Could'a been a contender: Audition No. 3

Another authentic 'Panama' hat (woven in Ecuador) that I've had for a few years, but don't wear much. It's 'made' by Pantropic Hats, and is a roll-up travel Panama with chinstrap. It's a wonderful hat that I bought on clearance at REI, but it has one serious drawback, and one less serious one.

Minor drawback: I don't like chinstraps, even though they can be wonderfully functional. For me, they mostly just get in the way.

Major drawback: It's a size large. My true hat size in 60cm. My S/M/L/XL hat size is XL. I have a big head (but you knew that already, right?).

Smokin' Dope: Audition No. 2

Another hat from the closet. This genuine "Panama" straw hat is from Ecuador, and made with toquilla straw, like all authentic Panama hats. It's a one-size-fits-all from Orvis (elastic sweat band self-adjusts for size... even my XL).

I've had this hat since about 1995, but it's just never "stuck" with me. The crown seems too big, and the brim seems too small. But it's going to get a serious work-out as the search continues.

The Replacement Fuse is lit: Audition No. 1

As I begin the process of finding a straw hat to replace my decaying Dorfman Pacific Panama-style hat, various cats and caps will have auditions for my effections/affections. A ball cap won't be the replacement, but I am trying out hats I seldom use as a stop gap measure. This hat was a gift from a friend who does inside sales for Fuseco. It's a heavy-weight, brushed twill cap, with a nice camo bill. It's probably better suited for use in the winter than the summer.

It does have good sweat-absorption properties.

Storm clouds of the End Times

My Dorfman-Pacific straw hat, with the Stetson pheasant feathered band, is about to die. The toyo straw is breaking down, and will soon be unwearable.

This has been a great hat, a true 'signature' hat for me, rivaling my Kierkegaard ball cap. Anticipating the inevitable, I have been searching for a replacement for a few years, but with no luck. The combination of pinched crown, a soft and fairly open weave that breathes easily (plus vent holes), and a broad shade-producing brim with thin band, appears to be a rarity.

The search will now intensify. It must.