CARTER — In the small community of Carter between Great Falls and Fort Benton, a business that began by chance is now helping preserve a piece of Montana’s Western legacy, one custom cowboy hat at a time.
Lone Feather Hats officially opened in 2023, but the idea behind it started much earlier, and unexpectedly.
Meet the team behind the hats:
Owner Matt Guderjahn said the business was born out of a small frustration. A Christmas gift from his wife Katee never quite fit, even after multiple attempts to stretch it at western wear stores.
“I just got sick and tired of hats that didn’t fit,” Matt said. “So I told Katee I wanted to build my own.”
What followed was a hands-on experiment that quickly turned into something more. Matt built three hats in their home — one for himself, one for his son, and one for his father-in-law.
After that, Katee made it clear that the kitchen was no longer an option.
The operation moved into the family’s tack room, and Matt shared photos of the process online. A single Facebook post, shared accidentally to his personal page, brought immediate interest.
“When I got home from work, there were eight people who had ordered hats,” Matt said. “I didn’t own any equipment. I didn’t have steamers or hat blocks.”
Faced with a decision, the Guderjahns chose to invest in the tools and materials needed to move forward. Matt said they believed the opportunity came for a reason.
“We decided that it happened for a reason, so we probably should follow God’s plan,” he said. “It’s been a really cool experience. We’ve got to work with some amazing people. I’m just truly blessed to have the opportunities that we have.”
Less than three years later, Lone Feather Hats has completed more than 300 custom orders — far surpassing what Matt ever expected when he first started shaping felt by hand.
Each hat is made entirely by hand using heat, steam, and pressure, and is custom-fit to the customer’s exact head shape, style, and lifestyle.
Matt uses a conformer to measure head shape and builds a wooden band block specifically for each customer before shaping the hat.
“I don’t want to build you a hat,” Matt said. “I want to be your hat maker. I want you to tell your family about it and build hats for the next generations of your family.”
Customers can visit the shop in person or complete the entire process virtually. Matt said many out-of-state customers are involved throughout the build, sometimes joining video calls to watch their hat being shaped.
“For us, it’s not about buying something,” he said. “It’s about being part of the process.”
The business now operates in a former church in Carter, a building the family says was important to preserve, not just for the business, but for the community itself.
Katee said the space has become a gathering place since the local bar closed.
“We wanted to have a space where the community could gather,” she said. “Some people come just to visit or see what the building looks like now. We have fire department meetings here. People stay after and talk.”
The church has also hosted adult education classes and open houses, drawing in longtime residents and neighbors.
Both Matt and Katee say being Montana-made means more than where the product is built. It’s about preserving history, relationships, and a way of life.
“A cowboy hat is the most recognizable piece of clothing in the world,” Matt said. “So we get to preserve part of that Western legacy. Montana is a huge part of that.”
Katee echoed that sentiment, pointing to the state’s creative and hardworking communities.
“Montana is filled with amazing artists and some of the hardest working people anywhere,” she said. “And I think if you buy Montana-made, you’re getting an amazing product. It’s going to last.”
Beyond hat making, Lone Feather Hats supports the community through sponsorships and involvement, including supporting rodeo athletes, the MSU Northern Rodeo Team, and Miss Rodeo Montana.
As the business continues to grow, the Guderjahns say their focus remains the same: quality craftsmanship, meaningful connections, and a sense of community.
Lone Feather Hats is located in Carter and builds custom cowboy hats for customers across Montana, the U.S., and internationally.
