Buyer’s guide · Hats
Custom Cowboy Hats: Prices, Felt Types, Deposits and How to Get the Size Right
A custom hat is made to your head size, shape and style, usually after a deposit that holds your place in the queue. We read three hatters’ custom-order pages for prices, deposits and waits, and checked how Stetson, Resistol and Rod’s Western Palace tell you to measure.
Prices and wait times in this guide were read from each maker’s own website on 5 October 2026. They change, so confirm with the maker before you order. We are not affiliated with any maker named here, and none paid to be included.
At a glance
- Prices at three hatters: from $600 (straw or palm leaf) to $1,200 (beaver or coypu fur felt).
- Deposits: $200 at two hatters (non-refundable at Cofer), $600 of a $1,200 hat at a third.
- Waits: one hatter says “generally between 3-6 months”. The other two don’t give a figure.
- Sizing: between two sizes, Stetson and Resistol both say go up. The brands’ charts don’t line up exactly, so use the chart of the maker you’re buying from.
What three hatters publish
| Hatter | Material | Price | Deposit | Wait |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Patti Hat Co. | Panama (toquilla) straw, or palm leaf | $600 | $200 to join the queue, then $200 when your turn comes | “Generally between 3-6 months” |
| Mad Patti Hat Co. | 100x rabbit fur felt | $800 | Same | Same |
| Mad Patti Hat Co. | 100x coypu fur felt, or 100x beaver fur felt | $1,200 | Same | Same |
| Cofer Hat Company | 50/50 beaver blend, western weight | $900 | $200, non-refundable | Not stated: “can vary depending on workload and supply availability” |
| Cofer Hat Company | 100% beaver, western weight | $1,100 | Same | Same |
| Three Horses Hat Co. | “Premium beaver felt” | $1,200 in total | $600 now, $600 on completion | Not stated |
Makers label felt with figures like “100x”. Ask the hatter what the figure means for their felts before comparing one shop’s price with another’s.
How the custom process works
- Mad Patti has you answer questions and place the first $200. When your turn comes you pay a second $200 and work out crown shape, brim width and details in remote consultations.
- Three Horses says that after the deposit, “we’ll reach out to discuss your size, shape, color, and design details.”
- Cofer collects the deposit, then calls you after the felt arrives to confirm every detail before it starts.
How to measure your head
The makers describe slightly different tape placement, so follow the instructions of the one you are buying from.
- Stetson: wrap the tape “where your hat will sit—typically, at the middle of your forehead and about 1/8″ above your ear”. Hold it “firmly, but not uncomfortably tight”.
- Resistol: use a flexible cloth tape, “about three-quarters of an inch above your ears and just above your eyebrows”, level and snug.
- Rod’s Western Palace: start the tape at the middle of the forehead above the eyebrows and wrap it around your head just above the ears.
Between two sizes: Stetson says “order a size up”. Resistol says it is generally best to size up, because a slightly larger hat can be adjusted with sizing tape or stuffing like paper towels, while a hat that’s too small may become uncomfortable.
Stetson’s hat size chart
| Hat size | Head (inches) | Head (cm) | Stetson’s label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 3/8 | 20 1/4″ | 51 | X-Small |
| 6 1/2 | 20 5/8″ | 52 | X-Small |
| 6 5/8 | 21″ | 53 | Small |
| 6 3/4 | 21 1/2″ | 54 | Small |
| 6 7/8 | 21 7/8″ | 55 | Medium |
| 7 | 22 1/4″ | 56 | Medium |
| 7 1/8 | 22 5/8″ | 57 | Large |
| 7 1/4 | 23″ | 58 | Large |
| 7 3/8 | 23 3/8″ | 59 | Large |
| 7 1/2 | 23 3/4″ | 60 | X-Large |
| 7 5/8 | 24″ | 61 | X-Large |
| 7 3/4 | 24 1/2″ | 62 | 2XL |
| 7 7/8 | 25″ | 63 | 2XL |
| 8 | 25 1/2″ | 64 | 3XL |
Source: Stetson size guide. Other makers’ charts differ. On Rod’s Western Palace chart, 21 7/8″ is a size 7. On Stetson’s chart the same measurement is a 6 7/8. That is one size apart, which is why a custom hatter will want your measurement in inches or centimeters, not just a size you wear elsewhere.
Questions to ask before you pay
- What’s the wait now, and what’s the deposit? Is it refundable? (Cofer’s is not.)
- What does the felt grade on this hat actually mean?
- Do you reshape or adjust the hat after delivery?
- What do you need from me: a measurement, a photo, a call?
What we couldn’t find
Waits at two of the three hatters, and any prices for hat bands or reshaping. We will add makers’ own figures as they list on Western Makers Hub.
Where this comes from
Every figure above was read on the page linked here, on 5 October 2026.
For makers
Do you make hats?
Buyers reading guides like this one are looking for someone to make it. Western Makers Hub lists independent makers with their starting price and current wait. The first 30 founding makers list free for 3 months.
More buyer’s guides
- Custom Cowboy Boots: What six bootmakers publish about price and wait, how boots should fit, and what to ask before you pay.
- Custom Belt Buckles: From about $45 personalised buckles to sterling silver, with production times from three makers.
- Custom Saddles: Published waits from 10 weeks to 18 months, base prices and deposits at four saddlemakers.
- Custom Spurs: From $310 and 35 days to $11,000 and a two-year wait: what three makers say.
- Western Jewelry and Bolo Ties: The law on “Native American made”, what stabilized turquoise is, what to get in writing, and where the bolo tie came from.
- Custom Leather Belts: Hand-tooled and made-to-order belts from about $65 to $300, with add-on costs and lead times.
All guides are on the guides page.