Cowboy hats are back in fashion and everyone just loves them! They bring back memories of a lifestyle that made America the great nation it is today. Hardworking, rugged outdoorsmen who battled the elements on a daily basis. The hat they wore was their only protection from sun, rain, sleet, snow, and dusty winds. No wonder it was tough, as tough as they were. And the toughest of them all is the leather cowboy hat. The lifestyle has all but disappeared but the leather cowboy hat remains, a silent witness to the resilience of those nation-builders. The leather cowboy hat is as tough as ever, and has its own handsome looks. They are hard wearing, yet easy on the head, so you can wear one comfortably all day.

Folks living in the Wild West required a hat which would provide them with reliable weather protection from sun, rain, and hot, dusty winds – and which did not require any maintenance. They chose leather as the material for the hat because the other materials available then were just not up to handling all-weather usage. Leather was tough, and weather proof. Natural leather is permeable, it breathes. So the leather cowboy hat kept perspiration from building up on the wearer’s scalp even though he was working all day in the unbearable heat of the Mojave. Leather comes in a wide variety of natural shades: from almost white to almost jet. This degree of comfort with protection with good looks was unmatchable by hats of other materials, the closest competition coming from straw and felt hats.

Felt and straw cowboy hats are very popular but leather cowboy hats have a charisma all their own. This puts them above the other varieties of cowboy hats. Leather cowboy hats are the choice and pick of the elite, the celebrities who set the trends for today’s fashion.

Another reason for leather’s dominance is that it is extremely durable in all sorts of weather, and that’s why leather cowboy hats are reliable and effective protection for the wearer in the severest of environmental conditions. Straw is very good and light, but its lightness is its very weakness! It cannot last one season in the rain or snow, and as for the sun, the sunlight and its heat easily pass through the straw weave and affect the wearer’s head! Felt cowboy hats afford much better protection from the weather than straw cowboy hats. But they are hard to maintain. They deform easily when wet, and are prone to breaking up with rough handling. Besides many wearers complain that a felt cowboy hat feels like a cardboard hat! The bottom line is that leather cowboy hats are well worth the high price tag that they come with.

Maintenance is a very critical issue for cowboy hats. The wearer does not have the convenience of taking time off to clean and care for his hat. A leather cowboy hat is virtually maintenance-free. You just shake the dust off whenever you put it on or take it off. When the grime begins to show, you just have to wipe it off with a soft moist cloth. If you happen to have access to a good quality leather cleaning solution, all the better. In case your leather cowboy hat gets drenched, you just let it sit in the shade, out of the breeze, and dry out naturally. But that’s about all the maintenance a leather cowboy hat requires.

A leather cleaner is recommended for getting grime out of the grain of the leather cowboy hat. Choose a high quality cleaner which is formulated to maintain the natural oils in the leather itself. The natural oils prolong the leather’s life and hence, the hat’s life. Ask a reliable vendor of high quality leather wear about the best leather cleaner for your hat. Always make it a point to test the cleaner on a hidden patch, before using it on the whole hat.

You may want to get your leather cowboy hat cleaned by a professional cleaning service. Many stores carrying high quality leatherwear provide this service. Store away your leather cowboy hat if you are not going to wear it for some time. Storing it in a cool place away from strong heat and light sources, and away from direct sunlight, will prevent it from losing its shape and color.

Leather cowboy hats are very high-priced when compared to straw and felt cowboy hats. The initial expense is offset by the great good looks of the leather cowboy hat. Secondly, they are very durable, and will easily last a lifetime. Become the cynosure of all eyes – wear a handsome leather cowboy hat!

You’ll see great deals on all the top name brands including Resistol and Stetson cowboy hats when you go to www.DiscountCowboyHats.net. Whether you are looking for leather, felt or straw cowboy hats, we’ll let you know where to look get a excellent hat at an affordable price.