Best Crushable Hats

pbekkerh · May 16, 2015

I tried a Stetson Merced in the shop and really liked the fit and the softness, compared to my stiff Akubras and it did return to shape after rolling.

jlee562 · May 16, 2015

I'm really interested in the Stetson Runabout, and Runabout Pro..although someone here mentioned that they didn't like water? I can live with it not being a rain hat, the main thing that's keeping me away is the S-M-L sizing.

RBH · May 16, 2015

jlee562 said:
I'm really interested in the Stetson Runabout, and Runabout Pro...

I believe the only difference in the above named hats is the name and price.
The range from 180$ to 118$.
The Runabout is a very nice hat. My only problem with it is the crown is not as high as I really like. Otherwise Stetson did a very nice job with it.

Leacock · Jun 13, 2016

I am looking for a nice crushable fedora.

I recently travelled to a rainy city and keenly regretted not bringing a hat, but of course if I had brought one of my normal hats it probably would not have rained and I would have spent the whole trip trying to figure out where to safely stow it.

Any recommendations? It needs to be formal looking, and preferably affordable.

scottyrocks · Jun 13, 2016

Didn't we just have thread about this recently?

augustwest · Jun 13, 2016

Regardless whether there has been recent thread on this or not I'd also like to know more about "crushables" too.

scottyrocks · Jun 13, 2016

Yes, the point was if you do a search there is already existing info you don't have to wait for.

Leacock · Jun 18, 2016

I did attempt to use the insite search function as a I recall but did not get much in the way of results.

Regardless, most of the information on this thread seems rather old and many of the recommended hats no longer seem to be on the market.

I've found a lot of wool crushables, what do people think of them? Are they good with rain? Rainwear would be my primary use for a crushable hat so that is quite important.

Daniele Tanto · Jun 18, 2016

A wool hat is not very suitable for being foldable!
The wool is waterproof as many other natural fibers if properly treated.
Here in Europe it has been used for millennia as a shelter from the rain in the form of cape, coat and hat.
It has become a foundation garment , especially in the North and around the Alps , because of this characteristic
The average level of Europeans hats and also high end were always made of wool until the WWII or mixed with some other animal hair.
Let's talk talk about how the wool becomes waterproof https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulling

TheDane · Jun 19, 2016

Daniele Tanto said:
Let's talk talk about how the wool becomes waterproof

- and let's not forget the anti-shrinking treatment "decatising", either: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decatising

Old sailors' and fishermans' clothes were very often made by fulled and decatised wool - and so were military uniforms. All used in wet environments for centuries

As to the formal look of a crushable, that is something I still have to experience. Crushables are travel hats, that will keep the rain away from your hair and the sun away from your eyes. They're not made to look formal or dressy - that's what dress hats are made for

Magus · Feb 1, 2017

Hi there all.

Though I have a room full of hats I have yet to pick up a crushable. My wife and I are headed to Italy in a couple of months and I'd love to take a fedora with me. A vintage piece would be my preference but I have to admit that I've been desperate enough in my search to have looked at the modern wool versions (shudder). On the last trip I opted for a thicker newsboy, and picked up another thin one in a Swiss thrift shop, so that's an option, but I'm hoping for a fedora.

I know Borsalino make some modern versions of it but the prices here in the states for those are more than I want to pay. Of course since were going to Italy… Maybe I should just buy one there? Anyhow I'm looking for options. Though I wear a widebrimmed from time to time I do lean more towards smaller brims and even stingys.

Then again...can I convert one of my current hats into a rollable/crushable?

Thanks in advance,
M

alanfgag · Feb 1, 2017

Magus said:
...
Then again...can I convert one of my current hats into a rollable/crushable?

Oh yes. But why do you want to crush it? Take a nice hat that you like to travel with and wear it on the plane and trains on the days you are traveling. Pack a nice cap (we have a wonderful group of makers who have joined the Lounge during your absence). And bring a lightweight Tilley hat that you can telescope and pack flat for the rainy days.

You could roll up a hat you don't care about that much and not worry about the outcome. But will you want to wear it?

Magus · Feb 2, 2017

alanfgag said:
Oh yes. But why do you want to crush it? Take a nice hat that you like to travel with and wear it on the plane and trains on the days you are traveling. Pack a nice cap (we have a wonderful group of makers who have joined the Lounge during your absence).bring a lightweight Tilley hat that you can telescope and pack flat for the rainy days.

You could roll up a hat you don't care that much and not worry about the outcome. But will you want to wear it?

The main reason is laziness. LOL yep I admit it. I do love nice hats, but the difficulty is that our society even in Europe is not centered around accommodating those with Hats. You're always looking for a place to hang it or set it and worried someone might enjoy it. I'd like a fedora that I could not have to worry about if somebody sat on it or if I needed to roll it up and put it in my coat pocket. Seems like it would just be handy.

And then... Well... There is the point that... I don't have one! Lol I think it just be need to have a hat like that. I've seen videos with the Borsalino roll up that the Hat doesn't come out looking ruined it all looks quite nice when you put it on after unrolling. I also admit that there are hats that I own that I really don't care about. Some Dorfman Pacificd that I rarely wear I would consider trying to make into a rollable hat. Crushable is probably not the best term because who would ever really Crush a hat or want to.? But rolling that's a possibility.

And by the way, thank you good bartender for moving me over into this established thread. I was quickly putting the post in between classes of 6th graders I was teaching today and didn't search quite well enough.

M

alanfgag · Feb 2, 2017

Magus said:
And then... Well... There is the point that... I don't have one! M

This would be the holy grail, I think. They turn up from time to time. Rolls easily and is very light, but not well suited for active use in hot weather as the grosgrain sweat is easily penetrated by perspiration.

Magus · Feb 3, 2017

alanfgag said:
This would be the holy grail, I think. They turn up from time to time. Rolls easily and is very light, but not well suited for active use in hot weather as the grosgrain sweat is easily penetrated by perspiration.

That's a beaut! Hmmm it's made , or was, in Florence...and that's where we are going. The quest begins!

moontheloon · Feb 3, 2017

What size are you ?
I have this

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

alanfgag · Feb 3, 2017

Magus said:
That's a beaut! Hmmm it's made , or was, in Florence...and that's where we are going. The quest begins!

It was made by Borsalino in the 1950s. It was sold by a store in Firenze.

andrew_AU · Feb 5, 2017

I'm not trying to make any sort of point here, but what is the purpose of a crushable/roll away hat? My hat is either on a hat rack, on my head or next to me resting on its crown.

I did have a Christys foldaway which I eventually sold. It was nice to be able to stow it in my carry-on when flying but it never held a nice shape.

For every day I don't see a need for a hat that I can roll up and put in a bag. For travel I have a plastic hat box now and I travel wearing whatever hat I'm in the mood for.

I must be missing something??

Magus · Feb 5, 2017

moontheloon said:
What size are you ?
I have this

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Man that's a real beauty! I wear a seven and three eights so it wouldn't fit but thanks for the share.

Magus · Feb 5, 2017

andrew_AU said:
I'm not trying to make any sort of point here, but what is the purpose of a crushable/roll away hat? My hat is either on a hat rack, on my head or next to me resting on its crown.

I did have a Christys foldaway which I eventually sold. It was nice to be able to stow it in my carry-on when flying but it never held a nice shape.

For every day I don't see a need for a hat that I can roll up and put in a bag. For travel I have a plastic hat box now and I travel wearing whatever hat I'm in the mood for.

I must be missing something??

The thing you are missing… And I don't mean this in any offensive way whatsoever

… Is that my wife and I, and many other people like to travel extremely light. We will do 18 days in Europe having only a carry-on case each. I have no desire to carry around a plastic Box just for my hat in instances like that. Additionally when you're out and about going to restaurants, visiting museums, little cafés, the availability of someplace to put a nice hat becomes difficult at times. Or while touring churches where you should remove your hat you end up carrying it and one of your hands is occupied the whole time. So I figured having a hat that was not quite so fragile would be enjoyable. If I don't find one no biggie I'll just take my newsboy which I can stuff in my pocket with ease or toss on the chair and if somebody sits on it it doesn't matter. Plus, just the idea of having a rollup is fun.

Cheers,
M

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