Stetson Temples vs Rain

[Blackthorn]

I have heard a lot about Stetson Temples falling apart or losing their color in rain (or high humidity) over the last six months, so yesterday we had a rain storm here and I put the Temple to the test. Here is a picture of it:

It wasn't a huge soaking because the storm was less than expected, but as you can see, it got wet, and I can testify that if it was powder dyed, they did a good job, as the color didn't "rub off" as I had heard. Today it looks brand new, after being worn in the rain yesterday. I think Stetson has improved their product.

 

[ScottF]

OUCH!

Man, I'm starting to feel like I did that time I had 3 barley wines at my local.

 

[avedwards]

Hopefully you are right, but I look forward to hearing back from you after a few more rain exposures. My Chatham was permanently spotted after a similar rain, and after it dried, I was able to rub dye off easily when I tried to re-crease. So it looks like you might have gotten lucky.

I know we compared our Chathams on another thread, but for the benefit of others: mine didn't bleed or taper. It's still more or less a similar colour to what it started off as. The colour is not quite as even as it once was, but it's still there and the same grey all around (it's sort of mottled but not very much). The only damage it took was to the brim which is no longer as smooth as it was and would ideally need flanging but in my case all I can do is reshape it with steam.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Any more modern Stetson rain stories?

 

[Doctor Strange]

As I've said here a bunch of times, I've had a caribou Temple since 2002. It's been through lots of rain and snow... and the color has never run, and it is still still holding its shape just fine.

It's currently been sidelined by the dark grey Stylemaster I got last winter, but it's a great hat. In my experience, it stands up to the elements without problems.

 

[Fedora]

I have rain stories that involve 3 Temples I bought around 1992 or so. I wore mine in the rain, as I normally would any hat. But, mine got alot wetter than the pic posted above of the Temple. That's not WET!!

Ok, when I got mine really wet, the finishing or leuring powder bled out, and I was left with a badly mottled hat. This happened to all 3.

Now, what I do like about the finishing power is this. It yields a fantastic color finish, very even in color all over the hat. And, this is something that is a very old technique. You can read about it in the hatting book printed originally in 1919.

But, use an umbrella if you are wearing one in the rain. Now, they may have changed since I owned mine. Perhaps they no longer use the powder? But, in a light rain, and you are only in it for a run to the car, you should have no problem with bleeding, as this happens when you get the hat totally wet, and after it stops repelling the water. Up until that time, you should not suffer any loss of powder. Somewhere I have pics of my own, after the bleeding, but no scanner today to scan them, IF I could even find them. These days I have gone digital in the camera deal. Ain't those little cameras mighty handy? Fedora

 

[avedwards]

I have rain stories that involve 3 Temples I bought around 1992 or so. I wore mine in the rain, as I normally would any hat. But, mine got alot wetter than the pic posted above of the Temple. That's not WET!!

Ok, when I got mine really wet, the finishing or leuring powder bled out, and I was left with a badly mottled hat. This happened to all 3.

Now, what I do like about the finishing power is this. It yields a fantastic color finish, very even in color all over the hat. And, this is something that is a very old technique. You can read about it in the hatting book printed originally in 1919.

But, use an umbrella if you are wearing one in the rain. Now, they may have changed since I owned mine. Perhaps they no longer use the powder? But, in a light rain, and you are only in it for a run to the car, you should have no problem with bleeding, as this happens when you get the hat totally wet, and after it stops repelling the water. Up until that time, you should not suffer any loss of powder. Somewhere I have pics of my own, after the bleeding, but no scanner today to scan them, IF I could even find them. These days I have gone digital in the camera deal. Ain't those little cameras mighty handy? Fedora

In the modern Stetson thread it was suggested that Stetson has improved their dress hats within the last ten years or so. That would suggest that your Temples wouldn't be as good as the OP's one.

 

[Fedora]

In the modern Stetson thread it was suggested that Stetson has improved their dress hats within the last ten years or so. That would suggest that your Temples wouldn't be as good as the OP's one.

And that would be great news! Glad to hear it. I don't get out much. Fedora

 

[ScottF]

In the modern Stetson thread it was suggested that Stetson has improved their dress hats within the last ten years or so. That would suggest that your Temples wouldn't be as good as the OP's one.

I guess the Chatham I bought in March (of this year) must be REALLY old stock

Glad to hear there are some great modern Stetson stories, sorry to hear there are a few disaster stories, but it's good we have a forum like this where people can be forewarned of the possible results.

Also good that we have the Akubra threads where you can read about alternatives.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I've seen a few times the dye that they use for Caribou (I have no idea why they call it that) turning from gray to a pink tinge... I know this from one gray I had and a friend of mine's current hat of, of which I'll try to snag some photos. Anyone else have this experience?


Caribou \/ I don't see pink or gray in that animal... yet.... I may just be looking in the wrong places.

 

[ScottF]

I've seen a few times the dye that they use for Caribou (I have no idea why they call it that) turning from gray to a pink tinge... I know this from one gray I had and a friend of mine's current hat of, of which I'll try to snag some photos. Anyone else have this experience?


Caribou \/ I don't see pink or gray in that animal... yet.... I may just be looking in the wrong places.

Interesting - mine is 'caribou', according to Byrnie Utz, but it's more of a brown color. I looked under the sweatband for the first time, but no indication of color; however, it did say that it was inspected personally by Mr. N.Hughes "Hope you like it", and dated 11/10/08. Must have been one of those 4:55pm inspections.

 

[carldelo]

I guess the Chatham I bought in March (of this year) must be REALLY old stock

Glad to hear there are some great modern Stetson stories, sorry to hear there are a few disaster stories, but it's good we have a forum like this where people can be forewarned of the possible results.

Also good that we have the Akubra threads where you can read about alternatives.

Scott, I can't tell - did you have a good or bad experience with a Chatham?

Re: modern Stetsons:

My Chatham has some brim rippling issues akin to Avedwards. I plan to have it bound if I can get it together to pick a color and a hatter. Luckily I prefer bound or welted brims to begin with.

My two Ashlands (basically a Downs hat with an underwelt brim) have zero rippling problems. None of the three have had color problems, all purchased within the last 3 years.

My new Brewster appears to be of higher quality than these three, time will tell about the color, but the brim binding should prevent rippling.

PS - I meant to emphasize that I wear my hats in the rain regularly and don't baby them.

PPS - I agree that calling medium gray 'caribou' is a bit odd.

 

[avedwards]

Caribou \/ I don't see pink or gray in that animal... yet.... I may just be looking in the wrong places.

It's a very vague connection, but that animal has awsome antlers, and carribou is an awsome colour. So both the colour and the creature have awsomeness in common? [huh]

 

[carldelo]

It's a very vague connection, but that animal has awsome antlers, and carribou is an awsome colour. So both the colour and the creature have awsomeness in common? [huh]

Seems reasonable. However, I note that gray wolf are a natural predator of caribou, so maybe Stetson Caribou is based on the coat of a gray wolf that's lately been dining on caribou...

 

[Blackthorn]

But, mine got alot wetter than the pic posted above of the Temple. That's not WET!!

You're exactly right, and the pic is to make it clear the level of moisture that was (and was not) there. But it is a fair comparison to "sweaty hands" or "high humidity" causing the color to bleed onto the hands or run down one's back as they were this hat. If this particular hat were susceptible to that, this degree of moisture would have shown that. So far so good.

Ok, when I got mine really wet, the finishing or leuring powder bled out, and I was left with a badly mottled hat. This happened to all 3.

But, use an umbrella if you are wearing one in the rain.

Exactly. I learned a lot from a long post you wrote on another forum about waterproofing hats if they are to be worn in the rain. None of these hats were meant to be worn as "rain hats." But they also shouldn't fall apart in a little rain.

So the research continues.

 

[avedwards]

Seems reasonable. However, I note that gray wolf are a natural predator of caribou, so maybe Stetson Caribou is based on the coat of a gray wolf that's lately been dining on caribou...

Or perhaps because the mountains in the background are grey? Carribou grey therefore being based on the colour of the carribou's environment.

 

[Fedoraadorer]

I have had a Stetson Firenze for about a month. It went through one pretty serious rain and looks great. There have also been several very misty days and it still looks fine. I love the hat. I got it for 50 dollars at a closeout and it was a great purchase.

 

[Dewhurst]

Thanks for the report, Blackthorn.

 

[Blackthorn]

Thanks for the report, Blackthorn.

You're very welcome, Dewhurst.

 

[Insp. Bumstead]

Hi blackthorn, while I don't doubt your experience with the your Temple, I have a modern Stetson Downs which did not hold up nearly so well. I was caught by a flash rain while walking through a parking lot, perhaps 20 second of heavy rain total. This was enough to make the brim curl up like a pringles chip. I was able to kind of fix it with steam, but it still has visible ripples in the brim. I did not notice any color rubbing off the hat at the time but there is now a small pinkish discoloration on the crown.