Steston Open Road in straw

[Duper]

Hi guys, I'm a new member. I recently purchased and received an Akubra Stockman and a Banjo Paterson. I was thinking of ordering a straw Stetson Open Road from an online retailer. I'm in Canada and there is no one local to my city who carries a large selection of hats. Sigh.

I have two questions.

Would the sizing for Stetsons be similar to the Akubras? I ordered a 58 and they are just a bit loose presently but I understand from reading other posts they tend to snug up over time with exposure to the elements and extended wear time. My Tilley LTM5 is a 7 1/4, my BC Bac Packer is a large and my Ultrafino panama is a 7 1/4 and they all fit perfectly.

Also on the websites I have visited I see the straw Open Roads priced at around $60.00 and $90.00 U.S. Is there a significant difference in the quality for the price difference.

Thanks!

 

[Inusuit]

I have one Akubra and no straw Stetsons...

but my Akubra is a 60, equivalent to a 7 1/2 US size. I can tell no difference in the fit between the Akubra and several 7 1/2 felt Stetsons I own. I don't know anything about straw fit, but I think you would be safe ordering your normal 7 1/4. I would much rather deal with a hat that is fits on the slightly large than one that's too tight.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Hi Duper. Welcome to FL!

I have a modern Stetson straw OR. I like it OK, but it is a tad stiff and it really doesn't breath well. In hot weather, I much prefer my PanamaBob Habana.

I would say that my straw OR is sized exactly like my felt ORs, which are just a bit smaller than my Camp Drafts.

As to price, I think modern straw ORs are all the same, so I would buy from the least expensive vendor. Here's where I got mine. They may not be the very cheapest, but their service is good and their shipping is free.

http://www.qualityhats.com/openroad.htm

AF

 

[J.T.Marcus]

I have one. It's a good hat, and considerably more versatile than the wider brim straws. The sizing should be spot on with your other perfect fit hats. If there is a quality difference offered, you and I would probably never see it. If I remember correctly, $80 is the list price, $60 would be a discount, and $50 is what I paid for mine, at the Outlet in Garland, TX. It's a big seller, and is not greatly discounted by anyone. (But then, it doesn't start out at $180, like the 4X felt.) Here's mine:

 

[J.T.Marcus]

...it really doesn't breath well...
AF

This is true. It will be no cooler than your felt open road (Unless your felt Open Road is black.). My hair is always wet when I take my straw off. Not always so with unlined lightweight felts.

 

[Dinerman]

Do they still make the milan version of the open road? I've seen a couple show up on ebay.

 

[Duper]

Wow, thanks for all the quick responses fellas. Much appreciated. I wish I could get to that Stetson Outlet but for now an online site will have to do.

 

[carldelo]

Do they still make the milan version of the open road? I've seen a couple show up on ebay.

Don't know if it's actually a Stetson or not, but Miller Hats has their very nifty looking LBJ straw in Milan:

http://www.millerhats.com/lbj_catalog/lbj.html

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Don't know if it's actually a Stetson or not, but Miller Hats has their very nifty looking LBJ straw in Milan:

http://www.millerhats.com/lbj_catalog/lbj.html

Now that should breathe!

 

[duggap]

Guys, those straw ORs look great. I have one question. Are they hot or do they let the air through. Dalton, Ga is just down the road and they have a hat shop in the mall that just sells the cowboy straws, but they have a nice selection. I am considering one but I want one that is not soooo hot.[huh]

 

[J.T.Marcus]

The Stetson doesn't feel hot, but your hair will be wet, when you take it off (on a hot day). The test for straw breathability is whether you can see through spaces in the crown (breathable). Of course, you don't want to be able to see any light through the brim (You need sun protection.). It's hard to find a hat that meets both criteria.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

I agree that the straw ORs are a bit warmer than you might expect but I think they are definitely cooler that felt. I don't wear mine a lot (not yet this summerin fact) so all I have is an older shot from my step-son's return from Iraq at Pendleton in 2007. I think they are nice hats but I prefer felt most any time of the year.

 

[tracyam]

Any other crease types?

So far, all the straw open roads I've seen are cattleman creases. How about a fedora type crease? From what I've gathered, these straw Stetsons cannot be reshaped with water like a Sunbody straw. I've changed my Sunbody hat several times by soaking it.
Also, what is the difference (if any) between straw ORs and Milan ORs?

 

[Doctor Strange]

Today's straw Open Road only comes with a cattleman crease - like the modern felt Open Road... and apparently, neither can be easily reshaped like the old-time ORs. (Even the straw Open Road I got back in the early 80s was stiff; the only modification I made to it was to flip down the front brim.)

However, Stetson makes a bunch of straw fedoras, some with thin ribbons. See the Quality Hats link earlier in this thread, or the various Stetson straws at Miller Hats:

http://www.millerhats.com/stetsondstraw_index/stetsonstraw.html

(I've got the Miller Stetson "Napa", and it's a swell hat.)

 

[carldelo]

On the less expensive side, there's the Stetson Retro, which people seem to like (doesn't come big enough for me though, so I don't have personal experience). Multiple vendors sell it for around 45-50 bucks.

 

[kidbri]

Quick note on the OR straw. (btw I luckily live within 20 miles of the St. Joseph outlet..recently bought a new OR ffur felt for a straight $100.) Anyway, I recently also purchased an Atwood Austin. It is clearly their version of the OR. The specs measure out the same. It's made of palmleaf and, from my understanding, would be easy to
reshape, including converting the crown from cattleman to teardrop. Here's where I got mine. http://www.renegadestores.com/istar...ubclass=5023&&pers=&err=Please+select+a+Size.

 

[RBH]

For a fedora style Open Road look, try the new milan Stetson Stratoliner.
While it is marked as a Stetson there is no Stratoliner marking
on the sweat. And the new airplane pin is easy

 

[Rick Blaine]

Hot as Haich E double hokey sticks today!

Quick note on the OR straw. (btw I luckily live within 20 miles of the St. Joseph outlet..recently bought a new OR ffur felt for a straight $100.) Anyway, I recently also purchased an Atwood Austin. It is clearly their version of the OR. The specs measure out the same. It's made of palmleaf and, from my understanding, would be easy to
reshape, including converting the crown from cattleman to teardrop. Here's where I got mine. http://www.renegadestores.com/istar...ubclass=5023&&pers=&err=Please+select+a+Size.

Howdy Kansas & a belated welcome!

That Atwood Austin sure looks the part.
The consensus here seems largely that palm (as opposed to Panama- a different palm fiber) is not light or cool enough for summer.
That said- folks living near the equator MUST know something about staying cool, eh?
I wonder if that model might take to extensive grommet vents? Fer ta' catch th' trade winds, mon.

 

[DougC]

Neat trick with a palm leaf is to pour cool water in the crown and swirl it around then put the hat on. The evaporation effect is great! Made the Texas folklife festival livable.

 

[kidbri]

Thanks for the nice welcome, Rick! I would have to say this palm style (I had another Atwood) is pretty darn cool. It breathes really well. Mine does have the grommet vents (I know some sites offer it without) and I like them for the reason it does let the wind flow. I'm up in the really windy part of the Northeast corner of KS and wind is STRONG....haven't lost it (or my Open Road..or any of my many hats) yet!