Lanolux anyone?

[EggHead]

Hi All,
my first post here...

I am thinking about buying a Lanolux Fedora by Bailey's, has anyone had any experience with it? How well does it hold up in the rain? (Looking for Fall/Winter hat in San Francisco area)

Is there a better choice in wool for about the same price?
(I don't want to consider LiteFelt because of Scotchguard)

Thanks,
-s

 

[besdor]

Lanolux is a basicaly a wool body that has been processed and produced using fur felt equipment . It feels a little better than a standard wool felt Bailey hat but the price is higher as well. They have been very good sellers though as Bailey is using linnings and better trimmings on the Lanolux line.
They also have a line called Cashlux in which they use a little cashmere mixed into the body process.


steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[EggHead]

Steven, thank you for the reply.

I am still curious though, how well does it hold in the rain, or is fur felt the way to go? I like softer hats, kind of like packable, but I wouldn't fold it, just like them not stiff.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Three Little Words

Steven, thank you for the reply.

I am still curious though, how well does it hold in the rain, or is fur felt the way to go? I like softer hats, kind of like packable, but I wouldn't fold it, just like them not stiff.

Ak Ku Bra..... my .o2 Traveller

 

[Dewhurst]

I am still curious though, how well does it hold in the rain, or is fur felt the way to go? I like softer hats, kind of like packable, but I wouldn't fold it, just like them not stiff.

I hope to get a Lanolux hat and a Cashlux hat someday. Purchasing hats made with different materials and/or processes is one of my little hat hobbies within the hat hobby.

However, I have had bad luck with water and felt generally. I have a single wool felt hat that has withstood many bouts with rain and survived to talk about it. So, not so great. My fur felts have fared better, but only just remarkably so.

If you want a felt hat for rain, you best go with fur felt. And when it's raining really bad, consider adding an umbrella (when it's literally pouring rain). Just my experience, and I'm sure others will disagree with me.

 

[Andykev]

Welcome

Egghead, welcome to the Lounge. Your post is interesting in that you have not said what you can afford. What is the cost of what you proffered?

Would you spend more for a true "FELT" hat? (ie. not wool).

Any good quality hat will handle the rain in the Bay Area. If you want it to be simply a rain hat, then I do suggest the cheap hat plus Scotch Guard routine.

My vintage hats will handle all rain without issue. Some of my custom hats from back East, the early ones, didn't mind rain drops, but did not like being soaked.

My Art Fawcett hats love rain, sun, hail, anything...truly a nice hat.

Look around the Lounge and STUDY and use SEARCH...you will have quite an education deciphering the vast experiences and opinions.

 

[EggHead]

Akubra it is!

Thank you all!
I decided to do more research in Akubra hats (I keep typing Akumbra for some reason), and just ordered a Sydney. I couldn't find this style on aforementioned AU websites, only US sites - ordered it from WA state web site, charcoal color.

I will keep you posted on how I like it and how much rain it can resist - I don't want to carry an umbrella in my hand. Well, maybe a small one in the bag just in case. The idea was to have a rain coat and a rain proof hat, and also to use this hat with some of my black or gray attire. Paid 30% more than for the lanolux hat that I was eyeing, but as you guys said, a pure fur felt is better than good wool.

If I like it, I may order the Federation 4, in brown.

 

[danofarlington]

Thank you all!
I decided to do more research in Akubra hats (I keep typing Akumbra for some reason), and just ordered a Sydney. I couldn't find this style on aforementioned AU websites, only US sites - ordered it from WA state web site, charcoal color.

I will keep you posted on how I like it and how much rain it can resist - I don't want to carry an umbrella in my hand. Well, maybe a small one in the bag just in case. The idea was to have a rain coat and a rain proof hat, and also to use this hat with some of my black or gray attire. Paid 30% more than for the lanolux hat that I was eyeing, but as you guys said, a pure fur felt is better than good wool.

If I like it, I may order the Federation 4, in brown.

I think you did right. Akubra is a top rain hat, I understand, and you are bound to like genuine fur felt much better than wool, style-wise.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Good on ya', mate!

Thank you all!
I decided to do more research in Akubra hats (I keep typing Akumbra for some reason), and just ordered a Sydney. I couldn't find this style on aforementioned AU websites, only US sites - ordered it from WA state web site, charcoal color.

I will keep you posted on how I like it and how much rain it can resist - I don't want to carry an umbrella in my hand. Well, maybe a small one in the bag just in case. The idea was to have a rain coat and a rain proof hat, and also to use this hat with some of my black or gray attire. Paid 30% more than for the lanolux hat that I was eyeing, but as you guys said, a pure fur felt is better than good wool.

If I like it, I may order the Federation 4, in brown.

It's a hat you'll have the rest of your life vs. a hat you will have for the rest of... the decade. Good choice, one you will not regret. I think the Sydney is called just "the fedora" on the Ozzie sites, I may be mistaken about that tho'.

 

[EggHead]

I thought it was the Fedora, but the colors didn't quite match..

 

[Dewhurst]

I will keep you posted on how I like it and how much rain it can resist - I don't want to carry an umbrella in my hand. Well, maybe a small one in the bag just in case. The idea was to have a rain coat and a rain proof hat, and also to use this hat with some of my black or gray attire. Paid 30% more than for the lanolux hat that I was eyeing, but as you guys said, a pure fur felt is better than good wool.

Washington? That would be David Morgan?

I actually purchased a Sydney from them a year or two ago. I didn't rain test it. Very limp felt, hat was obviously stored on a generic stretcher for quite some time. Mine had a manufacturing defect (I think...) so I returned it immediately, but I'll bet yours will be just fine.

It won't be exactly rain "proof", but it should definitely resist the rain. Hope you like it!

 

[Rick Blaine]

H2o proofing

FWIW- Hats Direct in Oz once offered a thorough Scotchguarding as an option when purchasing an Akubra hat. I use Campdry all the time & have noted no adverse effects.

 

[EggHead]

Yep, it's from David Morgan. Now you got me worried!
It should come in next week. You will either see me jumping from joy or crying

 

[OT1899]

Akubra Sydney

Keep us posted on the Sydney ... I've looked at it online before also ... Looks like a good one from the description and pictures ...

 

[Dewhurst]

Yep, it's from David Morgan. Now you got me worried!
It should come in next week. You will either see me jumping from joy or crying

Hopefully joy! Don't worry too much, David Morgan goods have a fine reputation. The Akubra I received was almost certainly a fluke.

 

[EggHead]

Akubra Sydney arrived

Some of my initial comments.

The color is charcoal - which is what I was hoping for (not this dark gray with blue tint that was being displayed on David Morgan website).

The size fits.

Now I am not jumping from joy because the felt looks a little worn or dented on the brim around the band area - this where a styrofoam ring was sitting in packaging, presumably to protect the felt from damage. It looks like the edge of styrofoam ring was rubbing a bit against the brim and perhaps packaging was pressing too hard on it too and caused some denting.
Perhaps I can use a brush to smooth it out or steam it?. If anyone has a suggestion, I would welcome it.

Another thing, inside of the crown has this plastic sheet - why? Will it not make my head sweat?

That's all for now.

 

[Will Morgan]

Dear S,

...I am not jumping from joy because the felt looks a little worn or dented on the brim around the band area - this where a styrofoam ring was sitting in packaging, presumably to protect the felt from damage. ...

You guessed exactly right, vibrations during shipping put what we call a 'packing mark' around the hat. Some counter clockwise brushing, or some steam and brushing together, or just time and some rain... will resettle the nap.

We put a care video up on Youtube that shows one and touches on the topic briefly
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWmSqXwOfTE

Another thing, inside of the crown has this plastic sheet - why? Will it not make my head sweat?
...

The lining preserves the felt from oils that some men use in their hair to style it, and linings give a more finished aesthetic, so most of hour hats are lined. You may remove yours readily without damaging the hat.


I hope the Sydney is working well for you! Will / David Morgan

 

[RobFedoraField]

Nice to see you on the lounge!

Dear S,



You guessed exactly right, vibrations during shipping put what we call a 'packing mark' around the hat. Some counter clockwise brushing, or some steam and brushing together, or just time and some rain... will resettle the nap.

We put a care video up on Youtube that shows one and touches on the topic briefly
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWmSqXwOfTE



The lining preserves the felt from oils that some men use in their hair to style it, and linings give a more finished aesthetic, so most of hour hats are lined. You may remove yours readily without damaging the hat.


I hope the Sydney is working well for you! Will / David Morgan

I'm sure it's been said before, but, "welcome"

 

[Will Morgan]

I'm sure it's been said before, but, "welcome"

Cheers Rob, for some time I have enjoyed reading the lounge with some regularity, and posting upon occasion.

 

[EggHead]

Hi Will, my Sydney is fine now. After some steaming and brushing most dents on the brim went away, there is one left on the bottom of the brim, but it can only be seen at a certain angle so I don't worry about it. It was my first fur felt hat (fedora), so it took a little learning on how to attend to it.
My only real issue now is the overall color and color of hat band (not DM's fault at all) - for me, it's all too black, I am looking now into replacing the hat band with a wider and lighter gray color band. Those millinery grosgrain ribbons (real rayon/cotton) are hard to come by in local stores as I want to see how it looks like on the hat before I buy. Hatter shops are another story, some that I talked to don't inspire confidence, others are some distance away. I guess owning a good hat is different then owning a good pair of shoes - there are lots of shoe repair shops around!

Oh, and the lining - I didn't remove the lining, just the plastic part at the top, this has increased ventilation and my head doesn't sweat as much anymore. I never encountered these plastic sheets in lining before and it seems strange to me that they are sewn in. So I had to do some surgery on the hat.