Murino/merino Hats-- Any experience?

[MisterGrey]

I've come across a few hats online that are advertised as being made of "murino wool," which the sellers have offered as a humane yet efficient alternative to fur felt hats, claiming a water resistance and pliability like a fur-felt hat. Does anyone have any experience with one of these? I'm interested in durability and how it reacts to getting wet.

 

[Mr E Train]

Have you been shopping at Hats in the Belfry? They sell hats marketed as "Murino" wool. I have one laying around that I bought as a beater, and it's spent some time in snow with no ill effects, but I would not consider it a substitute for a fur felt hat. It's very floppy and doesn't hold a shape all that well, and it still feels like a cheap wool hat. Unless you're against having a fur felt hat because of humanitarian reasons, I would spend a bit more and get an Akubra, because they're much better hats and will stand up to weather like nobody's business. Some of those Murino hats are close to $90, and you can get an Akubra for around that.

 

[tonyb]

I'd be interested in a report from someone with firsthand experience as well, Grey.

Wool felt hats have been around for a long, long time. I've yet to come across one I thought to be the equal of even the low-end fur felts.

I'm not about to tell another person how he or she should view the practice of killing critters to serve human needs and desires. But it is indeed true that rabbits and/or hares and/or beavers, etc., etc., gotta die if you want to make fur felt hats. So I suppose the fact that I fashion finished hats from fur felt hat bodies tells a person what he or she needs to know about my views on the matter. That may cost me a date with that cute little vegan hippie chick up the block, which is kind of a drag, seeing how I like to think of myself as an equal-opportunity kinda guy when it comes to these things. C'est la vie.

There could be a whole 'nother discussion about just how "humane" the keeping of sheep is. Me, I don't know enough about it have an informed opinion.

 

[MisterGrey]

I've personally not got any qualms about beaver/rabbit hats-- or, rather, Australian rabbit hats, as some Aussies have told me that they've got more of a reputation for destruction and peskiness Down Under than for cuteness and cuddliness. On the other hand, I am bothered by the use of Chinchillas for other articles of clothing, seeing as how it takes so many to produce a single garment and they're endangered as it is. Were either the beaver or rabbit to become endangered, I'd likely change my tune on that as well.

Of more concern for me is the cost. My budget is in the $60 range, +/- $5 or so; and despite my best efforts to win some eBay auctions, I'm not coming up with much. So I figured I would bury any dreams of owning a fur fedora any time soon and make my black beaver bowler as versatile as possible. Then I happened across some advertisements for these merino hats and about how they were an acceptable alternative to fur felt, and that's what gave birth to this thread.

 

[Mr E Train]

My advice would be to hold out, save up, and get a fur felt hat. Keep trying eBay, and check the classifieds here as well. What size are you?

 

[MisterGrey]

7 1/2; I'm specifically in the market for gray (shade is unimportant)