****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
A warning to all, the sizes are definitely small. However, I must have been overzealous with my head-size when I ordered this. I accidentally got the perfect fit.I normally don't leave reviews, but this hat has become my excalibur since I bought it almost three years ago. As a geology student, I have had a unique opportunity to test this in the field for long periods of time. Whether it was on the Gulf of Mexico beaches, the deserts of Big Bend NP, the formidable Grand Canyon, and the months spent doing field work in Montana/Colorado, this hat held up extremely well in all conditions. During field seasons, it was subject to dry, direct sunlight for up to 11-13 hours a day for 3-5 weeks (depending on the project). In these areas, this hat did a very good job at protecting me from the sun and withstanding being drenched in sweat. After using a damp rag to clean the outside, I just used mink oil to replenish the leather (but only required to do so after 2 years of use, I first did so in summer 2015). In wetter climates, this hat has been absolutely drenched, and in one case, under water. The original oil or leather conditioner is extremely resistant to absorbing deep into the leather. The underside is usually always dry in non-torrential conditions. The only time I have ever had to maintain my hat in this time was after getting it drenched and covered in fine sediment. it must have stripped the conditioner and dehydrated the leather somehow. After an application of mink oil it was good to go and looked even in color, once again.As an aside, I constantly get compliments on the hat from too many people to even remember over the years. As a shy person, it was refreshing when other people broke the ice by striking up a conversation about my hat. It's simple, it's serious, and it looks GOOD. The years of abuse have only improved the look and feel of the hat.The only one problem I can think of is that the adhesive holding down the hat band is worn off after three years of sun, sweat, mud, and water. The stitching, however, is holding in place. Unless i were to try and flip my hat band up or pull it off, I don't think it is going anywhere anytime soon.
