The Open Road Guild

[Just Daniel]

Well here we are, 40s Vita-felt SportLite Open Road. Unreeded. Cheap, thin leather. Rather unimpressive felt. A sweet colors, though, and a great little marker in Stetson OpenRoad history.

(I tried using the apple to help my iPad work out whatever filters it needed to show the hat’s blue color)

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Well here we are, 40s Vita-felt SportLite Open Road. Unreeded. Cheap, thin leather. Rather unimpressive felt. A sweet colors, though, and a great little marker in Stetson OpenRoad history.

(I tried using the apple to help my iPad work out whatever filters it needed to show the hat’s blue color)

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Wow! That’s a gorgeous hat. I’ve only handled a few Vita-Felt hats and it hasn’t been my favorite felt, but this is a fantastic hat!

 

[M Hatman]

Well here we are, 40s Vita-felt SportLite Open Road. Unreeded. Cheap, thin leather. Rather unimpressive felt. A sweet colors, though, and a great little marker in Stetson OpenRoad history.

(I tried using the apple to help my iPad work out whatever filters it needed to show the hat’s blue color)

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WOW< WOW< WOW!!!! What a great find!!! Even if it did not fit me it would be a keeper....just for the mark in history.

 

[Frunobulax]

Well here we are, 40s Vita-felt SportLite Open Road. Unreeded. Cheap, thin leather. Rather unimpressive felt. A sweet colors, though, and a great little marker in Stetson OpenRoad history.

(I tried using the apple to help my iPad work out whatever filters it needed to show the hat’s blue color)

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Unicorns do exist.

 

[Just Daniel]

I went over the hat again and I think I am being too harsh on the felt quality. At the time Stetson Playboy hats were $5, Sport-Lite hats $6.50; Royal and 3X hats were $10 and $15.

The Sport Lite fits the price point, and it’s meant to be light. The felt is thinner and moldable and certainly lighter. I have another Sport Lite that is the same.

As for Vitafelt hats, I have Royal, Royal Stetson DeLuxe, 3X, and 7X hats with the Vitafelt stamps and I don’t perceive a change in quality other than that they (from the 40s) are better quality then the same level hats from the 50s but not quite as good as those from the 30s. Exactly what we’d expect.

I am a huge fan of the hat and the color, and at a loose 6 7/8, I’ll be wearing it as soon as I get it cleaned up and get some Pecards on the leather!

Buler posted some ads at this link that show the price points:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/life-magazine-stetson-ads.45485/

Wow! That’s a gorgeous hat. I’ve only handled a few Vita-Felt hats and it hasn’t been my favorite felt, but this is a fantastic hat!

 

[PDXHAT]

Sporting a CD ala Truman: pinch and brim up. I think this is my favorite bash to date. In praise of Campdrafts, giving me a "vintage" OR experience until the day I actually acquire an open crown one.

 

[hambone71]

Good evening, gents! Will a modern Stetson OR qualify for the Guild membership? I’ve owned this OR in Royal Deluxe for about a year now. Today was the first time I wore it to town. I was never satisfied with how the factory molded cattleman’s crease looked on me so it has been sitting in it’s box ever since it arrived. Well, this morning I put the kettle on the stove and made some steam. I slightly modified the crown by raising it just a tad. This also helped to widen the center crease up top. I liked the results as I felt it looked much better on me.

Before steam

Post modification

This is the only OR I’ve ever owned. I’ve never even touched a vintage OR felt of any quality so I have nothing to compare it to. What I can tell you is this Royal Deluxe quality is the softest, richest felt of any hat I own. It’s not my favorite hat but definitely the best feeling felt to my amateur fingers.

 

[PDXHAT]

Campdraft "OR Truman Pinch front brim up style," paired with my favorite weekend uniform--overalls!

 

[BobHufford]

5X Open Road. Any idea of the age (with this liner, sweat band and mixed USA and metric size tag)? 1980s?

 

[PDXHAT]

5X Open Road. Any idea of the age (with this liner, sweat band and mixed USA and metric size tag)? 1980s?

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The tag reminds me of a tag I had in an OR in the 90s.

 

[M Hatman]

5X Open Road. Any idea of the age (with this liner, sweat band and mixed USA and metric size tag)? 1980s?

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The real identifier is the sweat design, they used that for but a short time....I think late 80's to 1990 or so...

 

[BobHufford]

The tag reminds me of a tag I had in an OR in the 90s.

The real identifier is the sweat design, they used that for but a short time....I think late 80's to 1990 or so...

Thanks guys. I made note of that in the eBay listing.

 

[DaveProc]

Twenty-Five Open Road

 

[glider]

My strats look like strats, my open roads look like open roads. Strats don't make very good open roads and open roads don't make very good strats. And the picture to your left is not an open road or a stat!

 

[DaveProc]

My strats look like strats, my open roads look like open roads. Strats don't make very good open roads and open roads don't make very good strats. And the picture to your left is not an open road or a stat!

?

 

[Frunobulax]

?

Started early on the Jim Beam.

 

[DaveProc]

My strats look like strats, my open roads look like open roads. Strats don't make very good open roads and open roads don't make very good strats. And the picture to your left is not an open road or a stat!

These are about half of my Open Roads and Open Road clones.
The horror!!!! LOL

 

[Orvil Newton]

I just ordered a new Campdraft from David Morgan. Should be here in time for actual Spring

 

[deadlyhandsome]

?

You see, if you make tea out of certain mushrooms….

 

[glider]

These are about half of my Open Roads and Open Road clones.
The horror!!!! LOL View attachment 500500

oh my God, take it away!!!!!!!!!!!