Russian Hat

The Russian Hat is the King of Winter Hats

In the western world it’s a well know fact that the Russian hat is one of if not the best winter hat available. Who else in the modern could possibly have more experience designing hats for the harsh winter weather than those who spend such long months locked in winter's icy grasp? Starting around the 11th century a hat has been considered an important part of every Russian man's apparel. It did not matter whether it was winter or summer the hat was the same, the only difference was that the winter ones were covered with fur.

Russian hats for the peasants were usually made from cheap cloth with perhaps a fur trim, while the wealthy wore velvet hats that were trimmed with plenty of fur and decorated with silver, gold and jewels. This style of Russian hat persisted for centuries until the end of World War I in 1918 when a competition was announced by the Special Commission of the RVS of the Republic to design a new uniform for the newly organized Red Army. The winning hat was the Budenovka, a cloth hat that bore a close resemblance to the old chain mail helmet and neck flap or Brnitsa worn by the old Russian Army.

This Russian hat stayed with the Army until 1939 when thousands of Russian soldiers died of exposure due in part to a lack of proper winter clothing including hats. The Budenovka was soon replaced by the now infamous Russian fur hat, the Ushanka. This Russian military hat was so warm that the soldiers of the Third Reich were stealing them from the dead and wounded in order to stay warm in the terrible Russian winter weather.

It did not take long before the Germans were making a poor copy of this winter hat despite the fact that many soldiers still preferred the original Russian hat. The Ushanka is by far the most well known Russian fur hat and is a simple round hat with a fur back flap and fur ear flap that could be snapped up out of the way or lowered down and held in place with a chin strap when the weather calls for more protection.

Many different versions of the Ushanka have been created over the years including special ones that were made to fit inside a pilots flying helmet. Traditionally the Ushanka was made from sheepskin, rabbit or muskrat although today many manufacturers of copies now use faux fur that is made from wool or a synthetic material.

In 1974 Gerald Ford was pictured in an Ushanka along with Leonid Brezhnev in what was thought to be a new sign of détente between the US and the Soviet Union. It was not until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 that the first commercially available Russian hats were exported into the US and other parts of the world.

Now you can find many different occupations and militaries around the world with their own version of this super warm Russian hat. From mail carriers to police officers and soldiers in a dozen different armies, you will find them all staying much warmer in the coldest winter months thanks to this marvelous winter hat.