You can check it all out for yourself at www.captjackspiratehats.com. The hats won’t be sold there, though. Due to the limited production, Jack only plans to make them available through ebay, so get ready to bid!

Reviewing a Captain Jack’s Pirate Hat is always a treat. For one, it’s a safe bet I’ll be able to write a favorable review (certainly more fun than the alternative.) But also, it’s always a treat to bask in the details of the new hat in question. While nearly every hat by Captain Jack starts its life as a near identical round felt blank, and the initial structuring and weatherproofing (optional) remains reassuringly consistent; the variations in color, style, and accessories make for a mind-bogglingly diverse range of end-products.

The Captain Kidd style is a definite classic, with its upturned front creating a distinctive pirate look. Tricorns are can be worn by colonial soldiers, cavaliers can be worn by musketeers – but really, who but a pirate wears a front fold? Nobody, that’s who. And that makes the Captain Kidd really special.

For some events I like to get away from the “typical” pirate look of black boots, black hat, black heart, black everything, and so I opted to order my Captain Kidd in basic brown, along with a couple of custom embellishments (the black stripe around the edge, and the pheasant feather pin in the front.) As has always been my experience with Captain Jack’s, the hat arrived well packaged and in perfect condition. The fit was perfect, as was the craftsmanship. The oil/wax treatment wasn’t as tacky as it’s been in the past, although the hat was certainly well coated and should handily weather all but the worst of conditions. The only concern I had was the length of the pheasant feathers, which rigidly stuck out what seemed a full foot and a half to my left – I was concerned I’d blind anyone standing next to me if not careful. But this was easily remedied – I simply broke the feathers off at what I determined to be the optimal length. While at it I also ruffled them up a bit, and put some subtle and not-so-subtle cuts along the hat’s brim to lend the effect of this hat being a true combat veteran.

This has quickly become my favorite – and most often worn – hat from my Captain Jack’s collection. This isn’t because it’s inherently superior to the others – indeed, every Jack’s Hat I own is of the highest quality. But rather, it’s because its style best compliments one of my favorite pirate outfits. And this is perhaps one of Captain Jack’s greatest strengths – that each hat carries its own unique flavor and can create a wildly different effect depending on your clothing, face, and attitude. Purchasing a Captain Jack’s hat is more like acquiring a loyal sidekick than an article of clothing, and so I’d always encourage potential customers to think hard and choose carefully. You can’t really go wrong with a Jack’s Hat, but if you take your time and exercise some creative foresight you can select a hat that will convert a typical pirate look into one that’s uniquely extraordinary.

The Bilgemunky Logo is a trademark of Bilgemunky Enterprises, LLC

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Pyrate Leatheworx
www.pyrate.org

*note: I adore and endorse the craftsmanship of Pyrate Leatherworx. However, I’ve received many reports of late from dissatisfied customer regarding poor communication and long overdue orders. Prior to placing an order based on this review, I strongly urge you to first read these comments from concerned readers.

The time had come.

Too many times I’ve attended pirate events, had a fantastic time, and then come home to grumpy emails from readers saying, “I didn’t know you were at [Pirate Festival]! I was there too – I’d have bought you a rum!” Now, I’m not the sort to walk up to everyone and say, “Greetings, I am Bilgemunky – perhaps you’ve heard of me.” (Actually, I’d gladly do this, except for the fear of them saying, “No – now please leave me alone.”) But I’m also not the type to pass up the opportunity for readers to buy me rum. What to do?

The answer, of course, was a new hat. But not just any hat – I needed a proper hat that declared to the world, “I am Bilgemunky, hear me roar (and if so inclined, buy me rum.)”

At the time of this writing there are only two hatcrafters that I would deem worthy of making such a hat – and I just happened to be drinking with the crew of one of them when I first had the idea (drinking rum I had purchased myself, I might add.) I mentioned my interest in such a hat, and we mapped out a rough sketch together. And a short, crikey-knows how many months later, a box arrived at my doorstep.

The hat is, in a word, glorious. Pyrate Leatherworx had captured the dream I sketched out, and turned it into a hat of unimaginable beauty. My request had been for a black, front-fold hat with feathers projecting at an angle from the center, and stradled by the Bilgemunky logo. And this they did in full – the logo was a perfect rendering (always a concern, as I’d have trouble if the logo looked at all “off”), and the feathers were a billowing cascade that could make any pirate look conceited and self-important. Pyrate Leatherworx threw in the additional touch of a white band around the trim, and the entire hat is lightly beaten and aged so as to look in great shape, but not too new.

The hat looked great, and it fit great. But did it work? I found out at PyrateCon, where indeed, more than one fellow pirate saw the Bilgemunky Logo atop my head and then ordered me up a rum. It was a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Of course, should you order a custom hat from Pyrate Leatherworx, I can’t promise it will have the same powers of attracting free rum. But I am certain you’ll get a glorious, unique pirate hat. And if you have a custom logo added, it will be artfully and accurately rendered, and thus allowing you to declare to the world your piratey identity (or failing that, simply declaring that you have a really nifty hat.)

The debate is never ending: Who’s better, pirates or ninjas?

Obviously I fall wholeheartedly into the pirate camp, and the reasons are many. I won’t bore you with the full list, but one of the key points is that as pirates, we get to customize our look to fit our own personal prefences. Where ninjas wear black pajamas, pirates can choose from a multitude of colors and styles with regards to their wardrobe. In this respect, Captain Jack’s Pirate Hats has been a longtime friend of pirates everywhere with their wide assortment of pirate hats in many cuts and styles, and in a seemingly endless variety of colors.

But should you be on the fence between pirates and ninjas, Captain Jack’s now has your back as well. Their new “Singapore Pirate Hat” boasts a strong asian influence that’s sure to turn heads in pirate and ninja circles alike. Made entirely of asian seagrass, folded into a distinctly oriental shape, and punctuated with a small feather assortment attached with an antiqued pin, this is certainly a hat like no other.

Like any piece of truly original clothing, the Singapore Hat requires some fearlessness and creativity to properly wear. Adding some additional asian elements to your pirate garb helps, and nicely lends to the impression that you’re truly a pirate that’s been to the ends of the Earth and back. Actually *being* asian may also prove helpful, but is hardly a requirement (and generally speaking, outside of our control.)

The festivals are full of Caribbean pirates sporting tricorns. Be bold – wear a Singapore hat to stand from the crowd and tell the world that you’re strong enough to bear a musket, yet nimble enough to pluck the coin purse from a Dutchman with a pair of chopsticks.

note: This hat is displayed on a skull hatstand, also available from Captain Jacks.

I’ve reviewed Captain Jack’s Pirate Hats before, and now I do so again. This may seem odd, in that most of his hats are essentially similar – all that usually changes is the shape, the color, and options regarding waterproof treatment. Being as these are matters of taste rather than quality (which is always exceptional in my experience with Jack’s Hats), it’s of little point for me to review each and every hat he makes. But there are a few styles and lines that bear particular mention, and the Skallywagg Limited Edition is one such hat.

The Skallywagg is an extra-thick hat with an extra-wide brim. Formed into a traditionalish tricorn fashion with a rolled back, it is then beat up and (yes) shot with a musket – and this makes the Scalliwagg special. Most of Captain Jack’s Pirate Hats are essentially infants – crisp and new, ready to grow, wear, and age with their new owner. Heck, they even have a “new hat” smell. I love a new Jack’s Hat, but I love old ones even more. But the Skallywagg is different. From the box, this is a hat that’s already seen more adventure than most landlubbers could dream, and it has the scars to prove it. Not unlike inheriting a hat from a retired (loose translation for deceased) buccaneer, this is a hat that’s already journeyed, and is ready to journey some more.

What also makes the Skallywagg special is its personality. With its extremely high front end, this is a hat with a commanding presence, and not all heads are up for the challenge. If your face is at all plain, this hat just might mutiny and take over. But if you boast striking features, brutal scars, an impressive beard, or just a aura of fearlessness, then this is a hat that shows you’ve been places, kicked some spaniard ass, and taken names.

note: This hat is displayed on a skull hatstand, also available from Captain Jacks.

*note: I adore and endorse the craftsmanship of Pyrate Leatherworx. However, I’ve received many reports of late from dissatisfied customer regarding poor communication and long overdue orders. Prior to placing an order based on this review, I strongly urge you to first read these comments from concerned readers.

It’s one of my pet peeves – seeing a hat listed as an “exact replica” of Jack Sparrow’s from Pirates of the Caribbean, when even the most casual glance is enough to see they’re nothing alike (this happens a lot on Ebay.) Sorry folks, a brown leather tricorn does not a Jack Sparrow make – it takes a properly weathered look, a nice wide brim, and a rolled back. And even then, it’s not necessarily safe to boast your hat as an exact duplicate.

Pyrate Leatherworx gets two instant kudos in this respect – first, they describe this hat as Jack Sparrow INSPIRED, rather than making the claims of so many other hat manufacturers. And second? It’s a pretty darn close replica.

Pyrate Leatherworx makes a wide range of leather pirate hats, so there’s no need to limit yourself. But if the Jack Sparrow look is what you’re going for, then this hat can well be the cornerstone of your outfit. It’s handcrafted (Pyrate Leatherworx’s website describes in length that their products are truly hand made, as in without sewing machines and the like,) and is made from heavy duty leather. It’s appropriately dyed and aged to have that Jack Sparrow look we all love, and requires no break-in period before it’s ready to wear.

So is it the perfect Jack Sparrow hat? For most people, certainly. Only the extremely detail oriented will notice that Jack’s hat in the movie has a slight gloss to it, whereas this hat is more of a matte finish. Or that Jack’s original had a domed top, as opposed to the more practical oval-stitched top of this hat, which gives it a slightly more squared profile. But I state these differences only in the interest of being truly thorough – they are in fact quibbles that 99.9% of folks would never remotely notice – and if you’re not looking to be a Jack Sparrow clone anyways, they’re not even worth mentioning.

The Pyrate Leatherworx is truly top-shelf — it’s sturdy, and looks very authentic (as authentic as a leather pirate hat could be, that is – leather being somewhat impractical for wearing at sea.) The one caution I would offer is that the heavy-duty leather makes it just a tad cumbersome. You won’t have trouble keeping your head upright, mind you, but wearing it for extended periods can get a little trying if you aren’t used to it. My advice it to wear it around town a few times to get accustomed.

Until recently, quality pirate hats seemed to come in only two styles – the stylish working class pirate, and that of the pirate king. Capain Jack’s, who has handily redifined the market for the working class hat, has now gone one step better and created a third style – the pirate tradesman, perhaps?

Jack refers to it as his “18th Century Cocked Hat” series – quality cashmere hats with fine metal buttons, softer and in a wider range of colors than his original series. And where his original series of hats is perfect for the rough’n'tumble variety of pirate, these new 18th century hats would seem the ideal choice for the slightly more educated scalliwagg – the navigators and surgeons, for instance.

The 18th Century series is a mix of old and new, featuring some styles from his original series, and a couple unique to this new line. For myself I chose “The Buccaneer” It’s a take on the standard tricorn, except that the back section is left free rather than being pinned up or rolled, and creating a novel effect that I’ve not seen before in pirate hats (and providing a nice outlet down your back for rainwater, I might add.) As promised by Jack’s description, the cashmere felt is indeed very soft, although the reverse side is noticeably rougher. As I’ve come to expect with Captain Jack, it’s sturdily built, and the attention-to-detail is beyond reproach. In my hat pictured you’ll notice a smart pair of pheasant feathers tucked into the left button – this is not standard, but feathers are available for purchase seperately (and always remember that Jack can do custom work upon request!)

The soft cashmere of the 18th Century series, free of the sticky oil/wax treatment offered for Jack’s original series, makes for a hat that is comfortable and stylish right out of the box. These hats won’t weather as well as the treated hats. But that said – like all of Captain Jack’s products – these are hats meant to be worn, meant to share in your adventures, victories, and scars. Any signs of age will only add to their character.

note: This hat is displayed on a skull hatstand, also available from Captain Jacks.

I’ve stated before my belief that a pirate needs a hat – it’s just a matter of which kind. Some hats, such as the red knit cap, were meant for cabin boys – simple and plain. And other hats are meant for rough’n'tumble, working-class pirates who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, a ‘la Jack Sparrow’s crumpled tricorn. But that’s not you – you’re a SUCCESSFUL pirate, lounging about your galleon oozing contempt for Spaniard and commoner alike. And you’d never even think of ruining your manicure by working – if treasure needs to be buried, well, that’s what crewmen are for (you can always slaughter them afterwards, aye?)

And so you stand there, alone and aloof in your well-furnished cabin, adorned in a glorious frock made from the finest of materials. You stare at your reflection and ponder sadly at how your outfit seems incomplete. “Surely,” you ask, “there’s a hat out there for me?” Fear not, villain of the seas – Center Stage Costumes is here to serve.

Center Stage Costumes has a wide selection of tricorns, bicorns, and cavaliers, any of which would suit the aristocratic pirate beautifully. I chose the Plumed Tricorn, a glorious hat made from fur felt that’s rich in appearance and surprisingly soft to the touch. The brim is lined with gold trim and painstakingly shaped to highborn perfection. Over each corner a cascade of ostrich feathers spills forth (much like your aforementioned contempt for Spaniards.) All these elements seamlessly merge into a hat that even the Jamaican Governor would envy, and will surely cause female spectators to go weak-kneed as you stare down at them with disdain from the gallows.

I’ve admired this hat online for years, and now that I’ve finally seen one in person, it’s lived up to my hopes in every way. The Center Stage Plumed Tricorn carries a fantastic flare about it, and the quality stands up to even the closest scrutiny. I wouldn’t recommend wearing it in severe weather as this would surely beat down its crisp appearance, but if you’ve a taste for the fancy and are looking to make a true impression, you’re unlikely to find finer.

A pirate needs a hat.

Really, it’s just that simple – a pirate needs a hat. It’s only a question of what kind. Some pirates may opt for the frilly, gold-trimmed variety that would seem suitable at the Governor’s ball. If that’s for you, then Captain Jack’s isn’t. But some pirates – indeed, MANY pirates – would seek a hat that’s ready for battle and pig-roast alike, a hat to protect the noggin come rain or shine, and that’ll look good while doing it. And as for the Governor’s ball? Face it mate – you’re not on the guest list.

Captain Jack’s offers a wide selection of classical pirate styled hats. My own choice for this review was the Barbossa – it cuts a dashing figure that’s sure to impress the ladies.

When first removed from the box two things struck me immediately – the hat was surprisingly rigid, and it was slightly tacky to the touch. Both of these are products of Captain Jack’s own wax/oil treatment, which Jack assures will stand up to the harshest of elements. He also assures that that tackiness and rigidity will both fade with use. Time will tell, but I can say right now that the treatment gives the hat a sturdiness that I’d never have expected from felt – I’ve no doubt it will prove to be one of the most durable pirate accessories I could ever hope to wear. And as for the hat itself – it really is a piratey thing of beauty. Handcrafted with the utmost care, it has a true sense of authenticity about it that transcends anything else in my collection. The only way it strays from this authenticity (and I believe this complaint would apply strictly to the Barbossa style hat) is its hatband, which appears to be a modern leather woman’s belt trimmed down to hat-size. This, however, can be easily replaced – and in all other ways the hat could have fallen straight into your lap from the 17th century.

Whenever ordering clothing through the mail, I always worry that the fit or the look won’t be quite what I’m hoping for. With Captain Jack’s, fit wasn’t an issue – he only makes one size. If it’s too small, he provides instructions on how to stretch it. And if it’s too large, wear a bandana underneath (which really adds to the comfort factor, anyways.) As to the look, my hat appears very similar to the one depicted on the website – but as is the nature of any handmade product, each hat is at its core a one-of-a-kind, with its own strengths, beauties, and quirks. Personally, I take great pride in knowing my hat is an original. It fits well and looks great. I’d say more, but we’ve really only just met – I’ll post a supplemental review in the future, after my hat and I have spent some true quality time together.

Update: In my original review I mentioned the rather modern looking hat-band used on the Barbossa style hat. Captain Jack has since informed me that he now makes his own hatbands. He sent me one, and while it’s very similar in style to the old version, it’s rougher and more period. This subtle change nicely completes the look making for a hat that’s about as perfectly-piratey as allowable by law.