Do you fit skulls and velvet hats?

[clashfan83]

My boyfriend bought me a really lovely riding hat for my birthday. It was a surprise although he'd obviously picked up when I'd mentioned one day that I needed to get a new one some time (2 points to boyfriend).

It was a really lovely vented Harry Hall one, I was thrilled with it! Being the caring boyfriend he is he'd been to the shop and found out about getting it all fitted etc (another point to boyfriend) so he took me back to the shop wit the hat to get the fit checked.

Although it is the same measurement as my current hat (which, I am ashamed to say I bought from Tesco and didn't have fitted:() and the lady said that is 'in theory' the correct measurement for my head, the way that the velvet riding hats are shaped/padded they won't ever fit me correctly! She said she has the same problem with skulls, and can only wear velvets!

Has anyone else come across this problem? I was gutted when I couldn't have the hat my boyfriend had chosen and ended up coming back empty handed and boyfriend got a refund! We're going to have a look round a couple of other shops but should I just get over the fact I can't wear a velvet hat? Or is this a pile of pony?!

Help!

[loubylou]

They are all different shapes- did they stock lots of different brands?? I only fit some shape hats but have a skull, a velvet and a vented 'cool' one that were all fitted and fit me fine. Have tried different styles of each on that didnt fit as they are all slightly different shapes!

[BHNRS]

Velvet hats dont fit my head nicely at all, there very uncomfy. Ive got a harry hall legend, and it fits perfect, i love it!

[CityLights]

depends on the make i think, i have both velvet and skull caps and a beagler all different makes but they all fit me fine, although i do need to replace my jockey skull, i think they are all the same size as well so ive not bought a bigger size in a different style or anything perhaps should of in my beagler as thats slightly snug but im sure they stretch anyway

[Twizzel]

Yes I only fit skull caps properly they are rounder than velvet hats which are oval shape. I wanted a lovely Gatehouse velvet hat for showing but couldn't find one that fitted- we tried 3 sizes either way of the size I normally am and ended up getting a cheaper velvet hat that fitted ok but wasn't great, the lady in the shop only sold it to me because I was purely going to use it for showing classes and nothing else.

I stick to Champion Ventair skulls now, they seem to fit the best.

[casper_cb]

Maybe the stock they hold in their shop means you won't be able to fit into a velvet hat they sell but to say you can't fit into any velvet hat IMO is a load of Bull!
There are so many different styles and brands. Generally people are a Charles and Owen head or a Champion. Then there's also Gatehouse which will fit others, sometimes crosses over. There will be a velvet hat out there that fits you, it's just a case of finding it. I've got a Charles and Owen head, Champions don't fit me well.
I think you need to find a shop which stocks a lot of different styles of hats, at least the 3 main one, Charles & Owen, Gatehouse and Champion and be prepared to try on 10 + different velvet hats till you find one that fits. I've got the Charles and Owen Show Jumper (velvet) and J3 (skull) on both you can adjust the fit at the back of the hat too to make them fit more snug.
Happy hat hunting. :)

[My Crazy Clan]

If it felt like it fitted to you then I would have stuck with it.

I did fine the HH ones a little tight then my other but its gotta mold to your head as its new.

I had my hat fitted by a proper person and it was miled too big!

Nothing wrong with buying from tescos either, they are all kitemarked.

[clashfan83]

I tried on every brand of velvet they had, about 5 or 6 different types. I know I tried a Charles Owen but I didn't pay too much attention to what brands they were.

BHNRS, the hat my boyfriend bought me was a Harry Hall Legend, it was lovely!

Twizzel I googled Champion Ventair, the velvets look very nice but I might consider the skull if I can't get a velvet to fit.

Casper - I did try on the Showjumper hat, out of all of them that was the best fit but still nnot quite right (according to the lady). I do wonder if they are over exaggerating a bit, but then, they could have quite easily sold me a hat that didn't fit correctly.

Rhea - I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Tesco riding hats at all, I used mine for my BHS exams and they were fine with it as it meets the safety standards, just the fact that you can't get them fitted there and you have to buy it off the shelf, it's not ideal, as really you should get it fitted by a trained person.

[clashfan83]

I finally have a hat :)

Third shop lucky! Went with a Charles Owen in the end, two sizes smaller than normal :scared: but the lady assured me it was sa good fit and it felt comfy. Me and the boyfriend nearly had a heart attack when the first hat she reached for had a price tag of £160, and that wasn't the most expensive! So I tried on a Champion ventair which was £116, but I just couldn't ask the bf to spend that much, tried on the Charles Owen and it was lovely. Shame it doesn't have any vents, but I've survived umpteen years of riding without them, I'm sure I'll cope ;)

It was quite funny when we walked into this shop because you could just tell from the outset it was going to be expensive. They had all the dear brands like Pikeur, Ariat, Le Chemeau etc., it was like a horsey boutique :lol:. I might save up before venturing in there again :evilgrin: