Squashy and foldaway hats: a guide to packable leather hats for travel
A packable hat is one you can fold into a bag, stuff in your luggage and wear an hour later. Most Barmah hats do exactly that: they fold into the travel bag that comes with them and pop back into shape when you take them out. We’ve made hats for over 30 years, and the Squashy is our signature style. We handcraft it, and the Foldaway, in our Minnesota shop. This guide covers how the two shapes measure up, what makes a hat packable, what to look for in a travel hat, how to pack one for a flight or a trail, and which hat to take where.
What “squashy” and “foldaway” mean
At Barmah, Squashy and Foldaway are names for two hat shapes. Both fold into the supplied travel bag and come back into shape. The difference is in the crown and the brim, and it’s measurable. Since we make both, these are our own measurements.
Squashy
A Squashy has a 4″ crown. The brim is 2 5/8″ at the sides, 2 7/8″ at the front and 3 1/8″ at the back, so it gets longer as it goes around your head and puts the most shade on your neck. That’s the shape of the 1022 Squashy Bronco, 1085 Squashy Bison, 2055 Squashy Goat, 1026 Squashy Fullgrain, 1024 Squashy Oiled and 1018 Squashy Kangaroo. The 1018 Crackle Kangaroo, 1018 Distressed Kangaroo and 1038 Kangaroo Cooler share the same measurements.
Looking for a squashy kangaroo hat? The 1018 Squashy Kangaroo is Australian vintage kangaroo leather with a stonewash finish and a two-tone hatband, in ironstone or vintage. Kangaroo leather is known for being strong for its weight and thin, which suits a hat that spends part of its life folded in a bag.
Foldaway
A Foldaway sits a little lower, with a 3 3/4″ crown, and the brim is an even 2 3/4″ all around. You’ll find it on the 1060 Foldaway Bronco, 1062 Foldaway Bronco Cooler, 1061 Foldaway Cattle Suede, 1064 Foldaway Cattle Suede Cooler, 1069 Foldaway Boar and 2053 Foldaway Deer. The 1019 Sundowner Kangaroo has the same numbers in premium Australian full-grain kangaroo.
The wide brim
Need more shade and still want it to pack? The 2080 Wide Brim Foldaway Bronco Cooler has a 3 3/4″ crown and an extra wide 3 3/4″ brim all around, in American cattle leather. It folds into its travel bag like the others.
Which leather to pick is a separate question, and our leather hat guide covers kangaroo, bison, goat, deer, boar and cattle one by one.
What makes a hat packable
A packable hat (some shops call it crushable or foldable) has to survive being squeezed and then look right again. Three things decide that.
First, the material has to flex. Soft leather, canvas, cotton and polyester bend and come back. Stiff or pressed straw is different. Fold it or put weight on it and it can crack or keep the crease, which is why hat sellers and travel writers alike tell you to wear a rigid straw hat or carry it by hand.
Second, the crown has to give. A packable crown folds flat in the bag, and you push it back up from the inside when you take it out.
Third, it needs a place to go. A bag keeps the folded hat together and keeps the rest of your gear from grinding on it. Ours comes in the box.
Among leathers, the thin, soft ones are the lightest to carry. The 2055 Squashy Goat is extremely soft, thin and lightweight. The 2053 Foldaway Deer is extremely soft and feather light. The 1019 Sundowner Kangaroo is listed as lightweight too. Want a hat that can take rough handling? The oiled and waxed leathers, like the 1085 Squashy Bison, fold into the bag as well, and their finish is designed to look old when new. A few creases from the trip just add to it.
What to look for in a travel hat
A travel hat does more jobs than a hat you wear around town. It goes from a suitcase to a beach to a ferry deck in the same week. Here’s what’s worth checking.
Shade where you need it
The CDC and the Skin Cancer Foundation both point to a brim that shades your face, ears and the back of your neck, and both say tightly woven fabric such as canvas blocks more sun than an open weave. Every hat in this guide is rated 50+ UV. For extra shade, compare brims: the Squashy is longest at the back (3 1/8″), the 1058 Waxed Canvas Drover has 3″ all around, and the 2080 Wide Brim goes to 3 3/4″. A hat is one part of the plan. Keep sunscreen and sunglasses in the bag as well.
Water resistance
Weather changes on a trip, and you won’t always have a roof handy. All the hats in this guide are water resistant. The oiled and waxed finishes shed water and darken or mark with wear, which is part of their look.
A chin cord
On a boat, a ridge or an open-top tour bus, wind is the thing that takes hats. A chin cord keeps yours on your head. The 1058 Waxed Canvas Drover, the 3520 Traveler Hat and the 1065 Foldaway Ladies Suede Cooler come with one. The hats we make in Minnesota have a chin cord loop, so you can add our Removable Chin Cord in black or brown to any of them.
Weight and air flow
You’ll wear it for hours, so light matters. The 2053 Foldaway Deer is feather light, the 2055 Squashy Goat and 1019 Sundowner Kangaroo are lightweight, and so are the canvas and cotton hats. For hot days, the Cooler models have mesh sides for air flow: the 1062 Foldaway Bronco Cooler, 1064 Foldaway Cattle Suede Cooler and 1038 Kangaroo Cooler all fold into the travel bag.
A fit that stays put
A hat that fits well stays on in a breeze and is comfortable all day. Measure around your forehead about a finger’s width above the eyebrows and just above the ears, then check the chart. Most of our packable hats come with the free sizing kit: two foam strips that go under the sweatband to fine-tune the fit. The hat sizing guide walks through it.
How to fold a hat into the travel bag
There’s no trick to it. These hats are made to go in the bag, and the bag ships with the hat. Most people do it like this:
- Fold the hat in half from front to back, so the brim meets itself.
- Roll or fold it loosely until it’s small enough for the bag.
- Slide it in and pull the drawstring closed.
Getting it back into shape
Getting it back is just as quick. Take the hat out, shake it open and push the crown back up from the inside with your hand. Run your fingers around the brim to set it, put it on, and it pops back into shape. No steamer, no hat box.
Wet hat? Let it dry before it goes back in the bag. Air dry it at room temperature, away from heaters, and condition leather now and then.
How to pack a hat in a suitcase, carry-on or backpack
Once a hat is in its bag, it fits wherever a folded sweater would.
Checked luggage
Put the bagged hat on top of your clothes or along one side of the suitcase. Keep shoes, books and other heavy or hard things off it. Weight sitting on the crown or brim for a whole flight is what flattens a hat.
Carry-on
The bag slips into a carry-on or a personal item, and you can put the hat on as you walk out of the terminal. Or skip packing it at all and wear it (more on that below).
If you’d rather not fold it
Some people like to travel with a hat open. This is the method most hat shops and travel writers give for any hat, folding or not:
- Lay a layer of soft clothes in the bottom of the suitcase.
- Set the hat on it crown down, with the opening facing up.
- Fill the crown with socks, T-shirts or other soft things, without forcing it.
- Tuck soft clothes under and around the brim so it’s supported all the way around.
- Finish with a soft layer on top and close the case.
Backpack and day hikes
This is where a packable leather hat earns its keep. Stuff it in the top of the pack in the morning, where you can reach it without unloading everything, and pull it out when the sun comes over the ridge.
Saddlebag and dry bag
A folded Squashy or Foldaway rides along in a saddlebag or a dry bag and comes out ready to wear when the sun gets high or the rain starts.
On the plane
The simplest way to fly with a hat is to wear it on board. Once you’re seated, take it off and set it on your lap or under the seat in front of you. If you’d rather use the overhead bin, put the hat in after the bags are loaded, on top, where nothing will be shoved against it. With a packable hat you have one more choice: fold it into its bag, keep it in your personal item, and put it on when you land.
“Unlike most good-looking hats, you can stuff it into a backpack without ruining it.”John, verified review of the 1085 Squashy Bison
The 1085 Squashy Bison is American full-grain bison leather with a vintage oiled and waxed finish. It’s designed to look old when new, so a few creases from the pack just add to it.
Care on the road
A travel hat gets rained on, sweated in and sat on. That’s its job. A little care keeps it looking right.
- Caught in a downpour? Shake off the water and let the hat air dry at room temperature. Keep it away from heaters, and don’t fold it back into the bag until it’s dry.
- Leather likes to be conditioned now and then. Do it at home between trips, not in a hotel room the night before a flight.
- Oiled and waxed leather darkens and marks as you wear it. On waxed canvas, scratches and markings are part of the design and look.
- Between trips, the calico bag doubles as storage, so the hat is packed and ready for next time.
The leather hat guide has more on how each leather wears and ages.
Packable canvas and cotton hats
Leather isn’t the only option. Four of our canvas and cotton hats are listed as foldable into a supplied travel bag.
- The 1058 Waxed Canvas Drover is premium waxed canvas, handcrafted in Minnesota, with a chin cord and a 3″ brim all around. Waxed canvas scratches and shows markings easily, and that’s part of the design and look. It comes in brown, natural, field tan and sage.
- The 3360 Beachcomber is premium heavy duty cotton canvas, handcrafted in Minnesota, with natural fraying for a unique look. It’s lightweight, with a 2 3/4″ brim all around, in black, natural, olive or navy blue.
- The 3500 Adventure Hat is durable polyester, designed in Minnesota. It’s lightweight and has a wide brim.
- The 3520 Wide Brim Weathered Cotton Foldable Traveler Hat is cotton and polyester, designed in Minnesota, with a chin cord and a 2 3/4″ brim all around.
The rest of our canvas range is in the canvas hats category, and the 3500 and 3520 sit with the other VE Adventures hats. Wondering what makes a drover a drover? Our drover hat guide explains it.
Which hat for which trip
Beach and lake
Lots of sun, and no room left in the bag. The 3360 Beachcomber is lightweight cotton canvas and folds small. If you want leather by the water, the 2055 Squashy Goat is thin and lightweight, and pearl is the summery color.
Hiking and backpacking
On a ridgeline, the wind matters as much as the weight. The 1058 Waxed Canvas Drover and the 3520 Traveler both have chin cords. For leather, take the 2055 Squashy Goat, the hat in the photo at the top of this page. It’s thin and lightweight, and it rides in the top of a pack until the trail opens up.
Fishing
Sun comes off the water from below as well as from above, so shade and air flow both count. The 1062 Foldaway Bronco Cooler has mesh sides for air flow. For more shade, the 2080 Wide Brim has the widest brim of any of our foldable hats.
Hot, humid places
When the air is thick, you want it moving. The mesh-sided Coolers are the ones to pack: the 1062 Foldaway Bronco Cooler, the 1064 Foldaway Cattle Suede Cooler or, in kangaroo, the 1038 Kangaroo Cooler. The lightweight polyester 3500 Adventure Hat is another easy pick.
Rainy places
Every hat here is water resistant. If you expect a lot of rain, lean toward an oiled and waxed finish, which sheds water: the 1022 Squashy Bronco, 1060 Foldaway Bronco or 1085 Squashy Bison. The 1058 Waxed Canvas Drover adds a chin cord for wet, windy days.
Desert and high sun
Shade is the whole game here. The 2080 Wide Brim has 3 3/4″ of brim all around. A Squashy puts its longest brim, 3 1/8″, over the back of your neck.
Road trip
A road trip is hard on a hat. It gets tossed on the dash and sat on more than once. Pick one with an oiled and waxed finish that’s meant to look worn, like the 1022 Squashy Bronco Cooper Crossing, or go for the 1069 Foldaway Boar.
“It saw thousands of hours of sun, rain, cold and gallons of sweat.”Maxwell M., verified review of the 1022 Squashy Bronco Cooper Crossing
City travel
For a trip where you’ll be walking a city more than a trail, go quieter. The 2053 Foldaway Deer is extremely soft and feather light, in black, natural or tobacco. The 1026 Squashy Fullgrain has a smooth, clean finish. The 1061 Foldaway Cattle Suede comes in seven colors, so it’s easy to match to a jacket.
Packable hats compared
Measurements come straight from each product page. Every hat here folds into a supplied travel bag.
| Style | Crown | Brim | Material | Good to know | Hats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squashy | 4″ | 2 5/8″ sides, 2 7/8″ front, 3 1/8″ back | Leather | Longest brim at the back; kangaroo, bison, goat or cattle | 1022, 1085, 2055, 1026, 1024, 1018 Squashy Kangaroo, 1018 Crackle, 1018 Distressed |
| Squashy Cooler | 4″ | 2 5/8″ sides, 2 7/8″ front, 3 1/8″ back | Kangaroo leather | Mesh sides for air flow | 1038 |
| Foldaway | 3 3/4″ | 2 3/4″ all around | Leather and suede | Even brim; kangaroo, deer, boar, cattle or suede | 1060, 1061, 1069, 2053, 1019 Sundowner |
| Foldaway Cooler | 3 3/4″ | 2 3/4″ all around | Leather and suede | Mesh sides for air flow | 1062, 1064 |
| Wide Brim Foldaway | 3 3/4″ | 3 3/4″ all around | American cattle leather | Widest brim that folds | 2080 |
| Waxed Canvas Drover | 4 1/8″ | 3″ all around | Waxed canvas | Chin cord, light weight | 1058 |
| Beachcomber | 3 3/4″ | 2 3/4″ all around | Heavy duty cotton canvas | Lightweight, frayed edge | 3360 |
| Adventure Hat | 4″ | 2 3/4″ sides and back, 2 1/2″ front | Polyester | Lightweight | 3500 |
| Traveler Hat | 4″ | 2 3/4″ all around | Cotton and polyester | Chin cord, lightweight | 3520 |
Our packable picks
Ten hats that fold into the bag and come out ready to wear.
1022 Squashy Bronco
Our classic Squashy in full-grain cattle leather, with an oiled and waxed finish that’s designed to look old when new.
- Leather: full-grain cattle
- Brim: 2 5/8″ sides, 2 7/8″ front, 3 1/8″ back
- Colors: black, chocolate, driftwood, olive, rustic
- Includes: sizing kit and travel bag
1018 Squashy Kangaroo
Australian vintage kangaroo leather with a stonewash finish and a two-tone hatband.
- Leather: Australian kangaroo
- Brim: 2 5/8″ sides, 2 7/8″ front, 3 1/8″ back
- Colors: ironstone, vintage
- Includes: sizing kit and travel bag
1085 Squashy Bison
American full-grain bison with a vintage oiled and waxed finish. The one to stuff in a pack.
- Leather: American full-grain bison
- Brim: 2 5/8″ sides, 2 7/8″ front, 3 1/8″ back
- Colors: black, brown, rustic
- Includes: sizing kit and travel bag
2055 Squashy Goat
Full-grain goat leather that’s extremely soft, thin and lightweight.
“The white goat skin is very soft and makes for a very nice summer hat.”rfrenzl, verified review
- Leather: full-grain goat
- Brim: 2 5/8″ sides, 2 7/8″ front, 3 1/8″ back
- Colors: cognac, gold, pearl
- Includes: sizing kit and travel bag
2053 Foldaway Deer
Premium full-grain deer leather, extremely soft and feather light.
- Leather: full-grain deer
- Brim: 2 3/4″ all around, crown 3 3/4″
- Colors: black, natural, tobacco
- Includes: sizing kit and travel bag
1060 Foldaway Bronco
The Bronco leather and finish in the lower, even-brimmed Foldaway shape.
- Leather: full-grain cattle
- Brim: 2 3/4″ all around, crown 3 3/4″
- Colors: black, brown, driftwood, olive, rustic
- Includes: sizing kit and travel bag
1062 Foldaway Bronco Cooler
Full-grain cattle leather with mesh sides for air flow, and it still folds into the bag.
- Leather: full-grain cattle, mesh sides
- Brim: 2 3/4″ all around, crown 3 3/4″
- Colors: black, brown, driftwood, olive, rustic
- Includes: sizing kit and travel bag
2080 Wide Brim Foldaway Bronco Cooler
An extra wide brim that still folds into the travel bag. Uses the canvas size chart.
- Leather: American cattle
- Brim: 3 3/4″ all around, crown 3 3/4″
- Colors: black, brown, driftwood, rustic
- Includes: sizing kit and travel bag
1058 Waxed Canvas Drover
Waxed canvas that picks up scuffs and markings as part of its look, with a chin cord for windy days.
- Material: premium waxed canvas
- Brim: 3″ all around, crown 4 1/8″
- Colors: brown, natural, field tan, sage
- Includes: sizing kit and travel bag
3360 Beachcomber
Lightweight heavy duty cotton canvas with a naturally frayed edge, so no two look quite alike.
- Material: heavy duty cotton canvas
- Brim: 2 3/4″ all around, crown 3 3/4″
- Colors: black, natural, olive, navy blue
- Includes: travel bag
Sizing is simple. Measure around your forehead about a finger’s width above the eyebrows and just above the ears, then check the chart on the product page. If you’re between two sizes, choose the larger size and use the sizing kit to fine-tune the fit. Unworn hats with tags can be exchanged within 30 days. Our hat sizing guide has every chart in one place.
Packable hat questions
What is a squashy hat?
Squashy is the name of one of our packable leather hat shapes. It has a 4″ crown and a brim that is 2 5/8″ at the sides, 2 7/8″ at the front and 3 1/8″ at the back. It folds into the supplied travel bag and pops back into shape.
What’s the difference between a Squashy and a Foldaway hat?
A Squashy has a 4″ crown and a brim that gets longer toward the back. A Foldaway has a slightly lower 3 3/4″ crown and an even 2 3/4″ brim all around. Both fold into the travel bag.
What makes a hat packable?
A soft material that flexes, such as leather, canvas, cotton or polyester, and a crown that folds flat and pushes back up. Stiff straw can crack or hold a crease, so it’s better worn than packed.
Will a folded leather hat go back into shape?
Yes. Take it out of the bag, shake it open, push the crown up from the inside and run your fingers around the brim. It pops back into shape.
How do I pack a hat in a suitcase?
Fold a packable hat into its travel bag and lay it on top of your clothes, away from shoes and heavy gear. For a hat you don’t want to fold, set it crown down on a layer of soft clothes, fill the crown with socks and tuck clothes around the brim.
Can I pack a leather hat in a carry-on?
Yes. Fold it into its travel bag and it fits in a carry-on, or simply wear it while you travel.
How do I travel with a hat on a plane?
Wear it on board, then set it on your lap or under the seat in front of you. If you use the overhead bin, put it in on top after the bags are loaded. A packable hat can also ride in its travel bag inside your personal item.
What should I look for in a travel hat?
Shade for your face, ears and neck, a 50+ UV rating, water resistance, light weight, a chin cord for windy days, a good fit and a hat that folds into a bag.
Which packable hat is best for hiking?
For leather, the 2055 Squashy Goat is thin and lightweight. The 1058 Waxed Canvas Drover and 3520 Traveler Hat both have chin cords for wind on a ridge. All three fold into a travel bag.
Which packable hat has the widest brim?
The 2080 Wide Brim Foldaway Bronco Cooler, with a 3 3/4″ brim all around. It still folds into the supplied travel bag.
What should I do if my hat gets wet while traveling?
Shake off the water and let it air dry at room temperature, away from heaters, before you fold it back into the bag. Condition leather now and then.
Are there packable hats that aren’t leather?
Yes. The 1058 Waxed Canvas Drover, 3360 Beachcomber, 3500 Adventure Hat and 3520 Wide Brim Weathered Cotton Foldable Traveler Hat all fold into a supplied travel bag.
More hat guides
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