THE SUNBODY ASSOCIATION

[trailrunner]

Anyone have a Sunbody with a wide hatband and the ribbon edging? Portolan's looks sharp, but I'm thinking that I might like a wider hatband.

 

[mikey517]

New to this board, but I've got this hat on order form a local New Jersey store
The 2-1/2" brim, Guatemalan fine palm. Tear Drop crease SunBody

Also, thanks for all the knowledge I've gotten here

 

[skyvue]

New to this board, but I've got this hat on order form a local New Jersey store
The 2-1/2" brim, Guatemalan fine palm. Tear Drop crease SunBody

That's the one I ordered directly from Sunbody yesterday -- I already received a UPS shipping notice today.

 

[jpbales]

I'm a long oval between 59 and 60, and mine's a 60. The Sunbody conforms very well, just soak it then wear it. It does snug up a tad the next time I wear it though, but no worries, just soak it again and it's good. Finding the right size can be a tough call.
Anyway, I took some pics of the sweatband. It seems to me to be made of cotton:

Oh yeah, those ribbons they put on some of the Sunbodys are pretty bad. I changed mine out once it came.

 

[Lefty]

Thanks for the photos.

 

[skyvue]

I received my Sunbody today, and I have a number of issues to solve (I could use the advice of someone here):

My first impression of it was how thick and stiff it is -- much more so than my other straw hat, which is a thin and pliable Panama from a company called Monterrey. In fact, I worry that the Sunbody is too thick for NYC summers (I perspire a lot in this humidity); it feels as though it might be hotter than a felt hat.

But I love the fact that it can be worn in the rain, so I would probably keep it -- except it's very tight on my head. I can push it down to its proper position, but it's a tight squeeze.

I'm a 61 extra-long oval so I usually buy 63's and pad the sides (that's what I did with my two Stylemasters, though my Sydney is a 62). But with this hat, there's very little room on the sides (a little, but not much), so even if I were to soak it and try to reshape it to my head, I have my doubts it would get much more comfortable.

I went with the advice of Scott at Sunbody, who told me a 62 would do, and I'm very disappointed to find it so snug.

Finally, it has almost no flange at all -- the brim is almost flat. I perhaps should have expected that, based on the pics at their web site, but sheesh -- it seems to me it's a lot easier to flatten a flanged brim than to add flange to a flat one, so what's the deal with all these hat makers sending out flat-brimmed hats?

What should I do? Send it back and get a 63? Try soaking it and see if I can get it to fit (the sweat band is much thicker than I imagined, which I guess is part of the problem)? Order a 63 (or even a 64) and sell this one to a Lounger?

I hate hat disappointment. I dream of the day I order one and find when it arrives that it's just what i was hoping for.

dang it...

 

[mikey517]

Uh - oh!!

That's the one I ordered, but I did it at a store that measured me. From everything I've read or heard about them, you can soak the Sunbody and form it the way you'd like.

I hope so, anyway....

 

[skyvue]

That's the one I ordered, but I did it at a store that measured me. From everything I've read or heard about them, you can soak the Sunbody and form it the way you'd like.

I've heard the same, but I'm not sure there's nearly enough extra room on the sides of the hat to reshape it comfortably. It is super snug. If I don't force it down, it perches comically high on my head.

And I have no idea how to uniformly add flange to the brim.

 

[jpbales]

I hate hat disappointment too!! That stinks about the size, I guess they underestimated the xtra-long oval of your head. You can probably sell it through the classifieds and get your money back, or you can try to return it for a larger size if that doesn't work out. If it's too tight now, and doesn't improve after soaking it a little, it's not ever going to get any better so you should definitely get a new one- in my opinion.
It's made of some kind of palm, not really straw, and it is indeed thicker and heavier than panama, but it's a lot tougher too. It gets remarkably, and suprisingly, pliable even with just a little water, so make sure you try to do that first.

I received my Sunbody today, and I have a number of issues to solve (I could use the advice of someone here):

My first impression of it was how thick and stiff it is -- much more so than my other straw hat, which is a thin and pliable Panama from a company called Monterrey. In fact, I worry that the Sunbody is too thick for NYC summers (I perspire a lot in this humidity); it feels as though it might be hotter than a felt hat.

But I love the fact that it can be worn in the rain, so I would probably keep it -- except it's very tight on my head. I can push it down to its proper position, but it's a tight squeeze.

I'm a 61 extra-long oval so I usually buy 63's and pad the sides (that's what I did with my two Stylemasters, though my Sydney is a 62). But with this hat, there's very little room on the sides (a little, but not much), so even if I were to soak it and try to reshape it to my head, I have my doubts it would get much more comfortable.

I went with the advice of Scott at Sunbody, who told me a 62 would do, and I'm very disappointed to find it so snug.

Finally, it has almost no flange at all -- the brim is almost flat. I perhaps should have expected that, based on the pics at their web site, but sheesh -- it seems to me it's a lot easier to flatten a flanged brim than to add flange to a flat one, so what's the deal with all these hat makers sending out flat-brimmed hats?

What should I do? Send it back and get a 63? Try soaking it and see if I can get it to fit (the sweat band is much thicker than I imagined, which I guess is part of the problem)? Order a 63 (or even a 64) and sell this one to a Lounger?

I hate hat disappointment. I dream of the day I order one and find when it arrives that it's just what i was hoping for.

dang it...

 

[skyvue]

Thanks. i've got it packed back up for returning (but not yet sealed). I'll give them a call tomorrow and see what they say (they definitely take returns, that I know -- I just didn't want to go through the hassle and expense).

But they might not want me fooling with the hat too much if I'm likely to send it back, eventually.

I just have to decide whether to get a 64 or maybe even a 64.

I wonder if they can add some flange to the brim (though the way they pack it for shipping would tend, I think, to flatten out the brim, so it might be pointless).

Nice to to hear it gets more pliable with some work and water -- this is by FAR the stiffest hat I've ever held, aside from a straw boater.

It's also not as high a crown as I'd like.

 

[scottyrocks]

RBH, I need your expertise.

A short while back, you posted a photo of yourself in a brown straw with a high crown and very tight pinch. I love that hat. In your opinion, which Sunbody would give me the ability to shape it like the hat of yours I referenced? Would the $36 on-sale fedora do it? It looks tall enough in the picture, but you probably know better than I. Thanks.

 

[CRH]

RBH, I need your expertise.

A short while back, you posted a photo of yourself in a brown straw with a high crown and very tight pinch. I love that hat. In your opinion, which Sunbody would give me the ability to shape it like the hat of yours I referenced? Would the $36 on-sale fedora do it? It looks tall enough in the picture, but you probably know better than I. Thanks.

FWIW, I'm ordering the 3 1/2 in. brim with the 5 3/4 in. open crown. Enough crown for fondling and enough brim to protect my (hopefully not red) neck .

 

[RBH]

RBH, I need your expertise.

A short while back, you posted a photo of yourself in a brown straw with a high crown and very tight pinch. I love that hat. In your opinion, which Sunbody would give me the ability to shape it like the hat of yours I referenced? Would the $36 on-sale fedora do it? It looks tall enough in the picture, but you probably know better than I. Thanks.

If you want that much brim you can get close enough with that one.
It may cost a little extra but I would call them and ask what it would be to get one with ...say a 2 7\8s brim and at least a 6 inch open crown.
I do know with that you can 'get' the look that my Peters Brothers milan has.

The folk at SunBody are great and I think they will work with you on what you want... If you are ordering a hat you will not even be out the call, just ask and if they can do what you want order. Otherwise go ahead and order the other hat!!
GOOD LUCK and let us know if they can help you.

 

[CRH]

..
I do know with that you can 'get' the look that my Peters Brothers milan has.

...

Since I'm to lazy to search do you by any chance have a link to a pic of that hat?

 

[RBH]

Since I'm to lazy to search do you by any chance have a link to a pic of that hat?

the shot in the link would not show up but here is a photo.

hope this helps...

 

[CRH]

the shot in the link would not show up but here is a photo.

hope this helps...

Oh, shoot :eusa_doh:, I was look'n for a straw hat lol.

... but while we're at it, the crown height looks good - need more brim. I gotta protect my neck in a t-shirt.

 

[jpbales]

I bet when you call them, they're going to tell you to try to wet it. I know it seems really stiff, but as soon as that water soaks in a bit, it gets soft like felt under steam, then when it dries it holds a bash even better than felt. I'm sure you can fix that flat brim as well, just wet it, mold it, and hold it in place while it dries. Of course, if the size is waaaay off anyway, then all that is moot anyway.[huh]

Thanks. i've got it packed back up for returning (but not yet sealed). I'll give them a call tomorrow and see what they say (they definitely take returns, that I know -- I just didn't want to go through the hassle and expense).

But they might not want me fooling with the hat too much if I'm likely to send it back, eventually.

I just have to decide whether to get a 64 or maybe even a 64.

I wonder if they can add some flange to the brim (though the way they pack it for shipping would tend, I think, to flatten out the brim, so it might be pointless).

Nice to to hear it gets more pliable with some work and water -- this is by FAR the stiffest hat I've ever held, aside from a straw boater.

It's also not as high a crown as I'd like.

 

[skyvue]

I don't know -- I haven't found it easy to get a nice even flange on the back half of the brim of any of my hats, if they didn't come that way. Nice to hear it'll soften up, though.

But yeah, the size is just not fixable, I fear. I suspect I'll be returning it and reordering in a larger size.

 

[RBH]

Oh, shoot :eusa_doh:, I was look'n for a straw hat lol.

... but while we're at it, the crown height looks good - need more brim. I gotta protect my neck in a t-shirt.

It is a straw... its a milan from Peters Brothers in Texas.

 

[jsecunda]

Peter Bros Milan?

HI RBH- I, too, love the hat in your avatar. Is that the Peter Bros. Milan you are referring to? If so, I can't find it on their site. Does Peter Bros. make it, or is it under one of the other liens they carry? How "tough" is it under summer conditions? (Peter Bros have no search function, unfortunately.........).
Thanks-
js