Hats are so expensive now?!

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Lill

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Granted the last hats I bought were probably about 5yrs ago but I don't remember them being upwards of £80?? Any recommendations as to where may be best (cheaper!) to buy?

I prefer the velvet hats given the option as my head seems to be more that shape!
 
Perhaps look for a skull cap that fits correctly, they tend to be slightly cheaper for the same protection. Then get yourself a velvet hat cover - I have a navy and a brown that goes from cap to cap for formal occasions and last for years - look absolutely fine.

Please don't skimp on hats, they are too important.
 
You absolutely don't always get more for the more expensive hats!

Look at the safety standards, and then a make a choice on that and what fits you best. I have two hats both cost less than £100 (a CO one and a Gatehouse one) both conform to the exact same safety standards that some of the £400+ hats do!
 
I have a Champion hat, they are the only make of hat that fits my oddly shaped head and it's a junior one at that, the adult ones don't fit me. It's PAS015:2011 so fully up to standard, it was £56 from my local tack shop.

I agree with the AlexHyde, just because it's expensive, doesn't mean it's any better than the cheaper ones, it's the standards/fit that matter, not the price.
 
I had to buy a new riding hat last month as my skull cap was ruined and I want to go xc. (plus my normal hat was only bsen)
I was quite shocked at the prices, sure my old skull cost about £60-70. My new hat cost me over £100!!
 
Perhaps it's just me, but I am surprised that some people seem to consider anything over about £80 as expensive for a riding hat or helmet.

Really? It's safety equipment.

To put it further into perspective, how many people cheerfully pay upwards of £100 for a pair of boots?
 
sarahann1 said:
I have a Champion hat, they are the only make of hat that fits my oddly shaped head and it's a junior one at that, the adult ones don't fit me. It's PAS015:2011 so fully up to standard, it was £56 from my local tack shop.

I agree with the AlexHyde, just because it's expensive, doesn't mean it's any better than the cheaper ones, it's the standards/fit that matter, not the price.
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I have this too and its the comfiest one I've had!
 
Aren't they just. I'd kill for a Samshield but I don't have a spare £500+ lying around at the moment :lol: My CO is doing its job. It was around £150 I think?
 
Sorry - I should have said within reason! I do think there is a fair difference on the lower end of the scale - I don't think you can justify the likes of Samshield other than for the style (oh to have those pennies!)
 
We moan about the cost then think nothing about buying a coffee for £2.30 or the latest rug.
I think about how many times I use it, and then divide the time by the cost, pennies really.
 
I have no problem paying up to £200 for a hat, though I prefer to spend less so I can replace them more frequently.

How many people will think I've paid £££'s for a hat as it's a fashion statement/ latest style (as you can definitely get the same safety standards in a cheaper hat) and think well I'm not replacing it yet, even if they've fallen off/dropped it or had it more than a year or so...
 
Lill said:
Granted the last hats I bought were probably about 5yrs ago but I don't remember them being upwards of £80?? Any recommendations as to where may be best (cheaper!) to buy?

I prefer the velvet hats given the option as my head seems to be more that shape!
Click to expand...

I just bought a new scull cap costing me £ 45
 
I've just bought my son a shires skull cap at 45 pounds as it fitted him better than all the 150 pound hats like hs1 and the co pro II.

I was lucky on this occasion, next time I may well not be..

The champion ventair fits me, and at 90 ish I think that's probably good value for a vented hat.

Fiona
 
AlexHyde said:
I have no problem paying up to £200 for a hat, though I prefer to spend less so I can replace them more frequently.

How many people will think I've paid £££'s for a hat as it's a fashion statement/ latest style (as you can definitely get the same safety standards in a cheaper hat) and think well I'm not replacing it yet, even if they've fallen off/dropped it or had it more than a year or so...
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I have to agree with this! Obviously you can't skimp on safety, but I do think if some spends £££'s on a fancy hat and falls off they *may* be more inclined to not replace it... thinking 'hmmm.. did I really hit my head?' 'Did i hit my head THAT hard?' 'I only dropped it from a small height.. it'll be fine'.

I also wear a kids champion hat which cost around £60 I believe. You can normally pick up skull hats for around that too (up to safety standards). Different hats fit different people though so always get it properly fitted before buying :)
 
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Try getting a hat for showing! They have us over a barrel as only a couple of people make then and they are £160+! I will be hat shopping at the Highland as very few hats actually fit me so I am hoping I can pick up a bargain!

I don't scrimp on my work hats though - or wouldn't if any other than the £84 Champion fitted me lol! Plus I still fit kids hats so that's a wee bit extra taken off.
 
Tiddlypom said:
You could spend many hundreds and get a KEP riding hat...

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...85-WARNING!-KEP-riding-hat-safety-please-open
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I was going to buy one of these a few years ago after seeing them at Olympia. When I got home I couldn't find the one I wanted (orange) online so I emailed their CS and that alone put me off completely. I'm not even sure I was greeted in the email they sent back, they literally just sent me a link. If that's how they are when they're about to make £400 there wasn't a chance I was going to get any support if something went wrong!
 
sarahann1 said:
I have a Champion hat, they are the only make of hat that fits my oddly shaped head and it's a junior one at that, the adult ones don't fit me. It's PAS015:2011 so fully up to standard, it was £56 from my local tack shop.

I agree with the AlexHyde, just because it's expensive, doesn't mean it's any better than the cheaper ones, it's the standards/fit that matter, not the price.
Click to expand...

Me too, Champion junior PAS015:2011 from the local tack shop - paid about £65. Definitely another vote for Champion!
 
There is a really good breakdown of what the different standards actually mean here http://www.beta-uk.org/media/safety/download/Riders - safety - hat standards.pdf

Yes some hats cost more because they amount to a fashion statement or are in some way "trendy". Fine if that is what you want to spend your money on. People spend as much . more on designer shoes, handbags etc. (Although possibly not people who also own horses..!) But as others have said this is a safety issue. Far better to understand what the various testing standards mean and then buy the hat with the highest standard (that fits you) that you can reasonably afford. Yes you do have to replace them after a fall or dropping them.

What price your head? if not to you - to your family?

Sorry - emotive. But something I feel really strongly about.
 
Shay said:
There is a really good breakdown of what the different standards actually mean here http://www.beta-uk.org/media/safety/download/Riders - safety - hat standards.pdf

Yes some hats cost more because they amount to a fashion statement or are in some way "trendy". Fine if that is what you want to spend your money on. People spend as much . more on designer shoes, handbags etc. (Although possibly not people who also own horses..!) But as others have said this is a safety issue. Far better to understand what the various testing standards mean and then buy the hat with the highest standard (that fits you) that you can reasonably afford. Yes you do have to replace them after a fall or dropping them.

What price your head? if not to you - to your family?

Sorry - emotive. But something I feel really strongly about.
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Nobody is denying ^, what I'm saying is that you can get a hat with the same standards one <£150 and one >£400+ for those hats the only difference is vanity...
 
Absolutely! Completely agree. What I was getting at though is that it is better to spend a bit more (but no more than you need to get a good standard and fit.) and get a safer hat than go for the really cheap ones which don't meet standards. I see a lot of folk who don't really understand the difference in the standards and exactly what is tested for. "Oh.. its OK. I don't compete. The £10 from (I won't say) is fine because, after all, its a hat." That may possibly be true - it is a hat. But it won't protect your head in a fall. Even the hats that do meet standards - if you actually look at what is tested, personally I found it eye opening!

Edited to add... still no justification for some of the price tags though!
 
AlexHyde said:
......... you can get a hat with the same standards one <£150 and one >£400+ for those hats the only difference is vanity...
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Absolutely.
and if you read the rules of various competitive bodies it's all about the standard of the hat -
(have checked 2 M&M breed society showing rules and BD for this - in all 3 the hats must be of PAS15 standard but both hats and skull caps with navy/black covers to this standard are permitted so everyone can find a hat at their pricepoint - and quite right too this is a matter of safety)
 
I think that you need a hat that will be there for you if you need it. Having had a nasty fall on my head which would most certainly have cracked
My skull and done god knows what damage if I'd not been wearing it sometimes you do pay for what you get
 
Tiddlypom said:
You could spend many hundreds and get a KEP riding hat...

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...85-WARNING!-KEP-riding-hat-safety-please-open
Click to expand...
Oh my god. I will definitely be sticking with my Charles
Owen skull caps. If I'd have had one of those on I might be dead. (I hit
The ground full on after sailing high In the air from being bucked off by a 15.2 yh horse and landed on my head.) I was wearing a Charles Owen skull cap and didn't have a concussion or
Anything.
 
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