Adventurebilt Fedora

Another Adventurebilt, this one by Steve Delk. I wore this one a whole bunch, through Halifax rain, sleet and snow. I didn’t baby it the way I did the Deluxe- the gray suited me and my wardrobe much better. But surprisingly, after wearing it outside for a while, the brim flange got funny and the crown tapered a whole bunch. It just didn’t hold up the way I would have expected it to. I accidentally left it in a cabin in Maine on a road trip. A friend was able to retrieve it, but I took it somehow as a sign and passed it on to someone who hopefully has made gentler use of it than I did, and I switched back to vintage hats exclusively.

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Adventurebilt Deluxe

This is one of the few hats I’ve regretted selling. The felt on these is so nice. The sweatband is one of the only modern ones I’ve found comfortable. But somehow, I just found myself not wearing it as much as I should. The rest of my hats I just plop on my head and I’m off. This one I worried about what would happen to it- if someone would spill a drink on it, if it would get stolen. As much as I’ve been able to dodge the Indiana Jones comments that seem to follow any hat with a brim, or any leather, this one really invited them. Because it is THE Indiana Jones hat. This one was an earlier custom job, without the dimensional brim, and it doesn’t have the raiders pinch, but even so- I always somehow felt this hat was wearing me, and not the other way around. So off it went. Someday I’ll get a custom to replace it, with dimensions and a color that suit me better.

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NPS Campaign Hat

The big difference between a boss of the plains and a campaign hat is the grommets. An army campaign hat has them. A boss of the plains does not. Typically a boss of the plains stays uncreased, while a campaign hat gets a four point montana peak. This is a boss of the plains that has been adapted for NPS service.

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No. 1 Quality Stetson Boss of the Plains

I have a weakness for early westerns. I don’t know why- too many cowboy movies as a kid? The allure of the open range?

This is an early Stetson Boss of the plains, probably dating from the 1920s. These were the real working mans hat of the time.

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Vintage Stetson Boss of the Plains

This one probably dates from the 1920s. Typical boss of the plains crown. May have had a curled brim edge at one point, but if that’s the case, it’s long since been cut off. Textured leather sweatband, no lining. Wide ribbon. Deep imprints. No. 1 Quality, a western designation of the time. Very high quality fur felt.

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