Friday, January 24, 2020

The age old argument: Beaver or rabbit fur?

Bought some new hats recently.  Always liked them but just wasn't much of a hat wearer.  As I've gotten older, however, I feel the urge to cover my head more in inclement weather.  If you're going to wear hats, you might as well wear nice ones, right?

Stetson fedora:






For fancier occasions, perhaps a Homburg?

Some people get a bit obsessive about hat materials, so I thought I'd clear up the issue.


Rabbit fur or beaver fur?  Rabbit fur is less expensive but it does soak up water.  Beaver fur is expensive (and hard to find) but it sheds water.  Some would argue that all your hats should, therefore, be beaver fur because a regular fur felt hat "won't last".  This is rubbish.  Here's why.



1) If you are going to ride the range with your hat, by all means, buy beaver.






2) If you are going to be in the rain long enough to walk from your car to your office, then buy whatever is available.  Spray it with rain repellent.  When you get inside, set the hat somewhere out of the way to dry.  If it's a fedora, roll the brim up all the way around.  It won't take long and the hat will be fine.


3) If you are planning on walking outside a lot in the pouring rain, take an umbrella.


If you have any more question...

well, there is no reason that you should have more questions.

1 comment:

David said...

Here in Billings, Montana we have one of the great hat makers in America, Rand's Custom Hats. Alas, I have never been mistaken for a cowboy. Even their fedoras seem to look like cowboy hats.But they DO use beaver.