dhermann1
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 9,154
- Location
- Da Bronx, NY, USA
I found mine at a Miltaria store in Northern Virginia a couple years ago. It's made in Vietnam. I call it a General Giap style, but I doubt that's accurate.
One thing I found out about them is that back in the day of the British Raj, what they did was soak the hat, which is made of cork (pith) in water for a while before going out. The moisture in the cork would slowly evaporate all day, making the wearer's head cooler. I tried it once on mine, and I can at leats say it didn't ruin the helmet.
As far as where and when, I'd say the standard rule that applies to fedoras applies here. If you can decide you're comfortable with it, wear it anywhere and anytime you want. Whenever it's hot enough to justify it from a purely practical standpoint, go ahead and wear it.
One thing I found out about them is that back in the day of the British Raj, what they did was soak the hat, which is made of cork (pith) in water for a while before going out. The moisture in the cork would slowly evaporate all day, making the wearer's head cooler. I tried it once on mine, and I can at leats say it didn't ruin the helmet.
As far as where and when, I'd say the standard rule that applies to fedoras applies here. If you can decide you're comfortable with it, wear it anywhere and anytime you want. Whenever it's hot enough to justify it from a purely practical standpoint, go ahead and wear it.