This is where the cool-weather cowboy hat lives: Stetson fur felt from 4X to 1000X, plus sturdy wool felt for a first hat or a hard-working spare. Sizes run mostly 6 3/4 to 7 3/4, with a few youth styles for smaller heads.
Wool felt is made from sheep's wool. It's firm, handles rough treatment and costs less, which makes it a sensible first hat or a spare for the truck; our wool felt styles run from $80 to $295. Fur felt is pressed from finer animal fur. It feels softer in the hand, keeps its shape through years of wear and takes a sharper crease. A few hats here, such as the Shasta 10X Premier, are made from beaver fur felt.
The X rating is shorthand for felt quality. Higher X generally means a larger share of fine fur and a denser, smoother body. A 4X or 6X is a dependable everyday hat. A 10X or 30X feels noticeably finer when you run a thumb along the brim. At 100X, 500X and 1000X you're in dress-hat territory, where the finish is the whole point. Prices follow the grade, from $140 for entry fur and buffalo felt up to $5,600 at the very top.
Felt is the fall-through-spring hat in most of the country. It's warmer than straw and reads more formal, so it earns its keep at weddings, dinners and winter events as well as on cold mornings outside. Keep it out of a hot car, brush it with the nap, and rest it upside down on the crown. When summer peaks, most people hang the felt on a hook and switch to straw until the evenings cool off again.
Fit, felt & straw
Felt questions, answered
Is a higher X felt worth the money?
It depends on how often you'll wear it and how long you want it to last. Higher X generally means a denser, smoother felt that holds its shape and crease through more years of wear. For a first hat or one you'll wear a few times a season, a 4X or 6X fur felt gives you real quality at a fair price. If the hat will be on your head most days, or you want a dress hat for the long haul, stepping up to 10X or 30X makes sense.
Can I wear a felt hat in summer?
You can, and plenty of people do for evening events, weddings and air-conditioned venues. On a hot afternoon outdoors, though, felt holds in heat, and sweat is hard on the sweatband over time. That's why most western hat wearers keep a straw for the warm months and save felt for fall, winter and early spring. If you only own felt, choose a lighter color for summer evenings and give the hat time to dry out between wears.
Wool felt or fur felt for a first hat?
Wool felt is the budget pick and stands up well to knocks, so it suits a first hat, a youth hat or a spare you won't worry about. Fur felt costs more but feels softer, keeps its crease better and tends to look sharper for longer. If you already know you love wearing a western hat, a 4X or 6X fur felt is a smart first purchase. If you're still testing the waters, start with wool and upgrade later.
When the heat shows up, our straw hats take over the daily work. For party nights and festival weekends, shop disco cowboy hats on our homepage.
