Welcome to The Last Best West™!
Custom Cowboy Hats and Leather
We are designers and makers of custom cowboy hats and leather. We strive for authenticity in the pieces we reproduce from the 19th and early decades of the 20th century. In our catalog you will find custom cowboy hats and leather all made by hand and in the USA. From classic 19th-century Western hats and cowboy leather, to modern takes on legendary movie styles, we bring history and craftsmanship together. Our custom cowboy hats and leather are made in America, to order and to last.
Our custom hats ship in 18-22 weeks and our custom hand-made leather in 3 – 5 weeks
Email us if you need something faster, we may be able to help.
CUSTOM COWBOY HATS AND LEATHER FROM THE LAST BEST WEST™
“Being a cowboy ain’t so much about what you do, it’s who you are.”
If you or your association, group or team is looking for something special think of a leather wrapped canteen, with your logo or message. We’ve got our summer supply of canteen materials, so if you’d like a leather wrapped canteen, we can ship in less than a week.
And if you’re looking for a bunch of them email Sonja at [email protected] with your details.
We promise to make no two custom pieces exactly the same – and our originality and individuality bring clients back time and again to our order catalogue. Purchase one of our custom made hats and you will receive the same quality and workmanship that is worn by more than a dozen of the world’s premier rodeo cowboy’s riding today.
Production Companies, Politicians, National Security Advisors, Musicians, Writers, Cartoonists, Artists, Athletes, Soldiers, and lots of every day folk love our hats, and we hope you will as well. Questions? email us :: Testimonials
A cowboy hat will protect your head from the weather, eyes from the sun, and will help prevent sun stroke.
Find Your Perfect Cowboy Memory at The Last Best West™
Like all clothing the type, shape, and color of your hat defines your personality. It’s highly unlikely that any other single piece of clothing carries the mystic that a quality, distinctively shaped cowboy hat does.
With over 190 hat styles in our catalog, even the pickiest cowboy should find their perfect style and fit! From classic 19th-century Western hats to modern takes on legendary movie styles, we bring history and craftsmanship together.
Love Old West lore? Explore pages of Wild West stories—tales of heroes, villains, and the frontier spirit that shaped North America.
Grease up yer guns Outlaw’s. . . And cinch them on tight. . . There’ll be blood a runnin’ In town before night. . . .There’ll be gun’s a blazin’. . .And singin’ with lead. . . .Tonight you’ll be drinkin’. . . .Your drinks with the dead. – Excerpt from The Outlaw’s Lament
Take your time, have a look around, there’s lots to see in the Last Best West™.
WHAT DOES CUSTOM MEAN?
Last Best West Cowboy Hats
Clients have the freedom to switch hatbands between hat styles, and request different crown and brim dimensions. As well you get your name stencilled on the sweatband inside the hat.
Last Best West Leather
We make our Hand Made Holsters, belts and Indian Rifle Sheaths to fit your firearms. In most cases we are able to custom fit our holsters for almost any firearm, and make our gun and cartridge belts to your waist and cartridge size. Enter your info in the comments box during checkout.
You’ve owned the rest now wear the best!
Our Cowboy Hat Colors
Shop All Products ~ Cowboy Hats ~ Hat Care ~ 10 Questions
End of the Line Fine Cowboy Hats
Our galloping buckaroo logo is on all our last best west hat liners.
Crown and Brim Measurements
The hats you see online are our standard hats, which have specific crown heights and brim widths to maximize the look of that particular style or hat design. If you wish to change the crown or brim enter any changes in the Production Notes section as you build your hat.
Hats are all hand made so hat and brim measurements are all approximate. The largest hat we can make has a ~ six (6″) inch crown and a ~ five (5″) brim.
Any hat with a brim width of more than 4 inches we must start with an over sized hat body, which adds a little to the cost. Most of our cowboy hats have a crown height between 5 and 6 inches and a brim width of 3 1/2 to 4 inches.
Hat styles with a wider brim include The Wasey, Quigley, Everett Hitch, Desperado, Blue Duck, Hoss, Blondie, Little J, The Dunson, Last of the Dogmen, Wild Bill, all our B-Movie hats, and many of our Custom Rodeo Hats
Cowboy History
Back in the 1880s cowboys earned a dollar a day if they were good, and the luxury of a gun belt and holster or some other fine leather work might often be determined by their own abilities as a leather worker.
Most every ranch or outfit had at least one person skilled with working leather – after all saddles, rein’s, bridles, and the such all needed maintaining, repairing and replacing. And any cowboy skilled with leather just added to his value as a ranch hand.
People were much more self-sufficient then, and you couldn’t always ride to town and get what you wanted or needed. So you made it – or paid a neighbor who was skilled to do it. Or you bartered your services for his.
We try to stay as true to the old west makers as we can, and have incorporated what we found works over years of wear and use.
Have a Vintage or Collectible Long Arm?
Our version of the Indian Rifle Sheath from the classic western film, The Searchers {1956}. The Comanche style bead work is custom made for us by a skilled native craftswoman. The hide is milky soft and the long, spaghetti fringe gives it a dramatic look. Any fine rifle deserves a spectacular sheath.
In person the cowboys were mostly medium-sized men… quick and wiry, and as a rule very good-natured; in fact, it did not pay to be anything else. In character, their like never was or will be again. – Teddy Blue Abbott; Cowboy 1882
1880s buckeroo
Cowboy Wisdom
Cowboy Ten Commandments
Just one God.
Honor yer Ma and Pa.
No telling tales or gossipin’.
Git ye to Sunday meetin’.
Put nothin’ before God.
No foolin’ with another fella’s gal.
No killin’.
Watch yer mouth.
Don’t take what ain’t yers.
Don’t be hankerin’ for yer buddy’s gear.
From: Luke Blough
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2023 12:19 PM
Subject: Review Secondhand Lions HatThis hat is perfect for my purposes. I spend a lot of time outside so a good hat is a must due to being sunburned easily and bald. It is well worth the wait. Size wise it is just right not too loose and not too tight. The ribbon and trim blend nicely with the granite coloring.
You’ll also be interested to know that I also plan to like the cowboys of old create my own hatband. All in all I would glad recommend your store for all my friends and even some enemies.
Sincerely yours Luke Blough.
From: Development Design Services
Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2023 11:30 AM
Subject: THANK YOU!!!! [Plainsman Hat]Hello Sonja,
I just wanted to let you know I just received my brown hat. It is AMAZING! I am so excited with this one! I LOVE it!
Thank you both so much for your excellent work as usual! The Last Best West hats are truly the ” BEST “
Also, I already have my eye out on what will be my 7th hat that I will order for Christmas
Regards to you both, Ed
Teddy Blue Holster and Belt
From: Zach Thurman
Sent: February 15, 2023 12:08 PM
Subject: Re: [The Last Best West]: SHIPPED Thurman Teddy Blue RigHi Sonja,
I just wanted to let you know my Teddy Blue rig arrived today and I couldn’t be happier!! It is without a doubt the nicest gun belt I have ever seen. I would like to give everyone my deepest thanks for their wonderful work.
Both the belt and holster fit me and my gun like a glove. Again I could not be happier I am completely blown away!
I look forward to the opportunity to order from you again.
Many thanks, Zach
ARRIVED!!! And they (Combination Shoulder Holster) are stunning. Thank you so much for the amazing turnaround. That was light speed!
It’s going to our weapons department and heading to set…We have had to have custom leather holsters made for other shows like “Westworld” and “Mind Hunter” and your work is outstanding. Love to circle back the next request.
Please thank everyone for us, really appreciate the effort to make this happen!
Macfarren FRENCHY
Thanks for all your help over the past years … you should be called The first best west … Nick (Scotland)
To: The Last Best West
Subject: Love the hat!Receives my Quigley a week ago. Have to admit I was very nervous buying a hat site unseen. My expectations were more than met. The hat fits and looks great.
After a week it sits so natural on me. I have received many compliments. Thank you again. Grear job! Dirk Loy
We just received Josey Wales around 3:00pm. The box looked like it had been just put together. There was no dents scraped or tears in it.
Josey was out of his barn so to speak but was in beautiful shape which is testament to the quality of the work that you do the hat blew us away blew us away.
Hat (Bullock) received…and I could not be more pleased with it. Your company is, hands down, my favorite hat-making company.
You can quote me.
The Stoic Cowboy
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him… The moral: When you’re full of bull, keep your mouth shut. – Will Rogers {1879 – 1935}
Authentic Wanted Posters and Old West Badges
Our three lines of original poster art (Old West Posters, Authentic Wanted Posters, and Legends of the West) can be seen all over the world, from homesteads and club houses to fancy Dance Halls and Saloons. Our ever popular old west badges are authentic in size and weight to the origins, and are a favorite of re-enactors and are often seen in western films and series.
