i'm thinking of getting a new hat for my woodland wandering.
right now i'm using a felt hat, but with a heat index of 85+, i need something cooler. i'm trying to decide whether to get one made of straw or fabric.
Straw is lighter, cheaper, probably cooler. BUT it's not as sturdy, and it's more flammable(remote factor yes, but this is ETS after all).
Cloth is more durable, but less ventilating(i dont' want a mesh top) probably more expensive.

Soooo, i'd like to get your thoughts on the matter.

also, what would you recommend for each? Tilley is top of my list for a cloth hat, but i don't know about a quality straw hat.

Straw. Light, remarkably tough and effective in keeping the sun at bay while remaining well ventilated. Not so effective in the rain without a plastic cover, simple enough to rig with a plastic bag and rubber bands.

Yes, they wear and get torn up. Or as I like to say: They develop character. And when they become too decrepit to remain functional they get replace, or demoted to party night hats where it is all funky form over practical function.

and a source for a quality product? or is one straw hat pretty much the same as the next?

also, why's this thread marked as a Calendar Event?

I really like my Tilly, very comfortable, cool in hot weather, can be washed and does a decent job of repealing a light rain. I've never found straws to be that comfortable to wear.

This is my hat below. I wear this all the time when out the trail or camping during the fall/spring/summer as the hat is light and well ventilated. I buy these at the local discount store for $1.69 or so and they usually last a couple of years before they start to loose their shape and or fray. This particular hat is about one year old now and has the lost the slight curl to the sides of the brim and the indentations at the top front center of the crown are almost gone.

When the weather cools off it is easy to re-form a straw hat. Softened the straw with a wet cloth or water spray, stuff the crown with newspaper and stretch rubber bands around the outside to contract the headband. Form the rim like you like it using cardboard or rolled newspaper as a rough form. Hold everything in place with rubber bands and string (or anything else handy) and place the 'boxed' hat in a warm dry place to dry. Attics are handy.

Frayed edges can be stitched or overcast. Yes, that is a lot of work to preserve a $1.69 ($4 to $7 around here) but it doesn't take long and by the time it needs to be done it isn't a cheap hat any more, it is an old friend.

Do I do that with my straw hats? Depends. If I like the hat and we have some history together I work harder on maintenance. On the other hand hats that never seemed to suit me and ones I associate with frustrating projects or trips I don't.

Hint: straw hats will eventually adapt to your head shape but tend to get too lose with time as they continue to expand. You can speed the adaptation by moistening the straw and wearing it until dry on a cool, sweat-free day. Or wear it while sweating and then dry it in an attic or freezer. Once the hat is formed to your head you can keep it that way longer by rigging a band outside the hat to stop the straw from expanding any more. Cloth, a bit of leather, ribbon or woven cordage all work - be creative.

Art:

Thats a lot of work...I prefer to just recycle my old hats as fire tinder!

Slightly off topicish. Barbour felt hats are now crushable. You can put them in your pocket and still have a decent shape!
The Sock

Cloth - holds up better.

May I ask which tilley you have? I've been looking to get one for a while.

I favor cloth. I also think it holds up better AND although it may be a little warm in the summer, it is definitely warmer in the winter!

I love my hemp tilley!

Cloth is the way to go for me:

-You can fold it up and stuff it in your luggage if you travel.
-Cloth absorbs sweat which can keep you cooler AND keep the sweat out of your eyes (However, I found the Tilley not to be very good at the sweat out of the eyes thing).
-Cloth can be put into the washer after every hike, camp out, or what not if it gets grunged out.
-Cloth can be dunked in a stream to keep you cooler (or you can stick snow wrapped in a bandanna if you're up high and there are still snow banks).

HJ

It really isn't much of an investment of time or materials. A hat can be blocked into shape in a minute or two using scrap cardboard and newspaper. Seeing as that up north a straw hat would be seasonal it is easy to do this at first frost and letting it dry in the winter. A few minutes invested can double or triple the life of a valued hat and old friend.

But your right that a straw hat is cheap enough to be considered disposable, used as tinder, fed to the compost pile, or pensioned off to the scarecrow guarding the garden.

Over the years I have developed a preference for cloth.
I have found the biggest thing to make a difference is the width of the brim.

For the wide brim hats I also like the straw but I find they only last about a year before they have disintegrated.

I also found that the hats that are stiffened with plastics or other magic coatings uncomfortable.

If I was looking for a hat for the heat I think straw would be choice, second to my wide brimmed tilley.
I would be thinking of one of the cheap cowboy style ones that the Mexicans seem to like so much.
A full sombrero is likely overkill.

Another consideration is the inside band. I find plastic or elastic very uncomfortable. I like materials that soak up the sweat and help cool my head by evaporating it.

Boonies are the way to go,Comfortably cheap/cool/tough/effective,come in a wide variety of colors nowaday's,& A Skeeter bag fits perfectly over them,when the need arises! You just gotta' love em'!

Excellent thought.
I have been involved in some projects and trips that have resulted in me burning the hat involved, along with the clothing, maps, itineraries, receipts, souvenirs and, on one occasion, the vehicle. Very therapeutic. Recommend it highly-