“You can travel the world on what you can make with your own two hands.” That’s was the advice Stan Thompson gave Bill Conner that set Bill on his journey from Florida to The Australian coast with his wife and 11-month old son in search of a laid-back surfing lifestyle. While he started making sandals he found his true calling in hats designed for the punishing Austrailian sun.
In the nearly 50 years since he started Conner Hats, Bill and his son Will have been handcrafting their iconic hats in a small warehouse on the Australian coast with the simple goal of doing what they love while enjoying life. Each morning Bill can be found paddling his board and looking for the occasional wave before heading in to check on the the factory. Even after the worldwide recognition BC Hats received for being the iconic hats in The Man from Snowy River and later Crocodile Dundee they stayed true to their mission and have never produced their hats overseas.
I have been trying out the Nathan Hemp Mesh Hiker Hat
https://connerhats.com/collections/boating-sailing/products/nathan-hemp-mesh-hikerhat This is an amazing mesh hiking hat that’s made from durable and light hemp with an inner band of organic cotton and a leather chin cord. I have taken this hat out on a few hikes as well as a bike ride into town with my family. The mesh upper kept my head nice and cool and the midsized brim never got in my way.
Mt.Warning Wool Boho Hat
Reviewed by, Leah Guill
Conner Hats also makes a beautiful array of women’s hats. For testing, I was sent the Mt. Warning Wool Hat.
Made from 100% Australian wool, it keeps your head cool during the hot days and warm during the colder days. An organic cotton sweatband will keep the sweat from getting into your eyes.
Do to the wool construction, the Mt Warning Wool Hat has a UPF 50+ rating.
The Mt Warning Wool Hat is great for packing as well. It can easily be crushed down in your luggage or strapped to your backpack. Part of the reason it is crushable is the brim of the hat. The 3-inch brim is softer for a more feminine bohemian look and can easily be molded and manipulated so it falls where you want it to around your face. This makes it a great hat for hiking the Gondwana Rainforest trails of Australia to paddle boarding down the Salmon River in Idaho.
Mt Warning Wool Hat
Available in 12 colors and retails for $66.00. Be sure to measure twice and request once on the size!
If you do feel the Mt Warning Wool Hat has lost shape, you can easily reshape it at home with the steam of a tea kettle and a little TLC. The hat should also be stored upside down if you do not have hat storage. A point I have never considered!
What I Would Change:
This is simple. On the website, the color option for purchase does not change when you select a picture. It made for some tricky guessing when picking out the color. Thankfully Conner hats doesn’t use obscure names for colors.
Check out Amy’s review HERE.