How to stretch a hat to fit

CaptionHere in New Zealand, the UV is unforgiving and we have the highest melanoma rates in the world.Recently, I got a new bush hat for working/hiking outdoors but found it was just a little too tight when I wore it for extended periods. Rather than make an old style hat stretcher with wooden blocks and turnbuckles, I applied a bit of No.8 Wire thinking (a.k.a. Kiwi DIY ingenuity) and came up with this solution:Grab and partially deflate a regulation size 5 football (soccer);Spritz the inside of the hatband with a water spray until moist (not soaking);Insert the partially deflated ball halfway into the hat;Inflate the ball until it is tight and snug inside the hatband;'Rinse and repeat' steps 1-5 as necessary to get optimum fit.The trick is to stretch the band gently in a number of small steps, testing in between attempts, rather than try doing it in one go and overstretching the hat.