Jack's Hat: The Henry Jones from Goorin Bros

Go ahead, make fun of me if you wish, but I absolutely LOVE this hat. I needed a packable hat to go to Africa many years back, and I found this one in Austin, Texas, for $100. It has become a staple of my wardrobe ever since.

It is made of packable wool. So, yes, it can get hot in the summer locations, but the fact that it is packable means that it can take a beating that most wool, felt, straw, and palm leaf hats can't. I've rolled it up on helicopter rides in Iraq, worn it through mud rain in the Sahara, and sweated it out across Europe, and it has yet to let me down. It has the adventure look I like (ok, maybe I'm a bit of an Indiana Jones fan), but also works great for business occasions. I've worn it to many a business interview and received many complements.

Something I've learned about this hat, and most packable wool hats, is you have to help it keep its shape. If you roll it up to travel, you need to unpack it and smooth it out when you get to your hotel/hostel/Airbnb/wherever. Leave it for a day or two to regain its shape, and only pack it when you need to. The less you pack/roll it, the longer its shape will last.

Now, traveling with a hat like this, you have to understand that while it is packable, it still takes up room, especially if you, like me, prefer to wear it. A lot of people have asked me how I like traveling with a hat, especially on trains, buses, and airplanes, and my answer is simple: I've been doing it long enough, that I don't really notice. That said, when I first started, it was something I had to get used to, and I really cannot comprehend how I used to travel the US wearing a hard-brimmed cowboy hat with a 4-inch brim in economy on a plane. When it comes to my packable fedora, on planes, if there is room, I'll throw it in the overhead bin with with my bag. Same with trains. If not, well, I just place it over my eyes and go to sleep like a vaquero in the dusty plains of 19th Century Texas. While I would not recommend throwing a hard-brimmed hat in a luggage hold (it WILL get bent up), I've no concern with this hat's ability to take a beating.

Now, normally I'd provide you a link to buy it. Unfortunately, this hat is now out of production. Which is sad for me, because I thought about buying one in a size bigger so I could maybe grow out my hair, but, alas, that won't be happening.

Instead, you can check out other Goorin Bros fedoras here.