Difference between the Stetson Stratoliner and The Open Road

[MattC]

Taper

Deanglen--

While the folks who are really into the 20s and 30s look (and the hats that kept it in the 50s and 60s), lots of folks do like tapered hats. Lots of Borsalinos were made with a taper.

Matt

 

[DOUGLAS]

I have a couple of Borsalinos with the "taper". I must admit I prefer the hats with out it. Unless it has a reverse taper.
The Taper

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[Baron Kurtz]

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That's exactly what i was talking about.

bk

 

[DOUGLAS]

I like that curled look.

 

[RBH]

I like that curled look.

Hey Douglas, I will have to amend my thoughts on the 'Stratoliner curl', I have been wearing my Strat today and I do like that unique sweep of the brim.

 

[DOUGLAS]

I always wondered how they got that hat in that narrow box.:eusa_doh:

 

[jimmy the lid]

Biltmore Open Road

There is one other open-crowned Open Road-style hat available besides one of Art's incredible customs - the Akubra Campdraft actually IS the Open Road, as Akubra used to make them for Stetson under license. When the deal expired, Akubra just renamed it the "Campdraft," but it essentially is the old Open Road. Still comes open crowned. So, there's at least one other option.

There is yet another open-crowned Open Road-style hat out there, made by Biltmore. The open crown version is called the "Wilderness" (it's included in Biltmore's Fall/Winter 2006 online catalogue at Biltmore Catalogue.

A pre-blocked (teardrop) version of this hat is marketed by Miller Hats as the "Douglas":Douglas Hat

I have no experience with this particular Biltmore, but would be curious to know if anyone else has had the chance to check it out. It certainly has a nice look to it.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Nice photos, Douglas!

Here are reference photos

Douglas -- very helpful photo comparison. What's interesting to me (and what I had never really focused on before) is the fact that the Stratoliner does indeed seem to have some taper to it. Matt C's post also bears this out, as does the photo (in another thread) of Dinerman's recent Strat acquisition.

I'm one of those who likes a slight taper -- in the right context, it can be a very good look. In fact, to my eye, the slight taper of the first Borsalino in your subsequent post looks great.

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

Hey Jimmy,

I'll be damned if the Biltmore Wilderness isn't a dead ringer for the OR. Impressive.

 

[DOUGLAS]

Thanks Jimmy the lid
I prefer a hat without the taper only because I think that with my head being egg shaped and my face more round the non taper just looks better. The Borsalinos are both terrific hats however of all of that style I think the Strat looks the best. It has a mystique that even Borsalino can't reproduce

It was very nice of Biltmore to name a hat after me.

 

[jimmy the lid]

It was very nice of Biltmore to name a hat after me.

Which is why running a forum search for this particular hat tends to be a rather futile exercise...

Douglas -- just out of curiosity, is the first Borsalino in your second set of photos an Allesandria?

Cheers,
Jimmy

 

[jimmy the lid]

I'll be damned if the Biltmore Wilderness isn't a dead ringer for the OR. Impressive.

I know -- I guess I'm a bit surprised that this Biltmore seems to have flown under the radar thus far.

 

[RBH]

It was very nice of Biltmore to name a hat after me.

So....... can you get us a good deal on a hat? lol

 

[DOUGLAS]

RBH,I was good enough to let them use my name, the least they could have done was let me have a few to spread around. Alas, it's a no go.

Jimmy, It is not an Allesandria,but good non the less.

 

[Pat_H]

Intersting to see the Open Road discussed in the context of the Fedora style. I have an old silverbelly Open Road that I have used for years as sort of a dress Western, or town, hat. But it's never really looked like a Western hat to me. More of a pure dress hat approaching a Fedora.

My father told me years ago that my grandfather wore the Open Road, which he may have. In a portrait of him, however, he's wearing a hat with more of the Fedora type of crown. I wonder if that's a reshaped Open Road, or a Strat?

 

[RBH]

Intersting to see the Open Road discussed in the context of the Fedora style. I have an old silverbelly Open Road that I have used for years as sort of a dress Western, or town, hat. But it's never really looked like a Western hat to me. More of a pure dress hat approaching a Fedora.

My father told me years ago that my grandfather wore the Open Road, which he may have. In a portrait of him, however, he's wearing a hat with more of the Fedora type of crown. I wonder if that's a reshaped Open Road, or a Strat?

Welcome Pat H, if possible post us a pic of your granddad, I have had luck taken a photo of old family pictures with my digital.
We, here on the lounge love old family pics [really love them if they include some hats!]

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

Pat H

I wear my OR fedora-style, with the front brim down, while keeping the Alpine crease on the crown. I wear mine primarily around town. I have western hats for outdoor work.

 

[Pat_H]

A portrait of my grandfather.

Any idea as to the identity of the hat?

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

Sure could be an OR, or the Resistol equivalent

 

[Pat_H]

Pat H

I wear my OR fedora-style, with the front brim down, while keeping the Alpine crease on the crown. I wear mine primarily around town. I have western hats for outdoor work.

That's pretty similar to my habit, although I have the cattleman crown on the Open Road. I wear broad brimmed "cowboy" hats for outdoor work, although I don't have the cattleman crown on any of them.