Review of Dorfman-Pacific Weathered Cotton Outback Hat With Chin Cord

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I own three hats. The most expensive is a fur-pelt Indiana Jones safari hat (about $110). Then there's a black leather Barmah Squashy, an Aussie gambler's hat (about $55). The cheapest is this Dorfman, which I bought on a whim for about $30. Women have given me a lot of unsolicited compliments on the Barmah, which just really seems to attract them. But it's the Dorfman that gets the most compliments from men, who invariably seem to want it for themselves.

I was initially skeptical when I got the Dorfman. Over time, I've grown to love the hat. It's made of a kind of oilskin that easily repels rain. It cannot be damaged by crushing. In fact, I often crush it deliberately in order to pack it or tuck it under my arm. Then I just bend it into whatever shape I want. It's very easy to shape. It also has a chin strap. At first, I thought this was a nuisance, so I tucked it into the crown and ignored it. But then I discovered that I could use the strap to keep the hat attached to me but not on my head. This is very useful both for windy days and absentminded moments when I would otherwise forget to take my hat with me. And it doesn't matter if I sit back and crush the hat, since...(see above).

This hat is without a doubt the most durable, inexpensive, and generally attractive outdoor hat that I've seen. While it wouldn't be suitable for the opera, it works for a lot of other occasions, including hunting, hiking, general socializing, and going to church. And so I highly recommend it.

UPDATE: I forgot this hat at a local restaurant (I guess using the chin strap didn't seem hip at the time). Unfortunately, the hat was so attractive that another patron walked out with it rather than turning it in. No one steals my other hats, just this one. My girlfriend wanted me to get a different replacement, but in the end, I just had to have this hat back. It was the right decision. I'm just sorry that Dorfman has been raising their prices lately.

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This is the third time I've bought this hat. It's my favorite for all weather bullet proof hiking, backpacking and outdoors use. I've gotten about 5 years out of each. My local store no longer carries this model so i've had to go online to find it.

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I have been looking for a hat for a while now and I finally have it. This was the hat, really easy to shape and looks great and best of all it looks like you've had it for years. It looks weathered and a little worn and not brand new out of the box look . I recommend this hat.

Honest reviews on Dorfman-Pacific Weathered Cotton Outback Hat With Chin Cord

I was very excited to order this hat ahead of my African safari, given all the glowing reviews it received. It did meet several of my needs while in Africa:

1) It shielded me from the sun as well as any hat could.

2) The strap was comfortable and prevented the hat from falling off during some fast-paced leopard chases in a Land Cruiser.

3) It was flexible enough to get stashed in some tight overhead compartments during several cramped flights.

That being said, it failed on one crucial test: by the end of the trip, it was clear that I could never wear it again. I don't mind it getting a bit worn, which can actually add to the hat's appeal. The problem is once you start bending it a bit, it never really finds its way again. I spent way too long trying to adjust the hat just so that I wouldn't look like some clownish version of the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz, often to no avail.

If you are going on a trip like the one I took, you need one hat to do the job, but you are willing to sacrifice the purchase as a one-time investment, then go for it. If all the adventuring you're doing is to the local Outback Steakhouse, then it's also potentially a good buy. But if you really will wear it on your travels and hope to have it with you for many trips to come, look elsewhere.

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I usually wear a large size cap, but medium size hats fit perfect, unless you have an (extreeeemley) large head, buy this hat in a medium size. great for rain or sunny days, keeps rain off your face& sun off your ears, face, back off your neck, nice looking, comfortable, the cord can be worn in the back close to the base of the scull.