Adventurebilt and Federation owners.

[Bebop]

I have a feeling that this will be a short thread. Does anyone have an Adventurebilt fedora and an Akubra Federation? I do. Aside from the difference between 100% beaver vs. wild hare, does anyone think their Federation is better when it comes to workmanship and fit and finish than the Adventurbilt?

 

[SHARPETOYS]

No No No

I have both 3 feds and 4 of Steve Delks beavers. The Adventurebilt is a much better made hat. Heck its all handmade. Fine roan leather sweat band vintage ribbon hand sewn satin liner and only a few bucks more than the Akubra.

http://www.adventurebilthats.com/ $225 in pure beaver :cheers1:

 

[Not-Bogart13]

"A few bucks more" might be stretching it, Sharpetoys. Try almost double the cost (slightly less than double vs. the Fed Deluxe). Of course, I won't say it's not worth it! You get lots of perks with a custom Adventurebilt.

I'm only in the PROCESS of getting an AB, and I can already see that you get more for your money. Dealing with Steve has been a pleasure, and I'm anxious to see the final result. The Federation is a great product, no doubt, but I don't see how an AB wouldn't measure up. If I still remember this thread when my AB is done, I'll share my official opinion, but I'm predicting a solid win for Steve. :beer:

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Are you Mad, Sir?

I have a Fedration and three Adventurebilts. My Federation turned green in six months, tapered horribly and became fuzzy all over. The sweatband is brittle and thin and is of the quality of a souvenir hat. Now, I will only wear it in the pouring rain. -Still, I don't want to put down the brand because my experience is anecdotal and not necessarily a reflection of the entire line.

In contrast, my Adventurebilts are hand-crafted, have beautiful sweatbands, are expertly stitched, and have elegant well-made ribbons and bows. I have worn my brown from California to Puerto Rico to Belize to Mexico, and it looks as new as the day I bought it. I could not recommend it more.

http://www.adventurebilthats.com/ I am almost ready to get my next one.

Side by side, I am amazed at how much my Adventurebilt resembles my vintage Borsalino.

Perhaps, you're just trying to be provocative? I rather think it is like a man in a Yugo thinking that he is driving a better car than a Mercedes. I respect you though; I love a spirited debate, even a ridiculous one.

 

[Feraud]

Federation = Yugo?!

I rather think it is like a man in a Yugo thinking that he is driving a better car than a Mercedes. I respect you though; I love a spirited debate, even a ridiculous one.

Ouch!! That one hurt my Federation Deluxe right down to the liner. If the Adventurebilt is a Mercedes then the Federation has to be at least a.. Chrysler? .
I look forward to the day when I add an Adventurebilt to my hatrack.

 

[fedoralover]

I've had 3 Akubra Federations and one Federation Deluxe, plus 2 Bushman and one Snowy River. I have a black Adventurebilt, and no offense meant but there really is no comparison. A Mercedes compared to a Yugo is pretty accurate or Mercedes next to a ford Pinto would be another accurate comparison. Shelling out another $100 for an Adventurebilt is the best investment you could make.

fedoralover

 

[Feraud]

I can only speak on behalf of the Federation Deluxe.
Let us not continue to compare Akubras to Yugos!! Come on now, that is a bit harsh. Yugos are known as 'lemons', undependable, cheap, etc. That hardly sounds like my Federation Deluxe. My lid is not undependable, badly made, unreliable, etc. It is not the joke of the hatworld. In fact, it is the complete opposite! It is a great hat for the money. Hemingway Jones had a bad experience with his Akubra turning green. I have yet to hear enough complaints to put the Akubra line into the 'lemon' bin with the likes of a Yugo. Keep in mind he (HJ) only said,

I rather think it is like a man in a Yugo thinking that he is driving a better car than a Mercedes.

What I read is for $100 bucks more (roughly doubling the price of an Akubra) I can upgrade from a Yugo to a Mercedes? Is this a compliment to the Yugo or an insult to a Mercedes??...

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Don't read too much into what I said; you all know how much I enjoy a well-turned phrase.

I did say that I didn't want to put down the entire line because I have a certain amount of affection for Akubra despite my bad experience with them, because it was my first "Indy" hat.

Still, the overall point I was trying to make, a point I believe is entirely valid, is that you cannot compare a mass-produced item to a piece of custom craftsmanship from a man like Fedora who is passionate, interested, accommadating, knowledgeable, and skilled in all aspects of the Indy Fedora and fedoras in general. It is an argument of the absurd; akin to comparing a Peters Bros. to a Miller or a Stetson.

 

[Feraud]

Well said! I agree and also prefer hand made to mass produced.

 

[fedoralover]

That was my point as well. I didn't mean to imply the Federation IS a Yugo, just that there is an extreme difference between the 2 lines.

regards fedoralover

 

[Fedora]

Someone say my name? Might be a good spot to place a pic or two of a hat I made around a month ago. Pure Portugal beaver, 120 gram body(medium weight), charcoal gray with a 1 1/2 inch vintage iron ribbon. My forte are the Indy fedoras, but I do some vintage looking fedoras as well. This one was inspired by the Bogey, although I used a slightly different vintage block on this one to give the guy a little variety. The crown is just hand creased, just like the old days.

 

[jeboat]

Federation vs Adventurebilt??

How can you in any way compare the two hats? The Akubra line of hats is for everyday usage in a hostile land and if you do happen to ruin or lose one it is no great loss. I own about 15 Akubras and I know enough about them to say they are great hats for the average person, but who wants to be average??

The Adventurebilt is as the name implies an adventure in the world of hats! It is a different animal. Buying and wearing a Steve Delk hat is a pleasure normally reserved for the wealthy. To me when I wear one of my four Adventurebilts, I expect to hear compliments. It is a unique experience to wear a quality product that 99% of hat wearers will never have.

jeboat:cool2: :cool2: :cool2:

 

[Andykev]

Buy the beaver if there is a hint of water in the sky

If I may chime in here. The Steve Delk hat is a BARGAIN for what you get. To have a pure beaver felt hat that will stand up and laugh at the rain, wow.

I have to send an Optimo back. Seems the rabbit took too long a shower the other day when we had 4 inches of rain and flooding, and I was out with my rake unclogging drains. Did someone say taper like a bad dog? The hat is absolutely ruined. Now, it got extremely wet. But it did someting not one of my Art Fawcett or Vintage hats do....the crown went from this | | to this / \ .!!

 

[fedoralover]

I would encourage everyone who hasn't done this, to do a search for custom made felt fedora's and see what a 100% beaver felt fedora will cost you. They usually start at $550.00 and go up from there. Steve sells his for $225. to lounge members. Art's are a little more at $275 but he does bound edges and Steve doesn't. Take a look at the edge binding on a fedora and try to imagine sewing it on straight and finishing it off so it looks right. These are absolutely the best bargains you will find anywhere for a custom 100% beaver felt fedora anywhere in the world.



side note to Andy: cleaning gutters in pouring rain with an Optimo on your head????? Andy, what were you thinking?

But if it makes you feel any better my Optimo did the same thing when I shaped it using "very little" steam. I had to send it to Steve for a reblock and now it looks okay. But I was like you thinking it was a candidate for the class dunce or the trash can. Fortunately it can be brought back to life. Here's proof. I only wish I had a before pic. Take my word for it, it was very very bad.

fedoralover

 

[tonyb]

Fedoralover, that's some nice-looking tile you got for a background there. Is that the comfort facility at your place? How old is it?

 

[Andykev]

Yep

Oh, don't get me wrong. I don't think poorly of Optimo. I just compare what I did to wearing a fine men's suit on an afternoon walk in the misty rain thru the local wilderness trail. Beaver only. Optimo are dress/city hats.

 

[fedoralover]

Andy, I understood, no put down taken.

Tonyb, yes thats the bathroom in my 93 year old house. Here's a better shot of part of it. With a hat in the picture of course.

fedoralover

 

[tonyb]

Very nice indeed, and further evidence to support my case that style in the first half of the 20th century was superior (in general) to that of the second half. Is that bathroom much as it was when the house was built? Or when you moved in? Or is it the result of your corrections to a previous owner's "improvements"?

 

[Hemingway Jones]

That is a beautiful bathroom, Fedoralover. I especially like the sconce and the mirror. It is also an amazing tub.

 

[fedoralover]

Welllll, I have to confess. Having 3 daughters made it necessary to add on a bathroom so I didn't have to run out in the back yard. My wife and I designed this bathroom and had it added on about 6 years ago. We used new and old items to get the 20s to 30s look we were after. We seached through many a salvage yard and antique store to find all the items necessary to put it together. I hired someone who had a lot of experience in restoring older homes so he could make it blend in with the rest of the house. Most people who see it can't tell what is old and what is new. Thanks for the compliments.

fedoralover