Stetson Fashion Collection 1940s Stratoliner Fur Felt Fedora Hat

[handlebar bart]

He has committed to remedy the situation totally.

It's too bad it happened but it is encouraging that he stepped up so quick to make it right, and I hope you are happy with the outcome. It is a good thing he is a presence on this site.

 

[RBH]

He has committed to remedy the situation totally.

Does that also include a taller crown?

 

[Lefty]

He has committed to remedy the situation totally.

What does that entail? Paying all of the shipping expenses is one thing, and might well cover thefedorastore.com as a place that just forwards boxes from HatCo, but HatCo has just proven for the umpteenth time that it will sell a hat and/or re-issue a famous model without any attention to the details that make vintage/the original model a favorite (see also, 2010 Whippet thread), that quality doesn't matter (seriously, a broken pin? I'd need to use pliers to break the old TWA pin.), and that quality control is a disaster. I don't see how sending a new hat out helps to mitigate the damage HatCo continues to do to the Stetson name.

This isn't just ragging on the new Stetsons. I'd like to see HatCo succeed, and re-establish the name as worth a damn among anyone who knows dress hats. At this point, Art's prices have (quite understandably) risen, opening up a wider price range at which it makes sense for a buyer to go with a factory hat over a custom. [I know that Art and HatCo aren't in direct competition.] At one point, a $200 factory hat made no sense to me, as it was 2/3 of the way to a VS. Now, with greater distance between factory and custom, a $200-250 factory hat makes more sense and, at that price, should be of pretty great quality. From what I've read on the Lounge Akubra order thread, that company has stepped up nicely to provide a quality product, at a good price, while showing that it's interested in what people who wear their hats have to say - and they're in Australia! I realize that HatCo needs to sell to a wide audience, but why bother with a "throwback" clearly marketed to a limited audience if you're not going to get it right?

You deserve something better than a simple replacement of the new Strat.
See if they'll pay for your Heritage Akubra.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Does that also include a taller crown?

:flame: Oooohhh man, well said! :arated:

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Hatco must know that the standard for such iconic hats is way different than just the average run of the mill hat. The Wippet, Open Road and Statoliner are ICON hats to those you know hats and WEAR them. An people get crazy with the details. I would not even pick up a cheap hat with that type of wavy felt action going on. I have put cloth hats that I wear to work back on the rack at Dillards that looked like that. Let a lone a 178 dollar hat. I am really glad now I have the Camp Craft coming. I really hope they get their act together and ship quality stuff. There is a market for a good quality hat in that price range not everyone can afford a custom hat.

 

[RBH]

....

(note, the bottom of the pin is stamped "707")

I just noticed.. one of Marcos's engines has fallen off...

 

[gtdean48]

I just noticed.. one of Marcos's engines has fallen off...

Looks like same left wing as mine. Duane at The Fedora Store said he was getting some replacements from HatCo.

I have to agree with Lefty in that HatCo simply slapped a label on a lid with little attempt to have the features that make a Stratoliner attractive to folks.
This crown & brim are very close to the Pinnacle I have, except the edge is bound & the band is like an Open Road. The crown is low & tapered, something NEVER part of the original Strat.
It is like getting a cheaply made car & slapping an iconic label like Nova on it....wait that did happen & it was a FAILURE!!!

 

[Neophyte]

Will you keep it?

I myself would ask for a total refund. Why buy a Stratoliner if it's going to look little different than Stetson's usual run-of-the-mill tapered teardrop?

 

[marcoshark]

guys,
Well, the real 707 could maintain level flight with only one engine... With the gang going to TX, and how fast the Stetson rep got to gtdean, I am going to wait and see how Hatco decides to resolve these issues. I already have a couple of fine original examples of the Strat., I decided to pull the trigger on the new one just as a lark. I'd like to think that you guys here had more than a little hand in the reintroduction of this icon. I am a little bit miffed at the fact that the 707 pin was not what we expected, but I usually put my own pin on my lids anyway. But this one hat, I really wanted it to be good.

 

[marcoshark]

It almost seems to me that that they looked at some pictures and just did cosmetic changes to whatever they had that was closest to make it seem like a Stratoliner. The first thing I noticed right out of the box was that crown was a bit tapered. That threw up a little red flag. the second thing was the look of the felt. There has been tons of discussion around here about "Silver Belly", so I knew what I was getting, but while the felt is firm, it's the color and texture conformity that have little issues with.

Looks like same left wing as mine. Duane at The Fedora Store said he was getting some replacements from HatCo.

I have to agree with Lefty in that HatCo simply slapped a label on a lid with little attempt to have the features that make a Stratoliner attractive to folks.
This crown & brim are very close to the Pinnacle I have, except the edge is bound & the band is like an Open Road. The crown is low & tapered, something NEVER part of the original Strat.
It is like getting a cheaply made car & slapping an iconic label like Nova on it....wait that did happen & it was a FAILURE!!!

 

[Neophyte]

That was my impression as well. It seems as if they took one of their standard models, gave it a different color, a thin ribbon, slapped a 707 pin on it and called it a Stratoliner. Disappointing, to say the least.

 

[rlk]

Is it an Open Road on the standard dress block or did they use lighter felt? Seems they could use the open crown block of the Nostalgia, OR or even Temple and have a far closer result.

 

[carldelo]

That was my impression as well. It seems as if they took one of their standard models, gave it a different color, a thin ribbon, slapped a 707 pin on it and called it a Stratoliner. Disappointing, to say the least.

I have to agree. Based on the white lining, it appears to be Royal quality rather than Sovereign, as well, which is not good given the price point.

 

[gtdean48]

The open crown height should be nothing LESS than 5 1/2" but for me it should be 5 3/4" to reflect a 1940s to 1950s style hat.
This is a LAME attempt to exploit a historical model with a pure labeling move instead of a true re-issue.
Colt went & reissued the Peacemaker & the parts were interchangeable with the originals.
When Indian motorcycles came back out, they slapped badges & fat fenders on an existing V-twin & the motorcycle enthusiasts blasted it.
This just shows me that neither HatCo nor The Fedora Store are really reading what goes on in the Lounge but trying to extract some $$$ as cheaply as they can.
I think the term I used above is accurate = EXPLOITING.....

 

[gtdean48]

...

You deserve something better than a simple replacement of the new Strat.
...

I think WE deserve something BETTER! The post on The Fedora Store Website specifically mentioned the Stratoliner Society. HatCo has an employee that IS a Lounger.
To come out with this offering for such a revered model that they claimed to be well aware of goes beyond disappointing!

We are FREE marketing research for them! To know what we LIKE about a lid & come in this low below the bar is inexcusable!

I will keep the replacement to this hat like I kept the Road Master that I bought to check out.

To do right by The Fedora Lounge & the Stratoliner Society who I feel they have slapped in the face, they should reissue the Stratoliner using an acceptable block = 5 3/4" straight sided open crown, & take back in an even swap these atrocities! JMHO

 

[Neophyte]

Damn. Straight.

 

[T Rick]

GTDean, sorry to see the disappointment, both in specific quality (lack of) and the model in general. They sure did pick the wrong guy to send a messed up hat to! I agree, a positive review from you would have instantly sold several more.

Now from this thread, it looks like most of us weren't really expecting an accurate reproduction of the original Strats. I think we all suspected it would be a modern "interpretation" of the classic.

Yet I don't get it, why can't they see what folks want, and why don't they give it a try? Shouldn't be all that difficult to reproduce the key elements that made a Stratoliner a Stratoliner (or a Whippet a Whippet).

They should have a look at the history of folks like the Fender Musical Instrument Company. They've done much in the last 20+ years by reissueing examples of earlier models. While the new ones aren't exact, they've brought back enough elements from the originals (to include many materials, structure, profiles and finishes) to make them a desireable (far less expensive) alternative for those who can't obtain an original example. Could this be so difficult to do with hats?

 

[handlebar bart]

Hatco should go on ebay and buy some non-tapered hatblocks

 

[carldelo]

They should have a look at the history of folks like the Fender Musical Instrument Company. They've done much in the last 20+ years by reissueing examples of earlier models. While the new ones aren't exact, they've brought back enough elements from the originals (to include many materials, structure, profiles and finishes) to make them a desireable (far less expensive) alternative for those who can't obtain an original example. Could this be so difficult to do with hats?

Another good example is the Mini Cooper - a very good modern reinterpretation of a classic. If I wanted a vintage Mini (or Strat) I would just wait until a good one showed up on the vintage market. I don't have a problem buying a modern version of a classic (I have a new Mini), but the manufacturer has to do some real work to make sure it's a good product.

 

[gtdean48]

I want to be VERY CLEAR that I am confident the quality issues are being & will be addressed. My issues from here on are about the design & business decisions that gave us this offering bearing a cherished name PLUS the direct association of the Lounge & the Strat Society with it on website marketing copy!