rolled up

[Matt Deckard]

Warning. If you plan on rolling your Optimo, only try it with your half and half nutria/beaver and not your half and half hare/beaver.

My boss came to me asking me how I roll up my hat and make it come out looking unscathed and he brought one of his light weights from last year... the hare beaver. I cringed as he tried to mimic what I did and his hat came out wrinkled.

If you try it with an optimo, and I'm not saying to try it, only try it with the Beaver Nutria. The nutria makes a big big difference.

 

[aliados]

Stratoliners and all Borsalinos I've ever seen roll nicely -- in fact, the thinner Borsalinos used to be sold already frolled up, in a triangular box!

 

[ScottFree]

Matt, thank you for this posting . This is the quality of hat I am seeking as well. I do wish the Optimo company had answered my Emails. I really do want to get the best hats possible but I think service is an imperative as well. I do not see them posting on this forum. Is there a reason they do not subscribe here?

Alidos, I too have Stratoliners and all Borsalinos that will roll up this way. They are about worn out, the ones in my size but the smaller ones are still unworn and will do this equally well. One of the new Borsalinos does have its original triangular box as well as all the smaller hats as they are just new old hats all in the original boxes. I sure wish my head would shrink as I would love to be able to wear those hats.

Cheers

Scott

 

[Matt Deckard]

The number one reason Graham from Optimo does not post here is because he is busy making hats and he's not on the computer that often. The best way to speak with Graham would be to call up Optimo.

 

[ScottFree]

Thank you again, Matt .

I guess most hatters are a little too busy as I have emailed several over the past month with only one replying at all.

You would think in this computer age, that all businesses would incorporate some one that does email and customer relations.

I guess I was comparing what I assumed was one of the very busiest and larger hatter, here Rocky Mountain Hatters with others. I sure do appreciate you John, for taking time out of your busy schedule to accommodate people on this forum with some postings .

Can anyone give me a different Email address for Optimo or Adventurebilt ? I cannot seem to get any replies from them at all and yet somehow wanted to discuss a variety of hats with them as they seem to be the more popular of hatters on the forums.

Does anyone here know if Adventurebuilt offers any higher end hats? I am reading always about mostly how his draw seems to be in his price considerations.

Matt have you had any experience or any dealings with the Adventurbuilt product line? I take it you seem to be about the most avid collector here and your taste and mine seem to coincide considerably in hats.

I would value your opinion of this line of hats if you care to speak on them.

Cheer

Scott

 

[Matt Deckard]

When it comes to Adventurebuilt, I have heard and seen mixed reviews from members of IndyGear. If you are looking for an Indiana Jones Mockup then I think Steve Delk has the design down very well. The biggest drawback would have to be the same one that plagues all modern hatters, and that is felt shrinkage. I would have to see a production model to give you a real revue on the workmanship, and since Steve is very focussed on the Indiana Jones style I would recoment you to another hatter if you were looking for something different like a bound edge hat or a porkpie.

The only Adventurebuilt I have seen in person was a prototype and I can't compare it to the production model.

As for rolability, the reason the Optimo can take rolling up and return to its original shape is partly because of the nutria fur in the mix which gives it a softness and a memory.

Adventurebuilt owners, show your goods.

 

[dopey]

Matt, thank you for this posting . This is the quality of hat I am seeking as well. I do wish the Optimo company had answered my Emails. I really do want to get the best hats possible but I think service is an imperative as well. I do not see them posting on this forum. Is there a reason they do not subscribe here?

{snipped}

Cheers

Scott

I have also had difficulty getting e-mail responses from Optimo, although I am certain they have been received. Fortunately, I have been beta testing this new service to reach Optimo, which so far has worked pretty well. Unlike the web, data is streamed in complete bursts rather than packets, and once a connection is made, it travels a single path, rather than being re-routed continuously. The advantage is that transmission and response is almost instantaneous. Unfortunately, my version transmits voice perfectly but does not yet allow images and I don’t think text transcription is available yet. if you have one of these devices, you can input Graham‘s URL, 773.238.2999, directly and try to connect. Be aware that this is a shared service and the account is monitored by everyone in the store. If you want to connect directly with Graham but someone else responds on the account, you may have to ask them to bring him to the terminal.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I've rolled up my grey Optimo for a trip to Chicago... I'll show picture of how it faires from hanging out in a bacg for several hours when I get back.

No, don't think I'll get to stop by Optimo... this is strictly a business trip.

 

[Matt Deckard]

After the flight I unrolled the hat. Was winkled for a few hours though it returned to pretty much normal after a some time... I wore it aound town and for a few days on the trip. I rolled it up again for the flight home, arrived yesterday and today the hat looks like it went nowhere. It got pretty squished in the bag, though I would say it fared very well.

Take some pics of it's current condition... it looks good.

Just remember, this hat is very broken in and very soft, and it is Optimo's lightest weight felt. I haven't traveled with other hats rolled up before, though I have rolled up other hats with bad results.

Don't roll a modern Borsalino or a modern Akubra as they will be wrinkled for life and it will ruin the brim... that even goes for the modern roll up Borsalinos... they end up droopy with creases.

 

[Matt Deckard]

So does anyone else here pack their hats?

 

[univibe88]

Anyone dare to roll up an Art hat?

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

I roll my thin Borsalino (the one with the triangular box and a with a cloth sweat band) and pack it on trips.

I also occasionally roll an old Warner fedora and stuff it in backpacks, brief cases or suit cases. It bounces back fine.

Here's the logic I apply if considering rolling a fur felt hat:

- Soft and pliable feeling felt
- Either designed for rolling or a hat I consider 'abusable' (new word I just invented)
- Ribbon of around 1" (less grosgrain to pucker up and wrinkle)
- Supple, flexible sweat band (this is important)
- Strong stitching
- No liner
- No edge binding

 

[Lefty]

I will never roll a hat, unless it's this one, from 1947.

 

[bolthead]

As a matter of fact.....

So does anyone else here pack their hats?

I just got done packing for Italy, and I packed my Pocket Borso, for the 1st time. I leave Monday and it's a 12hr. trip, so it'll be in there for a couple days.

I'll let you know how it survives. [huh]

 

[JohnnyB53]

So does anyone else here pack their hats?

Not yet, but if I start flying much, I'll probably pick up an Akubra Casual in carbon grey or regency fawn (shown).

I just flew with my brand new moonstone Fed IV Deluxe from Seattle down to Long Beach, CA, wearing it throughout the airport and storing it in the overhead compartment during the flight. While I enjoyed having it along and wore it extensively while I was down there, I would have relaxed more on the trip if I'd had a Casual rolled up in the suitcase instead.

 

[Jerekson]

I do this with my Akubra ALL the time. Works great for packing, and does a spell on softening up that felt too.

 

[Thwack]

so what hat exactly did you crush?

 

[Jerekson]

so what hat exactly did you crush?

Uh...a Federation, in particular.

 

[DOUGLAS]

I roll all the hats I travel with. They are usually Borsalinos but also some custom hats. Although I have not tried it yet I am not opposed to rolling a Playboy or some other hat of that weight. I might just do that when I go to LA next week end.

 

[gtdean48]

Any of you hat rollers use tubes like I've seen for a Christy's traveler? I've read where some use round boxes for a brand of scotch, too. TIA