 3M. The best advice I can give is to use a name brand waterproofer. I have used some by relatively unknown cmpanies that left a rather disagreeable odor long after application. The scent from the 3M dissappeared fairly quick.