Ok, so I usually wear a felt hat. I hate taking it off when I hunt in rainy weather. And I just can't stand the vinyl covers for them. I've tried the oil skin Aussie style. While I actually like the look, they come in size "ranges" and I've yet to find one that fits my head correctly. I'm right on the edge. Large is too small, and Xlarge is too big. So I started searching for a waterproof felt hat. Which leads to my two questions.

1. Does anyone actually make a waterproof felt hat? I looked and could not locate one. My search fu may be weak, but I went through several pages of google.

2. Is there a spray on product that actually works to waterproof my hat? I don't buy expensive felts. $40 or $50 tops. If it lasted a couple seasons, I'd be happy. I just don't want it to become a soggy mess after one good rain. Where I hunt, it could be 70 one day, cold and rainy the next, then snow, then right back to 70.

I know I can't expect miracles, just figured if there were such a thing, this crowd would know about it. Thanks.

i cant even remember what i sprayed mine with, some spray-on silicone stuff, worked fairly well,

I have always used one of those stretch to fit plastic covers.

Stetson 3X Rawhide Water Resistant Crushable Buffalo Felt Western Cowboy Hat
http://www.brassbitdiscountwesternwear.com/site/1561552/product/0383

http://www.filson.com/products/tin-...t=mens/hats-gloves&fmetaProduct=1011

http://www.filson.com/products/tin-...t=mens/hats-gloves&fmetaProduct=1011

http://www.filson.com/products/shel...t=mens/hats-gloves&fmetaProduct=1011

http://www.filson.com/products/cove...t=mens/hats-gloves&fmetaProduct=1011
This one is especially nice in winter.

There are other variations. All Filson cloth hats are tough, but you will NOT wear out a Tin Cloth hat.

Steelhead, if you can remember the name of that stuff, I'd sure appreciate it. I'd like to try a spray.

Dvdegeorge, Thanks, that's almost exactly what I was looking for. Just not sure about the crushable part.

Natman, I'm sure those are great hats, but not my stlye. Thanks anyway.


I'm still open to other suggestions if anyone has any. Thanks for all the replies so far. I knew this place would be able to help.

I just can't stand those things. I know they're probably the easiest/cheapest solution, but I just don't like them. I shouldn't be that into looks (especially the way I look) but I hate 'em. Plus you can hear the rain on them more. Probably only for the guy wearing it, but it drives me nuts.

check at wmt for the spray on waterproof stuff for tents/canvas. comes in a spry can about the size of bug spray. find it in the camping section. it has little odor, and repels water exceptionally well.

campdry might work, or buy a better cowboy hat

my last one was a 40 or 50X stetson, rain or shine it was the best, if they get really wet just be careful you don't bend them or crease them til they dry out, its best to wear em dry so they shape a little better to your head (only a problem when new) I used to have a saddle for a workbench, and back then thats what I did

Never worried about getting a hat wet, I have had better luck with Resistol holding up to weather over Stetson YMMV.

Thanks fellas. So one last question. Anyone who has ever used a water repellant spray, have you had any issues with the spray discolering your hat? I prefer a darker brown color hat and worried a little that the spray may cause staining.

Sweat don't stain 'em?...... anal-ities.....

A guide I knew in Colorado sprayed his hat with some kind of furniture spray. It was stiff as a spinster's spine and no telling how many times he'd sprayed it. He was a cheap jerk so I wouldn't put a lot of faith in anything he did. That ain't a lot of help, is it? Sorry.

"...... anal-ities....."

That right there is FUNNY !

GTC

Scotch-Gard might be your best bet for waterproofing. Also if your hat is a little on the large side, just put a filler like thin leather under the sweat band.

Buyin' a better quality hat is your solution .The one I hunt in is a Resistol Black Gold that I bought about 25 years ago.The first few times it got really wet , the black dye bled out of it onto my shirt but now when it gets wet it doesn't bleed .

I have other hats for wearing everyday , but I wear this one hunting .My local hat cleaner put grommets in it for a stampede string , so I can wear it out in my boat as well .

In my experience, a $50 hat is made of wool. When the kids were growing rapidly they got wool cowboy hats, as they would grow out of them within a year anyway. Wool hats do not survive inclement weather well.

Step up a few grades and a few XXXX's, and get one primarily constructed of beaver felt. Your investment will be greater in proportion to the life expectancy of the hat.

All my hats are 5x or 10X and get years of use out of them and don't ever worry about them getting wet or dirty.

+1.

Or use a product called CampDri or something similar. It's a silicone spray, IIRC.

You could wear a watch had under the cowboy hat. It would also help to keep your head warm.

I have worn wool hats for outdoor work and play for years. The get wet, I do live where we get rain one or more times a year. They dry. My head stays warm.

If you treat a felt hat with some sort of spray, is that going to reduce breathability?

- Tom

This is a good point. Or question really.

So, maybe I'm just worrying asbout it too much? I've always been told by the guy who sold me hats that you couldn't get them wet. Not just one guy, a coupld different guys. Is it just an old myth? I have a 20X that I protect like it's a 100 year old family watch. Only wear it on special occasions. It's black anyway. So I wear the cheaper Resistol $40 hat on a daily basis. I've always left them at home or in the truck when the rains came. Which always seemed silly to me since a hat is supossed to protect you from the elements, but I'd been told not to let 'em get wet.

So is that the general consensus here? That it's nothing to be concerned about?

Oh, and I know it seems anal to worry about it. It's not THAT big a deal to me either. Just asking guys who probably know better than me. And I didn't want to ruin a brand new hat by spraying somethinmg on it. If it gets stained or something while wearing it, fine. Just didn't want to ruin it right out of the box.

Thankls for all the input.

Think about it a bit...wet wool=wet sheep.
wet beaver felt=wet beaver fur...they live in the water.
You will be much better off with a quality hat. You can buy a good quality used hat on ebay for less than a cheaper quality hat new. The better hats are much thinner and much stiffer naturally. They will outlast you for sure!

The silicone sprays don't affect breathability. The weave or pores of the fibers are not sealed. It coats the fibers so the water surface tension reduces the wetting of the fur - the water tends to bead up.

The hat can still get wet, but it takes a lot more water to soak through.

If you wear your beaver hat in the rain it will eventually fluff. It can me tightened with steam. A good hat maker can do it, clean the hat and have is ship shape and ready to go.

Maybe that's where the warnings come from. I really don't have a good hat maker around here. All the small shops that probably had a skilled owner are gone now. Replaced by franchise stores. I shop mostly at Boot Barn now. That's the closest I can get. The people there are great and knowledgeable I guess, but stores like that just don't offer services like steaming. You buy a hat off the shelf and when you need it, you just go buy a new one.

But I've learned a decent amount of info here, so I think I can stop worrying about it. I'll buy a slightly better hat, put a good quality waterproofing on it, and for really heavy rain I'll put one of those plastic covers I hate on it to keep it from getting totally deystroyed before I can let it dry out.

Thanks everybody. I appreciate it.

Good hat shops are hard to come by. I remember my first western hat. The lady who sold it to me steamed it and shaped it to fit my face. Then she steamed it around the band, got it good and hot and plopped it on my head. Thought I was going to die! Every time I reached up to take it off she smacked my hands until it cooled off. I have never owned a hat that fitted as well as that one did.

You can put a tea kettle on a stove and steam your own and shape it.

Last good hat maker I visited was in Mancos, CO. I spent about three hours there and learned a lot. Check him out. http://www.nathanielsofcolorado.com/

bingo! thats what it was

Good felt hats are washed when they afe cleaned .The hat band and lining is removed and they are WASHED . They look as good as new when they are washed properly by a good hat cleaning place .

Huskey's Hat Co. in Wichita Falls Tx is where I have mine done .The old 20X Resistol Black Gold I wear for hunting has been Washed at least five times .

Huskey's builds hats now .I had one made a couple years ago - a bona fide 50X - for 275.00 .I've got a 50X Resistol that cost more than that 10 years ago but the Huskey hat is better.

My everyday hat and my hunting hat are gonna get wet if I'm outside and it's raining .

+1

-tom

I have a couple 300 dollar plus felts. Have never found one water proof let me know if you can. If not my suggestions keep getting the cheap ones and expect them to get [bleep] up or just buy a filson packer hat

For what it's worth, I found this.

Gard-More