Questions Concerning Biltmore Hats

[donnc]

If you feel like high, straight crowns and wide brims are too formal looking, don't forget to factor the ribbon into the equation.

The way I read it, seed was not talking about whether the hat's dressy or not, per se, but more about a balance of proportion between the extravagant dimensions of the hat vs. rest of apparel. Just to start with, a dress jacket commonly pads out the shoulders, but more in general when you crank up the dress level I suppose you give yourself more room for stylistic extravagance on top, even a tall, straight crown.

 

[seed]

Good point about the ribbon width and also about the proportionality. The fact remains that for me, there is a time and a place for shorter, slightly tapered hats (stingy brimmed, too) and one for taller, straight sided hats (brim width varying). And it all depends on what I am wearing on a given day and my physical appearance in general.

The customs blow away the factory made stuff...no doubt about it. But they don't look right on me all the time. I have to wear the right clothes to wear them. And when I do, they look great. But tank top, shorts and flip flops...give me the casual looking shorter crowned, slightly tapered stingy with the brim snapped up. That's what works for me, my physical appearance and my personality. Isn't that what it's all about?

 

[Dewhurst]

That's what works for me, my physical appearance and my personality. Isn't that what it's all about?

If it isn't, it should be.

 

[Spats McGee]

If it isn't, it should be.

Absolutely.

 

[TheTopHatGuy]

I have recently purchased a hat from Biltmore made in USA. I have known that Biltmore hat company is a quality hat company in the league with Stetson, but I am confused about the state of the brand itself. Is the quality of US-made hats the same as Canadian? Despite its well-known recognition, the brand doesn't have a website nor does it have any information concerning its X-scale! Does anyone have experience with this brand? How much beaver would a 6x hat contain from this brand?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I have recently purchased a hat from Biltmore made in USA. I have known that Biltmore hat company is a quality hat company in the league with Stetson, but I am confused about the state of the brand itself. Is the quality of US-made hats the same as Canadian? Despite its well-known recognition, the brand doesn't have a website nor does it have any information concerning its X-scale! Does anyone have experience with this brand? How much beaver would a 6x hat contain from this brand?

Dorfman Pacific purchased them in 2011 and move production to the US. I avoid the US made Biltmore hats, but some have had good luck with them. I’ll also say the the last decade or two when they were made in Canada they weren’t all that great, but still a lot better than the US made hats. The true vintage hats might be nice, but I only have one from this period (it’s a good, but not great, hat). I mostly think of Biltmore as a hard wearing solid hat brand, but nothing particularly nice or refined. Some of them are better than others, but I’ve never seen one made in the last 40-50 years that really impressed me. I own and wear them, but they are not among the better hats even when compared to others of the same era.

 

[TheTopHatGuy]

Thank you for your reply! So the Biltmore USA hat I have purchased is 6x and I have bought it for about $100. Would the hat still be considered a quality "starter hat" though? Do you know by any chance the beaver-rabbit fur ration of a 6x hat?Thanks

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thank you for your reply! So the Biltmore USA hat I have purchased is 6x and I have bought it for about $100. Would the hat still be considered a quality "starter hat" though? Do you know by any chance the beaver-rabbit fur ration of a 6x hat?Thanks

I don’t know about the current Biltmore hats. I’d be surprised if there was any beaver in a 6X.

If you like the style and look of the hat what else matters? If it’s fur felt that’s a big plus, but lots of folks love their wool hats too.

 

[TheTopHatGuy]

Thank you for your help!

 

[glider]

I have an Indiana Jones fur felt by Dorfman Pacific that I really like, good hat. They make the same hat in wool also. It's not on the same level as a nice Stetson etc. but it is a good knock around hat. They make decent hats at a reasonable price, I think I paid 125 for the Indiana Jones about 10 years ago and it's still going strong.

 

[TheTopHatGuy]

So how comparable are USA Biltmore hats to fur-felt Stetson hats since both are made by Dorfman Pacific? Thanks

 

[deadlyhandsome]

So how comparable are USA Biltmore hats to fur-felt Stetson hats since both are made by Dorfman Pacific? Thanks

Dorfman Pacific is not making Stetson that I know of. Stetson is made by HatCo which last I heard was a subsidiary of Pro. Equine Group. I’m not aware of any Dorfman Pacific connection…not to say there isn’t one, but I’ve never heard of it.

 

[TheTopHatGuy]

Just looked it up Biltmore is made by hatco, just like stetson. How comparable are usa biltmores to stetsons? Thanks

 

[RBH]

Dorfman Pacific is not making Stetson that I know of. Stetson is made by HatCo which last I heard was a subsidiary of Pro. Equine Group. I’m not aware of any Dorfman Pacific connection…not to say there isn’t one, but I’ve never heard of it.

The latest catalog I could find.
I have not seen a Hatco cataloge in a few years. [online]

https://issuu.com/dorfman-milano/docs/2022_ss_stetson_catalog_webx

 

[deadlyhandsome]

The latest catalog I could find.
I have not seen a Hatco cataloge in a few years. [online]

https://issuu.com/dorfman-milano/docs/2022_ss_stetson_catalog_webx

https://stetson.com/collections/hats-fedora

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Just looked it up Biltmore is made by hatco, just like stetson. How comparable are usa biltmores to stetsons? Thanks

I’m not finding what you are. I just looked it up again and I see that Hatco is making Stetson, Resistol, Dobbs, and Charlie Horse 1, but I don’t see a Dorfman Pacific connection. Can you please post a link?

https://www.dorfmanmilano.com/

https://www.dorfmanmilano.com/brands/dorfman-hat-co-hats

They are a “Hat Co (Company), but they are not HatCo.

 

[TheTopHatGuy]

I meant that Hatco makes Biltmore now, along with Stetson, I just would like to know how comparable are stetsons to USA Biltmore.

 

[TheTopHatGuy]

Does anyone else have experience with USA Biltmore hats? They can't be all that bad... I feel it would be like saying Kiton has become the same quality as Canali and that now it is "low quality" despite Canali is a decent quality brand. Maybe Biltmore was definitely up there with high-up brands, but now it is a bit lower quality, but still good quality.

 

[belfastboy]

Does anyone else have experience with USA Biltmore hats? They can't be all that bad... I feel it would be like saying Kiton has become the same quality as Canali and that now it is "low quality" despite Canali is a decent quality brand. Maybe Biltmore was definitely up there with high-up brands, but now it is a bit lower quality, but still good quality.

There is difficulty in describing hats with subjective terms such as good and bad. As a collector I think that the Biltmore brand is not highly sought after and if you track the pricing you will discover they are not highly valued. They don't command much on the secondary market. That being said, it doesn't make them 'bad' hats. If you bought the hat because you like it and you thought the price reasonable then I think that makes it a 'good' hat. Is it a collectible that will accrue value with age? No it won't as that is not how it is viewed in the collector's market. I owned a few Biltmore hats that I purchased many many years ago when I first started this collection journey. They were OK hats and I liked them well enough at the time but eventually I moved them on as I upgraded the collection.
'

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I meant that Hatco makes Biltmore now, along with Stetson, I just would like to know how comparable are stetsons to USA Biltmore.

No, Hatco does not currently, nor has it ever to my knowledge, made Biltmore. The US made Biltmore hats are made by DorfmanMilano with is a different company from HaCo that currently makes Stetson, Resistol, Charlie Horse 1, Dobbs, and others.

The current DorfmanMilano website lists Biltmore as one of its brands.

If you have information that HatCo bought out DorfmanMilano that’s news to me, and I think I would have heard.

My experience is limited to about eight US made Biltmore hats. I would put the quality significantly below the Royal Stetsons (Stetson’s entry level fur felt hat). I found the US made Biltmores to have inferior felt and the build quality was shocking. Maybe their hats that are higher up the quality/price ladder are better?