Cheap Cowboy Hat

[Delmonico]

Good pictures Pancho, I see a lot of diversity there, as I said before hats are very personal and what works for one does not work for others, heck if we all wore the same type hat we'd be no better than the CMT crowd.

[James Hunt]

Del: Once again, the original question referred to ubiquity and economy - not individuality. Think, "what has a broad range of use and is cheap"?

I recognize if not defer to your extensive experience past and present. Quite honestly I do value your information and often look forward to your posts, my only criticism of you (and it is not relevant to this topic) is your past tendency towards pontification without footnotes. I like to know how you know otherwise how do I know you know? I'm sure you have them, use them.

But regarding this topic, the humor of this confrontation has waned, rancor is raising its head, so the rhetorical repartee ends now.

You have the last word my friend.

[DarbyFett]

What are you thoughts on this hat?

http://riverjunction.com/catalog/hats/scout.html

I was going to get wool, but you mention wool softening when wet. But the 10x would eat up most of my gift certificate.

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[Delmonico]

Nice looking hat, the fur blend should last most folks for years, wools generally don't. 

I've got a 4X Rodeo King thats 13 years old, been worn hard, been through rain, hail and snow, 100+ temps, still ain't in bad shape, was worn almost daily for 6-7 years.  I am lucky to get a year out of a wool wearing it like that, even if I keep out of the rain.

Should take a picture of it, needs a good cleaning and reblocked, sweat band is a bit loose, needs a bit of resewing.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

What are you thoughts on this hat?

http://riverjunction.com/catalog/hats/scout.html

I was going to get wool, but you mention wool softening when wet. But the 10x would eat up most of my gift certificate.

Darby,

Wool hats are more economic, but no great long term investements.  They will soften and shrink if worn in the rain.  Also, in my experience they tend to shrink slightly over time.

Beaver felt is much more durable and handles moisture much better.

If you buy the wool hat and you plan to stay in cowboy action shooting for some time, very likely you will be headed back to the store at some point to replace the wool with a felt hat.

Pancho

[Texas Lawdog]

Texas Jacks in Fredricksburg has the same looking hat in Sand for 77.95. I ordered one and it should here this week. It should be along the lines of the Boss of the Plains. I don't plan on wearing it, other than NCOWS. so it should last a long time.

[Delmonico]

Darby,



Beaver felt is much more durable and handles moisture much better.

Any hat that is made of rabbit, hare or nutria fur is good, it will hold up in rain fairly well.  Few hats under $300-400 contain any real amount of beaver fur.

Also on of the most common ways folks ruin hats is to leave them locked in a vehicle in the sun in the summer.  The high heat softens the shellac and they take on weird shapes, depending on how they are tossed on the dash or seats.  This is especially bad with wool felts since it takes a lot  more stiffener to hold their shape.

[kflach]

I've heard of rabbits, hares, beavers, buffalos, lions & tigers & bears (oh my!) but what is a nutria?

[St. George]

A rat with serious aquatic skills...

They're most common in the South - you see them around canals and marshes and such.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[kflach]

Thanks!

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

I've heard of rabbits, hares, beavers, buffalos, lions & tigers & bears (oh my!) but what is a nutria?

It's related to the jackalope, but usually found further east (true jackalope ranges being in the far west and southwest).

[kflach]

Both Jackalopes and snipes are native to my part of the country (Texas). Hmmm. Maybe I should look for a snipe fur hat...

[Texas Lawdog]

Kevin, You're a fast learner!

[Delmonico]

http://www.nutria.com/site.php

Nutria fur is better than rabbit or hare, but not as good as beaver for hats, also in the past mink and muskrat were used and still may be to some extent, if one could really find out what this "fur blend" hat you are buying is.  Not easy always, to drag it out of the makers. Notice the good fur is from aquatic animals, as I explain to folks when I'm steering them away from a wool felt, "ever seen a wet sheep?

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

Both Jackalopes and snipes are native to my part of the country (Texas). Hmmm. Maybe I should look for a snipe fur hat...

Allegedly, snipes are common in my neck 'o the woods, as well (Tennessee).  However, I spent a long night on a hill during a boy scout camporee many years ago without so much as a glimpse of a snipe.  Unfortunately, one of our hunting party disappeared that night  and it's rumored that he's still in a holler somewhere, waiting for his snipe.

/threadjack

[Texas Lawdog]

JD, That's a good possibility. Some folks say, "If there hadn't been a Tennessee, There wouldn't have been a Texas".  Tenn. and UT both have orange and white as school colors! Co-Incidence?

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

JD, That's a good possibility. Some folks say, "If there hadn't been a Tennessee, There wouldn't have been a Texas".  Tenn. and UT both have orange and white as school colors! Co-Incidence?

T for Texas, T for Tennessee!

During my visit to the Alamo, I was proud to see many of my native brothers remembered there.

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

In order to partially make up for derailing this fine thread, which contains a lot of good info, I thought I'd throw out another possibility for inexpensive lids:

http://www.blockaderunner.com/

Although their period wear is the War Between the States, they have some straws and felts that would pass muster as authentic western wear.  Check out the hat page.  I've been to their store, which is near Wartrace, where my club shoots, and the hats look fine for budget clothing.

[Delmonico]

I like the straws they have, real straw hats are hard to find, although palm leafs are period.

All the felts are wool only and most are in my opinion a bit high for a wool felt in price.  The ones they have for in the $30-35 range are Bailey brand and very low quality. 

But at least they have stuff that is different, and it will work as long as you wear them just once in a while and avoid any rain.

[Delmonico]

It's related to the jackalope, but usually found further east (true jackalope ranges being in the far west and southwest).

JD, Jackalopes are what us no goods down south of the Medicine Line make hats out of we try to sell in Tejas.