IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE                                                 Our logo is only on the images NOT the hats.

Before you contact us with questions please read below because there are things we WILL and will NOT do or answer.

OUR MOST COMMON HAT QUESTIONS
Q: I'm looking for a ____ Hat. I checked your product catalogue and didn't see it. Can you make it?
A: Yes. As I'm sure you can appreciate it's just not possible to show all the different variations of crowns and brims. If it's made from fur-felt and you can supply us a good picture - yes we can make it. Generally we already carry the same style of hat, we just shape it based on the photo or if it's a movie hat we shape it from watching the movie and seeing the hat from all possible angles to get the look just so. For most hats we can do up to a 7" (inch) high crown and a 6" wide brim.

Q: Can I get the same style hatband that the original movie hat had?
A: If it's a satin ribbon and bow, or plain leather; then yes. Other than that the answer is probably no. This is likely the hardest thing in replicating a movie hat because the costume designers/actor/director/ or perhaps all three came up with a very unique type of hat band to make the hat stand out above the crowd. We make our version of the hat, and you can choose any hatband that you may see on any of the hats in our product catalogue.

Q: Do you have to put holes in the hat to put on a windstring?
A: Yes. They go right above your ears, to allow the latigo lace thru. It's the original and best way to put on a windstring. You can buy commercial stampede strings that have clips that go up under the sweat liner and jam into the crown. We hate them. They mess up the fit of the hat and they don't hold tight in a real strong wind. We know we've tried them.

Q: Can you mail me a catalogue of all your hats?
A: No we have no print catalogue - trying to be environmentally responsible. ALL OUR HATS are listed here on our online catalogue.

Q: Can we order a hat with a money order or check?
A: Yes. You can order one of our quality custom western hats by printing out an order form and mailing it in. Please click on this link for a pdf file you can save to your hard drive, and follow the instructions. If anything is unclear please email us at:

Q: Why does the same color appear different in your hat pictures?
A: We try to take our pictures with natural light. The difference in {indoors; outdoors; bright day or cloudy day} lighting accounts for the variance in color. In addition every computer will display colors slightly different. Please understand that color variances caused by individual computer monitors is beyond our control.

Q: What is fur-felt/what quality do you carry?
A: Fur felt is beaver and or rabbit fur mixed with felt to produce a material that lasts 5-10 times longer than wool felt, and is the best material from which to manufacture fine hats. Click here for more information. 

Q: What's the correct way to measure my head?
A: The best is to have a helper, and click here and follow the simple steps.

Q: What colors do you carry?
A: Starting from the lightest: Bone; Silver Mist; Silver Belly; Sand; Willow; Rust; Dyed Natural; Sahara; Undyed Natural; Whiskey; Pecan; Chocolate; Granite; Charcoal; Black. Click for more information.

Q: Do you carry straw hats?
A: No. There's a number of reasons we don't. Straw hats were not worn by old west cowboys, they considered them peasant or farmer headware. Yes; in the deep south Plantation Owners did but that was generally before the cowboy era. Straw cowboy hats became popular starting in the 1920s with the advent of modern rodeo's. Rodeo Cowboy's didn't want to trash their good fur felt hats so they started wearing straw cowboy hats, during the events, because they were cheap. Nothings changed - they still are. We make hats that last. And the last reason is we don't find straw hats much cooler than a good beaver hat, and those popular Guatemalan leaf hats are such a tight weave they are really hot, and also heavy.

Most other questions will be answered by reading below.

To the left is a picture of our hat liner. Our sweatband is also black. From the fur-felt hat bodies to the rest of the fixings you'd be hard pressed to find a better made hat anywhere. For any price. If you don't believe us - see what our clients say on our testimonial page :: CONTACT US If it was made in the Past - it can be made in the Present. Any question regarding, "Can you make. . . ."  is yes. If you've seen it in a movie, or a picture of it - we can make it. It is your responsibility to furnish us with the picture however. Once we have the picture of the hat you want we can give you a firm price, this is important so we both know we are speaking about the same hat. Send your pricing requests to Sonja at

HOWEVER
We constantly get asked if we can make an EXACT replica of a particular hat. The answer is no. And frankly anyone who claims they can, is from the planet Star Trek or a fool. We've yet to meet a Master Hatter who was a fool. We make our VERSION of that hat. And yes there may be slight differences, but I'd hate to have to make a living off those differences. Often the toughest thing in replicating a hat is the hat band. That is because they are so individual and as is mentioned in other places on the website - back in the day traditional cowboys personalized their hats with a unique hat band. Most working cowboys today still do. The prices listed are for hats as they are shown. You are free to choose any hat band we currently use for any of our hats, just let us know when your hat details are confirmed with Sonja within a day of the order being placed.

Please don't ask us for our Crown and Brim measurements unless you're a client that's already made a purchase. Silly we know but there you have it.

All our hats are custom made one at a time. Our Master Hatter handles every step of production, unlike large hat makers who employ an assembly line to get the hats made. Even many of those hat makers who purport to making custom hats do this. One person to sew on the linings, sweat bands, another to press the hat bodies out of the hat mould, another to stitch on the bound brim and hat band. Finally the Master Hatter to fine tune the brim and crown if required. This is not the right or wrong way to make a hat - it's just a reality of the marketplace. If you want to turn out a lot of hats that's the only way - employing an assembly line. But we don't turn out thousands of hats a year, and by doing it all himself our Master Hatter maintains exceptional quality to keep us making one of the best hat's on the market. OUR HAT EXPERTS

All our hats are unique, one-of-a-kind, hand crafted fur-felt art. Order yours today.

Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to making you a great looking hat!  CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

Some Hat Makers want to make this a lot more complicated then need be; even going so far as to map out your head with a medieval looking contraption that appears more for torture than sizing. We prefer to keep it simple. Please bear in mind that your hat size is just a guide - the most important thing for the fit of your custom hat is your head measurement.

• The fit of your hat is only as good as the measurement you supply us with - so take due care for accuracy.

• You'll need a friend, and a soft tape measure. You know - the type the fella uses to measure your trouser inseam.

• Look straight ahead and have your helper measure your head. Using the soft tape - they should measure over your hair, just above your ears, and a half inch above your eye brows.
• Make sure the tape is slightly slack - but not loose. You should be able to feel the tape but it should not be tight - or the fit will be as well! Measure twice - to be sure. We must emphasize again an accurate head measurement in inches or centimeters is a must to get the best fit possible for each client. BUT ONCE AGAIN NEVER MEASURE TIGHT. If your helper pulls the tape and your eyes feel like they are popping from the sockets you may want to back the measurement off a mite. :)
• Match your head measurement to the closest corresponding hat size (at right) and make a note of it for when you order.
• If you have bought hats in the past - the head measurement you get should be close to the hat size you are used to buying.
• If your measurement is not listed pick the closest and we will adjust it when Sonja confirms all production details within a day of your hat order being received.

Fur Felt
Fur-Felt is dense and virtually waterproof. It consists of beaver and/or rabbit fur blended with felt to produce a material that lasts 5-10 times longer than wool-felt. A fine fur-felt hat can be re-blocked and shaped numerous times, and is the best material from which to manufacture hats. Supposedly the higher the beaver content the higher the X factor - but unfortunately there is no standard within the hat making fraternity - and a lot of confusion. On the Internet few hat sellers tell you what their fur-felt is comprised of - not to mention seen straw hats promoted as 100X.

As a general rule of thumb if they don't state what the fur-felt is; chances are it's rabbit. Hat makers who use beaver fur-felt are proud of it and will state so. We sell 3 quality beaver blends of fine western hats - 5X, 20X and 100X. 5X is a blend of about 5% beaver with rabbit and felt. Our 20X is 50% beaver and our 100X is pure 100% beaver fur-felt.

For an all weather hat - you can't beat a pure beaver cowboy hat. Light, stiff, and fabulous looking it'll shed what ever comes it's way. And consider this: Beavers live in the water, rabbits in the dirt. 'Nuff said.

From the materials, to the workmanship - you won't find a better hat anywhere, at any price. We don't make promises - like all real cowboys we believe that just saying a thing is promise enough.

True Old West Hats
Order your hat in 100X undyed, pure beaver fur-felt, and be one of the first to hearken back to an era in hat making a hundred and forty years ago. The first cowboy hats were made from 100% beaver fur-felt, natural and undyed, and unless the cowboy lost it or had it stolen - the hat lasted a lifetime. For an all weather hat - nothing beats a traditional western hat made from pure beaver fur - it's what old west cowboys wore. Questions? E-mail us:

A Note about Color Color variances caused by individual computer monitors are beyond our control. Light colors will reflect heat the best - while dark colors will retain the heat the most - with black being the worst for staying hot (black absorbs sunlight). However black is the most formal color so bowlers and top hats were generally black or dark gray. For the first 15-20 years cowboy hats were marketed - your choice of color was black and about 3 shades of brown. Please keep in mind we try to take our pictures with natural light - so differences between the same color reflects the difference in light when the picture was taken: Indoors, Outdoors, Sunny Day or Cloudy. Click here for our hat catalogue. Click the color for an example of a hat in that color.

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. HAT STRETCHER FITS SIZES 6 7/8 - 8. PRICE: $25.00 :: Shipping: $13.00|TOTAL: $38.00 Order Now | Checkout Questions and quote requests should be e-mailed to ORDERS CALL TOLL FREE: 1-866-207-1909.  :: Overseas buyers please read this :: All Our Contact Info ORDER DESK HOURS: M-F: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM MOUNTAIN TIME. IF YOU GET VOICE MAIL LEAVE A MESSAGE!

Indian Riffle Sheaths: Mountain men and trappers were the first whites to wander the wild places of the west, and they soon learned the value of fine leather work from the Indians. Four different quality levels to choose from. Show your style and carry your prized long-arm in a classic Indian rifle scabbard. We promise to make no two custom pieces exactly the same - and our originality and individuality bring clients back time and again to our order catalogue. Click for our custom sheath page.

Custom Hat Customers Want to order one of our custom made Last Best Cowboy Hats with a check or money order? Or maybe you have a friend or relative that would like to but doesn't have a computer. Now you can order one of our quality custom western hats by printing out an order form and mailing it in. Please click on this link for a pdf file you can save to your hard drive, and follow the instructions. If anything is unclear please email us at:

Western Movie Hats  :: Old West Hats :: Masters of Rodeo :: Testimonials   Custom Made For. . . . All our custom western hat's are personalized with your name, initials, or moniker stamped in gold foil on the sweat band, inside the crown. No additional charge. 1898 Bow This was the most 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.

Custom Wind String. Heavy Latigo lace includes this polished, hand-made antler slider. Never lose your hat again with this handsome stampede string. Add this custom wind string. to any of our custom hats for 25 dollars during the check out process. See more custom leather :: top of page

Cowboy Hat Traditions In the old west it was said the shape of the crown of your hat indicated your political views. If you wore a a flat top crown (Boss of the Plains, Top Hats, and others) you favored conservative (republican), law-and-order, or Monarchist views. If you wore a rounded crown (Bowlers, and most cowboy hats) you favored democracy (Liberal/Democrat), individual freedoms, and the such. Trust the newspapers to make wearing a hat a political statement. . . .
	Bound Brim Binding the brim edge with the same cosgrain ribbon as the hat band, strengthens the edge, making it stiffer and allowing the brim shape to hold better. A bound edge finishes the brim off nicely with rich looking detail. A bound Brim is difficult to re-work or re-shape - but can be removed easily.
	Open Brim  An Unfinished Brim is less expensive than bound and more for an everyday-do-yer-work type Cowboy Hat. The open crowned hat body pictured at left was perhaps the most common crown style sold in the mail order ctalogues of the 19th century. In the early decades of the 20th-century catalogues like Sears-Roebuck, and Hudson Bay Company, sold an open crowned cowboy hat called The Calgary, with an uncreased, or open crown and little or no shape to the brim. The manufacturers knew the cowboys wanted to personalize the hat themselves - so they shipped unshaped. An unfinished brim allows you to shape and mold it to your taste - or easily change the look in the future.
	Cowboy Hat Fact Humans have always used something to cover their head from the elements - but it wasn't until the 15th century that hats became a common part of people's dress. Many types of materials were used: Silk, velvet, taffeta, leather and wool felt. None of these materials was entirely satisfactory - because they all tended to loose their shape with extended exposure to rain and snow. When beaver fur was mixed with rabbit and felt, hat makers had the perfect material to make virtually weatherproof fine hats that kept their shape. A new continent seemed populated with an inexhaustible supply of beaver and so started the exploration and colonization of North America.

Cowboy Hat Care  
Traditional Cowboys never cleaned their Cowboy Hat - other than a simple slap with their hand, or against their leg as they picked themselves up. A rinsing was something rain or snow provided, or the hat got a bath when it's owner did. Good Hats were for the wealthy, a Range Cowboy made do with one - for every occasion. We subscribe to the traditionalist way - let your custom fur-felt cowboy hat age gracefully with you!

• When your hat gets wet let it dry naturally. Don't put it in the furnace room or use a blow dryer on it!
• Never lay your hat brim down. This puts a lot of stress on the brim and will cause it to lose its shape. Be sure that you place the hat on its crown with the brim up.
• Hang the hat on a hat stand or some other such perch. The edge of a shelf works good - then the curled part of the brim is not taking any weight. Our cowboy coffin hat stand is another solution. Saddle horn works best!
• KEEP THE BOX YOUR CUSTOM HAT COMES IN FOR STORAGE OR TRAVEL. You could also make a cardboard ring that will hold the crown of the hat snugly. If you're storing your hat for an extended period - put it in a bag as dust will damage your hat over time - but be sure to leave the bag open slightly to allow air to circulate. If you don't mildew may occur. Our ingenious wooden cowboy hat box is another alternative.
• Always try to leave your hat in a cool, dry environment. NEVER in direct sunlight - or fading may occur. Probably not the best idea to leave it in your vehicle.
• Should you spill whiskey, beer or some other beverage on your hat, once you stop crying over spilt whiskey; rinse the spot immediately with COLD WATER ONLY! If you use warm water it can set the stain. Once the fur-felt is dry, brush with your finger, or nylon brush, to bring the nap back.
• If you get chocolate or some other sticky substance on your hat let it dry before attempting to clean. Grab a small knife and gingerly scrap the crud off. If you want to try returning it to like new - there are numerous commercial cleaners available for your Cowboy Hat. Most large western wear chains have a selection to choose from.

Disclaimer! Supplied as information only - your own common sense should always be followed.

Cowboy Hat Etiquette - By Longfellow
No other piece of clothing carries such a complicated set of rules involving it's wear. Here's some traditional rules for wearing a cowboy hat - and some we think are just good manners.       top of page

•  Any hat should be removed when eating anywhere, that includes baseball caps!
•  Any hat should be removed when the national anthem of any country is played. Hold your hat in your right hand, over your heart. This applies to women, unless their hat is held on with hat pins.
• Cowboys tip their hats to ladies when out doors, remove them when being introduced, and remove them when entering a ladies home.
• Men never tipped their hats to other men in the Old West. It was akin to calling them a woman. A nod was a common greeting when not shaking hands. The Code of the West
• In commercial or public buildings it's not necessary to remove your hat - but should be when entering a private office. Generally considered polite to remove it in a private home, unless other people are wearing their hat.
•  Wearing a {cowboy} hat to a theatre or movie is fine but should be removed if it blocks anyone's view of the entertainment.

  There's many more hat rules then those listed - but if you can remember these - you'll do fine partner!

Executive Saddle Bags Load these oversized saddle bags with all your business gear; throw them over your shoulder and walk a city block or two. You'll never go back to carrying a briefcase. The heavy leather bags can easily hold most anything, including your lap top, legal size folders, binders, note books, and cables. Inside you will find sleeves to hold your wallet, pens, or even a memory stick. We've even put a cell phone sleeve on the outside neck, and a heavy duty handle for easy carrying. Cowboy Action Shooters will find these oversized saddle bags just the thing to carry all your cowboy action tools. You can easily store a gunbelt; two holsters; spurs, wild rags and ammo. And that's just in one side. On the other side you can carry a two pistol case and more ammo, and in most cases when the flaps are locked the bags are legal for firearm transport.  Further customization of the bags is possible, and is only limited by your imagination. Click for our Executive Saddle Bag page.   Custom Traditional Cowboy Hats

Western Movie Hats

Rodeo Cowboy Hats