Akubra Campdraft

[Spats McGee]

I'll take a cold shower then...wait...no.

This hat is absolutely MONSTROUS! I haven't been able to bash it a single way and reduce it's gargantuan profile...yet!

I will have some pics up of the open crown, and on top of my noggin. It's gonna take a while for me to figure out what crease to put in. I'm a fedora guy, not so much a western guy...I know I can do this, because I did it for my Squatter.

What common fedora bash do you guys recommend? I'm looking for casual, as I'll wear this with jeans and in many cases my weatherproof rain jacket. Oh, and the Taupe Fawn color with my Forest Green jacket: a match made in heaven!

Glad to hear that the color's a winner!

That CD looks a whole lot bigger now than it will in about 3 weeks, I promise. Once you get it bashed (I like a teardrop, myself), and get it to fit right, you'll get used to it. A teardrop, c-crown, or diamond will lower the crown more than a center dent, so I'd go with one of them.

 

[Neophyte]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the sweatband!

To all those with a CD, have you noticed a difference in the sweatband of the CD versus, say, the Federation IV, Squatter, and Sydney?

I don't know if it's because I haven't sweated in the hat yet, but the sweat on mine seems thinner, smoother and more supple than those of the aforementioned hats (my entire "arsenal").

I won't say that I maybe got a Deluxe sweat, as I've never seen or felt one, but this is definitely my favorite sweat of all my hats.

...Oh yeah, pics! Here it is, unbashed:

 

[John in Covina]

As with many other hat makers there seems to be a confusing set of quality levels of felts and sweats with Akubra. Roan sweats and Imperial felts. I don't really have a clear concept of the these levels of quality.

The David Morgan site talks about them but I don't have a good features and benefits breakdown of what they mean.

 

[Spats McGee]

I don't have a Squatter, but I got to play with one during the Traveling Hat's stay in my home. I didn't notice any difference between it and the sweat in my CD, but I didn't examine them very closely, either. BTW, I've probably mentioned this, but my CD was also too big until I worked outside in it one day. One good sweat and it shrank up juuuuuuust right!

I'm looking at those pics, and that crown looks tall right now, but I think it'll be fine once you get it bashed.

 

[Mr E Train]

I'm with Spats. And it doesn't really look like the hat fits too big on you. Did you use some kind of sizing under the sweatband already?

 

[Neophyte]

I'm looking at those pics, and that crown looks tall right now, but I think it'll be fine once you get it bashed.

It is really big, especially since I'm used to this:

 

[Spats McGee]

I just took a peek at Everything Australian. Both the CD and the Squatter are listed at 10.5 cm (4.12") crown height. . . .

 

[Neophyte]

Alright guys, here's my first attempt at bashing this monster, teardrop-style. Tell me what you think, especially if there's something I can improve on...

 

[Mr E Train]

Like I said before, a hand-shaped hat is always a work in progress. I noticed that the dents just weren't doing it for me, so I made them a little deeper and extended them back further. I don't like real sharp dents, so this is about perfect for me.

 

[Mr E Train]

Alright guys, here's my first attempt at bashing this monster, teardrop-style. Tell me what you think, especially if there's something I can improve on...

Looks great! Can we see the top?

If I had to make a suggestion, it would be to lower the back of the crown a little so you have a nice slope from the apex of the crown down to the back. That's more personal preference, but it does create a nice profile from the side, and it uses up some more felt.

 

[Spats McGee]

Good start, Neo. I'd try to drop it just a little more, but I'm more of a low-crowned kind of guy. Look at Mr. E Train's hat. See how there's a hump in the middle? I don't like to have the hump higher than the sides, but that shape takes up more of the felt, and drops the crown. BTW, Mr. E, that's beautiful.

 

[Duper]

Looking good Neophyte. I love the colour and like the bash, but you can play around with the bash a bit as you see fit and repost more photos. That is the beauty of these open crown hats. :eusa_clap

 

[Mr E Train]

Good start, Neo. I'd try to drop it just a little more, but I'm more of a low-crowned kind of guy. Look at Mr. E Train's hat. See how there's a hump in the middle? I don't like to have the hump higher than the sides, but that shape takes up more of the felt, and drops the crown. BTW, Mr. E, that's beautiful.

Thanks, Spats.

For illustrative purposes, here's a topside view.

And from the side you don't see the hump (I don't it when it sticks up higher than the sides, either).

 

[theinterchange]

I just took a peek at Everything Australian. Both the CD and the Squatter are listed at 10.5 cm (4.12") crown height. . . .

I find that hard to believe. I've owned both and the Campdraft was noticeably taller.

Neophyte, I really like the color on that hat! I too, think that once you settle on what you want to do with 'er it will seem shorter.

Randy

 

[Neophyte]

EA displays both with a short telescope bash, and they probably measure it this way as it is reported to be a popular bash in Oz. Thanks for the compliments on the hat, guys. I agree that I should definitely lower the back a bit to achieve that "swoop."

 

[Spats McGee]

I find that hard to believe. I've owned both and the Campdraft was noticeably taller. . . .

I only have a CD, so I can't compare the two. (I guess I could have measured them while I had the Traveling Hat, but it's too late for that now.) Anyway, that's how EA lists them:

Squatter: http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=20

Campdraft: http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=19

 

[Dave E]

Neophyte - that looks pretty good!

 

[Neophyte]

Neophyte - that looks pretty good!

Thank you.

But it is most definitely not finished .

 

[Neophyte]

Alright, here's my second attempt at a good bash. Keep in mind this has all been done dry. Lowering the crown has proved difficult, even with a teardrop, as the walls become very thin and bow out the farther down I go...I know I'm doing something wrong, but what it is I've no idea...

Anyway, this is what I've got so far:

That last shot is my favorite.

 

[Mr E Train]

I know I'm doing something wrong, but what it is I've no idea...

I've no idea either, because it looks great to me! Very nice job. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

If you wet it, it'll be easier to smooth out the little kinks here and there and the bash will stay put better. Just like it is, I really see no problems with it, though. It goes well with that green jacket, too.