High quality "vintage" Open Roads?

[Naphtali]

I'm partial to Borsalino among fedora brands. But I don't think, circa 1950-1980, Borsalino offered an "Open Road" hat configuration.

Among non-custom hat makers, please identify the two or three best quality "Open Road" hat configurations by brand and specific model, circa 1950-date. I request specific model because I suspect makers offer more than one quality tier for their hats.

 

[billyspew]

Check out this thread on The Other Open Roads
I think the Borsalino Alessandria is their equivelent, and have made it consistently through the years (you can certainly get it now).

 

[Dinerman]

Borsalino did offer an open road style hat throughout the '40s, '50s, '60s, but it did not have a marked model name on the sweatband.

 

[zetwal]

During what period(s) did Borsalino identify this style (with quotation marks) on the sweatband? Are you saying they didn't do that until the 70s?

 

[Naphtali]

My Borsalinos are soft while being able to retain their shape nicely. I associate more overall stiffness with Open Road configuration. Did/does Borsalino's version conform?

 

[shortbow]

I have two OR type Borsos from the fifties, one silver belly one brown, much softer than my stetson OR's from the same period, I like the Borsos better.

 

[Lefty]

That's kind of an odd comparison, as Stetson had about 10 available qualities in the OR line. Price vs. quality - if that information is available - would offer more.

 

[Inusuit]

That's kind of an odd comparison, as Stetson had about 10 available qualities in the OR line. Price vs. quality - if that information is available - would offer more.

Including, I believe, a 7x Clear Beaver version.

 

[tonyb]

I request specific model because I suspect makers offer more than one quality tier for their hats.

Ain't that the truth. Problem is, the large manufacturers offered so many different hats at so many different quality (and price) levels over so many years, and so many of those distinctions (model names and quality level designations, etc.) varied so much over those years that saying anything definitive is kinda tough.

I know, I know -- I'm a whole lotta help.