Resistol George Strait Colt 20X Natural Straw Cowboy Hat

Whether you're riding all day or spending Saturday night under the blue neon, the 20X Colt is up to the task. This is the George Strait Collection straw hat: a 4 1/8" cattleman's crown, a 4 1/4" brim, and a leather sweatband. The light-brown hatband carries three rows of white stitching, and a silver pendant with the signature design marks it as part of the collection.

What 20X means on a straw hat. Unlike felt — where the X rating describes the fur blend — on straw it measures the weave: how fine the reeds are and how tightly they're worked. A 20X is a tight, refined weave, which means it holds its shape better, looks more polished, and lasts longer than a loose-weave straw that goes soft after one season.

Straw is the hot-weather hat. It breathes in a way felt cannot, which is what makes it the right choice from spring through September in Texas. If you want a felt hat for the cold months, see the Cody Johnson 6X. And don't read the numbers across materials — a 20X straw and a 20X felt are rated on entirely different scales.