Bill Conner B.C. Hats Review

The last time I went to Australia, I decided to treat myself to one of those gorgeous bush hats you see the Aussies wearing. It's a national icon, the Aussie bush hat. Of course, there are lots of cheap knock-offs for sale all over Melbourne and Sydney and Canberra. I wanted the real thing, and it doesn't get more real than a Bill Conner bush hat - lovingly known as a BC. On previous trips, I'd looked at BC hats, but always talked myself out of buying one. The time had come.

BC hats come in leather, suede and canvas. The leather hats are oiled leather - treated with oil, which both gives them a gorgeous patina, and renders them water-resistant. Although these are great-looking hats, they're made to be worn in the great outdoors, not coddled or kept on a hook. An oiled leather hat is rugged enough to withstand serious wind, sun and rain, and still look and feel great. It was a leather hat I originally wanted, but they were out of my size. I settled for a luxurious suede hat.

The Bac Pac traveller, the hat I chose, is specially made to withstand hardcore travel. You can sit on this hat, fold it, crush it...and it will go right back to looking great every time. It's not as rugged, in terms of weather-resistance,  as an oiled leather hat, but it's still plenty tough.

While these hats are mostly thought of in America as being men's hats, lots of women in Australia wear them. I wear mine all the time, and always get nice comments on it. My boss, especially, covets it.

I love my BC hat. It's comfy. It keeps the sun out of my eyes. It always looks good. It's got that rich, suede smell. It reminds me of Australia. At about $US50, it was a bargain. I intend to have it for life.

You don't have to go to Australia to buy a BC hat - there are several places to order them online.