Hatco Article From the Dallas Morning News

[TheDane]

Thank you for your reply! MS I take it the disease? My Husband has MS, among a half dozen other ailments, heart issues and now cancer. We are not too far from Nashville, driving wise! There are (or were) a hat store or two in Nashville, one that would work on hats and had a great variety of hats for sale.

Good the hear your City is still a beautiful place. We thank you very much! (Blonds ARE good people) Hahaha!

I'm sorry to behave insensitive! I didn't know Daniel also suffered from MS. In my trade MS is a well established abbreviation for Microsoft. It was Microsoft SharePoint 2014 I attended. Sometimes I should use my head for other things than just wearing my hat. Please bear with me

Give my very best to Daniel.

 

[TheDane]

You are, of course, familiar with the saying "Pics or it didnt happen" lol

Haha ... It's with CPH as with Vegas: " What happens in Copenhagen stays in Copenhagen"

 

[LuvMyMan]

I'm sorry to behave insensitive! I didn't know Daniel also suffered from MS. In my trade MS is a well established abbreviation for Microsoft. It was Microsoft SharePoint 2014 I attended. Sometimes I should use my head for other things than just wearing my hat. Please bear with me

Give my very best to Daniel.

Oh LORD! hahahah Hahaha! It is fine. If you only knew all what goes on with my Husband and in our household! Haha! He should have been 6 foot under a long time ago, and still is fighting to keep here on this Earth. But his day to day spirit helps keep us both going. Never a dull moment and his humor is beyond words....

 

[Mm25]

Haha ... It's with CPH as with Vegas: " What happens in Copenhagen stays in Copenhagen"

Well played sir, well played.☺

 

[TheDane]

Well played sir, well played.☺

Thanks - it was in fact Perry (hatophile), who taught me the original saying http://thefedoralounge.com/threads/fedoras-afield.73776/page-33#post-1766757

 

[GHT]

We are not too far from Nashville, driving wise!

My wife and I have been to Nashville three times. Willie Nelson's car, was a sight to see. But there's so much more to see and do it's hard to know where to start. Our favourite place is The Wildhorse Saloon. A massive dance floor, a fast moving bar area and a balcony where you can see the dancers performing country dancing. It was a quieter time, mid afternoon, when we went there first time. Chatting to one of the bar guys, who was killing time chopping up citrus fruit ready for the evening rush. "Do you dance?" He enquired. "Not country," my wife told him. "More Latin & ballroom," he opined. "Do we look the type?" I asked. "English accents," he said. "We can do a little Rock & Roll," boasted my missus. "Really?" He said, looking surprised. What we didn't know was that we had been speaking to one of the manager/dance instructors. "How good are you guys?" "Moderately modest," I quickly said, rocking my right hand, gesticulating, so, so. I could see that we were getting deeper and deeper into a set up here. "Give me a request to ask the DJ to play. "Buddy Holly: Oh Boy!" The words were out of my wife's mouth before I could protest. "That fast eh?" Smirked our new barman friend.
"You guys up for showing us what you can do?" "You bet," she said, she gets me into so many scrapes. The barman picks up the phone. He's speaking to the DJ. Tells him about our little conversation, and asks for our names. "Off you go," said the barman. I took her hand and led her out onto the floor, my heart pounding with nerves. It didn't help when the DJ announced us: "Ladies & Gentlemen, all the way from England, Robert & Tina, Rock & Rollers.
You might think that we were set up, but the reason Tina was delighted was because we have had years and years of gymnastic Rock & Roll training. We gave them every lift, throw and roll that we could cram into Buddy's two and a half minutes, finishing with me lifting her high over my head.
It went down well, I was so nervous, this is, after all, is the home of Country. The barman told us who he was, gave us tickets for the evening show and well wishers came up and complimented us. We never had to buy another drink that day.

 

[hatfanoldfatman]

I bought my first Stetson Open Road 45 years ago. It was just the ordinary Open Road, not "Deluxe" or anything special. It was soft enough to crush and the brim could be rolled like a newspaper, and when released it would return to its original shape. I purchased my second Stetson Open Road in 2015; it was stiff as a board, just like a cowboy hat, which is fine if you want to look like a cowboy or a deputy sheriff--but I don't. Another major difference: crown height; the first Open Road sat well on my (high-crowned) head; the new Open Road sits with a gap if at least an inch between the brim and my ears, which (a) is not due to my wearing the wrong size (b) looks bad and (c) makes it likely the hat will blow off in high wind. There is no question that the quality of the Open Road has declined greatly from what it once was; this may explain why people are willing to pay more for a "vintage" Open Road than they would have to pay for a new one. This is no accident, it is not due to equipment or unavailability of felt, it is a deliberate corporate production choice.

 

[hatfanoldfatman]

It'd help if they expanded their size range. How can they be the #1 hatters when they don't offer larger sizes? Even if they did, from what I've seen on this forum I'd much prefer a custom job at the price levels they're asking. Mike at NW and Cane Rod Maker, for example, are directly competitive with them price-wise and make far better hats, not to mention the whole issue of customer service. And Akubras?

 

[alanfgag]

There is no question that the quality of the Open Road has declined greatly from what it once was; this may explain why people are willing to pay more for a "vintage" Open Road than they would have to pay for a new one. This is no accident, it is not due to equipment or unavailability of felt, it is a deliberate corporate production choice.

Well, there have been some corporate changes over that time span.

 

[LuvMyMan]

I bought my first Stetson Open Road 45 years ago. It was just the ordinary Open Road, not "Deluxe" or anything special. It was soft enough to crush and the brim could be rolled like a newspaper, and when released it would return to its original shape. I purchased my second Stetson Open Road in 2015; it was stiff as a board, just like a cowboy hat, which is fine if you want to look like a cowboy or a deputy sheriff--but I don't. Another major difference: crown height; the first Open Road sat well on my (high-crowned) head; the new Open Road sits with a gap if at least an inch between the brim and my ears, which (a) is not due to my wearing the wrong size (b) looks bad and (c) makes it likely the hat will blow off in high wind. There is no question that the quality of the Open Road has declined greatly from what it once was; this may explain why people are willing to pay more for a "vintage" Open Road than they would have to pay for a new one. This is no accident, it is not due to equipment or unavailability of felt, it is a deliberate corporate production choice.

Very true. I think most people that love hats already know the vintage is hard to beat, and of course can you ever have enough hats?

 

[LuvMyMan]

Well, there have been some corporate changes over that time span.

View attachment 49555

They relocated...must have been the coffee!

 

[TheDane]

I bought my first Stetson Open Road 45 years ago. It was just the ordinary Open Road, not "Deluxe" or anything special. It was soft enough to crush and the brim could be rolled like a newspaper, and when released it would return to its original shape.

45 years ago I didn't wear hats, but the "crown" had plenty of "nap" - much more than now - and the "leather" was still supple. Yes, things have indeed changed! Then again, the threading in my forehead has become deeper and steeper, so nowadays I rarely need a wind trolley.

There's no doubt, Stetson's quality has declined massively over the years - as so many other products. In the same time span we have gotten a lot better quality in many other fields - and we have lots of possibilities, we didn't have 45 years ago.

Some things get better - some worse. That's how things always worked, except that changes happen with a greater frequency these days. Life is an intriguing hobby, and reality is an intriguing place to reside

 

[facade]

True vintage Stetsons were made by a different company; one that no longer exists as a manufacturer. The latest company, that rents the use of John B's name, has always made lousy "Stetsons". Hatco is actually on a slight up tick quality wise.

 

[TheDane]

Hatco is actually on a slight up tick quality wise.

Here too it seems like some things get better while other get worse. It seems like HATCO have a limited amount of focus, and that their focus just shifted. The overall quality of their new lines is still way too low to my taste.

 

[RJR]

Here too it seems like some things get better while other get worse. It seems like HATCO have a limited amount of focus, and that their focus just shifted. The overall quality of their new lines is still way too low to my taste.

That is hard to dispute,sadly.

 

[Frunobulax]

That is hard to dispute,sadly.

However, I will. I have purchased two new Hatco Stetsons this past year, the Stetsonian and the Racine. The Racine is from the Garland Outlet. While it doesn't stack up to vintage, it is a very nice hat and I think the quality of construction is good. My Stetsoninan is fantastic and I have nothing but glowing things to say about it. I also have a Lamont, produced probably 2010 - 2012, that I am more than happy with.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Your Stetsonian is fantastic and I have nothing but glowing things to say about it.

 

[Frunobulax]

Your Stetsonian is fantastic and I have nothing but glowing things to say about it.

Yours ain't too shabby, either!

 

[RJR]

However, I will. I have purchased two new Hatco Stetsons this past year, the Stetsonian and the Racine. The Racine is from the Garland Outlet. While it doesn't stack up to vintage, it is a very nice hat and I think the quality of construction is good. My Stetsoninan is fantastic and I have nothing but glowing things to say about it. I also have a Lamont, produced probably 2010 - 2012, that I am more than happy with.

I have a Racine as well and am pleased with it.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Yours ain't too shabby, either!

Thx. Chopped liver.