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angel1826 said:

Hello, I am very interested in a Borsalino hat. However, the website where the hat is sold announces that it is made of felt horsehair. I have never heard of this kind of felt. And you? Here is the link but it is in French.

https://chapeau.bon-clic-bon-genre.be/icare_noir.htm

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rogerstg said:

Maybe it's an issue with translation or idiom. Other sites describe the Icaro as being fur felt. Some describe it as rabbit fur felt.

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angel1826 said:

Hello, I am very interested in a Borsalino hat. However, the website where the hat is sold announces that it is made of felt horsehair. I have never heard of this kind of felt. And you? Here is the link but it is in French.

https://chapeau.bon-clic-bon-genre.be/icare_noir.htm

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psklenar said:

I'm also struggling with sizing and I'm not even thinking about vintage yet.

I measured my noggin at 60.5cm. I went to Delmonico and the gentleman who helped me there measured me at 60cm. Ok, that's pretty darn close to my measurement, so I can accept it. But.. I bought 2 hats that day. A Stetson Stratoliner S.E. Hemp in a 59, or 7 3/8, and a Mayser Imperia Panama in a 58. When I got home I discovered a 2010 LLBean(Stetson) Moose River, also in 7 3/8 (59). And all three feel very similar in terms of tightness/fit.

So I'm struggling with what to do if I want to order a custom felt hat for the upcoming winter let alone consider anything on eBay.

pat----

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RJR said:

... One method which is pretty successful is to ask for the measurement from 12:00 to 6:00 and the one from 9:00 to 3:00.Add the two together and divide by two.

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deadlyhandsome said:

I’ve never heard of horse hair felt. Horse hair hat bands are common on western hats, but that’s not what’s in the photos. I’d bet that it is rabbit and/or hare. It’s also quite expensive. Maybe that’s what Borsalinos are selling for new, but yikes! Have you looked at the used market?

Good luck,
Brent


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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angel1826 said:

Hello, I am very interested in a Borsalino hat. However, the website where the hat is sold announces that it is made of felt horsehair. I have never heard of this kind of felt. And you? Here is the link but it is in French.

https://chapeau.bon-clic-bon-genre.be/icare_noir.htm

Click to expand...

humanshoes said:

Sorry, but I just have to say that if this picture is representative of the quality that one is likely to get from Borsalino these days, and at $508.00, I'd definitely pass. The hat in the photo has a sloppy ribbon treatment that does not conform tightly to the hat and allows the sweatband stitching to show. Also, the brim looks decidedly wavy and malformed. I love my vintage Borsalinos, and maybe the hat in the photo was just having a bad "horsehair" day, but that current offering is a sad looking specimen of the hat maker's art. I hate to think that their quality is in such a state of decline. Somebody please say it ain't so.

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Walter Neff1940 said:

The way I have measured is the following. I take a piece of flexible cardboard (cereal boxes are perfect) and cut a few one inch strips (to simulate a sweatband) and tape the pieces together to get about 23 inches. I then take that strip and place inside the hat and make sure it is tight against the sweatband and when it is , I make a mark on the strip and then take it and lay it flat on a tape measure and it gives me the inches I need. It appears to be difficult but it is really quite easy to do. My head size is 22 5/8 so any measurement that meets that will fit.

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humanshoes said:

Sorry, but I just have to say that if this picture is representative of the quality that one is likely to get from Borsalino these days, and at $508.00, I'd definitely pass. The hat in the photo has a sloppy ribbon treatment that does not conform tightly to the hat and allows the sweatband stitching to show. Also, the brim looks decidedly wavy and malformed. I love my vintage Borsalinos, and maybe the hat in the photo was just having a bad "horsehair" day, but that current offering is a sad looking specimen of the hat maker's art. I hate to think that their quality is in such a state of decline. Somebody please say it ain't so.

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angel1826 said:

Hello, first of all thank you for your answer. I contacted the website and they tell me that it was written horsehair on the Borsalino mailing slip. They are only resellers and know nothing but the quality of the hat is 100X. At worst, once received, I have fifty days to return it.

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scottyrocks said:

The X system used to mean something. These days, manufacturers just throw a number and as many Xs on a hat that they feel like, usually in comparison to better or lesser versions of their own hats.

I am generally not a fan of overpaying, but US$565 is way steep for that hat, imho.

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angel1826 said:

I hesitate a lot. I have searched in a lot of headgear and this hat model is no longer manufactured. Not to mention the rarity of Borsalino store because of their bankruptcy. In addition, I am very attracted by the Icaro because it is Fedora type, foldable, thicker than the Traveler model that I own and (hopefully) beaver felt. Now my choice stops on some French websites. Maybe other models would be better. My Traveler is very beautiful but not resistant to rain because extra fine (50 Gr).

http://www.cappelleriamelegari.com/...nfo&products_id=2688&language=en#.Wx7WwhYzWEc

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Redfokker said:

I'm relatively sure this hat is NOT beaver felt. Borsalino hats are extremely expensive these days and they do have a beaver felt, but they tack another $100 at least onto them. And, they advertise them as a beaver hat. This one is bunny for sure. I would pass on these sellers in a big way. Way overpriced. I would do more searching. You would be much better off paying a couple hundred dollars for a vintage Borsalino, much higher quality and...class.

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angel1826 said:

After contact with the company Borsalino, this hat is actually rabbit hair and they sell it for 450 €. Unfortunately, they do not produce it anymore. On other sites (Japanese), it is sold at 498 € and 420 €. It is actually very expensive for rabbit hair but the price seems to be the one set by Borsalino. It's a shame because the model I like a lot. I also looked for a Vintage Borsalino on secondhand sites (already worn) but it is not easy to find a size 54 that I really like. I will wait to receive the Icaro and, at worst, I have fifty days to send it back and be reimbursed. In any case, thank you very much for your answers.

Ps :
I understood why the French website speaks of horsehair felt. On the site of Borsalino, many felt hats are described in "composition" as 100% "Pelo A Crine" while it is rabbit or beaver depending on the model. In the end, this is an interpretation error on the part of the French reseller site.

http://shop.borsalino.com/en/mans-collection/fall/winter/felt-hats/beaver-hat-medium-brim
http://shop.borsalino.com/en/mans-collection/fall/winter/felt-hats-carry-over/alessandria-silk-large

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