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Recommendations for warm winter hats/caps.

Koz

New in Town
Messages
8
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
Finally some snow here and temps in the teens and even with the extra time I had this fall I could still not decide on a nice looking but warm hat so I need your help. The problem is I spend a lot of time outdoors in the winter hunting, fishing, camping, bushcraft etc. and need to keep my noggin warm and I'm tired of wearing a wool skull cap. I would also like something classier that would look good with my Filson double Mackinaw cruiser (my first Filson :D) or just a sweater for going into town. I have been strongly considering the Filson Mackinaw cap or a Stormy Kromer (leaning more towards the Filson). I also found a wool 8 panel patchwork newsboy I bought for my Son last year from the thrift store last year and though a little snug and not to fond of the pattern it was surprisingly warm last night in temps around 30F and my wife likes the look so that is another option I am considering. Well I look forward to getting your input. Also I am on a very tight budget so a $80 Tilley Ivy cap is out of reach. Thanks.
 

Chuck Bobuck

Practically Family
Messages
715
Location
Rolling Prairie
You could check dept stores for a newsboy or flat cap with ear flaps. You can find some pretty good deals sometimes. I had a Stetson I found cheap years ago. The only issue is the fit is different with the flaps folded up. If you get a newsboy, you could also cover the ears with ear muffs, or 180's.
 
Last edited:

monbla256

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,239
Location
DFW Metroplex, Texas
Finally some snow here and temps in the teens and even with the extra time I had this fall I could still not decide on a nice looking but warm hat so I need your help. The problem is I spend a lot of time outdoors in the winter hunting, fishing, camping, bushcraft etc. and need to keep my noggin warm and I'm tired of wearing a wool skull cap. I would also like something classier that would look good with my Filson double Mackinaw cruiser (my first Filson :D) or just a sweater for going into town. I have been strongly considering the Filson Mackinaw cap or a Stormy Kromer (leaning more towards the Filson). I also found a wool 8 panel patchwork newsboy I bought for my Son last year from the thrift store last year and though a little snug and not to fond of the pattern it was surprisingly warm last night in temps around 30F and my wife likes the look so that is another option I am considering. Well I look forward to getting your input. Also I am on a very tight budget so a $80 Tilley Ivy cap is out of reach. Thanks.
For hunting and work,the Filson Mackinaw hat is GREAT !! I've got an old red plaid one I've worn for years and found it to be THE thing in the winter! :)
 

DanielJones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,042
Location
On the move again...
The Stormy Kromer is a good option. Plenty of colors & materials to pick from there.

You could also get a black fur Ushanka sans any insignia. Black is good as it will go with anything, your mackinaw or a dress overcoat. When things turn really cold in the hunting blind you can pull the flaps down to keep the ears toasty.
612541958.jpg


One thing I just ordered was a reproduction of a German bergmutze without any insignia. It has that classic alpine look to it in wool and it will make a good mountaineering hat for cross country skiing & snowshoeing this winter. It should be showing up in the next week or so.
1067.jpg


Cheers!

Dan
 

Koz

New in Town
Messages
8
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
Dan where did you get the repro bergmutze and what did it cost you if you don't mind me asking and is the ushanka yours if so how warm is it, what kind of temp range would you say it has? The Ushanka was very high on my list but I have a waxed cotton and rabbit fur mad bomber that I picked up for $20 from STP. That bomber is a furnace! For me it is to warm to wear even into the store but will be nice when we get subzero temps and I want to go camping or ice fishing plus when the flaps are up I just can't get use to how big it looks and with the flaps down well it better be cold. So I am very hesitant to spend $40 and buy a hat online without being able to see how it looks and especially how warm it is. I was very close to picking up a black wool and mouton ushanka but couldn't pull the trigger online if I knew it wasn't as puffy or at least more of a flat top with the flaps up and not as warm as my bomber I would probably be sold. I will however be traveling to Omaha for the holidays and there is a great surplus store there and at last check he had a few ushankas now whether he has something in the 60-62 cm range we will see but I also plan on swinging over to Burlington coat factory. So between your guys' advice and testimonials and the stores in Omaha I should have a nice lid in the next couple of weeks. Here are a couple of quick pics I just snapped of the bomber. The quality seems good and I highly recommend it for someone that needs to stay warm.
harvestblades
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DanielJones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,042
Location
On the move again...
The Ushanka image is from the net, right now where I live isn't cold enough to warrant getting one. but maybe when we move up to Oregon I'll get one for up at Mt. Hood or Mt. Adams.
The Bergmutze I recently purchased on e-bay, and with shipping I think it was about $30 total. I should have it win the next week or so. It has no national insignia but does have the Edelweiss pin on the side.

As far as a Russian ushanka you can find them all over the net ranging from about $29.99 to about $79.99 respectively. I think most will come with an insignia, but those are easy to remove. the good ones of course are more but you can get an all rabbit fur all the way up to bear fur. Go figure.

The bomber you have there looks good. All you need now is a good great coat or a hefty mackinaw to complete the look. Also, welcome to the Lounge, hope you enjoy your time here Koz.

Cheers!

Dan
 

Koz

New in Town
Messages
8
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
Yep no Tilley in store for me.........yet.
As far as a coat I would love to find a nice greatcoat but I can't locate anything in the 48" chest range, but last month I did pickup my son (10 years old) a U.S. one for $5, I'm envious and it looks good with his bomber. Unfortunately since I couldn't find a greatcoat I ended up finding a good enough deal on a charcoal Filson Double Mac. Actually the Filson is what started this entire ordeal I dont feel right just throwing on a toque with a $300 coat and when I was doing some research on the Filson and on making a anorak I kept coming across this site which only made it more clear that I need a nice cap to go with it. I hope that Filson is everything everyone says it is.
 

Duper

Practically Family
Messages
899
Location
Ontario, Canada
Dooh! My bad! I guess my eagerness to pitch in with an idea exceeded my proof reading of the question.

It may also be me projecting my subconcious desire to purchase one of theses new winter Tilleys.

If only I read as slowly as I type. [huh]
 

carldelo

One Too Many
Messages
1,568
Location
Astoria, NYC
Dooh! My bad! I guess my eagerness to pitch in with an idea exceeded my proof reading of the question.

It may also be me projecting my subconcious desire to purchase one of theses new winter Tilleys.

If only I read as slowly as I type. [huh]

I hear ya, the winter Tilleys are nice - almost make me want one. But what's up with this Oslo 1?
http://www.noggintops.com/page.cfm?p=286
Is this a ladies hat or what?
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
24,804
Location
London, UK
You could also get a black fur Ushanka sans any insignia. Black is good as it will go with anything, your mackinaw or a dress overcoat. When things turn really cold in the hunting blind you can pull the flaps down to keep the ears toasty.
612541958.jpg

The Ushanka would be a great choice. It does take a certain confidence to pull it off, but then if you're already happy wearing a fedora, you're grand. You can find these cheap at most any army surplus place in my experience. I personally like the aesthetics of the Soviet emblems on them, but they are much more subtle without (and blend more easily into a civilian look). They can be found in a silver-grey colour too, which I think would be the most flexible option. This thread has reminded me, actually, of an article in one of the London papers last Winter which extolled the virtues of a Ushanka in our increasingly cold Winters.

One thing I just ordered was a reproduction of a German bergmutze without any insignia. It has that classic alpine look to it in wool and it will make a good mountaineering hat for cross country skiing & snowshoeing this winter. It should be showing up in the next week or so.
1067.jpg

Also a good choice. The AVG were also, if memory serves, issued with something very similar by the Chinese Nationalist authorities.

I would also suggest looking for a repro USAAF B2 cap. I have an Eastman, which might be at the upper end of your budget, but well worth it. A lot of places do them too.

B-2ELC.jpg


If you do go with Eastman, order a size up - I assumed they were US sizings, but the 7 1/8 I ordered was a size small - I spoke to Eastman on the phone and they confirmed that a 7 1/4 by their scale equated to 57.

Otherwise, have a hunt round most any army surplus place - you'll find a lot of options.
 

Sam Craig

One Too Many
Messages
1,356
Location
Great Bend, Kansas
Warm, cheap AND good looking

You have a couple options, however they all involve leg work

You can get a great old fur felt fedora or western, shape it the way you want and then buy ear muffs and wear them with the connector in the back, under the brim of the hat, fill in the difference with a nice, long scarf wrapped a couple of times around the face, neck and head, also below the brim. All of the above will show up at your local thrift store if you look long and hard.

Learn how to reshape the hat on this site and you can have all three qualities.

OR ... find a decent driving cap with fold down ear flaps, then add the long scarf.

OR ... Forget about looking good and get the heaviest, wool or insulated stocking cap and then add the scarf.

It just depends on how much you want to stay warm and how much you want to look cool ... but the really long scarf is a great help ... many COLD mornings, I leave the house to drive my 1983 Chrysler to work with a fedora on and about three wraps of scarf below it. The only thing exposed is my eyes. I am perfectly comfortable. You just have to learn how to wrap the scarf.

Sam
 

Koz

New in Town
Messages
8
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
Actually Sam I am looking for info on scarves and how to wrap them. All I have seen online is fashion focused so any help there would be great.
 

Midwest Boater

One of the Regulars
Messages
196
Location
Michigan
The Mad Bomber is my favorite for subzero but they are hot in anything warmer than freezing.
2uhr4nd.jpg

when its not that cold any nice fedora will do,
m8he0y.jpg

if it gets windy or damp ill add a outer coat and turn the collar up.
 

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