Buying a riding hat online

muddygreymare

muddygreymare

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I was just wondering if anyone else has bought their hat online?

I've had the hat I want fitted and have been measured in a tack shop but they only have a pink version of the hat and can't get any more in and I need a black one. The nearest tack shop that does them is Derby House which is an hour or so away and they're not guaranteed to have one in stock in my size so would prefer to order online in that respect.

I can get the black hat online and it's also cheaper, but I'm just concerned about it being posted just in case it gets knocked about and stuff, it being a hat and all. Am I just worrying too much, or would you try to find another place that stocked the hat and go and get it in person?

Thanks :)
 
I'd imagine they pack them pretty well, and I can't see it being any more of a risk than buying from a shop. The hats get transported to the tack shops in the first place so there is a fair chance they get knocked about before you purchase them either way.
 
Why can't they get more in? That's madness that in this climate they can't get another colour! Mind you, if they're happy for you to go online and it's been fitted, I don't see why not.
 
They say they can't get more in because they don't make them anymore, but I've found loads online in all colours and sizes :confused: It's the Harry Hall Legend hat, they still have it on the Harry Hall website and you can get them on quite a few of the 'big' horsey websites.

I suppose it will have been posted to a shop, I didn't think of that so hopefully when I order the hat it will arrive okay :) I suppose I just worry too much! :rolleyes::p
 
I've bought riding hats online, for myself & my daughter.

I try them on in the shop and get it fitted correctly, then I search online who sells the brand cheapest. The money saved is quite a difference:)
 
as team barney says, theyve gone from factory to possibly wholesaler and then shop, so theyve travelled about a fair bit before they hit the shelves, anyway.

Im quite happy buying online, if I know what size I need and if the brand fits my headshape :)
 
i bought mine off ebay, was delivered the next day safe and soundly. i was very naughty and just did the 'tape measure round my head' trick :D and i hadn't bought a hat since i was 12 (i still have this hat which fits me and only bought another as the house fairies had hidden it when i bought my new horse!)
 
you go to the tack shop and get fitted, you find it online a little cheaper but no fitting, no trying on. AND people wonder why tack shops are going out of business! for a hat i personally like to put it on, walk around check it is very comfortable before i buy! its a touchy feely purchase in this instance. nothing worse than a hat that nips your head!
 
I know a lot of people do that, but I would have actually bought the hat from them if they had a black one. The woman in there was really helpful though and actually suggested other shops that might have them, which included online shops. Usually I would buy in that shop rather than look online as it is actually quite cheap in there compared to some of the others round here :)
 
I've had to buy quite a lot online, including two hats, and they have been shipped from England to S Africa and arrived perfectly packaged and pristine - despite the best efforts of our local postal services ;)
 
Op, this is totally not aimed at you as your reason for buying online is understandable and you didnt set out to waste someone's time in a tack shop.
I whole heartedly agree with ofcourseyoucan. If you go to a tack shop and have a hat fitted you are essentially paying, included in the price, for the qualified hat fitters time and expertise. I can't stand this culture that it's fine to use a shop as a trying on window for the Internet, especially when it comes down to safety gear. If you buy a hat or body protector online and unfitted you have absolutely no comeback if it turns out to be wrong in some way and does not provide you with the correct protection in an accident. In my opinion, if you buy a hat without having it fitted, your asking for trouble. People wonder shops are empty. It is inevitable, I believe, that shops are going to have to start charging for hat fitting because of this.
 
Pixiepoo said:
. I can't stand this culture that it's fine to use a shop as a trying on window for the Internet, especially when it comes down to safety gear. If you buy a hat or body protector online and unfitted you have absolutely no comeback if it turns out to be wrong in some way and does not provide you with the correct protection in an accident. In my opinion, if you buy a hat without having it fitted, your asking for trouble. People wonder shops are empty. It is inevitable, I believe, that shops are going to have to start charging for hat fitting because of this.
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Totally agree its not on to use a shop as a fitting room deliberately always meaning to go elsewhere.
I will buy hats online as I am happy to get the same hats as I already have, so I know the shape and size are right for me as thats what I was fitted as previously,

I dont believe I owe any shop a living though, and get the best deals for myself i can. Its my pocket that matters to me, and I think its great to be able to go into small independant shops and browse but if they dont have the range of stock, colours and sizes I want like a big superstore or an internet site thats too bad.

Only using shops as a try it and see, then buy elsewhere never sits right with me though.
 
I also agree that noone owes a shop a living and if they didn't have what I wanted or I knew what they had was grossly overpriced then I wouldn't buy. But, if it was something someone had bothered to take the time to help me with, to fit it correctly and it was a standard price I'd buy it. Also, a lot of the time you may be getting a bargain but once you pay postage it works out pretty much the same anyway!
 
I agree that we should support our local tack shops; I use mine as much as possible but the choices are a bit limited in my case.

On holiday in the UK I'm torn between "real" sightseeing and trawling tackshops. The choices available make me hugely envious. Mind you, I get a bit dazed at the choice in UK supermarkets - here I usually have a choice of only 3 brands of yoghourt. But there are 4 flavours available, on a good day ;)
 
Don't worry I totally agree with you there :) It annoys me when people use tack shops just to try on stuff that they then have the intention of buying elsewhere. I think it's rather rude as the tack shop is that, a shop, it's not a dressing room!

We have hardly any tack shops around here so I always try to buy from ours more than online if I can. :) It's also easier to go to the shop and buy what you want and be able to use it the same day, instead of having to wait days or weeks for the stuff you need to come via snail mail!
 
Im currently likeing Hope Valley Saddlery, got some jackets/gilets/rugs etc off there at a good discount and were here the next day i think, i hate waiting around too, I want and I want now :) But the shops around here arent great, ones really reeally expensive, and the other two, well, im ok if I want pink sparkly crap ;)
 
I ran a tack shop, and we actually threatened to start charging a fitting fee for those who wanted to use our stock, time and expertise and then b***** off and buy it elsewhere for £3 cheaper before postage. We were very close on price with the local agri places though, and used to do new rider packs for the local riding schools
 
I own an online tack shop and have done for 8 years give or take mostly abroad and also in UK. We have sold literally thousands of riding hats without issue. Mostly £100 or above price level and all have arrived safely. They are within the original box plus heavy duty boxed around for posting. How do you think these hats get from manufacturers to shops in the first place? It would not worry me in the slightest ;)
 
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