French brand Samshield combines safety with elegance with their range of fully up to standard, flattering fixed peak horse riding hats.
Sarita works in our office and has been riding in Samshield for about 5 years. Here’s why she loves her hat:
“I originally treated myself to my Samshield Shadowmatt as I wanted a smart hat for competing in showjumping. I’d had various fixed peaks before but I was never in love with them – I think riding hats often look a bit clunky and I’ve never felt any hat was particularly flattering. I tried a Samshield on because of its elegant profile and thought it looked so much nicer than anything I’d had before!
This hat is so lightweight and comfortable that I can keep it on all day – I’ll often ride then forget it’s on while I do my stables or turn the horses out, or at shows I’ll happily leave it on while going to get a coffee after I’ve untacked. I’ve never got super sweaty or marks left on my forehead when I take it off, and like that the vents are subtle, giving a stylish rather than sporty look. My only comment regarding comfort would be that the leather harness is quite wide so if you have it fastened correctly, with 1 finger between the strap and your chin, you can feel it around your jawbone. This provides a secure feeling but I’m quite sensitive about anything touching under my chin – it doesn’t bother me while riding, but I am always keen to undo the chinstrap once I’m off the horse. The harness is designed in this way to stop the hat tipping if you hit the back of your head, or your horse bucks or jumps big, and this safety feature is obviously worth the fact you can feel it around your jawbone. Some people might actually prefer the secure feeling this gives.
A huge selling point of Samshield is that if you fall off within 5 years, you can send your hat off for them to X-ray and replace the inside of the shell at a cost of £50. The hats aren’t cheap and Samshield understand that the worst thing would be to invest and then fall off straight away! We all inevitably fall off at some point and I love that when you buy a Samshield, you are buying a hat for the next 5 years, regardless of damaging it.
One of the best features in my opinion is the changeable liner system – I have a spare liner so when one is in the wash I can still use my hat, and the liners are relatively inexpensive. I wash mine quite regularly and now can’t imagine not being able to wash the inside of my hat. I do find that washing the liner plumps it up meaning the hat feels more snug, like it did when it was new, after washing.
My hat has a few scratches on it now from me being a bit complacent, but I wouldn’t say the outer scratches easily, especially if you keep it in its bag and don’t keep it on to muck out etc in! If it gets wet, which it inevitably will with the British weather, the shell doesn’t get water marks, whether left to dry or wiped down. The metal blazon and trim does get water marks, so would need to be polished once the hat had got wet.
There are a lot of options for customisation, including changing the top of the hat, the colour of the trim and blazon, the band on a Miss Shield, the addition of crystals, the cut of the harness at the back to accommodate a bun for dressage or showing, and adding your initials or name to the chin strap. I love the idea of customising it to match your competition wear, favourite colours or maybe your saddle if you have a fancy cantle or coloured piping!
I originally saved this hat for competitions but during lockdown thought I might as well get some wear out of it, and have ridden in it every ride since. I am now wanting to replace my competition hat and will be getting another Shadowmatt, but maybe with a bit more customisation this time!
If you are used to a skull cap, these hats, like any fixed peak, will feel more shallow in their profile. If you are thinking of getting a new hat and haven’t had a Samshield before, it would definitely be worth getting one fitted before buying, as a less than perfect fit does compromise the protection the hat will offer, as well as your comfort.”
We are fully trained in fitting Samshield hats and are always more than happy to discuss your needs in store, or you can browse our selection of Samshield gloves and standard or customised hats here. Sarita is wearing the Samshield Shadowmatt Rose Gold Riding Hat.
