Matt Deckard
Man of Action
- Messages
- 10,045
Either way, Optimo makes a quality hat.
I treat my Graphite like a red headed step child. It's taken the abuse for several months now and this Half beaver and half nutria doesn't slouch in the rain like all my other brand modern hats have. It gets softer and softer... to me that is a benefit. I've seen Optimo take flak for their light weights, though people seem to forget that that is only half their sales... they do sell heavyweight hats you know.
Light weight hats have their place and the demand for them is strong.
I actually preffer lightweight over heavyweight.
As for smoothness... some of those Cheap Stetsons are pretty darn smooth, though I wouldn't buy another one unless it were 20 bucks or less. The real determiner to whether a hat is good or not is not in the finish, but in the wear.
The only heavy duty complaint I have seen for the top notch makers (aside from slouching) is tapering. Whether it be Optimo, Gary White, GH, Akubra, or whatever I have seen reviews for all of them that complain about taper and need of reblock. If this pre-blocking procedure can cure that and make the hats as resiliant as vintage I'm next in line for one of those Toffee hats.
Joseph C. Brandstetter
I treat my Graphite like a red headed step child. It's taken the abuse for several months now and this Half beaver and half nutria doesn't slouch in the rain like all my other brand modern hats have. It gets softer and softer... to me that is a benefit. I've seen Optimo take flak for their light weights, though people seem to forget that that is only half their sales... they do sell heavyweight hats you know.
Light weight hats have their place and the demand for them is strong.
I actually preffer lightweight over heavyweight.
As for smoothness... some of those Cheap Stetsons are pretty darn smooth, though I wouldn't buy another one unless it were 20 bucks or less. The real determiner to whether a hat is good or not is not in the finish, but in the wear.
The only heavy duty complaint I have seen for the top notch makers (aside from slouching) is tapering. Whether it be Optimo, Gary White, GH, Akubra, or whatever I have seen reviews for all of them that complain about taper and need of reblock. If this pre-blocking procedure can cure that and make the hats as resiliant as vintage I'm next in line for one of those Toffee hats.
Joseph C. Brandstetter