New improved Stetson felt?

[Davidson]

Reading up on The Boss of the Plains, I came across this web site (thanks Daniel Jones!) with this text:

"We now have genuine Stetson Boss of the Plains. Stetson makes the hats exclusively for us that we finish block to the original 4" B.O.P. form. ...these hats are made of the new improved 4X Beaver felt.

http://www.goldengatewesternwear.com/Hatdept/Bossoftheplains.html

Of course, this could be 10 year old ad copy. Anyone know anything more about recent improvements in Stetson felt?

 

[beatola]

I think it might refer to a 4X rated Felt actually being a 4X rated felt.

There is no standard X quality and about 5 years ago Stetson and its' compeitiors got into a arms race via the X rating system.

as in a customer looks at a stetson 4X for $120 and then looks at a Cinch 20X for the same price...

He might go for the 20X Cinch just because it purports to be a higher quality...

 

[Joel Tunnah]

There is no beaver in a Stetson "4x Beaver". FYI.

 

[Davidson]

There is no beaver in a Stetson "4x Beaver". FYI.

Yes, I know. What I've read here is that maybe, at 20X, they start putting in 20% beaver. OTOH, there's also no beaver in any Akubras, if I understand correctly, and those are thought well enough of here.

Any signs that Stetson (or any maker) is improving its felt should be reinforced and encouraged, in my opinion.