Saddle went away when the FIL passed in 2003, as he had the horses. Got rid of the cowboy hat and went to a Fedora, more practical. Tried cowboy boots for a year, but ankles so bad from jumping and repelling in the army I can't bend my ankles enough. Went with White Packers after that (designed by Elmer Keith in the 1920's).No saddle or cowboy hat here. No cowboy boots either.
I don't know but I want a hat like in your avatar pic. I could rock that in the winter.I got a saddle on my ebike...does that count?
lol - me too! First Stetson I bought was the Rancher/1986/$100.Kind of a hat snob, kind of not. I like expensive hats (Stetson).
Even if you don't want to go to that price point, take a look at Stetson.
My Open Road, although listed as 7 1/4 (my Stetson size) was a tad small. You can get a hat stretcher, and can stretch it very slowly and just enough (for me on this one, at least). As Smokey says, mine will shrink back if I don't leave the stretcher in it.You can shrink most Stetsons a full size, but can't stretch them even a half size without them eventually shrinking back to their original size.
You just have to train them right! If my wife sees me slow down for something furry in the road, she has the trash or fur bag already holding it open, but she does draw the line at a half dead, growling coon laying on the floormat!!I wear a bit of everything. Cowboy hat, ball caps, watchcaps, and a russian style trapper.
Funny story on the trapper. We were going to church on a cold and rainy Sunday. I saw somethign in the road and I pulled up next to it, opening the door to see what it was. The wife was setting in the back with our boy, and she asked "what is it?". To which I replied, a dead possum, at the same time I grabbed the sopping wet hat and threw it in her lap. She screamed and tried to claw her way out of the seatbelt and through the closed door. I had a good laugh and our boy who was 3 at the time laughed pretty good too.
I tend to agree with straw . Good beaver/felt in the winter. Straw or palm leaf in the summer. I also prefer a wider brim . I have worn some kinda hat all my life , it surprises me not to mention aggravates me to no end the number of people who don’t understand proper hat etiquette. Especially when handling some else’s hat . Years ago I thought I was going to get thrown out of an airport because I took exception with the way one of the TSA personnel was handling my new hat . It wasn’t pretty and probably not one of my finer moments. Needless to say I got my point across.I wear palm in the warmer months, May through October and felt in the colder months.
Here is my new warm weather hat.View attachment 38977
The barrel is 4” long. They usually come with a curled brim and a cattleman crease or sometimes a round crown. I wet them and shape them more like a fedora. I prefer wide brims. They help screen my skin from the sun. I had a massive melanoma lump removed, would rather avoid that if I can.
My felts are high quality beaver or rabbit or a blend. I wear hats rain or shine. They will get wet and they will bake in the sun. They are not cheap. I have little good to say about folks who buy cheap hats. Or cheap leather gear.
Kevin