The Rough Rider                        
1898 Spanish-American War 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry Hat
Crown: centre trench| Brim: hand rolled - Open
Hatband: 1" Satin with 1898 bow. Color as shown: Sahara in 20X Fur-felt

Teddy Roosevelt called these short 4 months in 1898 the most exciting of his life; culminating in leading his "Rough Riders" up San Juan Hill in that storied charge. If you look at any picture of the US Expeditionary Force, you'll see almost as many brim and crown treatments of the same basic hat as there are soldiers. Our hat is based on the originals we saw at the Cavalry Museum in Tucson, Arizona, and is shown in the centre picture below. To the left you'll see two versions of the crown.

Order with or without the cavalry cord. Easily choose your hat options during the checkout process. Please read our ordering procedures.

FInd Your SIze :: Color Choices :: About Beaver Fur-felt.

5X Price: $290.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $325.00 USD | Order Now | Checkout

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $410.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $445.00 Order Now | Checkout

100X - 100% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $640.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $675.00 | Order Now | Checkout

Our thanks to the Major and his Roughriders for the honor of making 4 custom 1898 Roughriders' Hats for the Commander and 3 Non-Coms of USF-1. Read their testimonials.

Wooden Hat Stretcher/Retainer FITS SIZES 6 7/8 - 8
We recommend all customers who buy our hats, get a hat stretcher. Its a small cost for a tool that will keep ALL your hats fitting properly. As well, if you only wear your hat seldom; or have a number of hats you wear, you will find our wooden hat stretcher a valuable addition to maintaining the perfect shape of your custom cowboy hat.

Order any hat in PURE BEAVER {100X} fur-felt and we'll include a wooden hat stretcher at no extra cost. New hat purchases only.

Order with your hat
Our hat customers pay only $19.50 when they buy a stretcher with their hat. You can easily add the hat stretcher to your custom cowboy hat order during the checkout process.

1898 Bow
This was a common bow style of the 19th century. If you prefer this bow style for any of our hats, just request it when your hat details are confirmed via e-mail.

LADIES BOW
Back in the 19th century and the first 4 decades of the 20th century, when hats were a very common part of every day dress, women's hats had the bow on the right hand side. If you want the bow on the right - request it when your hat details are confirmed via e-mail.

USMC M1902 Campaign Hat
The Few. The Proud. The Philippines
Crown: Modified Slouch| Brim: Flat/Bent - Open
Hatband:  1 1/2" Satin with1898 bow.
Color: PECAN in 20X quality with optional light trail dust.

The Philippine–American War (1899-1902) was a conflict between native insurgents, seeking Philippino Independence, and the United States, which had just annexed the Islands from Spain. Althought the rebellion officially ended in 1902, pockets of resistence continued to battle up until 1913. The Phillippines would eventually gain independance from the U.S.A. in 1946.

Add a cav cord for just $15 easily while selecting your hat options during the checkout process.

FInd Your SIze :: Color Choices :: About Beaver Fur-felt.

5X: $290.00 | Shipping: $35.00 
Total: $325.00|Order Now|Checkout

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $410.00
Shipping: $35.00 Total: $445.00 | Order Now | Checkout

100X - 100% Beaver Fur-felt :: Price: $640.00
Shipping: $35.00 Total: $675.00 | Order Now | Checkout

Horse Hair Hat Bands
Add a quality horse hair hat band to any hat. Slide it over the satin ribbon and bow {as seen on the Wasey below} or wear it alone. Click picture for larger image.

1. 5/8" Double tail Black/Beige Price: $45.00
   See it on a hat click here.
2. 1/2" Padded Double Hitch 2 tail Black/Beige/Maroon Price: $75.00
   See it on a hat click here. Seen on the Wasey below.
3. 1/4" Single tail Black/Beige Price: $15.00
   See it on a hat click here.
4. 1/4" Single tail Beige/Black Price: $15.00
   See it on a hat click here.
5. 1/4" Two strand single tail Black/Beige As seen on the Yakima Price: $15.00

The Wasey (pronounced: Way see)
Crown: Modified Sagebrush
Brim: Open Hatband: 1" Satin with Bow
Color: Undyed natural in 100% beaver fur-felt

Modified Sagebrush shaped crown was one of the most common of the first few decades of the 20th century. Made famous in the early silent westerns by pioneering movie maker and star William S. Hart, Hart lived the old west and wore this crown shape with many different brim styles, 2 of which you can see at right. This crown shape traces back to old tyme handling dents.

We've modified this look by starting with an oversized hat body, and have slid an optional horse-hair hat band {#2 above} over the satin ribbon and bow. We have put a big hand roll on the brim, with a heavy dip front and back. Shown here in an Un dyed Natural color in 100% beaver fur-felt. As the name implies, the color is a rich mid-brown, similar to a beaver's pelt.

FInd Your SIze :: Color Choices :: About Beaver Fur-felt.

5X Price: $290.00  Shipping: $35.00 
Total: $325.00  Order Now |  Checkout

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt
Price: $455.00 | Shipping: $35.00 ::
Total: $490.00 | Order Now | Checkout

100X - 100% Beaver Fur-felt
Price: $670.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $705.00 | Order Now | Checkout

Click for our ordering procedures

The Custer
Crown: Modified Homburg
Brim: Pencil roll Bound
Hatband: 1" inch Satin with 1898 Bow
Color shown: Rust in pure beaver with black bound edge

George Custer was as flamboyant an old west personality as any of his generation, and was anything but camera shy. Many pictures exist of Custer and the one at right was taken at the end of the Civil War {1866} when Custer still held his battle rank of Major General.

Everyone knows what black looks like, so we decided to show this hat in a new color for us: RUST with contrasting hat band and bound edge in black. Easily choose your hat options during the checkout process.

Errol Flynn was more than equal to the task of portraying Custer, in the 1941 classic western, They Died with their Boots On. Flynn and DeHavilland are absolutely charming in this entertaining flick.

FInd Your SIze :: Color Choices :: About Beaver Fur-felt.

5X: $320.00 :: Shipping: $35.00
Total: $355.00 |  Order Now | Checkout

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $455.00
Shipping: $35.00 | Total: $490.00 | Order Now | Checkout

100X - 100% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $670.00
Shipping: $35.00 | Total: $705.00 | Order Now | Checkout

Trail Dust
Many customers have been requesting that we dirty up their new hats to make them look trail worn. Pictured at right is a Dusty Augustus - our Augustus with about 2 years worth of trail dust - as if a working cowboy had been wearing it. Click image for larger picture.

We've got three different degrees of trail dust. Light (add $55.00) - medium (add $75.00), and heavy (add $95.00). Light would be what you see at the left on the Dusty Augustus; medium would be like the dusting on the Rossiter; and heavy trail dust looks like our Josey Wales.

This is a similar process that costume designers apply to hats in the movies and t. v. Looks authentic and yer friends will swear yer just got off a trail drive, or a hitch in the Horse Cavalry! You can add trail dust during the check out process - or request it when you call your order in. Orders call toll free: 1-866-207-1909.

Officer's Slouch                        
Civil war era Cavalry hat.
Crown: 3 dent slouch| Brim: Hand shaped with 1/2" Pencil Roll - Bound
Hatband: 1" Satin with 1898 bow. Shown with optional windstring and cavalry cord.
Color: Black in 5X Fur-felt

Louis Kossuth was an immigrant from Hungary and in 1852 he introduced the "Slouch Hat" style to America. Over the next decade the term came to signify almost all soft creased hats with medium or wider brims. Even a medium brim was an improvement over the European styled Kepis and Forage caps of the day. Shown in Union black, if you wish Confederate Gray - order silver mist.

A dramatic variation of crown style and brim shapes can be seen in the pictures of soldiers wearing Slouch hats from those days. And you'll notice from pictures of antique hats that most look rather soft and irregular. This is a characteristic of the wool felt used to make the majority of hats. Beaver fur-felt stays much more stiff and rigid and will afford superior wear and all weather protection.

FInd Your SIze :: Color Choices :: About Beaver Fur-felt.

5X Price: $290.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $325.00 USD | Order Now | Checkout

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $410.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $445.00 Order Now | Checkout

100X - 100% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $640.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $675.00 | Order Now | Checkout

A shared laugh amongst the stars and some of the thousands of civil war re-creators that made the realism tangible, in the ambitious film by Turner Pictures, Gods and Generals {2003}.This four hour epic was filmed on many of the major Civil War Battlefields, and shows the dispute from both sides.

Custom Hand Made Hatbands

Freshen the look of your favorite old hat with a new custom hat band from The Last Best West. Introduced in the spring of 2011 our hatbands are all made by hand, and have that authentic Cowboy flavor to help you stand out from the herd. We still won't sell the custom hat bands that go with our great hats, but here's a selection of 8 original hatband's to help you make your own statement.

We've adapted a horn slider so every hat band ties off at the back and is held in place by light pressure. It's surprising fast and you can easily take our hatband off and put it on a different hat. This design innovation gives a dang fine fit every time. :: Custom Hatbands

Custom Cowboy Leather
Hand-made custom gun leather, Indian style rifle sheaths, chaps, and leather accessories that most every old west cowboy and wrangler would have needed to be a real Buckaroo.

All our Cowboy leather has been researched and designed; tried and tested by Longfellow in Old West Shows and at Cowboy Action Shoots. Our holsters; belts and chaps are based on pictures from museums, archival photos and mail order catalogues from the Old West Era: The late 1800s and early decades of the 20th century.

"All the cowboys I know are afraid of only two things. . . a decent woman and being set afoot. . ." Teddy Blue Abbott: Cowboy, 1882.

1898 Campaign Hat
Enlisted Man's Issue
Crown: 4 pinch peak | Brim: Flat - Open
Hatband: 1/2" Satin with bow.
Color as shown: Sand in 20X Fur-felt

The Spanish–American War was a conflict between Spain and the United States of America from April to August 1898. It heralded the emergence of America as a world power and climaxed with Teddy Roosevelt's' charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba. This is the enlisted man's hat.

Our hats off to world renowned cartoonist Everett Peck for ordering the first one, "Longfellow, Just got the hat and it's perfect! Really great job, like the hat-band too. It's so beautiful I kinda hate to give it the worn out sidekick treatment but I got a feeling I will. Do you suggest the same method you describe on the website ( taking a shower with it )?" Thanks! Everett.

At left: Lee Marvin as the evil gunman, Tim Strawn, wearing a black campaign hat in the highly entertaining 1965 western comedy, Cat Ballou. Marvin also played the down-on-his-luck drunk old west hero; Kid Shelleen. Jane Fonda was young and beautiful and great as Cat, and Marvins acting was so good he bagged the best actor Oscar that year.

FInd Your SIze :: Color Choices :: About Beaver Fur-felt.

5X: $290.00 | Shipping: $35.00 
Total: $325.00|Order Now|Checkout

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt Price: $410.00
Shipping: $35.00 Total: $445.00 | Order Now | Checkout

100X - 100% Beaver Fur-felt :: Price: $640.00
Shipping: $35.00 Total: $675.00 | Order Now | Checkout

Traditional Cowboys and their Hats
Up until the turn of the 20th Century most cowboy hats were sold in Mail Order Catalogues. In those days if the local haberdasher didn't have the hat you wanted - he likely had a catalogue to order one from. The first cowboy hats were all made from 100% beaver fur-felt, natural and undyed, and worth their weight in gold to working cowboys and most all other Westerners.

The Montgomery Ward Catalogue of 1872 (at right) was the first to offer a "Western Sombrero" for sale to the public. Like our open crown cowboy hat, The Calgary - most hats were shipped with uncreased crowns, and little shape to the brim. Manufacturers knew the cowboys wanted to personalize the hat themselves - so they shipped unfinished. Remember Hoss from Bonanza and his big dang hat? That was the most authentic old west hat any of the Bonanza cast wore.

Dirty Champie
Crown: Creased and Pinched.
Brim: Hand worked Open
Hatband: 1/2" Leather Cavalry Tie
Color when new: Silver Belly

This hat is the working version of the champie - seen above. Open Brim - not bound, more creasing to the crown. This was one of the most popular designs of the late 19th and early twentieth centuries. These days this basic shape is called the "Gus" after Robert Duvall's character in Lonesome Dove. This hat has seen a lot of service and was in this condition when we made our character hat, The Ellsworth - below.

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5X Price: $280.00  Shipping: $35.00 
Total: $315.00  USD  Order Now | Checkout | Did you read our ordering procedures?

The Champie
Crown: Creased
Brim: 1/2" Kettle Curl Bound
Hatband: 1" Satin with Bow
Color as shown: Sand

Lawton Champie was a champion rodeo competitor in the 1920s and 1930s, as well as being a life-long working cowboy. This hat design was likely named for Mister Champie, although the brim working on the hat Lawton is wearing in the Levi Strauss ad at right is a little bit different, it's the same basic look. Hat makers started offering pre-creased crowns and shaped brims after they saw the most common way the working Cowboys had of creasing their hats.

Look Familiar?
Christopher Lloyd
in Back to the Future III. His character; Dr. Emmett Brown sports a brown beat up version of the Champie

Watch almost any "B" western movie from the 1930s and you'll see someone wearing a Champie in almost every scene. No kidding.

And if you want the Tom Mix Look click here and have a look at our big B-Movie Hats.

FInd Your SIze :: Color Choices :: About Beaver Fur-felt.

5X Price: $310.00 Shipping:$35.00 TOTAL:$345.00 USD
Order Now | Checkout | Did you read our ordering procedures?

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt
Price: $440.00 | Shipping:$35.00 TOTAL: $475.00 USD Order Now | Checkout

Sassy Ladies Cowboy Hats

Why should men have all the fun?
Over the years, many of the wives and girlfriends that have ordered hats for their cowboys, have asked when we were going to do some strictly ladies hats. - so here we go, and remember ladies; back in the day all women's hats had the bow on the right.

Exceptional Service from The Last Best West
Ladies, we will give you expert personal service designing your Traditional Old West, or Classic Western Movie Hat. If you don't see what you want - send us a picture - and we'll make our version of that hat.

Sassy Ladies Hats :: Testimonials :: Cowboy Hat Home

The Hickok
Crown: Texas Straight
Brim: Pencil Roll Bound
Hatband: 1 1/2" Satin with Bow
Color shown: Black

Bill Hickok was larger than life and he liked his hats the same way - this is our best guess on what Wild Bill was wearing in the picture at right. We start with an oversized hat body to make this classic western hat, with a short crown and wide brim.

FInd Your SIze :: Color Choices :: About Beaver Fur-felt.

5X Price: $320.00 :: Shipping: $35.00
Total: $355.00  USD :: Order Now | Checkout

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt
Price: $455.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $490.00 | Order Now | Checkout

100X - 100% Beaver Fur-felt
Price: $670.00 | Shipping: $35.00
Total: $705.00 | Order Now | Checkout

Old Texas
Crown: Texas Straight
Brim: Kettle Curl Open
Hatband: 1"multi-colored burlap
Color as shown: Chocolate

Some variation of this design was seen on almost all the actors, in the remake of John Wayne's, "Alamo", starring Billy Bob Thornton, and others. This traditional Texas look for a Cowboy Hat was the precursor of the Boss of the Plains, and was well known in the Texas of the 1830s and onward. Order with a flat brim or kettle curled.

Like any of our hats you can substitute a different hat band from one of our other hats - in most cases for no extra money. We confirm all details of your hat within 1 business day of your purchase.

FInd Your SIze :: Color Choices :: About Beaver Fur-felt.

Big Monty
Crown: Modified Gus crease
Brim: Hand-Curl Bound - with contrasting edge in navy blue
Hatband: 2" Satin with Bow
Color as shown: Bluey-Grey Specialty Color

This is the Monty's hard riding brother; the Big Monty has a wider, range ready brim. Specialty color was requested by the client. If you don't see the color you want - please check with us - we may be able to do it for you. Bound brim edge can be contrasting or the same color as the felt - or not bound at all. Your choice.

FInd Your SIze :: Color Choices :: About Beaver Fur-felt.

5X Price: $290.00  Shipping: $35.00  Total: $325.00 USD
Order Now | Checkout | Did you read our ordering procedures?

20X - 50% Beaver Fur-felt
Price: $445.00 | Shipping: $35.00 Total: $480.00 | Order Now | Checkout

How to make an Old West Character Hat
Now that you've seen our great hats we're sure you'll want your own Custom Hat - so what are you going to do with your old one? It'd be a pity to relegate it to discard. Our solution is to rotate it out and make a great Character Hat.

Years ago I read a story about how Tom Mix used to crease and work all his custom hats himself in the shower. So I decided to take his advice and am more than pleased with the results. The amount of time it takes is up to you. I had the Ellsworth fashioned in less than 5 minutes - then a further half hour fine tuning the look. The steps I went through are pretty simple.

Click for the rest of the story