New Hats and Rain

[Dan Allen]

Along the same lines as this thread, I have a mint pre Miller Adam executive with their "aquashed" treatment. Should I use this before Hatting up in the rain with a new stetson? I have always pampered the hat--perhaps this is not warranted.

 

[St. Valentine]

In my experience cheap wool felt hats hold their shape up to a year and the starting to loose it. I will soon get rid of my cheapo wool felt traveller.
Today I accidently found out what happens to Panama hats when the get really wet. A sunny day turned very quickly into a thunderstorm and there was no place to hide. At home I examined the damage and I am afraid but the hat is lost! :eusa_doh: It got totally soft and without a block to form it on it lost it´s shape completely. Thank god it was only a cheap one.... [huh]

I still have to get my Christy´s really wet but I think it should be up to the job.

 

[Florida_Marlin]

TS Debby hung around my place for 4 days just a couple weeks ago. When I wasn't at work in my hard hat I spent a lot of time outside in the rain, trying to clean out those gutters that I had neglected. I wore my fawn colored Akubra Squatter. She weathered the storm just fine. That hat is now named Debby.

 

[Ordinary Guy]

Today I accidently found out what happens to Panama hats when the get really wet. A sunny day turned very quickly into a thunderstorm and there was no place to hide. At home I examined the damage and I am afraid but the hat is lost! :eusa_doh: It got totally soft and without a block to form it on it lost it´s shape completely. Thank god it was only a cheap one.... [huh]

Therein lies one of the reasons I don't buy the very expensive Panama's.

Well that and the loose weave gives me more air to cool my noggin......

 

[Cicero]

Imho....hats and rain= Marriage.
A hat is a tool for me.
Ok, it must have something, it must be a delight to carry, it must look good on my head.
But for me the most important thing is, it has to protect me against weather elements.
All those other hats are a good thing to collect.

 

[tealseal]

In my experience cheap wool felt hats hold their shape up to a year and the starting to loose it. I will soon get rid of my cheapo wool felt traveller.
Today I accidently found out what happens to Panama hats when the get really wet. A sunny day turned very quickly into a thunderstorm and there was no place to hide. At home I examined the damage and I am afraid but the hat is lost! :eusa_doh: It got totally soft and without a block to form it on it lost it´s shape completely. Thank god it was only a cheap one.... [huh]

I still have to get my Christy´s really wet but I think it should be up to the job.

Sorry to hear about the panama! That's exactly why I only wear felt hats.

 

[BR Gordon]

Our summers are spent in New Mexico. I don't, very often, have to worry about rain.

 

[Bird Lives]

Imho....hats and rain= Marriage.
A hat is a tool for me.
Ok, it must have something, it must be a delight to carry, it must look good on my head.
But for me the most important thing is, it has to protect me against weather elements.
All those other hats are a good thing to collect.

I'm with Cicero...only all those other hats are a good thing to look at pictures of....lol...I'm not collecting any hats or razors that are not also a pleasure to use... I used to collect trumpets too, but they were all great playing horns aswell...If a hat is going to fall apart or become worthless after getting caught in a shower I'm not interested....Maybe Decker's right....Maybe I need to cultivate an interest in Yellow rubber rain hats...lol....seems alot simpler than gambling everytime I wear a $100 hat outside, in case of rain...ha,ha.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I purchased a charcoal gray Tumwater fedora for the express purpose of wearing it in Seattle. 100% beaver fur. I don't live there, but the program I WAS on had me travelling there regularly. Now I'm in Oklahoma, and I should be getting the new Tumwater hats box today or tomorrow. I'm sure it will see a lot more sweat than rain though.

later

 

[Bird Lives]

I sent an e-mail to Christys....They said don't get it wet....It could lose its color and shape.....
That's a deal breaker for me....shame...it was a beautiful hat.....its a shame fedoras in general have turned out to be such a pain....only the most expensive are as good as an originalyl $20 hat.....

I guess I'll get an Akubra....but I've read so much here about shrinkage....guess owning a fedora is for gamblers only....lol...I've been so fired up and in lust for these hats....Now I WANT to lose interest...

 

[Dan Allen]

Don't give up Bird Lives, adjust. Go vintage, or maybe Akubra and a hat retainer. My next new hat will probably be a Akubra and if need be, I will stick a retainer in it when drying after a good downpour. My daughters in laws who are ranchers in western Oklahoma swear by the retainers in wet weather.

 

[Chief000731]

I wear my fur felt fedoras EVERY day sun, rain, snow, or storms. Why have a hat you can't wear? I have never had a problem when I get in I put my hat on a hat stand and when I go out again I grab it and wear it never had a problem al my hats are 100% beaver I don't know if thats why or not but if a hat can't get wet what good is it? Oh well just my 0.02 cents worth... Chief

 

[Dick Ireland]

This is a great thread for newcomers to hat-wearing, like me.

This year I decided to spend my birthday in style; I wore my new three-piece suit, my father's old trenchcoat, and my '50s-era Stetson fedora. It poured rain and man did that hat keep my head dry, I was glad I had it. I set it on its crown to dry overnight and it was fine. Can't beat a good hat, I guess.

 

[MCrider]

I guess I'll get an Akubra....but I've read so much here about shrinkage....guess owning a fedora is for gamblers only....lol...I've been so fired up and in lust for these hats....Now I WANT to lose interest...

Don't give up yet! Buy the Akubra. I have several and all have been through rain storms and blizzards. My best one is probably the Moonstone Federation. It's been soaked repeatedly and in one storm got blown off my head and started floating down the street. I let it dry overnight, brushed it to get rid of some remaining gutter gunk and it was as good as new. So good that I'm currently saving for one in Tawny.

 

[mjd]

Try vintage - all my hats are vintage and all have stood up the the elements: sun, rain, blizzards, sleet, etc. with no problems.

 

[danofarlington]

I would have "beater" and "weather" hats, and "nice dress hats." I wouldn't hesitate to soak the beaters (E bay) and weather hats (Akubra), but in retrospect, I'm now less inclined to get too wet my nice dress hats.

The reason is that the brims might get wavy, causing me to have to go to the hatter for a fix, costing me $20 apiece plus a long drive, and a week or two wait. Do-it-yourselfers may not be daunted by that, but I am not a do-it-yourselfer.

Don't ever soak a straw or Panama hat though. The finer the Panama, the more of a shame it is for it to get wet.

 

[job]

I'm less inclined to get my customs soaked. That's why I have Akubras.

 

[Chief000731]

+1 NEVER a problem with my vintage lids either... Chief.

Try vintage - all my hats are vintage and all have stood up the the elements: sun, rain, blizzards, sleet, etc. with no problems.

 

[jkingrph]

We had almost 4" of rain this afternoon in a little less than 3 hours. I had to run out once and stuck on a big white wide brimmed Tilley. It was better than subjecting my nice straws to the downpour and my felts have been put away for the summer.

 

[tealseal]

...its a shame fedoras in general have turned out to be such a pain....only the most expensive are as good as an originalyl $20 hat.....

Bird Lives, please don't give up on the fedora. It's hardly for gamblers, but like anything you have to buy smart (same goes with anything, really).
In 1953, $20 had the same buying power as about $170 does today: That's a Heritage Grade Federation IV (superior to the robust, reliable, durable Imperial Grade). I think it's fair to say that there hats for "$20" today that are as good as those you could have for $20 back in the day.
I'm also sure that there were bad hats back then too!