Borsalino Traveler

[Python]

Greetings,

In searching for a new hat, I ran across this forum ... wow, what a great forum this is!

My wife and I recently took a weeks vacation in Estes Park, CO. When we decided to hike around, I remembered that I didn't have a hat with me. Being 50 and lacking in the hair department, I really need a hat when I'm in the sun.

We began to shop all the hat stores in the area. I couldn't find anything I liked. Either the hats were too dressy or too cowboy for what I was looking for. I did see some "Indy" hats and considered getting one, but that just isn't quite my style.

I finally gave up. When we got home, I began searching the Internet for the right hat. What I wanted was a fedora that turned up in the back and down in the front ... but something a little casual looking.

What I decided on was a fedora that had a 2 1/2" brim (not too big, not too small) with a leather hat band which I figured that would give it more of a casual look. I really like fedoras. I think I was the only person to wear a fedora in High School (back in the early 70's).

I found what I thought would be the perfect hat for this occasion. It's called the Borsalino Traveler.

http://www.noggintops.com/cgi-bin/w...7&p_catid=&sid=9fIMQs1FY7vA6C7-46105314972.d6

After reading this forum, I get the impression that Borsalino hats aren't that great anymore. I don't want to pay $160 for a crappy hat. I can get a crappy hat for $40.

Does anyone have knowledge of this hat? Any recommendations?

Thanks for any advise,
Jim

(They say you can fold this hat up but I don't plan on doing that.)

 

[fedoralover]

Your accessment is correct, it's a crappy hat for $160. Akubra makes a wide assortment of fedora's that may be the style that you want. Here's a link to a reputable online company that many here have bought hats from. See the post on the Akubra Squatter, as it is a decent hat along with the CEO, The Fedora, and the Akubra Federation.

http://hatsdirect.com/cgi/products.cgi?group=Fedora+Hats

Other than that, if you know your size, ebay is a great place to look if you are patient for the right one to come up.

fedoralover

 

[MK]

.

Fedoralover just beat me to it. I think an Akubra will fit the bill....or brim you a looking for. They are in Australia, but they have lightning fast shipping.

 

[Prairie Shade]

A mans preference for a certain type or style of hat is really a personal thing, we're all a little different. I prefer a really soft, taller crown hat, lined, with a nice sweatband. Ribbon, ???, I'm flexible. By the time you lay any Akubra hat into your hands, you'll have $120.00 invested, at least. You'll have a firm tough felt which will stand up to the elements fairly well (I own 4 at this time including a Federation). You won't have a soft felt hat, such as the vintage hats were. Thats the trade off as I see it. If your patient, and have a fairly normal (?) headsize, Ebay will definately prove a good source. By the way, did you order the Traveler, if so, then I have to say congratulations. If not, for the 160.00, you can find some nice hats (vintage or new) and have some change left. May I suggest you look at Miller Hats for new. I am very happy with my Guerra hat I recently purchased from their Italian Line. There are also some custom (?) hatters whose names you will see here from time to time. They run a little higher than shelf hats. Maybe good for your next, and yes there will be a next, and another next, etc. Ask my wife!!!!! She just gave me the go ahead to purchase a Borsalino on ebay with the caveat that it be my last (for a while).

 

[Python]

Thanks for the replies guys,

I looked at http://hatsdirect.com, Miller Hats, and just about every other hatter on the Internet. I've literally spent 20 hours searching the Internet for the "perfect" hat.

I haven't bought the Traveler yet. I was just about to buy it when I ran into this forum and began reading. My problem is, the Traveler is exactly what I've been looking for (as far as color and appearance goes). I just don't want to spend a lot of money on a hat to end up being disappointed.

What I like about the Traveler is:

1) It's black with a brown leather band
2) It has a approx a 2 1/2" brim
3) It can be worn with the back of the brim up and front down.
4) Crown height is approx 3 7/8" front, 4.5" sides, 4" rear.
5) It's appearance is such that I could wear it with jeans and a jean jacket
or with a dress leather jacket.
6) I has the Tear Drop Crown shape.

I don't care anything about the fact that they claim that the hat can be folded. I just like the colors and style. I also want a soft hat. Most of the hats I have tried on were very uncomfortable to wear.

Is there a better hat that meets this criteria or am I another looking for my perfect hat that doesn't exist ... at least a quality hat that will last.


Jim

 

[Prairie Shade]

Well, I think if it meets your criteria, then after all its your hat!!!! Can you look at it in person, try it on, feel it etc??? If so and you like it, I suppose you could do a lot worse. If you dont drink, smoke, or chew, then welcome to your new addiction! My two cents: Dont worry about crown shape, you can shape a crown to the way you like it. Brim up or down; Any nice hat with a large enough brim (2 1/2 is plenty) can be snapped any direction you want it, its your personal style. Like you, give me SOFT FLEXIBLE FELT anyday. Be sure and let us all see your final decision(and your opinion!!!). PS I got my Borsalino, I'll see if the size was represented correctly this time. Otherwise, I may have a deal for YOU!!!!

 

[Python]

Well, I think if it meets your criteria, then after all its your hat!!!! Can you look at it in person, try it on, feel it etc??? If so and you like it, I suppose you could do a lot worse. If you dont drink, smoke, or chew, then welcome to your new addiction! My two cents: Dont worry about crown shape, you can shape a crown to the way you like it. Brim up or down; Any nice hat with a large enough brim (2 1/2 is plenty) can be snapped any direction you want it, its your personal style. Like you, give me SOFT FLEXIBLE FELT anyday. Be sure and let us all see your final decision(and your opinion!!!). PS I got my Borsalino, I'll see if the size was represented correctly this time. Otherwise, I may have a deal for YOU!!!!

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it!

Unfortunately, I can't try it on, feel it, etc. I found it on a web page; noggintops.com to be exact. That is the only place I could find a black fedora with a brown band with dimensions similar to what I was looking for.

PS I got my Borsalino, I'll see if the size was represented correctly this time. Otherwise, I may have a deal for YOU!!!!

Yeah, if you have something similar in a 7 1/4 you need to sell, let me know :cheers1:

Jim

 

[jeboat]

Borsie Traveler

I own just about every brand hat mentioned in this thread including the Traveler. Here is what I like about it: soft, flexible, comfortable, good looking, fairly weather proof.

Here's what I don't like: very little body(floppy), too expensive(I got mine from Noggintops on sale), no lining, cloth sweatband.

If I were you I would consider a Miller or an Akubra. Akubra has a good assortment of sporty hats as does Miller.

jeboat :cool2: :cool2: :cool2:

 

[Naphtali]

I just bought a nearly new (old stock??) Borsalino Traveller in 7-1/4, heather/forest green. Three things are immediately apparent:

1. The sweatband is nearly liquid soft -- that's good.

2. The fur felt is so floppy that I find it annoying -- that's bad.

3. The fur felt is exceptionally smooth and soft -- Dunno, see #2.

I bought it for $65. You can have it for the same plus actual shipping cost.

 

[Mycroft]

I did buy it spasificly because it was floppy.

 

[MattC]

In Defense of the Borsalino Traveler

I posted this on another thread last night. I have great respect for Fedoralover's judgment, but I really think it is unfair to call the Borsalino Traveler junk. As I say in the post, I've put mine through hell and it has been a great hat. And while I like Akubra's, when I travel I want a softer felt. Different people may want different things, sure. I'm just saying the Traveler is a good hat (its in my Avatar). The post:



I am pretty much a vintage hat guy. I know about the superior quality and workmanship of classic hats, and most of mine are vintage. But one of the few exceptions is an olive Borsalino Traveler I bought from Noggintops about 3 years ago. I have worn it around the world, in steaming heat, in downpours that lasted hours. It has never run, lost its shape, shrunk or tapered. It is very soft, easy to shape with your hand. It was crushed for 10 hours on a flight to Tokyo, and looked like new 5 min after I put it on. A lot of what Borsalino makes today is junk. But a few of their hats are really fine, and we should be fair about that

 

[Solid Citizen]

There you go Python an endorsement from a veryl active user (MattC) of the hat your seeking. I would say go for it! Peter

 

[MattJH]

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to throw in my opinion as well just in case any other Google travelers stumble upon it. I bought a Borsalino Traveler about a month ago and it's been great. I actually wear it more than any other hat because it's the one I wear to work every weekday. It's also the most comfortable hat I've felt to date. It's technically open-crown in that you can style it in whatever bash you like, but the felt is so soft and pliable and almost-floppy that the center bash / front pinch fedora standard seems to settle into it naturally. If you set it as a wide-brimmed bowler, it will start to fall in on itself as you're placing it on your head, to give you an idea. And I like it. A lot. Worthy of note: despite the soft pliability, the brim still sets just fine upturned or downturned.

It's black-on-black. Yes, on purpose! Also, the one I have doesn't have a leather sweatband like most Borsalino Travelers do -- instead, it has thin grossgrain ribbon, a lot like in this picture: