Hats
The best felt cowboy hats
What the X rating actually buys you, and the two hats worth starting with.
By Selena H. · Updated October 13, 2026
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We choose picks by comparing published specifications, construction, sizing guidance and aggregated owner feedback. We have not worn these boots ourselves. How we pick
A felt cowboy hat is a cold-weather and dress-up hat, and a good one keeps its shape for decades. The question people actually need answered is what the X rating means, because it is the number on every price tag and almost nobody explains it.
X ratings, honestly
X ratings broadly describe felt quality - the proportion of fur (rabbit, hare, sometimes beaver) in the blend and the fineness of the felting. More X generally means finer, lighter and more water-resistant felt that holds its shape better. The crucial caveat: the scale is not standardized across makers. A 6X from one brand is not the same material as a 6X from another. Use it to compare within a brand's range, not between brands.
| Rating | Broadly means | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 2X-4X | Wool or wool-blend felt | Entry level. Loses shape, poor in rain |
| 5X-6X | Fur felt | The sweet spot. Holds shape, lasts years |
| 10X-20X | Finer fur felt, more beaver content | Noticeably lighter and softer. Diminishing returns for most buyers |
| 30X+ | High beaver content | Heirloom territory |
For a first felt hat, 6X is the right answer. Below it you are buying a hat that will not hold its shape; above it you are paying for refinement you will not notice until you have worn hats for years.
Quick picks
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. The price column goes straight to Amazon.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illustrative photo Stetson 6X Fur Felt HatYou give up casual wearability and money. | the one felt hat to own | |
| 2 | Illustrative photo Resistol 6X Felt Cowboy HatYou give up summer use, same as any felt. | a rodeo-shaped felt hat | |
| 3 |  Illustrative photoResistol Cisco Straw HatYou give up formality and lifespan. | a first hat, and every summer event |
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Pick 1
Stetson 6X Fur Felt Hat - best for the one felt hat to own
Illustrative photoFelt quality is sold in X ratings, and 6X is the point where a hat stops being a costume and starts being a hat you keep. Stetson's 6X fur felt line - the Skyline and Bar None are the two you will see most - typically runs a cattleman crown around 4 3/8 inches with a 4 1/4-inch brim and a genuine leather sweatband. For a first felt hat the cattleman crease is the right choice: it is the shape most people picture, it suits almost every face, and it is what hat shops will reshape for free if you want it adjusted. Buy felt for cold weather and for dressing up; do not buy it for an August festival.
What you give up: You give up casual wearability and money. Felt is hot in summer, it stains if it gets soaked, and 6X is a real spend for a first hat.
Good
- Keeps its shape for years
- Reshapeable by a hatter
- The classic crease
Less good
- Too hot for summer
- Water-sensitive
- Expensive for a first hat
| Felt | 6X fur felt |
|---|---|
| Crown | Cattleman, approx. 4 3/8 in |
| Brim | Approx. 4 1/4 in |
| Sweatband | Genuine leather |
| Season | Autumn through spring |
Pick 2
Resistol 6X Felt Cowboy Hat - best for a rodeo-shaped felt hat
Illustrative photoResistol's 6X felt hats - the USTRC line is the common one - are listed with a cattleman's crown around 4 5/8 inches, a 4 1/4-inch brim and a leather sweatband, pre-creased and rodeo-ready. The difference between this and the Stetson equivalent is mostly crown height and brim shape, and at 6X both are honest felt. Pick between them on the crease and the color: silverbelly reads dressier, black reads formal and is unforgiving of dust, and a dark brown or chocolate hides everything.
What you give up: You give up summer use, same as any felt. And a pre-creased crown means you are buying someone else's shape unless you pay a hatter to change it.
Good
- Honest 6X felt
- Pre-creased and ready
- Rodeo proportions
Less good
- Summer-unfriendly
- Fixed crease
- Premium price
| Felt | 6X |
|---|---|
| Crown | Cattleman, approx. 4 5/8 in |
| Brim | Approx. 4 1/4 in |
| Sweatband | Leather |
Pick 3
Resistol Cisco Straw Hat - best for a first hat, and every summer event
Illustrative photoIf you are buying one hat and it has to work at a concert in July, buy straw - and the Cisco is the straw hat that comes up most. Resistol lists it as a 6X straw with an average 4 1/2-inch brim and a crown about 3 3/4 inches front by 5 1/4 inches back. The reason it suits a beginner is that straw is cheap enough to learn on. You will sit on your first hat, leave it on a car seat in the sun and get caught in rain in it; doing all of that to a straw hat costs a fraction of doing it to 6X felt. Sizing is the one thing to get right - measure your head and buy the size, do not guess between S/M/L.
What you give up: You give up formality and lifespan. Straw is a warm-weather hat, it will not take a season of hard use, and it cannot be reshaped like felt.
Good
- Cool in heat
- Cheap enough to learn on
- Pre-creased, ready to wear
Less good
- Not a dress hat
- Shorter life
- Cannot be reshaped
| Material | 6X straw |
|---|---|
| Brim | Approx. 4 1/2 in |
| Crown | Approx. 3 3/4 in front / 5 1/4 in back |
| Season | Spring and summer |
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Color matters more than people expect
- Silverbelly - the pale gray-beige. The most versatile and the dressiest. Shows less dust than black.
- Black - formal and striking, and unforgiving of dust, lint and rain spots. It is the highest-maintenance color.
- Chocolate or dark brown - the practical choice. Hides everything, goes with every leather color.
- Natural / sand - casual, warm-weather felt. Marks easily.
Looking after felt
Brush it counter-clockwise with a soft hat brush after wear, store it upside down on its crown or on a hat rack - never on the brim - and keep it out of a hot car, which is how felt loses its shape. If it gets soaked, let it dry at room temperature on its crown, away from heat. Full routine in cowboy hat care.
Common questions
What does the X rating mean on a felt cowboy hat?
It broadly indicates felt quality - the fur content and fineness of the felting. Higher X generally means finer, lighter, more water-resistant felt. The scale is not standardized between makers, so compare within a brand rather than across brands.
Is a 6X cowboy hat good?
Yes - 6X is the point where a felt hat becomes genuinely good fur felt that holds its shape for years. It is the right rating for a first felt hat.
What color felt cowboy hat should I buy?
Silverbelly for versatility and dressiness, or chocolate brown for practicality - it hides dust and works with every leather color. Black looks striking and shows every speck of dust.
Can felt cowboy hats get wet?
They survive light rain, but a soaking can distort the shape. Dry a wet felt hat at room temperature resting on its crown, away from heat, and brush it once dry.
When should you wear a felt hat instead of straw?
Autumn through spring, and for dressier occasions year-round. Felt is genuinely uncomfortable in summer heat, which is why straw exists.
Sources
About the author
Selena H.
Selena H. is the owner and editor of Spur & Stitch. She started the site after discovering how much western-boot buying advice assumes you already know what a welt is. Every guide here is written for the person buying their first pair.
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