So what's the story with Lite-Felt, and what hat did I buy?

[MattJH]

Part 1 - Lite Felt:

I was just at the local Burlington Coat Factory and found a nice black fedora in my actual size (whoah!) -- 24" / 61-62cm. It was simply marked "XL." It's marked 100% wool and the actual brand name appears to be "Lite Felt," as it says "The Original Lite Felt" on the inside of the crown. The tag just has a USA flag on it, so I don't know if this is a generic brand or not. I actually found it in an unopened box of Lite Felts in the corner, so it hasn't been handled by anybody.

The brim itself is a bit floppy and uneven, but it appears that it's supposed to be that way. The ribbon is narrow -- I didn't measure it, but I'll approximate that it's a 3/8th inch black ribbon. The stitching on the ribbon itself seems slightly sloppy, but nothing you could really notice looking at the hat casually. It's got the classic center bash with a front pinch, with a feather in the ribbon.

It's actually very comfortable and soft, but what do I have here? Is it a generic, no-name hat made of "Lite Felt" or is the brand name actually "Lite Felt"? I spent $15.98 on it. Originally $19.98 but I had a 20% off coupon. What should I expect out of this hat? It states it's water-repellent and crushable, but what's the life expectancy?


Part 2 - What hat did I buy?

I asked this question here before, but it was in the middle of a fairly muddled thead. A link to the Henschel Conway I purchased last weekend is here. What would you call this type of hat? A pinched-front center-bashed bucket trilby fedora commuter walking hybrid? Either way, I love it.

 

[deanglen]

My guess: wool. But honestly, I've looked at BCF hats of wool and fur felt, and if you're just going for the look, I think wool is fine. If you can cope with fade and shrinkage, then there's no problem. There are at least a few vintage hats made from wool, I've seen them here in the Lounge. Keep checking with BCF and you'll be surprised at some of the nice fur felt that is available there.

dean

 

[MattJH]

Here are two quick pictures:

The second one was taken with my camera phone, so it's blurry, but it's of the inside of the hat. The words say "Made in the USA - Packable - Water Resistant - LITE FELT - 'The Original'".

I'm still confused about Lite Felt as a material vs. a brand name / what I have and if I should return it. If it's of significant low quality, I'd rather not have it. Random Google searches turn Lite Felt hats at about $40-$60, depending on where you look. This was a bargain at $16. I think(?).

 

[besdor]

lite felt

Your hat is made of wool in the USA by Bollman hats . We sell them for 35.00. It's a nice starter hat but not something that will last for a long time .


Steven

 

[MattJH]

I did notice that there's no mention of "Bollman" on the hat, but the logo on the inside of the crown is absolutely identical to the Country Gentleman, except instead of saying "Country Gentleman" it says "The Original."

Sorry. I'm very new to all of this. I'll probably return it tomorrow. It seemed like a nice find, but if it won't last for a long time, it's not worth it.

 

[deanglen]

Look for the Huckels! Fur Felt. Nice liner and sweatband. Maybe some would consider a "starter", but others have expressed positive appraisals.

dean

 

[thetankw/ahat]

i own a bailey lite-felt and i really like it. mostly because i can accidentally step on it and it'll be able to pop right back. my dad has had his for about 5-6 years and its just now in need of a replacement. they're good hats they just wont last more than 5 years without reblocking.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I had a lite felt had years ago, when I was in Boy Scouts. It was my first "fedora" I guess you could say, although it was more of an outback style. I wore it for years in all sorts of weather, and it held up very well. The only thing that didn't wear as well was the color, because after years in the southwest desert sun the top of the hat was a lighter shade than the underside. But that is likely to be expected with any hat I guess. It held its shape surprisingly well, considering it was made of wool and was wet numerous times.

What eventually killed it was an infestation of carpet beetles at my parents house were it was in storage.

 

[ledsled]

Rules

Rule #1 - You can only own one hat.
Rule #2 - The hat must last for decades.
Rule #3 - That hat must be a name brand.
Rule #4 - Only purchase a new fedora if a vintage one is not available.
Rule #5 - Never, ever pay full retail.

KIDDING!

Heck, if it feels good, fits, looks good, and you paid less then $20.... what the heck, keep it and enjoy it!!

If you've been bitten by the fedora bug, the fever will flare up again, and you will be buying another one. And another. And another. And another.

You get the picture.

 

[John in Covina]

Screaming headlines!

"Stop me before I buy again!" pleaded the tearful fedora wearer! Moving up in his addiction from mainling Borsalinos, he found that only vintage fedoras could cool his overheated passion for lids. Boxes and ebay printed receipts litter everyroom in his home. The desire hits him again and his hand shakes while manuvering the mouse for the next hit on Ebay. Selecting he bids, and feels the warm momentary release he needs. Oh to win this one, his breathing quickens as conterbids flow in, he's losing, now winnning! The dizzy ride brings out the nervous staccatto of laughter from the depraved buyer....

 

[MattJH]

I came here because everyone seems really knowledgable and I wanted to make an educated choice, because I do want one -- I don't think I'll become as avid as everyone here, is, though. I feel like a bit of an outsider in these forums.

I just want a nice hat, that's all, so I've been reading through the threads to learn what I need to know. I never knew what "fur felt" was until now, even! The Lite-Felt was an impulse buy because it was so cheap. It's since been returned because I'm not interested in a hat that will fade and lose its form over time, even if it did look and feel fine. Also, it was black. I don't even know why I bought it. I'm hesitant about eBay unless there's a return policy with the seller because you never know if a hat will work unless you actually wear it.

So I'm on the hunt for a gray one and a brown one and, thanks to everybody here, I'm pretty sure I know what to look for!

Fur felt.
Fur felt
Fur felt

Got it.

 

[DamselNDistress]

Stop ME, before I buy again!

I was beginning to think there was no hope. I thought I was the only one. Thank God there are more of you out there! In the past three weeks, I have bought 3 Stetsons, 1 Mallory, 2 Cananaghs, 1 Beaver brand, 1 Bond, and just today--finally... TA DA! a Borsalino! AND THEY ARE NOT EVEN FOR ME. They are for my husband. I hope he will let me wear them once in a while. He wore one to dinner last night and I saw several young girls giving him the eye. I was afraid he wouldn't take it off when he went to bed. Tonight, he is wearing another one. We'll see what happens this time. BTW, the Borsalino was offered at a Buy It Now price with a Best Offer option. Just for kicks, I offered half of the price. I was shocked, the seller said OK! I still have my eye on three other hats, but then after that, no more. Please no more! Does anybody know where I can get a good hat tree for about 20 or 50 hats?!!