TexasCHLforum.com

Guys it's been years since I purchased an actually dress cowboy hat because all I wear are the straw hats and I am wanting to purchase a nice black felt hat. Since it's been years does anybody have any good reccomendations?

If you aren't getting a custom hat, I'd say American is the only way to go. If you want a custom, I had one made by Warbonnet Hatworks and I'm really happy with it.

Not sure where you're located, but when I want one, I go to the Resistol factory outlet store in Garland.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/04/21/welc ... n-garland/

Resistol or Stetson for a non custom hat. Buy at least 10 X for a decent hat, 100 to 200 X for a top of the line custom.

Is the "unwritten rule" still straw in summer and felt in winter?

Not cheap, but http://texashatters.com. The hat in my avatar was made by them.

I'm only 30 mins from Garland. I may go check their outlet out! Also I will look at Texas hatters as well. And yes I think the unwritten rule is still straw in the summer and felt in the winter but I have been wearing straw year round and I do believe my head would appreciate a little bit warm hat

cmgee67 wrote:Guys it's been years since I purchased an actually dress cowboy hat because all I wear are the straw hats and I am wanting to purchase a nice black felt hat. Since it's been years does anybody have any good reccomendations?

I used to sell hats and you can't go wrong with either a Stetson or Resistol
They are both made in the same factory in Garland, as are Larry Mahan, and other lower quality hats.
Depending on your intention, the higher the Beaver felt count, designated by the number of x's the softer the hat will be.
If you plan to only wear it as a very dressy hat, go with the higher numbers. If it will also be worn around less dressy occasions, you can save money by going with the lower x's. I still have a 10x that I bought 20 years ago, and with a little brushing ( I just use an old sock on my hand) it looks new.
My silverbelly is 200x and it only comes out for dress up affairs.
Pm me and I can meet you in the DFW area. I'll even crease it to your specs.

If you'd like something special, I got my custom Stetson 10X from these guys, a very nice hat.

http://www.knudsenhats.com/home.html

I have worn a felt hat year around all my life. A custom hat maker in Fort Davis where I had some of my hats made told me this about hats. X designations on the hat originally meant how much rabbit fur was in the blend to make a hat stay together due to the velcro type attributes of the fur. It takes at least 5% rabbit fur to make it stay together and this constituted a 20x hat, any more rabbit fur would be a lesser X number. Any more X designation than 20 on a hat (such as 100X) is meant to reflect how much stoning or smoothing of the surface was done. Still the same makeup of a 20X hat but smoother surface of hat as number of X's goes up.
The materials in the hat are still the same and price is higher due to stoning but it is not a better grade hat. For more X's than 20 you just pay more for stoning and it does not constitute a better hat.

I was told the high the X the better grade of fur they mix( mink chinchilla beaver buffalo) and less rabbit. You will find the higher grade hats are more soft, supple and plyable.

Jusme wrote:

cmgee67 wrote:Guys it's been years since I purchased an actually dress cowboy hat because all I wear are the straw hats and I am wanting to purchase a nice black felt hat. Since it's been years does anybody have any good reccomendations?

I used to sell hats and you can't go wrong with either a Stetson or Resistol
They are both made in the same factory in Garland, as are Larry Mahan, and other lower quality hats.
Depending on your intention, the higher the Beaver felt count, designated by the number of x's the softer the hat will be.
If you plan to only wear it as a very dressy hat, go with the higher numbers. If it will also be worn around less dressy occasions, you can save money by going with the lower x's. I still have a 10x that I bought 20 years ago, and with a little brushing ( I just use an old sock on my hand) it looks new.
My silverbelly is 200x and it only comes out for dress up affairs.
Pm me and I can meet you in the DFW area. I'll even crease it to your specs.

Stetson or Resistol depending on your head...lol. For round oval, go Stetson, long oval, go Resistol...

Straws straws after easter, felts after Labor Day.

If you are in Houston, The Hat Store (Richmond at Chimney Rock) is the place to go.