Bush hat suggestions?

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Herman30

Native
Aug 30, 2015
1,351
1,030
57
Finland
Ooh, I never wash my summerhats, at the most only rinse them in cold water. The more saturated with sweat they get the more waterproof they get.
 

GuestD

Need to contact Admin...
Feb 10, 2019
1,445
700
Can't Go wrong with any Tilley really, but my favourite is a cotton Stetson.

img26.jpg
 
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gra_farmer

Full Member
Mar 29, 2016
1,800
1,019
Kent
The hemp hat looks good too, are there any advantages of hemp over cotton? Is it a purely ecological thing?
Without water treatment Hemp resists rain longer, acts like ventile, as repels water to start with and then strands swell to add further water resistance. The other positive is that it is resistant to rot.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
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Florida
I have one of the wide brim tarp hats, love it although the elastic inner band has perished through exposure to sweat, sunscreen and mozzie rep. Washing it only degrades it further.
They must have changed them. Mine doesn’t have any elastic. My entire hat is sewn from the recycled tarps. The only thing not used canvas is the wire lining around the outside edge of the brim (it’s the bits of wire from old tires)
 

Wildgoose

Full Member
May 15, 2012
777
429
Middlesex
They must have changed them. Mine doesn’t have any elastic. My entire hat is sewn from the recycled tarps. The only thing not used canvas is the wire lining around the outside edge of the brim (it’s the bits of wire from old tires)

It seems the elastic is just there to cover the join. I can see myself removing it and will try to replace it with something else.
 
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Wildgoose

Full Member
May 15, 2012
777
429
Middlesex
As always on here there’s some great suggestions.

The Tilley hats, both cotton and hemp look great, they won’t fold but look smart and are clearly built to last.

The varusteleka looks more like the hat I’m trying to replace, good to know people have them and like them.
 

Billy-o

Native
Apr 19, 2018
1,981
975
Canada
T3 is just a floppy hat ... bit stiffer than your conventional floppy hat, but that is just because it is made of better stuff. It hasn't been formed and, yes, it folds up and pockets just fine :)

I like that Stetson. I have a no-name, waxed version of a bucket hat, just like it .. only in a lighter fabric, I am guessing. There's some real corkers on their site .. like the WW1 hat, for instance
 
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Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex
Good to know, thanks

Occasional spray of Nikwax cotton proofer and it’s good for a few trips out in the wet. Folding and crumpling a lot opens the fabric a bit. I’d always fancied a T3, but they looked a bit too formal for me, at least when new, the Wanderer fixed that.
 

Billy-o

Native
Apr 19, 2018
1,981
975
Canada
Not sure if it applies to all of them but the T3 has a polystyrene (or similar) pad under the top. Meant to act as a float, but also stops rain pummelling your skull ... but also can sweat a bit. You might wax the brim to help it not soak out in heavy weather. Mind, if the rain's that bad, I guess a wet brim to your hat will be one of the very least of your discomforts :)
 

birchwood

Nomad
Sep 6, 2011
440
99
Kent
It seems the elastic is just there to cover the join. I can see myself removing it and will try to replace it with something else.
If you have some chamois leather use a strip of that to replace the elastic. We use it in Australian hats, stops it leaving your head when it’s windy. If really windy damp the leather a bit then jam it on your head.
If you need to take up more ‘space’ wrap the leather round a tape and sew that in.
 
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ANDGRIN

Full Member
Jun 4, 2004
41
8
63
Bristol
I used Tilley T3 for 25 years or so but now use the Tilley Hemp TH4. It seems to absorb less water in the rain and dries quicker while not feeling so cold should the temperature drop.

And
 

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