Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Waterproofing Cowboy Hat

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.

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