How much would you pay?

[Hondo]

Every one knows finding a vintage Borsalino with an open Crown Style, 2 1/2 inche brim is mightly hard to find, so going for a newly made Borsalino, say at a shop called Hatguys in Oakland,CA. They charge $225 for Borsalino classic, would this be right or over paying?

How much would really pay for one? ....

 

[Joel Tunnah]

The best place to go for a new Borsalino is Bencraft hats, right here in lovely Brooklyn.

http://www.bencraft.com

 

[DOUGLAS]

I would hold out for a vintage.For that money you will get a fantastic hat that is from a gone by era.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Unless Hondo has a difficult-to-find size, in which case a new Borsalino might be the more realistic option.

.

 

[Feraud]

Unless your hat size is hard to find, I would look for a vintage Bosalino.
I was not overly impressed with the new hats but really like the old.

 

[MattJH]

If I was looking to spend that kind of money and I wanted a Borsalino, I'd bide my time and wait for a vintage one in my size to show up on eBay. The only new hats I own are Akubras. The other new hats I haven't been impressed with -- Selentinos and Lagorsomethingsomethings and the new Dobbs and the new Stetsons, etc. You save much more money just grabbing used or new-old-stock vintage hats on eBay.

I used to scoff at this notion, by the way, but with time I've definitely come to agree wholeheartedly. There's an entirely different feel to the felt on vintage hats. In a lot of cases, the cliche doesn't hold true, but with hats (among other things), they really do not make them like they used to.

 

[AlanC]

For not too much more you could go custom in the exact style you want.

 

[Joel Tunnah]

There's an entirely different feel to the felt on vintage hats.

Vintage is not always better, when talking about subjective things like feel. The felt on new Borsalinos is very soft and pliable, "right out of the box".

 

[MattJH]

The only new Borsalino I've felt is their Traveller. It was more like a floppy shapeless ball of felt I realize vintage isn't always better. That's why I have (counting...) seven Akubras!

 

[Hondo]

Alessandria

Yup, its a size issue, 7 3/8 hard to find on ebay, I grew tired searching for one, the Borsalino with an open crown is a Alessandria. Hatguys are not far away, so there won't be any S/H which I like. I wanted to know how you guys feel about paying over $200, worth it? I think so, if you want it badly enough, I thank each and everyone of you. If you've seen the Alessandria, its great looking hat, I'll probably purchase in the next few months, just before summer ends, Thanks!

 

[tonyb]

I have a few of those late model Borsalino Alessandrias, Hondo, so it's safe to say that I know of what I speak here.
Frankly, I wish I had the money back. It has been argued that the quality of modern Borsalinos is inconsistent. In my experience, that is indeed true, but know that by "inconsistent" I mean that some are worse than others and none are what I'd call good. It's true that they look really nice, and have a nice feel, fresh off the shelf (which is why I bought 'em, back before I knew better). But they don't stay that way for long, especially once they get a good soaking or two.
Are they better than new Stetsons, Dobbses, Biltmores, etc? Maybe. Probably, even. But they cost roughly twice as much, so it's hard to argue that they're a better value.
If you have the patience and just a bit more dough, I recommend that you order yourself a custom. I'd bet that in the long run (and not-so-long run as well) you'd be much happier with it.

 

[Hondo]

I have a few of those late model Borsalino Alessandrias, Hondo, so it's safe to say that I know of what I speak here.
Frankly, I wish I had the money back. It has been argued that the quality of modern Borsalinos is inconsistent. In my experience, that is indeed true, but know that by "inconsistent" I mean that some are worse than others and none are what I'd call good. It's true that they look really nice, and have a nice feel, fresh off the shelf (which is why I bought 'em, back before I knew better). But they don't stay that way for long, especially once they get a good soaking or two.
Are they better than new Stetsons, Dobbses, Biltmores, etc? Maybe. Probably, even. But they cost roughly twice as much, so it's hard to argue that they're a better value.
If you have the patience and just a bit more dough, I recommend that you order yourself a custom. I'd bet that in the long run (and not-so-long run as well) you'd be much happier with it.

Brother, I sincerely appreciate the feedback on this, patience I have, and its good to know how these last after use and especially when it gets a good soaking, wet. Money is hard earned so I want to be careful, thanks for the reply.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Its not what you pay its what you get!

I wouldn't pay one cent for one... I now only buy custom made hats and a new or old Borsalino does not hold a candle to a 100% beaver hat body or a nice blended body in my opinion.

Steve Delk $225 for a custom and a Art Fawcett just a little more. I have a beauty here from Gus Miller a hatter of 56 years. Optimo makes a great blended hat. All my custom made hats are better to me than any hat I ever got off of Ebay.

I wasted a $1,000.00 on them and got tired of saying oh! s... when I opened the box.

The best modern factory hat to me is Akubra.

"Buy the hat not the story"...

 

[Hondo]

patience indeed

I wouldn't pay one cent for one... I now only buy custom made hats and a new or old Borsalino does not hold a candle to a 100% beaver hat body or a nice blended body in my opinion.

Steve Delk $225 for a custom and a Art Fawcett just a little more. I have a beauty here from Gus Miller a hatter of 56 years. Optimo makes a great blended hat. All my custom made hats are better to me than any hat I ever got off of Ebay.

I wasted a $1,000.00 on them and got tired of saying oh! s... when I opened the box.

The best modern factory hat to me is Akubra.

"Buy the hat not the story"...

Thank you as well, I own a Akubra, I enjoy it, was just thinking of adding a different style lid, its good to know pro and con on this, patience I have, tons of it, grateful

 

[Joel Tunnah]

I love how the guy asks is $225 too much, and everyone's answer is no, you need to spend $400.

Good gravy. :eusa_doh:

As an aside, a simple search of the archives will produce testimony of Optimo hats shrinking in the rain, and of Optimo hats being miracle products; of new Borsalinos taking a dunking just fine, and Borsalinos turning into "mush"; of modern Stetson surviving dozens of downpours and looking better for it, and of Stetsons shrinking, spewing ink all over their owners, and generally assaulting humanity.

The only thing consistent about the advice given on the Fedora Lounge is its inconsitency. Which is exactly what one would expect when talking about something as subjective and personal as hat wearing.

Joel

ps. Oh and Sharpetoys thinks "rabbit-hats" are crap, but then recommends Akubra. Go figure. [huh]

 

[Bebop]

Everyone has a story that would make a lot of people say, "That can't be. That isn't what I have been told." Having said that, modern Borsalinos are not what they used to be. I don't think any hat brand is what it used to be. Hatmaking is not what it used to be. That is why we value our custom hat makers. They want to make hats 'they way they were once made'. I would put my money towards a custom hat, not a Borsalino.

 

[Warlock]

I own one modern Borsolino and one vintage. The vintage is a fine hat and with care will be around a very long time. The modern one is much less in quality... in the case of that particular hat. It is, as another of us stated, "floppy." Also, the pouncing could be a bit better. I have not had it out in the rain, in part because we are not having any, but I am certain that the entire brim would fall down very quickly. I recommend you pursue the vintage model or look for a custom hat maker.

 

[Joel Tunnah]

I have not had it out in the rain... but I am certain that the entire brim would fall down very quickly.

In other words, you're simply guessing.

Back in reality: it might interest you to know that a 100% beaver custom hat I own had a droop and wobble in the brim after getting wet. Perhaps I should demand my money back from this charlatan? Or perhaps more reasonably, I should understand that this is what happens when felt that is not chocked full of shellac gets wet.

I'm no hatter, but I do know that the more stiffener (shellac) a hat has in it, the better it will be at holding its shape after getting wet. This is simply common sense. Unfortunately, the resulting hat is stiff. I'll take the softer felt any day. I don't walk around in $200 dress shirts in the rain either.

 

[Rick Blaine]

I too am a 7 3/8


Do not despair. I have acquired no fewer than four vintage Borsalinos in the past year for less than the price of a single new hat. I cannot compare or contrast them with the felt of a contemporary borso as I do not own one. But I will say that these lids have felt superior to just about every other US manufactured vintage hat I own,the exceptions being a lovely old Disney & perhaps my Stetson Royal Deluxe O.R. Also please note that a decent hat stretcher can help expand your options down a size. Happy hunting
RB

 

[Joel Tunnah]

New Borsalino? Most likely. Poor chap.