Riding Hats

[Grajo]

I've been using Fort Widley's Riding Hats at no charge. Their riding hats are from "Whitaker" brands and have checked online and it costs only £85 which seems very good price to hire out for FREE. I use 57" all the time except one time when I used 58" (my head must've been 1 inch bigger that day lol)

Anyway, in the long term, are they very good value? Some days I would like to own a riding hat (maybe also polo hat too if I decide to join in the future lol)

Should I go for little more expensive for the long-term ownership? Charles Owen ones?

 

[Sossigpoker]

Go to a tack shop and get one fitted. Champion hats fit me well and cost about £80. As long as the hat has the latest safety standards and is fitted for you , then it is just a case of choosing the one you like.
If the hat isn't fitted correctly it may not protect you fully if you fall /have an accident so I would only ever wear one that was fitted for me.

 

[ecb89]

Certain brands of hats suit different head shapes. I have tried so many brands and only Charles Owen fits my properly

 

[Widgeon]

So long as the hat confirms to the relevant safety standards (PAS 015 at present, I think), the expensive ones don't really provide any additional benefit. Agree with SP, get down to a tack shop and see what fits. You should be able to find something suitable that you like for under £90. I am tremendously cheap and refuse to buy anything costing more than about £80 because if I fall on it or drop it it becomes instantly worthless! You could tell the hat fitter that you find the Whitaker hats comfortable, and what size you take in those. All hats are slightly different shapes - some fit round heads and others fit oval heads.

 

[PSD]

Certain brands of hats suit different head shapes. I have tried so many brands and only Charles Owen fits my properly

Same here. I have a large round head (60cm!) and charlies Owen are the only ones that fit. Definitely go and try some and get a fitting, I recently bought a charlies Owen skull for £70 in the naylors sale.