THE SUNBODY ASSOCIATION

Ditto ditto!

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

Thanks guys! Her ribbon is vintage from the '40's. His is from the mid-80's.

 

Hello all,
I’m leaning towards purchasing an Open Road style Sunbody brand hat for the warmer months. They seem to have stellar reviews from what I’ve seen around the inter webs. Lol. Anyone here have any info, good or bad on the brand? Just thought I’d toss it out here and see what people say before I pull the trigger on one. All comments are appreciated!
Cheers.

 

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-sunbody-association.35187/

 

I've been wearing Sunbody hats for years. Since we have acreage to maintain I keep a 6" Gus on hand for working in the sun and am on my 2nd one in 13 years time.

I bought my father a Sunbody fedora about 10 years ago and he still wears it.

The straw is high quality and the build is also very good. Nice thing about the palm straw is that you can reshape it very easily. Just wet it good, shape it and let it dry.

Right now my 'working' big gus is about 5 years old and going strong. And I have another new one in the waiting as back up.

The hats I've purchased all have run true to size.

 

Thank you kindly Mr M Brown!
You have given me precisely the kind of ringing endorsement I needed. I can now move forward with my Sunbody purchase in full confidence! Cheers

 

I concur. My big Gus is my workhorse every summer. I have a new fedora I'll be wearing this summer for more "formal" (ha ha!) occassions!

 

Hi, Sun Body's are quite a bit heavier than a Panama Hat of the same size. They're also much less expensive and more easily shaped.

With Respect to wetting and re-shaping. Even if you don't re-shape, thoroughly wet the hat a few times over the summer and let it dry on your head. if you let it dry out for a few years, and you set on it, it crumbles like a saltine cracker. Don't ask me how I know that.

Later

 

Thank you Rmccamey,
I like the “festive” look (if you will) of the hat band on your formal Sunbody fedora. I’m leaning toward ordering an Open Road style Sunbody with ventilation eyelets sooner than later. The positive comments are encouraging!

 

Thanks 1961MJS,
I’ll definitely remember to douse it a few times during the warmer months. Usually, I have plenty of consumable “liquid” close at hand. Especially when the weather is desirable...not necessarily water but I’m sure I can manage to scrounge some up! A saltine cracker?! That’s a bad day! Guess it’s one of those lessons learned ie - don’t spit into the wind, don’t drink the water in Mexico etc.. some are harder learned than others. Cheers!

 

This hatband is actually one of my old silk ties that Rick at Phoenix Hats modified for me.

 

Well, Rmccamey,
it is very admirable Sir! Wear it in good health and happiness.
cheers

 

Don't forget that they're great about customization. A couple of years back they made me a beautiful oak-colored fedora with a 2 5/8 brim that's still my warm-weather rainy day hat. What amazed me was that they didn't charge me a dime extra. Nice people.

 

tropicalbob,
Thanks for mentioning that
I was wishing they had an Open Road style available in oak color, now that you’ve said your custom request was so nicely accommodated perhaps I can ask them for one...
Cheers

 

While a bit on the heavy side, my 3 1/2 inch brim provided the necessary shade in the 100+ degree desert heat last summer.

 

Hey, Just A Hat Rack,
If a Sunbody hat works for you in desert heat, it’ll surely fit the bill for me in New England. Another ringing endorsement. Judging from all the positive Sunbody commentary here and elsewhere online, I’m surprised they don’t charge more! Not a bad thing by any means!! It’s simply rare to find a company with a solid product that doesn’t start over charging the moment they develop a decent following. Doesn’t happen in today’s blood thirsty, bleed ‘em dry capitalist market. On another note, stunning scenery in the pic there Sir! Looks glorious. Truly.
Cheers

 

I’ve found that they don’t breathe well and they are heavy. They make for a warm wearing hat that doesn’t jive well with their use in the summer. If you have a tank of water to dunk them in periodically that’s a different story. They do block sun well, but I’ve found that I’d rather have something else than palm (SunBody or others) when it gets hot out. I perspire a lot so that plays into it too as the lack of ventilation creates a sauna...yes, you can get them vented, but the vents don’t help as much as I want them to. For me, palm is a great spring and autumn choice, but I’m reaching for something cooler wearing in the heat of the summer. I know lots of others sweat by them for summer hats, but I don’t tolerate the heat well myself.

 

I appreciate the input Sir,
Do you have any recommendations for another brand/type of summer hat?
Cheers

 

I like Milan hats a lot. They can breathe and don’t seem as fragile as Panama hats. The price is going to be more for Milan straw, but a Milan weave hemp hat is a solid option. Stetson, Peter Bros., etc. make hemp hats. I also don’t mind a well vented Shantung; I don’t like the plastic feel or the lack of ruggedness, but they fill a niche. Do you have a brim width and/or style in mind?

I have nothing against palm, and I might buy another this Spring. For the price, why not try a SunBody? @Mustang Mike's Hats has offered standard SunBody hats at a discount for Lounge Members.

 

Ditto. Great work hats. Mine has seen hard use as you can see by the dirt. Not a safe queen. After 10-13 yrs it is finally starting to crack out on the pinch where I grab it all the time.