Help Me Choose the Right Hat!

[Agent_of_Empire]

I am new to hats, but I have always like the look of the fedora. Being in the Army though, I have had little need for a hat (outside of my Cavalry Stetson) and choose to spend my off-time in an ultra-casual shorts and t-shirt state. I am getting ready to go into the Department of State, and wearing a fedora full-time becomes much more feasible when I am in a suit full time.

What I am really looking for is a hat that I can wear on a daily basis, but still looks good. Something high quality, but also durable. I will say it will get abused, because I plan to wear it daily (I am a one hat kind of man... my Stetson has been to Iraq and back!) but at the same time I intend to take as good of care of it as I can. It has to be able to withstand normal wear and tear and rain/dust/sun.
I am wondering if beaver felt is the material I am looking for here - in order to resist rain it seems like the most water repellant (and it seems like lesser quality felts start to fall apart in the water). Is beaver felt the right kind to take some abuse though?

I am also looking at a few options on how to go about purchasing the hat. I am looking at a Stetson Chatham (seems to be a good quality hat and I love the style, plus the price is decent at $110) or going all out for a custom hat from Pennman or Adventurebilt. Because I plan to hang on to the hat for a while, I am leaning more towards a custom, but the price is part of what is killing me. And how long does a hat tend to last? A couple of years under the conditions I am talking about or longer?

And if I choose the custom option, I already know I want to go with the wide brim (about 2 and 3/4) but I am not sure about crown height... I do know I want the teardrop though. I am going with a mid-to-dark gray so that I can wear it with any of my suits. Any help you can throw my way is appreciated.

 

[Anachronism]

I really don't know the answer to your question, but i would like to thank you for serving this country. :eusa_clap

 

[J.T.Marcus]

You covered a lot of ground. (Literally, and in the questions you asked.) Yes, beaver is the preferred felt, but the other fur felts are quite servicable, as well. The other furs are rabbit (most common) and hare (jack rabbit, for us Texans). Any of these will be smoother and will hold up somewhat better than wool. The Stetson Chatham, which you mentioned, is rabbit fur.

If you are in the Dallas area, check out the Stetson-Resistol (Hatco) Outlet in Garland. You can try on hundreds of hats and decide for yourself what you like.

 

[Agent_of_Empire]

I am going to go out on a limb then and say that all Stetson dress hats are rabbit fur? I kept trying to look into their makeup but only ever found that it is a trade secret and the number of Xs (which are never mentioned on dress hats) determine how much beaver is actually used...

From a standpoint of subjecting the hat to the elements, is it worth it to go with a 100% beaver (I have heard that European hare is another good one [niguda?]... like I said I am new to all of this)

 

[Wil Tam]

Post a pic of yourself in your Cav Hat so that we have any idea on what would look smart on you ...

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[Daoud]

You'll find many of us hereabouts are big Akubra fans. With the current superiority of the U.S. dollar over the Australian dollar they're an outstanding value....they're well-made, as rugged as you could ever want, and good-looking. I have bought two hats from these folks-http://www.hatsdirect.com/ and I'm impressed with their fast, friendly service. The Akubra Federation IV is staggeringly popular-their Fedora, CEO, Bogart and Stylemaster models are all highly regarded as well. All of these hats can be delivered to your door for under $100.00 There is also the Federation IV Deluxe, which costs about $40.00 more than the standard version.

Of course Stetson still makes decent hats....I've heard good things about the Chatham. Personally, I own three Stetsons, two of which are vintage lids, but I own seven Akubras(I think) if that tells you anything.

Custom hats obviously are very expensive.....perhaps, until you decide what hat is right for you, you should start with less-pricey but good quality hats, whether they be Akubra, Stetson or what have you.....then, if you don't like a certain style, you can try something else. Plus, that way you could afford to have, instead of one all-purpose hat, at least three- IMO you should at least have a brown or tan hat, a grey hat and a black hat- that coves all your wardrobe bases.

 

[Agent_of_Empire]

Let me see if I did this right...

Mind you, I have also put on some weight since then (thicker neck and upper body) but generally I am still tall and lanky
Very very e-sneaky

 

[Daoud]

So how old of a guy are you? Reason I ask is because it's entirely possible that your head is not 100% finished growing. I know my hats I had when I got out of the Army were too small for me after a while...I was in my early 20s at the time.

Of course, that could be because my head gained weight along with everything else when I no longer saw any compelling reason to do PT and run 4 or 5 miles every morning.

 

[Agent_of_Empire]

23 - my headsize has stopped fluctuating also heh - been pretty standard for 3+ years of my hat-wearing career

 

[Wil Tam]

definitely a wide brim for you!

I see a Fed IV on yer noggin in the near future ... I just ordered one from HD & Ron told me that a Black one will be available in 60 days

what size hat do you wear? get the moonstone in deluxe I say ... less shrinkage



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[Daoud]

You should be OK, I reckon. Just don't get a swole-up head when you get up in that State Department with all them Chairborne Rangers, har har har!

 

[Agent_of_Empire]

So all this talk with Akuburas pointed my research in a new direction - I think I am going to try it!

The Fed IV Deluxe in moonstoe looks sharp.
Now I have to learn how to shape a hat heh

That tall crown, and the fact that it was an open crown, really worried me at first but I guess there is somethng to shapin it yourself (and I hear that you eventually want a taller crown.... go big or go home, right?)

 

[Wil Tam]

good for you

when you get it we'll help you shape it, no problem!

Oh btw welcome to the club!

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[Torpedo]

Hi,

By what you are saying, I think the Akubra Fed IV will suit you for starters. I do not have one, but there is plenty of appreciative critique about it, here in the Lounge. And you would have one in a few weeks.

Then maybe you should pursue the Custom path. If you are going to wear a hat daily, probably you will want more than one. I have custom hats by Art Fawcett (a well established artist) and John Penman (which at present is mostly associated with Indy hats, but is turning out other kinds of fine lids too), and I am certainly satisfied.

Adventurebilt hats are also well considered, mainly for the Indy hats, but because of the Indiana Jones IV contract boom, the delivery time is longer.

Regards!

 

[Mr. Paladin]

I already know I want to go with the wide brim (about 2 and 3/4) but I am not sure about crown height... I do know I want the teardrop though. I am going with a mid-to-dark gray so that I can wear it with any of my suits.

Good to have you Agent. Akubra also makes the Camp Draft in a color called glen grey which has a wider brim such as you suggest. I recently purchased one and have worn it with a suit several times lately. I think it might also fit the bill for you. It is a thin-ribbon style though and you may prefer the wider ribbon of the FED IV (whose brim is wider in front and back than on the sides). Check out the "What hat are you wearing today?" thread for several of them creased in different fashions including teardrop (you may have to go back 10-15 pages by now). That is what I did mine in. Lots of luck, and keep us informed!

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Ok Lieutenant

Here is a pic of my Fed Deluxe IV Brown and Moonstone

 

[Agent_of_Empire]

That moonstone looks like a pretty versatile gray, but I keep looking at the carbon gray Akubras on these posts and that is a pretty sharp looking color.

Is the difference between a Fed IV and a Deluxe REALLY that noticeable? The more I research, the more of a toss up it seems to be with Fed IV buyers standing by theirs and Deluxe buyers sure that they wouldn't be happy with anything but the Deluxe.

 

[Everwyck]

Agent, there's at least a whole thread on that, maybe several! (And thanks for your service!)

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=35989