Please rank the current production hats quality?

[Yohanes]

OK, I know it's a topic that has been discussed so frequently but I think in separate threads. So based on your experience, can you help rank the current modern production hats brand. The ranking requirement is more or less like this:
- It has to be fedora / dress hat. Western, outback, top hat not included at the moment.
- No custom hatters included in this ranking - we all know you're the best
- It has to be fur felt, not wool felt, straw /panama. We may think about covering wool felt later on.
- The rank is judged based on quality. I was thinking about judging it based on quality + price / value but I'm afraid it will be a bit confusing, we may end up with "what you pay is what you get / best value for the money" sort of thing, but forget evaluating about value. So if you want to, you may rank the producers based on quality first (regardless the price), and then the second ranking would cover the most reasonable price / best value / recommendation.
- Based on general quality - since in many threads there are statements like "Brand xxx is decent, but his yyy type sucks,"
"Brand "ccc" can't be compared with brand "ddd" but "ccc's blablabla type is better than "ddd's nahnahnah type"
So I don't want to add more confusion here

So, based on the limit set above, please rank he following producers / brand:
- Akubra (the dress range only, types like Snowy River, Jackaroo, or other outdoors type should not be included)
- Stetson (its western should not be included)
- Biltmore
- Borsalino
- Beaver
- Bailey
- Christys of London
- Scala
- Lagomarsino (Argentina I presume?)
- Guerra

If you feel there's other modern producer that can be included in the list, please do. I know there's other like Miller and Camptown, but they're semi custom - I don't know whether you feel they ashould be included in this raking system or not.

I hope the result can help in the future, specially for the new hat buyers..

 

[frijoli]

Good luck with this. I hope people can seperate their emotions and actually either rank them or be quiet.
I am a newb so I can't say for all, but of what I have I can say that of the current hats I have Dobbs is consistently the best, with Biltmore slightly behind that.

Clay

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I'm thinking there've been SEVERAL strings along this same line in the past... just too hot and sweaty right now to do any digging myself!

 

[handlebar bart]

I'm thinking there've been SEVERAL strings along this same line in the past... just too hot and sweaty right now to do any digging myself!

lol lol lol Homemade slushies and a fan helps, but I am definately feelin ya

 

[Garrett]

Ridiculous

Obviously....Vintage Barbisio, Borsalino, and Cervo have no rivals other than the best Stetsons.

Period!

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Since each brand produces several models of differing quality, using different materials (canvas, wool, fur...), it is almost impossible to do a ranking of brands according to quality. It' easier to test comparable models from different manufacturers. I am currently doing a "head to head" test involving an Akubra Federation Deluxe and a Stetson Temple. While there are differences, neither has lost to the other, yet.

 

[frijoli]

........it is almost impossible to do a ranking of brands according to quality. It' easier to test comparable models from different manufacturers.

No it's not. It may be difficult, but think about what the OP said; One material, one style. Comparable models is EXACTLY what was asked

Quality first, no prices.

Clay

 

[Yohanes]

Uhm.. looks like I inquire a difficult question? Ok, I'll make it this way. For every modern, current production (factory-made) fedora, please compare the "flagships". Say like this, for Borsalino, what's the best type? Is it Alessandria / Como? Then Steson - maybe Pinnacle, Downs, Nostalgia, or Temple? Then Akubra (Fed Deluxe?), Biltmore (Rossellini?), and so on. Compare those "chosen warrior", one type for each brand, then start rank them based on quality first.

Is it possible now?

 

[Stoney]

One thing that I would note is that the factory/custom distinction is artificial. All fur felt hats are handmade using similar equipment and techniques. There's no such thing as a fur felt hat extruder or injection molder that allow factories to crank them out differently. You just don't know the names of the people making your factory hat. But that doesn't mean that they have less experience or are less skilled.
.

Actually they do have a method of basically stamping them out and No, they are not made by hand like custom hats. There really is no fair comparison that can be made between a production hat and one that is hand made.