To the untrained eye, a fedora hat and Panama hat may seem similar. The shape seems alike, and both have tapered crowns and brims appear to be identical in size variations, too. Well, if you look closely, most fedoras do stand apart with their pinched sides. Besides that, the other main difference lies in the material used for either one. Your everyday wool felt fedora imparts more warmth than a Panama hat, which is often made of straw and palm, to make it more suitable for the hotter tropical climate of the region where it originated. That said, feel free to switch between these two based on the weather. A hat is only half as good if it’s all style but no comfort, after all.