Akubra Campdraft

[gtdean48]

...I really love the leather band gtdean, it complements the colour of the felt/bound edge really well.

Many thanks. I am trying my hand at making some in varying shades to dress up a few fedoras & westerns I have.
I have a standard brim in Bluegrass Green & it is a versatile color, seems to get along with black, grey & brown jackets & vests (even red plaid)!

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

I'm already a member of the Campdraft TAR group in Silverbelly (my first real quality fedora) purchased here on the forum a couple of years ago. I'm waiting (along with Tom and twenty some other members) for my limited addition green Campdraft to arrive in January. With Silverbelly and Green I've got all my bases covered. I've got other vintage fedoras in various colors to fill in any gaps.

 

[Landman]

Tom,

The leather hatband looks great. I've made a few of them myself using the buckles and straps from Tandy Leather Factory. One of the best looking ones I made I dyed it by letting it soak in black coffee for awhile.

 

[gtdean48]

Tom,

The leather hatband looks great. I've made a few of them myself using the buckles and straps from Tandy Leather Factory. One of the best looking ones I made I dyed it by letting it soak in black coffee for awhile.

Thanks. Cool idea Mike. I'll have to give that a try.

 

[Landman]

Thanks. Cool idea Mike. I'll have to give that a try.

No problem. I had heard that tea was a good dye but since I don't drink tea I decided to give coffee a try and it turned out nice. Didn't give it that factory dyed look but more of an aged dyed look.

 

[gtdean48]

No problem. I had heard that tea was a good dye but since I don't drink tea I decided to give coffee a try and it turned out nice. Didn't give it that factory dyed look but more of an aged dyed look.

Gotcha. I have a stain called Antique Oak but need a buckle set to finish that one. I'll get some more blanks & brew up a pot!

 

[Brian Niebuhr]

Thinking of getting a Campdraft. Maybe. Unlike most of you, I fear the brim will be too short. 3 1/4" brims look best on me. I've always said that 3" would be as short as I'd ever go. I am 6'2 and normal build. My hair tends to be a little bit on the shaggy side and can curl up a little on the sides taking up brim width. (only when I go too long between cuts) Would the CD look too small on me? Also, it seems from reading this thread, that the CDs run large. More so than other Akubras? Because most of them seem to run large. Are the CDs even bigger? Man I really love the look of these hats and would love to have one. I'm just having trouble breaking the barrier into smaller fedora style hats.

 

[RBH]

No way would I call a regular Campdraft a small brim.
But here is a shot of Florida friend Indycop [John] in a Campdraft, while John is not shaggy he is a big-tall fellow.
And he looks good in a Campdraft.

 

[Landman]

I agree. A Campdraft is definitely not a small brim and looks great on IndyCop in the picture that Rusty posted.

By the way, that is a cool shirt he is wearing. It took me awhile to figure out what it was then it hit me. It is a Flying Tiger shirt with the Hells Angel Squadron insignia on it. Very cool. One of my Dad's best friends was a Flying Tiger in the Panda Bear Squadron.

 

[Brian Niebuhr]

What do you guys think about the CD sizing? Is it about the same as most other Akubras? Or does it tend to run even bigger? I like to buy them up a size so they shrink down to fit better even though it can take some effort. If the CD already runs huge then I would just go with my usual size. I bought my Cattleman in my usual size, it was big at first but easily shrank and I wish I would have gone up a size to let it fully shrink.

 

[deyoungaza]

Brian, my head's a 57.5 cm. I bought a 58 cm Akubra Jackaroo and a 58 cm Cattleman, and they fit nicely. The Jackaroo was a bit softer and bigger than the Cattleman and it needed some stuffin' under the sweatband to fit right. So, I ordered a 57 cm Campdraft Imperial because people were saying that they run big. In my experience: they are pretty close to all of the other Akubras, and for me a 58 would have been better. The Campdraft fits, but "just." I applied a bit of Brooks Proofide leather dressing to the underside of the sweatband, and I hope it will prevent the Campdraft from shrinking into unusability. In short, don't buy small.

 

[Landman]

What do you guys think about the CD sizing? Is it about the same as most other Akubras? Or does it tend to run even bigger? I like to buy them up a size so they' shrink down to fit better even though it can take some effort. If the CD already runs huge then I would just go with my usual size. I bought my Cattleman in my usual size, it was big at first but easily shrank and I wish I would have gone up a size to let it fully shrink.

Brian,

Hats Direct told me one time the Campdrafts run a little large and the Fed IV a little small. I'm usually a small 7 1/2 and they recommended a 59 in the Campdraft and a 60 in the Fed IV. That is what I ordered and they both fit well. They will actually measure them and find a smaller or larger one in a specific size. They are great to do business with.

 

[DougC]

I've got a Fed IV and a Campdraft Deluxe. Both are 58 and both fit the same. The Fed is a 2008-don't think that makes much difference. I think it just depends on the hat...and yeah, Hats Direct will look for a smaller measuring hat in a given size.

 

[deyoungaza]

... and yeah, Hats Direct will look for a smaller measuring hat in a given size.

Wish I'd known. I would have ordered a smallish 58. Oh well, let's hope that the Proofide keeps the sweatband from shrinking.

 

[Landman]

I've got a Fed IV and a Campdraft Deluxe. Both are 58 and both fit the same. The Fed is a 2008-don't think that makes much difference. I think it just depends on the hat...and yeah, Hats Direct will look for a smaller measuring hat in a given size.

One of the ladies with Hats Direct explained to me that Akubra uses vintage hat blocks to make specific models. She said the hat blocks used to make the Fed IV run a little small and the hat blocks for the Campdrafts run a little big. Maybe they were using a different block for the Fed in 2008 or like you implied, every hat is a little different. I find that true in my Campdrafts. I have several of them in size 59 and they all seemed to fit just a tad different at first but they all conformed nicely after wearing them.

 

[gtdean48]

... but they all conformed nicely after wearing them.

+1....I have 2 Heritages & 5 Imperials & although out of the box they fit big, after creasing & wearing they all conformed nicely.
I have a Fed4 & same size as the Campdrafts = fits just as nice.

 

[Brian Niebuhr]

Well I'll contact Hats Direct and see if they can send me a small 60 or a large 59. It's scary at first when you get a hat that's way too big. I'm wearing my Snowy River right now, fits great. When I got it I could have pulled it to my shoulders if not for the crown. Once they shrink to fit they seem to stop shrinking but you've got to let them shrink enough. That means starting out huge. That's my way about it anyways. This also helps the hat to conform to my long head better. So, I will be starting my new year with an order for a Campdraft! And I've got two other Akubras on the way. Feels like they're free since I paid for them 3 months ago!!!

 

[carranty]

My New Heritage Silverbelly Campdraft

I'm now officially a member of the campdraft club ! I got it over christmas but have only just got around to posting the pics. Its a big hat! I'm used to wearing an Akubra Banjo Paterson, and the crown on that is much smaller and has more taper. Even the brim on this hat feels huge - though in fact its the same size as on the Banjo. I really love it though! Here's a pic of it indoors

This was my first open crown hat, I'd modified the Banjo a little in the past, but never started from scratch. I decided to go with the diamond type bash, but with a sort of raised cross on the crown (this idea was copied from a fellow member of this forum) Here's an on-the-head shot, I'd appreciate peoples feedback on proportions, do you think the crown is too large, too small, just right?

And also an outdoors shot, which I think gives a truer reflection of the colour

Its a bit large for me right now, and keeps slipping down to my ears, but should hopefully tighten up a bit with wear.

 

[gtdean48]

...

....

I think it fits you right down to the ground. Good balance, nice swoop to that brim. Nice work on the crease. Welcome to the Campdraft Confederacy!

 

[EggHead]

Looks good. I think you could make the crown even taller based on your stature. Put a folded paper towel inside the sweatband to have a tighter fit. You can remove it when your hat conforms better.