Well a hat is a hat is a hat! Surely there is nothing more to it, simply a Tea Cosy for the swede, or is it sweed? Well that’s what people would like you to think, however there is far more to the discerning hat buyer than an up ended boil design. For instance a hat must cover your ears, and to do so it can either be a straight rimmed or ‘dear stalker’ variety. Now whilst the Dear Stalker has advantage in most conditions, those flappy bits get real annoying when they whip you round the face constantly in a typical steady mountain breeze (aka Gale). As such I have always preferred the standard straight rim.
The next design consideration is the 2, versus 4 versus 6 section crown join. Now I really don’t consider a 2 cut join a hat, its something a three year old might knock up for there mum out of newspaper. Whilst a 4 seam join is aesthetically better, when it comes to hats its like cylinder on cars the more the better. My Patagonia hat has a 6 seam join. Topped off with a tassel that even the most burlesque of dancers would be proud to swing. In a stiff mountain breeze it doubles up as a wind vein.
Now simply as a hat the Patagucci design is thoroughly utilitarian, with the added luxury finish of a fleece liner round the rim to prevent any annoying itches caused by the wool, possible make it one of the best hats available in the western world. However where I fall down is the choice of colour, style and design I choose.
I brought my hat in V12 Outdoor, and very happy with it am I!
