How do you know quality when you see it?

[Lefty]

Hatco makes Stetson and Dobbs...

Paul LaVoie makes hatco.

 

[Mr E Train]

Not that I would defend the latter, but it reminded me of the hat I've been wearing for the last 15, 20 years (I forget), a US made wool felt hat under that label. Soaked, folded, sat on, every kind of abuse a hat would naturally be subject to, and it barely shows a hint of it.

Wool is actually a pretty good material for hats. Not meant to dispute anything said about quality above, just saying it's possible to make a wool hat that's very good in its way, and at a relatively economical price. Adding another wrinkle to the formula for hat value.

I didn't mean to come off sounding like an anti-woolite. I have a couple of wool felt fedoras, one from Jaxon and a Lite-Felt one from Hats in the Belfry. The Jaxon is extremely stiff, yet comfortable, since it fit my size 7 5/8 long oval (although I'm usually more comfortable with a 7 3/4) melon head like it had been custom made for me, right out of the box. It laughs off rain and snow, which we've quite a bit of lately. The Belfry is just soft and crushable and easy to deal with. Throw it in a suitcase and just shake it out and reshape it when you unpack. Of course, I'm sure people are going to say you can do the same thing with an Akubra, but I wouldn't!