Today I am reviewing the Outback Trading Company's Grizzly hat. This had is made with 100% Cotton Oilskin, a 4 1/4 inch Crown 3” Brim, and UPF 50 Rating. I picked this one up from a local Canadian supplier (www.lammles.com/)
Nice review. Thank you for sharing. For many years I have two Grizzly hats hanging by the basement outside door for a quick grab. My other hat style is their River Guide, it is my EDC. Two issues I experienced with the Grizzly, the wire in the brim can become wonky, the other issue is water seeping in the hat under the outside decorative hat band where the brim and crown are sowed together. The brim wire, when it bends can be straightened, however it is often difficult getting its shape as it was; very fiddly. Throw the Grizzly in the back seat, dropped on the edge of the brim, and the like, the brim will bend which I then spend time making it appear proper. The Grizzly hat is not designed as a bendable, foldable, crushable, hat, it is not malleable. Another issue I experienced is water seeping in under the decorative hat band where the crown and brim meet. On that seam I have used much of their Duck Back Dressing inside and out. The Grizzly is a sturdy hat and many folks love it. As mentioned my EDC hat is Outback trading Co. River Guide. Reasons I prefer the River Guide to Grizzly, it is crushable, packable, foldable, and the like, it bounces back; I much prefer it over the Grizzly. Every year I give all three hats a good treatment of Duck Back Dressing. Also, my Outback Duster after three years use, in 2024 received its first Duck Back Dressing retreatment as well. Duck Back Dressing is very good. Although the Grizzly is a very good hat, my Outback Trading Co. River Guide hat for my use is better.
Thanks for this! I was just trying to decide between the River Guide and the Grizzly. I think I’ll get the River Guide for now since I’d probably be regularly messing up the wire brim of the Grizzly.
Nice honest video review mate. I bought this hat August this year from Picovs Horse Center in Ajax ON and I love it too. It’s a great looking hat. Can be shaped more cowboy which is what I had done, then reshaped to an Australian style and compliments galore. Excellent tip on size with this hat. I’m a medium, tried on a number of them and found them big, unless I stuffed the entire head liner all around. Went small, did some minor stretching, and the more I wear, the more it shapes to my head. Nice to be able to buy locally and perfectly sized. Online I would have purchased a medium. However, I’m a large size with my 2 Kanagroo Crackle and Roo leather hats from Barmah with a small filler in the back of the head liner. Big advocate of try size before buy. Cheers 🍻well done!
I had a different version - slightly flatter crown. Bought in early 90s and stolen in 2011. Keep intending to get another one. First time in heavy rain, it leaked all around the hatband. Hadn't been treated there. Bought some of the paste treatment from Outback and afterward never had any leaks. Next time I wore it, I thought it had shrunk. Was way too tight. Upon looking at it, the leather hatband had shrunk. I wondered if it was a fake or maybe someone just had a bad day? Took hatband off, took some athletic tape and spiced it intending as a temporary fix. Put a little brown shoe polish and never changed it out. Another thing that made me wonder if it was a fake was it didn't retain it's shape as well as I thought it should. I bought it from a local western store that sold several variations of Outback coats and hats so if it was a fake, I'm pretty sure they didn't know. Nowhere near as cold here in NC foothills but it kept me warm to 15° F.
Really sorry to hear about your experience. I can't speak to your hat being a fake but I can say that the hat I purchased has been doused with water as part of my testing and there were no issues. I have moved the hat from extreme cold to warm temperatures just as part of daily wear in Alberta Canada LOL and it has not had any issues. To be honest I had no idea people faked clothing products. After reading your post I hit the google and was shocked to find that it is a huge business and that I was clearly out of touch with this aspect of the world. Turns out if someone makes it someone will fake it.. sigh.
Mine just shipped today. Can't wait to get it. Glad that it sounds like I made a good purchase. Have you had a chance to get rained on yet? Thanks for the post!
Rained on and snowed on. Has held up great in both circumstances. I was very surprised by the warmth during cold weather . It was -20c and my head stayed warm. Upon inspection I think its due to the fact that there is a fair amount of space in the hat, as a result the warmth from your head heats that space. I would say that it kept me warmer than my wool pull on hat.
I have been wearing this hat all summer and we have had some hot days for sure, hitting 30 Celcius on more than one occasion and the hat has held up. I have not had it lose its shape if that is what you are concerned about. The hat did not make me feel any hotter and it is UV resistant so it's good from that aspect as well.
How does that hat hold up to someone who sweats excessively? I’ve soaked my Tilley Airflow hat sweating. I’m a flatbed trucker and work outside quite a bit securing loads and it gets hot here in Alabama.
The temperatures in my area are not what you would call hot lol. I recently wore this outside in -20 celsius weather and my head stayed warm. There is sufficient area to hold in warmth from your head so perhaps that answers the question.. Outback has other hats that may serve you better.
