Custom riding hats?

Bobthecob15

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My friend is looking for a custom made riding hat after spending the day visiting every tack shop and trying on every make of hat at Burghley...none of them fit her. She has 'an unusual oval shaped head' they said.

She was hoping to get a custom Patey hat but looks like they no longer exist? Does anyone know of a company that can male her a hat?!

Thanks
 

ycbm

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Did she try MIPS hats with an internal cradle and a dial fit? I've got two and they are very adaptable.
.
 

Bobthecob15

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Would it be possible to contact a manufacturer direct?
Charles Owen or Champion for example.
I recall I had trouble with a hat fastening and ended up speaking to the boss of Champion.
She did, she spoke to the Charles Owen and Champion people at Burghley who didn't have anything that fitted!
 

fetlock

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Owner was formerly at Patey

 

McFluff

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Have they tried every brand?
I used to be able to wear the Charles Owen hats (always took time to break in), but since they’ve updated and moved to removable linings they just don’t fit (and the linings don’t offer enough give to break in). I have an oval head shape and champion have never fitted me - gaps at side and hurts front and back.
With my latest hat still giving me headaches (after a year) and my comfy old one needing to retire, I decided to try everything in the shop to see if anything fitted.
I went at a quiet time and started at the cheapest in the shop (willing fitter happy to pull out every hat they had!). I ended up with the second priciest hat but it was instantly comfy. No breaking in. First time I’ve ever had that (been wearing hats for decades). The hat is a kask. Pricey, but worth it. The Samshield also nearly fitted - better than my newer CO - but not as well as the kask (and it was more £).
I had considered made to measure but hadn’t found anything that offered the modern standards.
 

Bobthecob15

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I think so, there were a LOT of brands at Burghley, certainly more than your average tack shop.

Head hat person at Charles Owen suggested a couple of othe brands which were no good. She's going to try an Uvex with a dial next she said....wants the best saftey features so really wanted something like the 4 star Charles Owen.
 

conniegirl

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You wont get a custom made one that is tested to the modern standards.
CE marking a hat costs thousands (£7k last time i had something CE marked) so not something any company will do just for one hat.
 

JGC

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I think so, there were a LOT of brands at Burghley, certainly more than your average tack shop.

Head hat person at Charles Owen suggested a couple of othe brands which were no good. She's going to try an Uvex with a dial next she said....wants the best saftey features so really wanted something like the 4 star Charles Owen.
Uvex do a MIPS one, still with the dial.
 

maya2008

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We now have Whittaker hats - fit kids with round heads and me with foam sticky things I got off Amazon (hat reducers) to make it more oval and less round. Has a dial. Could she manage with hat reducers to adjust the fit?
 

BimboMare

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I have a silly shaped oval head and spent years with a red mark on my forehead. Often had to dismount because my head was sore and last year decided to do whatever I needed (and throw money at it if needed) to find a hat that fitted.
Finally I tried a Premier Equine dial one (with all the necessary safety standards) that fits perfectly. Couldn't believe my luck that it was the cheapest in the shop! Might be worth a try...?
Should say that I have no connections to any companies. Just happy with what I found.
 
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