Zachariah Smith 70528 Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I like the looks of cowboy hats but don’t like the feeling of wearing a bump hat or hard hat. Do the stiff hats loosen up over time? I only wear crushable or palm straw hats now. I use electronic hearing muffs with over the top of head harness. Behind the neck style harness does not work for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorado Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 A properly fitted hat can be stiff and still be comfortable. But in my experience mine haven't loosened up, the one I wear the most is about 27 years old. If you purchase an over the shelf hat, get it fitted. It makes a big difference. I don't know if that helps or not, but just my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I like the looks of cowboy hats but don’t like the feeling of wearing a bump hat or hard hat. Do the stiff hats loosen up over time? I only wear crushable or palm straw hats now. I use electronic hearing muffs with over the top of head harness. Behind the neck style harness does not work for me. Only Classic Cowboy and B-Western require any kind of hat. Rest of the categories have no requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lead Ringer Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I like the looks of cowboy hats but don’t like the feeling of wearing a bump hat or hard hat. Do the stiff hats loosen up over time? I only wear crushable or palm straw hats now. I use electronic hearing muffs with over the top of head harness. Behind the neck style harness does not work for me. Hey I know you:-) how ya doing Zack? Lead Ringer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Adams 3674 Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 I like the looks of cowboy hats but don’t like the feeling of wearing a bump hat or hard hat. Do the stiff hats loosen up over time? I only wear crushable or palm straw hats now. I use electronic hearing muffs with over the top of head harness. Behind the neck style harness does not work for me. Depends on the hat. As a generality, modern western hats are made of thicker felt and have a stiffener applied to help hold the crease. In the old days, hats were made with thinner high quality fur felt, were sold "open crowned," and the buyer applied his own "bash" to the hat. A good quality fur felt (rabbit and/or beaver) will have thinner/lighter weight felt, and may soften up some, but I doubt you will ever get one that will allow you to wear hearing muffs over it! For that, the crushable may be your best bet. Unless you are shooting BW or CC, you could wear a cap appropriate to the period; a kepi or a newsboy style, for example. You could also pick up an old wide brim fedora (soft hat) and reshape it as a western . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pack Saddle Slim, SASS #73122 Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Pretty much what others have said. The higher quality beaver felt, the softer the hat to begin with. I abuse my hats...I mean, really abuse them. I wear them when I'm up in the mountains with the pack string, on roundups....in pelting rain, snow, hail, and blazing sun. It seems to me they soften up a little over the years after the rain and stuff has had the chance to the dilute the last or "stiffener" a bit. Of course, that could just be my observation. I don't believe even a good quality beaver hat, though, will be has soft as you want it. Good luck in your quest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Fill 'Em 67797 Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 I have this hat from Eddy Brothers, 100% wool felt. It's not stiff but still holds it's shape. It's light and comfortable. I don't like stiff hats either. Picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocent Bystander SASS #24171 Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Most likely, the "stiffness" you are feeling is a lacquer that hatters put into their hats to make the crown and brim keep their shape. You can get rid of some of the lacquer (make the hat softer) by soaking the hat with water, you will need to wear it till it's dry to make sure it doesn't shrink up smaller than your head, or by "burning" it out by keeping the hat out in the hot sun (I don't recommend this method as it takes a long time, as in a couple of months, and will surely shrink down the hat). But the bottom line is that if you have to wear over the head earmuffs, you will never get them to fit over a proper cowboy hat. bystander Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 A good quality hat will just never be as soft as a crusher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachariah Smith 70528 Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 Hey I know you:-) how ya doing Zack? Lead Ringer Not too bad Lead Ringer. Hope things are going well you and your Misses. I now have a better chance of finding a good SXS in this area:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachariah Smith 70528 Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 Thank you all for your help and ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tennessee Stud, SASS# 43634 Life Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Ya ever wonder why yore hat remains stiff... and certain anatomical appendages remain limp? Oh crap... the irony of life. ts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Hooker Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Ya ever wonder why yore hat remains stiff... and certain anatomical appendages remain limp? Oh crap... the irony of life. ts Stud... Does this mean you'll be changin' yer alias? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tennessee Stud, SASS# 43634 Life Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Stud... Does this mean you'll be changin' yer alias? Tennessee Dud. ts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Adams 3674 Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Well, there's always Viahatra..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.