Dorfman Pacific All-Season Crushable Hat

I am bald with a hat size of 7 3/4". Most hats don't fit me off the shelf. Add to this that my wife doesn't like hats that don't fit me off the shelf because I try to squeeze my head into too small a space at the expense of my appearance and the hat's appearance. This hat was ordered on line (XXL) and delivered free of shipping to my nearby REI store. It fits perfectly. I fell in love with it when I first wore it. Although, even with the hat band, it seemed a little itchy. I have either gotten accustomed to that in the six weeks I have had it, or the itchiness has lessened through wear. The first week I had the hat, a lady colleague needed a jump during a deluge of 1-2" of rain per hour. I got completely soaked and so did the hat, but it kept the rain off my face and neck, for which I was grateful, the brim did not droop, and it dried out overnight so I could wear it the next day. I have gotten several compliments on the hat and hope to keep it for many years. So far, no matter how much I abuse it by folding it, crushing it, or stuffing it into my computer roller case, it keeps popping back to its original shape. It's magic!

I bought this hat more than 12 years ago and use it anytime I hike, backpack, camp, trek or am in the outdoors. It accompanied me for 11 years as a scout leader. It's been stuffed in packs, covered in desert dust, dunked on river trips and through a week of heavy rain at one summer camp.

The material is resilient. My old hat still has good shape and absolutely no fraying. The brow wicks sweat well and the wide brim is great in the AZ sun. For me it is not too hot in the summer and in the winter it does help keep my head warm. During heavy rain, the hat was soaked but my head stayed dry and the brim didn't sag which kept my neck area dry. The thick felt also has saved my head from injury when I hit tree branches in the woods or low ceiling rocks in caves.

To clean it I have soaked it in a bucket of water or sprayed it off with a hose. Then shape it and set it on a flat surface to dry.

It may not be brand new, but I still can't justify buying a new one because the thing still looks good and won't wear out. Bummer.

This is an awesome hat. I work as a kayak tour guide on the river in addition to my personal trips camping, hiking, and backpacking. I wanted something that would last for years. I received it as a gift a couple months ago after telling my mom about it and I wear it more days then not. So far I am very impressed

I am a fair skinned guy and on the river 5 days a week I need something that will keep the sun off the back of my neck and my face. This hat is perfect in conditions ranging from cold and wet to warm. When raining the water drips right off and even in a decent downpour followed by snow it stayed dry on my head. After being completely soaked by the river the wool offers continuous insulation keeping my head warm.

It is comfortable and itch free but I would not recommend it on very hot days. A chin strap would be a bonus but it fits snugly on my head so only once or twice has it attempted to fly off. The hat retains its shape after being smashed repeatedly in my backpack. Overall a great hat and I would highly recommend.

I bought this hat about 3-4 years ago and it's my favorite hat. It fits a little loose so i added a narrow strip of wool inside the band so it fits a little snugger. That works pretty well but it still will try and blow off in a moderate to strong wind. Not sure how a neck strap would look but tempted to attach one. That might be a nice option when buying. This hat is very tough and holds it's shape no matter how often it gets crushed. I have a lot of people say how much they like the looks of it. One thing I don't like is the outside hat band. It's not leather, more a synthetic or nylon material and the little narrow piece that forms a loop split into not long after my purchase. I still use it but a real leather band would have been more stylish and rugged. It takes wet weather well. Great hat for the money. If stolen, destroyed or lost, I'll definately buy again.

I bought one for myself using my dividend about a year ago. It's a great hat. I tend to be very hot natured, so it could be a little more vented, but I deal with it because I'm fair skinned (with extremely receding/balding hair), so need to block as much sun as I can!! On a trip to the beach, my father commented on it and tried it on. That was a year ago...he hasn't stopped talking about it yet! So, I just ordered one for him. While I was at the beach, I got some salt stains on the hat that won't come out...just FYI. Mine now has several little white specs on it...but that's ok with me...it's an 'outdoors' hat, after all. I'm not wearing it to a formal event!

Overall, great hat. Otherwise, I wouldn't have just bought one for my dad.

I love this hat...

Wool felt may be denser, heavier and less breathable than rabbit-fur felt ~ but then it's only half the cost of the top-shelf felts as well ~ should still prove more than adequate for autumn/winter/spring wear..

I intend using this as a general purpose cold to warm weather hat ~ I suspect it will be simpy too dark and not-breathable-enough, for the height of our Aussie summers down here..

This should prove to me my first choice "go to" hat for the foreseeable future. I deliberately went a size larger than what would be a "neat" fit, after reading earlier reviews ~ this will both offer better breathability, and for shrinkage when it gets wet. IT has felt quite comfortable since day one..

I loved this hat. I left it on the hatrack in Boston this weekend at a really great italian restaurant and someone stole it. Guess they liked it too. Now I have to figure out how to get my wife to approve buying another one. I don't wear it hiking--I wear a Tilly hat for that--but I really loved this hat. It's the only hat of this type I ever had that I didn't make me look like a complete imbecile. Also it was a great hat and I loved it. Maybe I'll just buy it again and take the consequences. If I wait for my wife to buy me another one it'll be Christmas or later.

Wonderful hat. I have been wearing this style of hat since I got one at an REI in Bellingham, WA in 2004. Since then I've used it as a waterbowl for my dog, a waterbowl for my horse, as a towel, and as a damp piece of cloth to swat at a fire that got beyond the ring. And the hat still looks good to me.

The color fades slightly with years, which doesn't bother me. Also, hat tends to expand slightly when soaking wet -- after, e.g., using it as a waterbowl -- so that a stiff wind can blow it off your head. But these are minor complaints about a great piece of headgear.

I purchased my hat in 1994 when I was living in Vancouver, WA. I am bald and the rain was driving me crazy. I wore it every day that there was even a chance of rain, so I wore it a lot. In 2000 I moved to Utah and it became my snow hat and my "it's cold on the bald head" hat. So I've worn it a lot. It is still around, I wear it every day. The leather band has long since broken off and I haven't replaced it. It is my trademark hat now. Almost 14 years of wear and tear and it is still going strong. I highly recommend it.

Although this was not my first Fedora, it certainly was the best bargain. I've been wearing fedoras long before Indiana Jones gave them a popular reemergence. I look for form and function in choosing a fedora. For protection from the elements, nothing is as warm and resilient as good wool hat. After sheltering my head from snow and rain, the Dorfman Pacific All Season Crushable Hat still retains its original size, shape, and color. I have expedition grade head gear for extreme conditions, but for style and comfort a fedora will always top the list and my noggin. I hear "Love the hat!"
every time I wear it in public.