The Hat Guide

Every hat starts somewhere. Here's where.

Felt, wool, straw, crown shape, brim shape, size - here's a plain-English walk through everything that goes into a Bear Claw hat before it ever meets the steamer.

Questions about any of it? Kat is happy to talk it through.

The Hats

The Core Collection

Every custom build starts from one of these foundations. From there, Kat shapes, steams, and finishes it into something that's only yours.

Signature Felt

7X Fur Felt

100% fur felt
Open crown
4½" flat brim
Genuine leather sweatband
No sweatband branding - this one's yours

Everyday Felt

3X Wool Open Crown

3X, 100% wool felt
6" open crown
4½" brim
Leather sweatband

100% Wool, Pre-Shaped

Cattleman BuildPre-creased Cattleman crown, square George brim, silver-tone 3-piece buckle
Fedora BuildTeardrop crown, 4" brim, moisture-wicking sweatband

Warm Weather

Straw - Bangora Open Crown

Tan, 5¾" open crown
Two-cord chocolate band
Comfort sweat shield
4½" brim

For the Little Ones

Youth - Felt & Straw

Youth CattlemanWool felt, sized for kids
Youth BangoraStraw, sized for kids

Buy once, grow into it - built to hold up to a kid actually wearing it.

Most styles are available for both men and women, with additional colors available on request.

Sizing & Fit

Getting the Right Size

A great hat only works if it fits. Here's how to measure at home:

Wrap a soft tape measure around your head, just above your ears and eyebrows - where a hat naturally sits.
Keep the tape snug but not tight, and take the measurement in inches.
Match your measurement to the size chart to find your starting size.

Not sure, or somewhere between sizes? Kat fits every custom build by hand, and a proper fitting solves this in minutes.

OvalThe most common head shape - evenly rounded front to back.

RoundCircumference is close to equal in every direction.

DiamondWider through the temple, narrower at the forehead and back.

Long/TriangularLonger front-to-back than side-to-side.

Size	Hat Size	Inches
S	6⅝ – 6¾	21 – 21½"
M	6⅞ – 7	21¾ – 22¼"
L	7⅛ – 7¼	22½ – 23"
XL	7⅜ – 7½	23¼ – 23¾"
XXL	7⅝ – 7¾	24 – 24½"

Not able to try one on? Mention it in your inquiry and Kat can talk through a mail-in sizing option so your fit is right before anything is shaped.

Shaping Styles

Your Crown, Your Character

Every hat gets hand-shaped to your request. Here's the vocabulary Kat works from.

Bear Claw hat crease and brim shaping chart

Crown

Open
Low Cattleman
Cattleman
Wide Cattleman
Ranch
Gus
Brick
Square Top
Round Top
Diamond Top
Gambler
Clint
Association
Puncher
Luke

Brim

Flat
Low
George
Half Taco
Relaxed Taco
Taco
Buckaroo
Retro
Rolled
Come & Go
Pencil Roll

Brim Front

Pointed
Round
Square
Wide
Extra Wide

Felt & Straw

Which One, When

Felt - Fall Through Spring

Felt holds its shape, blocks wind, and adds warmth - the natural pick for cooler months. Higher fur-felt content (7X and up) also handles a bit of weather better than straight wool.

Straw - Spring Through Summer

Straw breathes. It's lighter, cooler, and built for long days outside without the heat that felt holds onto.

A Note on Sweatbands

Leather sweatbands are a living material - they can shrink slightly in dry heat and stretch a touch with humidity. That's normal, not a defect, and it's part of why a proper fitting (and the occasional reshape) keeps a hat feeling right for years.

Found the one you're picturing?

Tell Kat what you're after and she'll take it from there.

Get Your Hat