qwerty said:
Are you people really ready to give 175 (250) dollars for a hat? So why spending so much money on something so meaningless.
(maybe this should be a new thread)
Qwerty,
Meaningless is in the eye of the beholder. For the people who actually like the way the hat looks, need the protection that the hat offers from the elements and want a hat that will last a lifetime, $175 is chump change. I spent substantially more on the hat in my avatar. Why?
You can get a cheap hat. They are all over eBay. They will shrink when wet, they will taper, the sweatbands are uncomfortable and the proportions are all wrong. When you move up to a rabbit fur hat, you get a hat that will hold it's shape longer. Beaver fur is one of the best furs for felting hats and as such you pay more for it.
So you can buy a cheap hat and have to buy several of them, or you can buy once and buy right. Also, take into account that a hat that loses it's shape needs to be reblocked and reshaped. Add the cost of the reblock and the cost of shipping each time and you will start to see why a cheap hat is not an altenative to a serious hat wearer.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that the hat is not for show. I am not trying to be Indiana Jones. I get my hat dirty and beat up as it has been with me through years of hiking. My avatar is from the top of Mt. Chocorua in NH and over my shoulder is Mt. Washington - the tallest in the state. I have also hiked that one wearing this hat. I would not have it any other way. Quality lasts.
You are right, this should be split off into another thread.