We have been making fur hats for more than 45 years now. We have made all types of hats like the Russian style, the Davy Crocket, and the trapper style. However, no other type of fur hat has been more popular than the trooper style (also known as the RCMP Fur Hat). This style of fur hat out sales all the other types by a long shot. And for good reason; the hat has a style that can easily be dressed up for formal evenings, or dressed down for any outdoor activity. In addition, it’s practical since you can where the ear flaps up or down.
However, if you are in the market for a fur hat, there are a few things you should be aware of. The last thing you want is buying a hat on the internet or from your local furrier and have the hat fall apart and not last more than one winter.
Tip #1: Make sure you select the right type of fur for the right environment or use. For example, if you need something for very harsh conditions. Something that is rugged, then try to stick with beaver, seal or otter. They are as tough as they get in the fur world. The down side is that they are heavier than the average furs. Other furs like muskrat, mink or fox are also very good but lighter. In our business, 90% of all our fur hats are made with Canadian muskrats.
Tip #2: Make sure the hat is “fresh”. What I mean is that sometime manufacturers will mass produce hats and store them in large warehouses. These warehouses are not well acclimatized to maintain the natural oils of the furs. Ask when was the hat made, it should not be older than 2-3 years. If you buy something older, chances are that the skins are dried and the seams will start to rip. Made to order is usually the best way to buy fur hats.
Tip #3: Make sure the inside lining is well made. For all of our fur hats, we have to manually sow the inside lining. It is an extremely slow process, but it’s the only way we can absolutely guarantee that the hat will wear correctly. A good lining helps keep the proper shape of the hat; it gives a more solid structure. One test is to place the hat upside down, if the shape is still the same (like you filled in cavity of the hat with paper), then it’s a quality lining.
