hard or soft straw preferences

[gekisai29]

any thoughts on the pros & cons? in my limited experience the soft straw seems more comfortable & cooler(as in temperature) but most indications are that hard straw makes a better quality hat. i would appreciate recommendatuions for non-Panama porkpie or center crease straws. also, happy holidays to all!

 

[Veronica Parra]

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

any thoughts on the pros & cons? in my limited experience the soft straw seems more comfortable & cooler(as in temperature) but most indications are that hard straw makes a better quality hat. i would appreciate recommendatuions for non-Panama porkpie or center crease straws. also, happy holidays to all!

To me, soft straw is much better. Montecrisiti Panamas, the world's greatest straw hats, are soft. Most of the cheap straw hats are hard. The hard ones crack much easier at the crown, too...KC

 

[Hemingway Jones]

...but most indications are that hard straw makes a better quality hat...

With the exception of a Boater, I'm not sure where you're getting this idea. I'd be curious as to what calculous lead you to this conclusion. And don't take me wrong, I'm just curious, that's all.

The hard straws, like the current Stetson line-up are fairly cheap and plasticy, if you will allow me a neologism. Milan weaves are nice, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that they are hard. The only high quality hard straw I can think of is that which is put to use in a Boater, and I hardly think that is the look you are going for.

I'll agree with others that butter soft tight weave Montecristis are the best "straw" hats going: the craftsmanship, the malleability, the color, the smell! ...OK, maybe not the smell, but everything else is the perfect mix of gentlemanly civility and urbane sophistication.

 

[Visigoth]

Funny, tis spring and a young man's thoughts turn to questions of straw hats. Me, I do in fact lust after a Panama. Has anyone had dealings with these guys, on ebay? http://stores.ebay.com/MONTECRISTI-ULTRAFINO-PANAMA-HATS

Their prices seem good. Are they the real thing? I mean, an ultra-Montecristi (fino fino) is $166. (No, I'm not shilling for them -- just thinking of buying one, if they're not bogus.)

And Gekisai, they do seem to have some odd styles, not so "Panama" -- one might appeal to you.

 

[shoeshineboy]

why look on ebay

....when we have Panama Bob....He is the man to contact for a Panama. Look him up and shoot him an e-mail. You will be glad you did !!!

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Facts as I know them.

Funny, tis spring and a young man's thoughts turn to questions of straw hats. Me, I do in fact lust after a Panama. Has anyone had dealings with these guys, on ebay? http://stores.ebay.com/MONTECRISTI-ULTRAFINO-PANAMA-HATS

Their prices seem good. Are they the real thing? I mean, an ultra-Montecristi (fino fino) is $166. (No, I'm not shilling for them -- just thinking of buying one, if they're not bogus.)

And Gekisai, they do seem to have some odd styles, not so "Panama" -- one might appeal to you.

The problem with most Ebay sellers of this type of hat is they are not real Montecristi Panama hats. They will say Montecristi and when you get your hat its really a Cuenca hat...or a very low grade Montecristi.

I'm sure if you wrote this seller and ask her about how many weaves per square inch, is the back weave nice and even is the color of the straw uniform etc she will never answer you!!

These sellers put these fancy names on Ebay hats such as fino fino, museum quality, extra fine, rare etc. This is just hype to make you think you are getting something special and you are not.

I have found from experience that I will only buy from Robert Weber aka Panamabob.. I know what he tells me is the truth and I will get a hat worth what I'm willing to spend.

I have Montecristi's I have bought from him from $50.00 to over a $1000.00. The $1000.00 hat I wore it to Optimo Hat Co. in Chicago and Graham told me if he had that hat he would sell it for $2,500.00 to $3000.00.

As I have said over and over "Buy the hat not the story".

 

[gekisai29]

from the things i read on various vendors' site it seemed that with the exception on montecrist hats the milam braids & similar were stiffer (harder?) than coconut & raffia with the former being touted as a higher qulity hat. guess i drew the wrong conclusion but that is why i asked. right now i'm not interested in a panama so are you suggesting a milan braid is the way to go?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Speaking of which ... did anyone see that Stetson panama HOMBURG on eBay? It's quite rare to see vintage panamas shaped as homburgs.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Royal-S...404633085QQcategoryZ14065QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I hope that someone around here won it!

 

[RedPop4]

Visigoth, I've been looking over that seller for days now, trying to figure them. I e-mailed once and got a general answer, but not a wpsi. I resent my e-mail asking the WPSI SPECIFICALLY and have not received any type of response.

There's another on there named panamaecuador. They've been pretty forthright in answering e-mails, but I still doubt.

Anyone have a link to PanamaBob?

 

[SHARPETOYS]

She won't ever answer you...

Here is Robert Weber's web site. I would send him a pm from here. Panamabob is his handle....

http://www.panamas.biz/

 

[Visigoth]

Yeah, I've also emailed those ebay guys about weaves/sq. in. No reply. (And I have since heard from someone who DID buy from them, and discovered that they're "fino fino"... wasn't.)

 

[RedPop4]

Thanks. I did get one e-mail, saying a particular hat I was interested in was a pinch-front fedora...."the most classic of shapes, perfect with a Cohiba Robusto"

But no mention of wpsi, and no answer to a subsequent e-mail asking the same of another hat.

I've learned that the other vendor with home I've been in contact is MrsPanamaBob. Go figure. lol lol lol lol lol