The flexible, soft material can’t be shaped the way felt hats can, but they are often less expensive than felt. Fur Felt: Considered the best of the best when it comes to cowboy hat materials.

Felt or straw. Felt hats are made from varying gradations of beaver and rabbit furs, 100 percent beaver being the best quality; high-caliber straw hats are woven from Mexican palm leaves.

Custom-sized felt or straw hats start at $450, while preshaped options range from $120 to $325. Complete the look with a Zuni- or Navajo-made turquoise pin. Hats on display at Maufrais in Austin.

You can get a basic wool felt hat for $180, or the fanciest mink felt for $2,000 to $2,500, depending on color. (The quality of felt is measured by number of Xs. A nice 10x will run you $298 for ...

Felt. The most ideal Western hats are made from fur felt crafted from pure beaver. Felt hats prove capable of protecting the wear from wind, rain and snow, both because it’s warm and water resistant.

There are several factors to consider when buying a cowboy hat such as crown shape and height, brim style, the type of material, what you will be wearing it for — such as work or events — and the ...

But good quality beaver and rabbit furs — which are used to make felt for the hats — are increasingly hard to find, making it more expensive to be a well-dressed cowboy. A top-grade hat can ...