[conspire] Ecuador hats

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Paul Zander (paulz at ieee.org):

> It was suggested that I get a "Panama" hat.  It certainly would please
> my dermatologist.  I recall that Rick bought one a while back. How do
> you like it?  Any suggested sellers?Will definitely not order one from
> Asia.

So...  my information about particular vendors is old and did not play
out all that great, when I tried to use all my research at the time.
That's the short version.

It was probably around 2012.  I suddenly thought I'd look raffish
looking like fictional French archaeologist René Emile Belloq.
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/indianajones/images/2/27/Belloq.jpg/revision/latest

  "So once again, Jones, what was briefly yours is now mine. 
  What a fitting end to your life's pursuits.  You're about 
  to become a permanent addition to this archaeological find. 
  Who knows?  In a thousand years, even you may be worth something."

Also, that was about the time I belatedly got a clue that all those
headaches following hours out in the sun could be averted by wearing a
broad-brimmed (or low, floppy) hat, and a "Panama hat" would suffice
_and_ meet my notion of style.

So, I consulted the wisdom of the Internet, and a lot of enthusiasts
seemed to recommend a vendor named Panama Bob.


But, before I get to that, what's a Panama hat?  (You obviously know,
but this is for everyone else.)

First of all, they're not from Panama.  A true, classic Panana hat is --
as you say -- from Ecuador, made slowly by hand in a number of small
towns that specialise in that, woven from the fibres of the toquilla
palm aka the Carludovica Palmata.  The most superb 'superfino' examples
feature very close weaving, up to 3000 weaves per square inch, which are
light, flexible (can be rolled up -- but don't do that, it can damage
them), and actually almost totally waterproof.  Famous towns
(effectively, "brands') include Montecristi and Cuenca.


I sent away to Panama Bob a bunch of money to have a custom superfino
hat woven for my order, to my specific head measurements, with a black
hat band a la Belloq, plus I believe a spare band.  And then I waited
for months, and more months, and nothing was happening.  I contacted
Panama Bob, and he apologised, and said it was happening, and would be
ready soon.  I waited more months, and then it was "Hey, Bob?  What's
up?"

Panama Bob wrote back saying he was embarrassed about a production
problem, and as a courtesy to me he'd be able to ship me immediately a
prefabricated, quite-fine (maybe not superfino) hat by way of apology
for the delay and in appreciation for my patience.  It would at least be
in my size.  I said, that'd be nice.  I got a pretty darned good
hand-woven, Ecuadorian-made genuine Panama hat with black band, which I
still have, and that I cherish.  But I stil awaited what I _paid_ for.

And I waited.  And then, after waiting and waiting, I retroactively
figured out that Panama Bob was treating that consolation hat as _not_
just something to tide me over until I could get what I paid for, but as
a compromise summary fulfillment of my contract, in which I was doing
100% of the compromising, and the product was also about a year late.

I got slightly hustled.  But I do like the hat.

And I got a lesson in how pseudonymous international vendors known only
over the Internet can become a problem, no matter how good their
(as far as you know) established reputations.

I did not (other than this posting) bad-mouth Panama Bob for this turn
of events, but OTOH was entirely unimpressed with the conduct of what
had been claimed to be the most expert, most professional exporter of
fine Panama custom-made hats from Ecuador, in the world.  Accordingly, I
cannot recommend that vendor.

What seller would I recommend, then?  I have absolutely no clue.  I have
my darned hat, so I'm not in the market.  (It's a little battered, but
that's because it's been all over the world -- rather like Belloq,
except with less face-melting.)


It goes without saying that most hats sold as "Panama hats" would be
more accurately described as Panama-style hats, with a variety of dodges
to cut costs (and quality) a lot.  You can read about that problem, in
this very long thread:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/panama-hat-thread.38152/
particularly, starting here, 80 pages in:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/panama-hat-thread.38152/page-80
You'll notice numerous people in that thread praising the merits of
Panama Bob.  Well, I'm glad _they_ were satisfied.