Are more expensive panama hats more durable?

[paborden]

Stopped by Lock and Co this weekend to look at their panama hats. They have two quality levels — $500 and $1500 (roughly). Obviously the more expensive was much finer, but that may or may not be a good thing.

Are finer panama weaves more or less durable?

 

[SirThopas]

My experience (over about 30 years, although I admit I have never had one of the exceptionally fine Montecristi panamas) is that while expensive genuine panamas are significantly more durable than cheaper alternatives, no panama lasts forever. The instruction to handle the panama by the brim and never the crown is not that easy to follow in practice, certainly if you wear your panama in any setting less genteel than sipping drinks on a hotel terrace. I think even the "lower" quality level at Lock’s will serve you well, and its eventual (slight) deterioration will be less devastating.

 

[paxonus]

The price isn't as much an indicator of longevity as it is of aesthetic factors such as fineness of weave and consistency of color. Check out Brent Black Panama Hats for everything you could ever possibly want to know about the subject.

 

[Son Of Saphir]

Are finer panama weaves more or less durable?

According to industry types who have decades of experience, they are more durable. The monticristi are softer and more flexible too, and apparently less prone to drying out, so less likely to crack.

Panama connoisseurs like to have a range from great quality wide weave to great quality monticristi. All serve a purpose. The main thing is to buy quality, and those $500 panama will certainly be decent.

The lower priced wide weave are more solid, but the monticristi are more delicate and need more looking after.

If you are going for a walk you wear a basic model panama.
If you go into town you wear the monticristi.

 

[Son Of Saphir]

Getting this panama next week.
A big fancy one,
solid as a house.
Not near as expensive as the monticristi,
but made to last a lifetime if taken care of and rotated.
It's a boss man's hat.
Wear that with a great suit and BOOM.

 

[comrade]

I have a "Panama" hat purchased in Quito Ecuador 5 decades ago for
about a dollar in Sucres. I haven't worn it that much but it still has its' shape
and shows little wear. One wouldn't confuse it with a very high end one
but it is perfectly wearable.

 

[maxalex]

I have a "Panama" hat purchased in Quito Ecuador 5 decades ago for
about a dollar in Sucres. I haven't worn it that much but it still has its' shape
and shows little wear. One wouldn't confuse it with a very high end one
but it is perfectly wearable.

All genuine Panama hats are made in Ecuador.

 

[Enfusia]

One thing to also keep in mind is human nature.
If you paid $1,500 for it VS a much lower price you tend to treat it differently.

You don't throw it around, you store it properly etc...

This changes the picture of 'durability' quite markedly.

 

[Son Of Saphir]

Heard of one local man who owned several dozen monticristi.
Nothing quite as nice as a really fine woven monticristi with even weaves, but often a man wants to wear a lesser panama.
It is becoming more difficult to find the good ones these days, many young folk don't want to do the backbreaking work anymore.
Not so long ago one of the great masters passed away.

 

[Shanghaining]

Never had nor even tried on a Montecristi weave before, I bought this particular no frills Panama roughly earlier last year for about less than one hundred bucks and have wore it extensively throughout the spring, summer and autumn months.

This is when it is brand new sitting on the bench under the sun, it has probably one of the lowest grades in terms of weave per square inch.

And below is the current state of the hat with quite a bit of abuse, rain and accumulative wear.

Note that under windy conditions or taking a ferry, be somewhat careful as it could fly off. Leather bands would be considerably easier to clean, repel and remove sweat than cotton. Rain drops and precipitation will cause some stickiness on the toquilla palm straw. Kettles would be useful to provide some hydration and prevent any cracks or brittleness, and also for reshaping.

 

[aaamax]

The instruction to handle the panama by the brim and never the crown

This is an interesting one.
I have heard both sides for all my years, but in my realm (ranching) the rule is to always handle by the crown because the brim leverage puts undo pressure on the joint over years of use.
Any thoughts?

 

[SirThopas]

This is an interesting one.
I have heard both sides for all my years, but in my realm (ranching) the rule is to always handle by the crown because the brim leverage puts undo pressure on the joint over years of use.
Any thoughts?

My understanding is that, with a panama, the crown is the weakest part, and pinching the crown will in the long term cause it to crack. I’m guessing a rancher’s hat is made of wool, rabbit or beaver, which would behave differently from palm fibres.

 

[aaamax]

My understanding is that, with a panama, the crown is the weakest part, and pinching the crown will in the long term cause it to crack. I’m guessing a rancher’s hat is made of wool, rabbit or beaver, which would behave differently from palm fibres.

Good point. Many hats are of misc palm like material in our "straw" hats, but probably a bit more stout than a fine Panama.

 

[Andy57]

Not to be too contrarian, but there is not a strong correlation between the fineness of a panama and its durability. No panama will last forever. Ten years, if looked after, is a good span. Much depends on how well you look after the hat and how you handle it.

You can, of course, handle your hat however you like, but any hatmaker will tell you to handle only by the brim, whether it is a panama or other straw hat, of the finest beaver felt. Keeping it free of dust and dirt is important, of course.

If you buy a "rollable" panama, do not expect to get more than 3 years wear out of it, less if you roll it often. A rollable panama will break in the middle of the crown.

Lastly, I advise against buying a panama from Lock. They tend to overstate the quality of their hats. For the same money you can get a much finer hat from one of these vendors:

Brent Black
Optimo Hats
Hat of Cain

 

[paborden]

Not to be too contrarian, but there is not a strong correlation between the fineness of a panama and its durability. No panama will last forever. Ten years, if looked after, is a good span. Much depends on how well you look after the hat and how you handle it.

You can, of course, handle your hat however you like, but any hatmaker will tell you to handle only by the brim, whether it is a panama or other straw hat, of the finest beaver felt. Keeping it free of dust and dirt is important, of course.

If you buy a "rollable" panama, do not expect to get more than 3 years wear out of it, less if you roll it often. A rollable panama will break in the middle of the crown.

Lastly, I advise against buying a panama from Lock. They tend to overstate the quality of their hats. For the same money you can get a much finer hat from one of these vendors:

Brent Black
Optimo Hats
Hat of Cain

As ever, thank you Andy.

Would you advise against rollables in general? I'll admit I am attracted to the portability...