Chevalier "Arizona" Hat

[philm4]

Hi,

Purchased the above hat for the huge sum of £50, it is a brimmed hat with a waxed type finish, what really made me go for it is that it is gore tex lined. I know Gore tex has it detractors but for me it works at keeping out water and seemed well suited to a hat. I had used it about twice a week for about 8 months in rain. I have a sheepdog and she needs walking for about 1.5 to 2 hours per day come rain or shine, hence the hat. Yesterday though I was out for about an hour in it, in continuous torrential rain. After about 40 minutes water started to seep in where the rim meets the dome of the hat. Took it back today and found out that the gore tex only covers the dome of the hat and not the rim, so it needs regular re proofing. Its a great hat otherwise and I will keep it as I like it but it would have been useful to know that basically the gore tex is only of use on about 1 walk in 100 when the proofing fails, and then only over the top of your head. Does anyone else have a brimmed hat that is genuinely 100% waterproof but is not a rain hat as such, more a general purpose hat?.

Phil

 

[Cap'n Badger]

Oh yes sah......hats be me forte.....Normally wears a tricorn as an everyday head coverin'...(waterproofed, aye)......but when the weather gets real squally....wears me a barbour brimed.....teamed up wi' a full length leather drovers coat....100% water resistant.......an' the barbour only costs 35 gold.......bargin'.....

 

[singteck]

I have my tilly T3 on all the time in the rain. If the rain didn't wet my head, my sweat will, so it makes no difference. But it keeps the rain off my collar which is good.

 

[Bozle]

Once goretex gets soaked it will start to bead water through, also when it's in contact/stressed over another material/surface it becomes much more likely to leak.

The only genuinely water proof material in the conditions you describe would be a so-wester or oil skin- or as you said a reproofed waxed barbour type hat.

All hats will leak with time and especially when-as you do- they are used alot. A simple maintainence/reproof would be needed for most materials in their lifetimes. £50 would buy quality so a reproof may completely rejuvinate the hat.

Good luck

 

[Nod]

I've got a nice wide brimmed Akubra Territory. The brim is about 4inches I think, when it arrived it seemed huge at first and I felt really self conscious in it, but you soon forget about it and get used to the sniggers and shouts of "g'day" from passers by

Its rabbit fur felt, and though not waterproof, keeps the majority of wet stuff, flotsum etc out of my neck and coat hood. Not had it totally soaked yet in the 18 months I've had it, but been out in some pretty good downpours and so far it's not failed me. I should imagine that in non stop continuous rain it would start to drip from the rim and the water would soak through.

It's easy to shape up for that personal look by steaming it over a kettle and shaping while on your head. Also easy to re-shape if gets out of kelter by using the same method.

In the hot it's ace. Wore it on holiday in the Canary Islands and kept a nice white neck while others burned up. At night time, it keeps your noggin nice and warm.

In the wind......watch out. You can push it on hard and keep it on in reasonably windy conditions but if it gets up and blows a good one the brim will catch a gust and have you chasing the hat cross country.

They are expensive, about £90 in the shops, but I got mine off e-bay for £50.

 

[Rebel]

Why not use a waterproof jacket that has a hood?

 

[Nod]

I tend not use my hood when out walking etc because when I move my head, the hood stays put and obstructs my view.

When just sitting there though, hood works fine.

 

[addyb]

I agree with Nod. I also prefer not to wear a hood in the bush, you can't see worth a damn and it cuts out a lot of good sounds and noises. A good hat or a toque beats a hood any day. For the summer, I wear a big cotton bandanna to stop sweat from getting into my eyes if I'm hiking and in the winter usually an old air force toque. I only pull out the hood if it really starts raining cats and dogs.

 

[Rebel]

Fair enough. I don't like hoods either but when it's absolutely chucking it down and I'm out for hours I've found it the only way to stay dry.

It's true that it's difficult to be aware of your surroundings when wearing a hood. You have reduced vision and hearing but when the weather is really bad I can't see or hear much anyway.

I much prefer a wide brimmed hat but for total downpours I put my hood up.

How about cutting up a bin liner and covering your hat with it? Okay it was only a suggestion.

 

[singteck]

I have seen disposable hat cover being used when it rains but I have no idea where to get any. Maybe that would be something useful for felt hat.

singteck