Travel Fedora

Kaosharper1 · Dec 12, 2007

Anyone have recommendations for a travel hat? I travel frequently, but would prefer not to take one of my nice hats on the road. Are the Dorfman Pacific Indy crushable hats OK?

Thanks.

J.T.Marcus · Dec 12, 2007

I hate to see a question asked, and go begging for a response. Years ago, I had a DP crushable, which I bought in a shop in Estes Park, Colorado. I wore it every day, on that vacation, then frequently for several more years. I then gave it to a hatless friend, who was delighted. If it is your first or only hat, you will be pleased with it. If you have other "good" fedoras, you will always feel like something is not quite right. The felt (wool) is especially thick. And the sweatband on a crusher is fabric instead of leather.

Most of us here, find we would be happier with a fur fedora,that is of modest value (picked up at a bargain price on ebay, at an antique store, or a garage sale).

Edward · Dec 12, 2007

Oddly enough, not half an hour ago I just chanced across a Christys of London model that might appeal... Fur felt, foldable travel fedora. It's just a shade under USD200, it seems, but might be worth it if you travel a lot and don't want to be worrying always about a hat that might get crushed (or want to take two - one to carry on, one in your luggage).

http://www.menshats.com/product/188/christys-london-hats

diverguy · Dec 12, 2007

I picked up a fairly nice one at our local Macy's. It's the one in the picture. It's a great cold weather hat and you can shove it into a bag easily.

DnSchlng · Dec 12, 2007

I have the above mentioned Christy of London travel hat. I picked it up for about 90$ from a website that doesnt exist anymore. It was worth the 90$ but I dont think I would pay about 200$ for it. The felt is a little stiff in some places and soft on others. it make for a pretty good rain hat as well.
Hope this helps.

Kaosharper1 · Dec 12, 2007

How about Akubra Casual?

Thanks for the posts, everyone. How about the Akubra travel hats? I think they have 2: the Casual and the Traveler. I have a Federation which I really like.

I know that any travel hat won't have really great felt, but I've had so many people just crush stuff in the overhead in airplanes without thinking that I thought something that looked nice but could be rolled or something would be ideal.

J.T.Marcus · Dec 12, 2007

Kaosharper1 said:
I know that any travel hat won't have really great felt, but I've had so many people just crush stuff in the overhead in airplanes without thinking that I thought something that looked nice but could be rolled or something would be ideal.

Burlington Coat Factory sometimes has soft fur felt hats that could fit the bill. Not only do they look good, they are usually in the $15-35 range!

J. M. Stovall · Dec 12, 2007

Rats, I thought this thread was going to be about "the" traveling hat.

Oh well.

theprofessor · Dec 12, 2007

i have a Christy's foldaway fedora in 7 1/8 that i wouldnt mind parting with. i'm more a 71/4 man, so it really is too small for me.

Kaosharper1 · Dec 12, 2007

Sorry. I'm a 7 3/8 otherwise I'd be interested.

RBH · Dec 12, 2007

Kaosharper1 said:
Anyone have recommendations for a travel hat? I travel frequently, but would prefer not to take one of my nice hats on the road. Are the Dorfman Pacific Indy crushable hats OK?

Thanks.

In a word...yes... the DP crushable Indy is fine. I have one.
Is it a fine fur felt... NO. But it serves the purpose.
I got mine because there are times when I want a hat that I can stuff in a bag, but still have a somewhat decent looking fedora to put on when I need it.
It will never match my custom TVA or Adventurebilt, nor even my Akubra Campdraft but its a good enough hat for what I need it for.

leo · Dec 12, 2007

Other possibilities:

1) Jaxon wool crushables (in different styles) - I squashed two of them flat in a bag for hours during a cross-country flight, one of them got sat on in a car for a couple of hours, and they still look good. Good in the rain and snow, too. I have the pinch-front fedora style and they are dressy enough for business wear. All for the price of a lunch or two.

2) Tilley - the "ultimate" traveller if casual style is okay.

3) Bailey Traveler (wool) - I handled this at one of the Henry the Hatter stores in Detroit last week and believe it I will pick one up (only $45). I want it for non-business wear, otherwise I would swap out the band. HTH also had the Borsalino Marco ($215) which is a crushable felt treated with water repellant. I don't know how well it would hold up. If there was a review of it on FL, I missed it. It's safari style and more casual like the Bailey.

Bill

indycop · Dec 13, 2007

Borsalino crushable, I think its called traveller also?

Edward · Dec 13, 2007

I'll have to check out the Christys.... I have my old faithful wool western-fedora style (the place I bought it from called it a "Boston"...) which is great for travelling if I need something crushable..... my next big trip, though, is back to China in May and I have every intention of taking a Fed Deluxe with me...... hopefully by them I'll have ab Indy jacket too. I'm sensing a photo op on the great wall....

WEEGEE · Dec 13, 2007

TRAVEL!!!

I would go Adventurebilt for all travel/adventure hat needs. A great hat and can take a beating and still go on its Styling way.

Kaosharper1 · Dec 13, 2007

Weegee:

Adventurebilt can take being squashed in the overhead storage of an airplane? That's what I'm concerned about.

Also, anyone have experience with the Akubra Casual for travel? Does it fold easily?

Thanks.

WEEGEE · Dec 13, 2007

Kaosharper1

Weegee:

Adventurebilt can take being squashed in the overhead storage of an airplane? That's what I'm concerned about.

I have had it sat on and crunched in many places as well as losing it in an Arctic snow storm... http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=24195&highlight=greenland

Cheers...

johnnycanuck · Dec 13, 2007

When I travel I usually take my Akubra Federation Deluxe. But I also wear it all the time or just store it under the seat in front of me on a plane. Before then I used my Regular Federation. It was so beaten up I could stuff it in my jacket and pop it back into shape fairly easily.

The problem with getting the hat crushed is the felt gets pinched and the leather sweat band gets mangled. That's why travel hats have cloth seat bands. This is bad for me because I sweat very easily. So I came up with a easy solution....

Go out and buy a fine single malt scotch. One that comes in a tube, but not a particularly thin one. More of a Balvenie or a Bruichladdich then a Bowmore or a Glenfiddich. A nice fat tube that you can gently roll up your favorite hat, put it in the tube and pack normally for travel. No pinching of felt or dramatically folding the leather sweat band. Also a fine excuse to buy a damn fine bottle of single malt.

Johnny

MattJH · Dec 13, 2007

Kaosharper1 said:
Also, anyone have experience with the Akubra Casual for travel? Does it fold easily?

I have both my Regency Fawn and Carbon Grey Akubra Casuals on eBay right now, sized 7 5/8 or 61cm. They're great hats, I just have enough and need to liquidate a bit, especially for Christmas. They're not meant for folding. Rather, they're meant for the crown to be crushed down. They are sturdy but soft, and bounce back from any crushing done to them. The sweatband is elastic rather than leather and there is no liner. Very casual look.

MattC · Dec 13, 2007

Borsalino Traveler

I've had one for three or four years, taken it around the world. Its a great hat. Noggintops has 'em.

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