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Akubra Campdraft

JTopenroad

One of the Regulars
Messages
152
Location
ohio
Received my new Campdraft! Ordered Oct 19 ...in the mail today!

AkubraCampdraftNewOct272011007.jpg
AkubraCampdraftNewOct272011008.jpg

My first bash very easy with a little steam. Can't wait to wear it at someone!!! Took the pictures outside trying to get the Taupe Fawn color to show.
 

DJH

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,355
Location
Ft Worth, TX
Egghead, I can't make up my mind as to whether I'd want a smaller brim CD. Looks god on you though.

Rusty, nice BGCD! Mine was my very first hat and I always enjoy wearing it.

JT, that one looks great on you. Nice colour as well!
 

EggHead

Practically Family
Messages
858
Location
San Francisco, CA
David, I think CD with 2 7/8 or 2 1/2 brim on its own would be fine either way. If other hats with 2 1/2 brim look good on you, this one will look good too.
The reason I chose 2 1/2 (and I prefer between 2 1/8 - 2 1/2 in general) brim hat, is because I commute in them to work and walk around SF's financial district. A "sombrero" just wouldn't fit (literally) on the bus or sidewalk during lunch time.
I do have a 2 7/8 Leisure Time (in my avatar), but I kept bumping other people with the brim (sometimes :) ).
 

DJH

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,355
Location
Ft Worth, TX
EH, I agree. Actually it's all about perception. Because your hat is posted as a CD, my thought is "that brim's a bit narrow"

On the other hand, if you'd posted in a general thread as your new hat, I'd have thought "that's a nice looking hat!" As it happens, most of my hats have a brim pretty close to 2 1/2 inches, although I do like my CD being a little wider.
 

EggHead

Practically Family
Messages
858
Location
San Francisco, CA
Several Akubras that I have, have shorter crowns, which is not obvious in pictures. When you try to rebash them, it's difficult.
CD's crown is bigger, taller. A lot easier to put any kind of bash you like.
 

Sam Craig

One Too Many
Messages
1,356
Location
Great Bend, Kansas
There is a crease that works great with Akubras, you can use it on Squatters, Pastoralists and I used it on my Kokoda, too, though it was not as necessary, but you CAN crease a Pastoralist into a Camp Draft style, you just have to be careful about how you arrange the crown so you get the maximum in height and width.
You do it by wetting the crown so the felt is pliable and then let it dry in shape ... and it has to fit perfectly, too. It won't work if the hat is tight on you.
Akubras are made so well, however, that they will keep that crease and you get rid of the dred taper-top
I love the way my Pastoralist turned out and my Squatters look like custom hats with the wide crowns!

Sam
 

jkingrph

Practically Family
Messages
848
Location
Jacksonville, Tx, West Monroe, La.
Since cooler weather down here finally kicked in, 50's-70's, I took the felts out and put the straws away.

My Campdraft in the Heriatge SilverBelly is fast turning into my favorite. I have a custom by Art Fawcett that is made almost indentical except for a very slightly narrower brim. It is in a light smoke grey color. Now I just need to get one or two in some darker colors.
 

dawgvet

Familiar Face
Messages
95
Location
Waleska, Ga
JTopenroad,
Love that bash. I have the same hat. Does the dent sit down on your head? I have a teardrop as the center dent always hit the top of my head otherwise.
Thanks,
Jedidiah
 

RBH

Bartender
Great look JT!!

Dawg... you have the center dent too low. My center dent does not touch the top of my noggin.
It is close but does not touch.

Let me add that I also have a high front pinch. That and the wider center dent gives the hat a whole other look IMO.

002cyg.jpg
 
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monbla256

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,239
Location
DFW Metroplex, Texas
RBH,
You crease that CD as I do my Squatters and Bushman and get the same results, more hght. to the crown and not as much taper. I love it !! And I saw it on your noggin in another post and it looked GOOD :)
 

JTopenroad

One of the Regulars
Messages
152
Location
ohio
JTopenroad,
Love that bash. I have the same hat. Does the dent sit down on your head? I have a teardrop as the center dent always hit the top of my head otherwise.
Thanks,
Jedidiah
Thanks. I tried to get the same results as my Stetson 25 and got lucky as I am a novice at this. The center dent does not touch my head. The Campdraft is easy to bash and I love it already, I can see another color in my future. RBH is the master!
 

monbla256

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,239
Location
DFW Metroplex, Texas
Well I got my Mid-Brown CD in this mornings mail. It was bought from Everything Australian back in 2009 and Philip included that key fob they include with there Hats and it came in the original Akubra box !! It's the SAME rich Mid-Brown as is my Stylemaster a good go with just about ANYTHING color!! It's the SAME wieght Imperial grade felt as my Squatters and Bushmans and it came in a nice C-Crown crease with MAJOR "tugboat " to it ! 4 3/4" at the front down to 3 1/2" at the back !! I'll wear it this way for awhile as it is different than most of my others and I'll give it a try for awhile at least :) With it's tall straight crown (5 3/4" I measured) and 2 7/8" brim and thin ribbon (same width as my Bushmans 1/2") and identical finish/wieght felt as my Squatters and Bushmans I'd have to call it a "Bushman Lite" hat :) All in all, a very nice hat, but then it's an Akubra so what else would one expect :) I'll get some pics later this week. BTW, this one has "Canp Draft" on the sweat in two words as has been discussed here before. I wanted to add that I got it from fellow lounger PhilS, and could not have asked for a better transaction!!
 
Last edited:

monbla256

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,239
Location
DFW Metroplex, Texas
I picked up one of the the Campdraft Deluxe Heritage felts a few months ago (made a porkpie of it), and it sure is stiff compared to my Imperial Campdrafts, although they have softened up over time so I expect the Deluxe will also soften up a bit eventually. One thing that concerns me is that the brim is not flanged to very much of an angle or curve, so when I snap it it doesn't really snap that far down. The brim is more flat than my other Campdrafts. I'm afraid that with a little stretching over time, the brim will not hold the snap at all and I'll have to fiddle with it constantly as with a Panama. I wonder if this is the outcome of using a denser felt but not adjusting the brim flange or flanging time to compensate?

Have you gotten it TOTALY soaking wet yet? ALL of my Akubra's "snap" into the final shape I want AFTER they have gotten a good thorough soaking in the rain. Sounds like you need to wear it in the next monsoon you run into and I'm sure it will do right and probably soften up as well. ALL my Akubra's are much softer AFTER getting a good soaking.
 

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