Wasn’t familiar with straw hats or SunBody when I ordered. I had a straw hat as a boy when living in Appalachia that we ordered out of the Sears and Roebuck catalog. The Sear’s catalog was then more or less what the Internet is today. It had a Gus crown and lasted the summer. The next was a few years later when in Colorado. It lasted the summer also. I liked it more, but remember the straw breaking. By that time I was back East and the hat wasn’t replaceable. Hats went out in the 60s and with the exception of various military issue jobbies that was it for me. I rediscovered hats a few years back since moving to Costa Rica and now have a love affair with them.
A year ago I had no straw covers and saw one made by Stetson in a local store at the same price delivered as was the asking price from vendors in the States. I tried it on and it was a perfect fit and most comfortable. I bought it on the spot, stepped outside into the real world only to be disappointed. It was a play pretty, a great indoor hat but who wants an indoor hat? I was disillusioned with straw hats. Up to that point I had felt, fur or wool, leather, and oil skins, and liked those materials.
I found the Cattleman Hat on-line at Village Hat. I don’t know why I decided to order, but something told me that this was a good one. And it is!
I’ve had it about a year now and it shows no signs of wear. It replaced a cloth bush hat that I used while working in the yard and garden. I find it to be cooler and offers more shade for the eyes. While I don’t consider it a rain cover, I use oil skin or leather for that, it sheds water like a duck. I don’t know if it’s because of the three layers of straw that are tightly woven or the Scotch Gard that I added. If I wear it off of the property I don’t bother to carry a rain cover. The straw is bendable and sturdy. I’ve doubled it back numerous times with no signs of cracking. I also wear it sometimes in the early mornings when making a quick run down the mountain or into town as it blocks the sun well, nor do I worry about damaging it.
I had a black hatband from a low end black wool felt Stetson that I put on over the Cattleman’s factory band. It was wider, more decorative, and gave the cover more class. That lasted until the first rain. The band was not colourfast and it took awhile to remove the black streaks, which where actually grey by then. I now have a leather band that simulates barbwire over the original band, and maybe one day will replace both.
The Cattleman is an outstanding straw cover, as it’s reasonably priced, comfortable, efficient, and rugged. I really like the fact that SunBody offers it in true sizes, and not S, M, and L. I don’t think anybody can go wrong with one of SunBody’s products. I am speaking of their Guatemalan palm leaf covers as I am not familiar with their Mexican palm leaf.