Hats
The best straw cowboy hats
The summer hat, the concert hat, and the right first hat. Here is what separates a good straw from a cheap one.
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
Straw is the hat you will actually wear. It is cool in heat, it costs little enough that damaging it is survivable, and at a country concert in July it is the only sensible choice - felt in that environment is genuinely uncomfortable.
What separates a good straw hat from a cheap one
- Weave density. A tighter weave holds its shape, blocks more sun and survives being packed. A loose open weave is cooler but goes soft within a season.
- The sweatband. Leather beats synthetic by a wide margin for comfort and for not smelling after a summer.
- A bound or shaped brim. An unbound raw edge frays. A bound brim lasts.
- A properly blocked crown. A pre-creased crown that has been blocked holds its shape; a crown that is just folded into a crease flattens out.
Straw hats are also X-rated in some ranges - Resistol lists the Cisco as a 6x straw with roughly a 4 1/2 inch brim and a crown about 3 3/4 inches front by 5 1/4 inches back - but the ratings mean less here than on felt. Judge a straw hat by weave tightness and the sweatband.
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 Resistol Cisco Straw HatYou give up formality and lifespan. | a first hat, and every summer event | |
| 2 | Illustrative photo Ariat Straw Western HatYou give up weave density and longevity. | the cheapest hat worth buying | |
| 3 |  Illustrative photoStetson 6X Fur Felt HatYou give up casual wearability and money. | the one felt hat to own |
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Pick 1
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 |
Pick 2
Ariat Straw Western Hat - best for the cheapest hat worth buying
Illustrative photoAriat's straw hats sit a tier below the Resistol and Stetson straws in weave quality and a long way below them in price, with pre-creased crowns, bound brims and a shaped bash ready to wear out of the box. They are the right first hat for someone who is not sure a hat suits them at all. Spend an hour in one at an outdoor event and you will know whether you want to invest in felt - and if the answer is no, you have not spent much finding out.
What you give up: You give up weave density and longevity. A looser straw loses its shape faster and will not survive being packed in a bag.
Good
- Low cost of entry
- Ready to wear
- Fine for one summer
Less good
- Loses shape
- Not durable
- Basic finish
| Material | Straw |
|---|---|
| Crown | Pre-creased |
| Brim | Bound |
| Position | Entry |
Pick 3
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 |
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Brim width, practically
| Brim | Looks like | Shade | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-3.5 in | Modern, understated | Minimal | Everyday wear, smaller faces |
| 4-4.5 in | The classic proportion | Good | Almost everybody - start here |
| 5 in+ | Traditional, working | Excellent | Real sun exposure, larger frames |
Looking after a straw hat
Less than felt, because straw cannot be reshaped the way felt can. Keep it out of the rain where you can, store it on its crown rather than its brim, do not leave it in a hot car, and accept that a straw hat is a two or three season item rather than a decade one. That is the trade for the price.
Common questions
Are straw cowboy hats good?
For warm weather, yes - they are cooler, lighter and far cheaper than felt. They cannot be reshaped and they do not last as long, which is the trade for the price and the comfort.
What brim width should a cowboy hat be?
Four to four and a half inches suits most people and is the classic proportion. Narrower reads modern and gives less shade; five inches or more is a working brim for real sun exposure.
Can straw cowboy hats get wet?
Light rain is survivable, but a soaking can warp the crown and the brim permanently, and unlike felt a straw hat cannot be reshaped. Keep it out of real weather.
How long does a straw cowboy hat last?
Two or three seasons of regular summer wear for a decent one. A loosely woven cheap hat may only manage one, which is part of why straw is the right hat to learn on.
Straw or felt for a country concert?
Straw, if the concert is in warm weather - which most are. Felt is hot, expensive and far more upsetting to damage in a crowd.
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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