Comments on: My head is the size of a melon, and it just snowed.

Question: My head is the size of a melon, and it just snowed.

mecran01 — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:34:43 -0800

I have a huge head and need a winter hat. my head is 25 1/2 inches, or about 66cm. That's a wee bit bigger than a men's xxxl hat.

I'm trying to find a warm winter hat or balaclava that will stop the wind, is somewhat water resistant, and will fit. I will be bicycling, hiking, and cross country skiing in Utah with it. My ears protrude like Prince Charles so I have to have ear coverage.

Should I:

1. just get a stretch hat and wear good ear muffs

2. Make my own from Polartec fleece (I have family that can snow)

3. Find a good balaclava and trust that it will stretch to fit

Or something else? My budget is about $30.

By: Steven C. Den Beste

Steven C. Den Beste — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:37:22 -0800

There's no hope. One time I got a sheepskin hat made custom, but that cost about five times your budget.

We fat-heads have to live with knit pull-over hats. Get the one big enough so that everyone else leaves it loose, and pull it tight.

By: pravit

pravit — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:41:11 -0800

As a fellow big-head whose head cannot fit into size 29 hats, I sympathize with you. I was so disappointed when I couldn't fit into any of the cool hats people wore up in Xinjiang.

I second just getting a knit beanie to wear.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:44:48 -0800

I'd say make your own. That way you can dictate how big and how much ear coverage. You can make it with ear-flaps and a roll-up roll-down brim -- or even a full face mask. I usually go knit (wool) with fleece lining. With your win-resistance needs you may want to check how windproof the fleece is. You may be able to sew in some kind of lining.

By: notsnot

notsnot — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:45:57 -0800

My head isn't as big as yours by measurement, but everyone I know says I have a "big fuckin' head" and the standard black knit dockworker hat is the only thing I can do in the winter.

By: fluffy battle kitten

fluffy battle kitten — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:49:22 -0800

You can get tons of custom made hats at Etsy (fleece, knit, crochet, whatever you want.) Many, many folks on etsy will custom make stuff at no additional charge if you just send them a message through the site. (Some of them will charge a small fee.)

Prices are all over the place. Just look through the site for affordable stuff.

By: padraigin

padraigin — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:49:53 -0800

Learn to knit? One of my first projects was a ribbed beanie made of bulky weight wool on big needles, and it only took me a couple of hours (very satisfying for a novice knitter). I've since made dozens of hats of every weight, style, and size. It's really easy to customize them to exact specifications of size and density with a little experimentation.

Wool is pretty water resistant, and it's pretty easy to rig up a fleece lining too (I've done that, and it's an easy and almost skill-free handsewing endeavor). I have skiied like crazy in Colorado and Tahoe wearing my efforts, and I still have both ears and an intact scalp.

By: daveqat

daveqat — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:59:06 -0800

You might want to check out something from Buff (site here). I just ordered a Buff, but I haven't gotten it yet.

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:00:51 -0800

This link on making a leather hat might be useful if I were to make something out of leather with a fleece liner:

leather helm

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:07:49 -0800

2nding knitting or Etsy as the way to go. My first ski hat actually turned out really really loose for my 23" head (want it? it's green and would need a wash.), but was pretty trivial to learn how to knit. $5 yarn + $10 DPNs + 3-4 hours time + knittinghelp.com = your new hat.

By: adiabat

adiabat — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:11:56 -0800

Since it looks like you might be open to making your own, this is the best knitting pattern I've ever found for making other people hats: Marsan watchcap.

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:16:27 -0800

Here are some fleece hat patterns that will do the trick, I believe:

fleece hat patterns

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:24:05 -0800

Ok, as usual, just posting the question and getting responses helped my redefine my search queries and hat desires. The Buff is still a little small. I believe I am going to make myself a leather tunturi hat using a hand awl, with a polar fleece liner.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:31:28 -0800

Seconding that the Marsan watchcap is gorgeous and easy to make. (for anyone who does decide to knit a hat)

By: mumkin

mumkin — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 22:43:07 -0800

If you're not into knitting, but want the warmth of wool, may I suggested felting? Take old sweaters, either your own or purchased on the cheap from Goodwill &c bins, and wash repeatedly until they become thickly felted. Cut out the shapes you need and stitch 'em together. My brother made a felt hat for me that's much along the line of your leather helm. Other interesting styles are certainly possible.

By: tom_g

tom_g — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 05:41:56 -0800

http://www.bigheadcaps.com/

I have a huge noggin, and have been buying from them for years. They might not offer the exact type you're looking for, but they might have a suggestion for you.

By: genefinder

genefinder — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 05:47:40 -0800

Interesting question, as my head is also large. But did you say your family can "snow". That is excellent.

By: yerfatma

yerfatma — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 07:18:26 -0800

My enormous melon is the one reason I still stop into that teenage paradise, American Eagle. For some reason, they make giant winter hats. Given our snow today, I am writing this wearing one of their Trapper Hats. Just slides in under your budget, assuming no shipping.

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:36:50 -0800

Yerfatma: would you mind telling me the dimensions of your noggin? The AE hat may do the trick if I waterproof it.

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:37:49 -0800

Ah, we have an American Eagle Outfitters at our local mall, of course!

By: yerfatma

yerfatma — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 10:04:35 -0800

I don't know if I have them on hand and I'm all by my lonesome today. Best I can do is say I think my fitted baseball cap size is between 7 5/8" and 7 1/2". And that there's room to grow in the AE hat.

By: arnicae

arnicae — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 10:10:05 -0800

What about etsy? I have a pretty big noggin, too, and I get all manner of super-warm, specially made hats there. I don't think you should just stretch a hat- it decreases its ability to keep you warm and doing that (at least for me) gives me a headache).

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:38:21 -0800

The AE hat is a tad too snug, and kinda cheap.

The felt thing looks awesome. I will spend a little more time at Etsy and figure it out. Thanks all!

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 07:10:37 -0800

update: I bought a stretchy balaclava at a local store that works, as long as I don't mind looking like a terrorist.

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:58:06 -0800

up-update: a cheap black watchcap also fit, and one of my students sold me his Nepalese hat for $5.00 after he found his original hat that he liked better. Because I know you were all on edge about this. So the answer is stretchy wool. Although I still want to buy an awl and make something out of sheepskin.