Pantropic’s Cuenca Fedora Panama hat

Here at WoWasis, we use the durable  T3 Tilley Hat for just about everything we do in the bush, desert, jungle, and forest. But sometimes we need something a touch more fashionable when we’re wearing a light-colored summer suit in hot, tropical climates. And we can’t carry around a hat box, so we need a hat that’s packable in luggage and won’t lose its shape when worn. The Pantropic Cuenca Fedora Panama Hat passes muster, and here’s why:

First of all, it’s a great looking hat, brim up or brim down. Hand-woven in Ecuador, it is made from bleached leaves of the Toquilla palm, the traditional plant fiber used to make Panama hats. It has a tight soft weave and is soft to the touch. It can be easily packed into luggage by packing the crown with soft clothes like socks and keeping the brim flat. At about $95 USD, it costs a lot less than many Panama hats on the market, and it looks terrific.