Akubra Campdraft

[Frunobulax]

This is great info. I knew there must be a difference between Strat and OR because--different name, no? But I never knew the specs. Thanks for clarifying that.

I realize to some the differences are subtle and it can be pedantic, but that's why I hang out here. We have extensive threads covering brands, styles, specific models, block profile numbers, and guidance on hat dating. This place is a tremendous resource of hat knowledge. I only wish more folks would avail themselves of that; I find it all fascinating.

 

[PDXHAT]

Thanks for all the replies! Kind of confirmed what I was thinking. The bluegrass is an awesome color but the sand would probably work better as a foundational hat.

It does pair well with a Bean sweater, though!

 

[PDXHAT]

Here is a Campdraft worn like Truman: with a pinch and brim up. Paired with a Barbour waxed coat. This hat --basically a modern "old style" OR--just works.

 

[BobHufford]

View attachment 490428
Here is a Campdraft worn like Truman: with a pinch and brim up. Paired with a Barbour waxed coat. This hat --basically a modern "old style" OR--just works.

Looks great! How does the crease look on top?

 

[PDXHAT]

Looks great! How does the crease look on top?

This is dry bashed, haven't applied any steam as of yet.

 

[jlee562]

No argument from me that the Campdraft is the better choice if you intend on using it in any sort of rain.

But to play devil's advocate in the Campdraft thread, if you can find a premier (or Excellent) Stratoliner, I wouldn't be so quick to pass it over. Actually, if you find an Excellent Quality Strat you should just buy it. I'd take that over a CD any day of the week (notwithstanding as Fruno points out, they're really two different hats).

As far as the Royal Deluxe Premier version, I would say there are a couple of pros: the qualities of the felt, and the higher quality leather used for the sweatband. The RD felt feels a bit closer to vintage felt than the Imperial grade, both in terms of the stiffness/creaseability and the actual finish of the felt. The Stetson sweat bands are just better quality leather too. I'm also not particularly a fan of the plastic-y tip liners that Akubra uses. Although it's totally irrational to hold this against Akubra, the vintage hat fan in me associates the plastic tip liner with 60's hats and declining quality.

That being said, is the hand of the felt going to make a practical difference while it's on your head? No. Will 99.9% not be able to tell the difference in the felt finishes? Probably!

Admittedly, these are nitpicky things for the hat obsessive. Sometimes I think the modern Stetsons just get dismissed for being more expensive; but, to be pedantic about it, there's a reason for that! An older version of the Fed IV page actually illustrates the point. Describing the difference with the deluxe model:

The leather sweat band is a higher quality leather, specially processed for these hats. It is softer and less prone to drying out and shrinkage compared to the regular Federation. It makes up a proportion of the price increase over the regular Fed.

The Deluxe undergoes further finishing over the normal Heritage range resulting in a much smoother finish than the previous model.

So when we work backwards from that, the standard Imperial grade receives less finishing, therefore is more coarse, and uses less expensive leather. I don't say this to bag on Akubra, they are great hats. I get why it makes sense for them to do it, as I said, most people won't notice the pounce job and aren't comparing their hats to vintage. But for me, Stetsons come off as nicer and more elegant than Akubras because of the above. At the same time, I don't expect everyone else to find the nominal difference between the finishes important enough to be a sticking point.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

It should be noted that the CD is an Open Road "clone," and it's best comparison is not the modern or vintage Strat.

A vintage OR with an open crown would likely be 5 1/2" x 2 3/4." Brim widths vary, of course, but the OR has a wider brim than the Strat. A CD, reportedly made on the same type of blocks as when Akubra made ORs, normally has a 2 7/8" brim width and at least a 5 1/2" open crown.

Vintage open crown Strats are normally 5 1/2" x 2 1/2" with a much deeper flange than the OR or CD.

These models have specific characteristics. block profiles, flange profiles, and specs. Just because you have a thin ribbon hat doesn't mean it's an OR or Strat clone.

End of rant.

I got a great 1940s Stratoliner from Eric’s in 7 ¾ that has a full 2 ¾” brim. I had decided Strats weren’t going to work for me as they have. 2 ½” brims but then Eric’s Strat came along.

 

[RBH]

I have posted this before from the 1954 edition of ADVERTISING: TEXT AND CASES by Neil H. Borden, M.B.A.

 

[PDXHAT]

Bashed Truman Style: Pinch and brim up.

 

[PDXHAT]

No argument from me that the Campdraft is the better choice if you intend on using it in any sort of rain.

But to play devil's advocate in the Campdraft thread, if you can find a premier (or Excellent) Stratoliner, I wouldn't be so quick to pass it over. Actually, if you find an Excellent Quality Strat you should just buy it. I'd take that over a CD any day of the week (notwithstanding as Fruno points out, they're really two different hats).

As far as the Royal Deluxe Premier version, I would say there are a couple of pros: the qualities of the felt, and the higher quality leather used for the sweatband. The RD felt feels a bit closer to vintage felt than the Imperial grade, both in terms of the stiffness/creaseability and the actual finish of the felt. The Stetson sweat bands are just better quality leather too. I'm also not particularly a fan of the plastic-y tip liners that Akubra uses. Although it's totally irrational to hold this against Akubra, the vintage hat fan in me associates the plastic tip liner with 60's hats and declining quality.

That being said, is the hand of the felt going to make a practical difference while it's on your head? No. Will 99.9% not be able to tell the difference in the felt finishes? Probably!

Admittedly, these are nitpicky things for the hat obsessive. Sometimes I think the modern Stetsons just get dismissed for being more expensive; but, to be pedantic about it, there's a reason for that! An older version of the Fed IV page actually illustrates the point. Describing the difference with the deluxe model:


So when we work backwards from that, the standard Imperial grade receives less finishing, therefore is more coarse, and uses less expensive leather. I don't say this to bag on Akubra, they are great hats. I get why it makes sense for them to do it, as I said, most people won't notice the pounce job and aren't comparing their hats to vintage. But for me, Stetsons come off as nicer and more elegant than Akubras because of the above. At the same time, I don't expect everyone else to find the nominal difference between the finishes important enough to be a sticking point.

I enjoy owning the modern re-issue open crown Strat, in silverbelly. It is a lovely hat. I would not venture out with it in an Oregon rain, I guess mainly because it can't be replaced--Stetson is not making them anymore, to my knowledge.

I could order up another Campdraft tomorrow.

But I get what you are saying. The leather sweat is nicer on the Stetson. I'm not entirely sure I agree that the felt is softer in the hand, but that may be subjective.

But there is no doubt it's a hat worth having, if you can find one.

 

[jlee562]

I enjoy owning the modern re-issue open crown Strat, in silverbelly. It is a lovely hat. I would not venture out with it in an Oregon rain, I guess mainly because it can't be replaced--Stetson is not making them anymore, to my knowledge.

I could order up another Campdraft tomorrow.

But I get what you are saying. The leather sweat is nicer on the Stetson. I'm not entirely sure I agree that the felt is softer in the hand, but that may be subjective.

But there is no doubt it's a hat worth having, if you can find one.

The other minor difference between the two felts that I forgot to mention is that there seems to be some amount of beaver fur in the Royal Deluxe mix. Stetson does not typically disclose what any particular blend is, but Stetson Japan has, at different times, listed the Premier Strat and Whippet as having 90/10 and 70/30 blends respectively. Not sure why there is a discrepancy, could be a running change to the felt, or a special run for Japan, or a mistranslation. So I can't conclusively prove it, but I think it's more probable than not the RD mix is 10% or more beaver.

 

[Snowman]

New BGGCD
Open crown

Dry bashed

and with a little steam

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

My new Camp Draft in black arrived recently. To be honest, I am not all that impressed. It is a very stiff hat - more like a bowler or a Stetson cowboy hat than the Akubra Camp Drafts that we had come to admire and expect in the past. Was hard to work and the brim was a bit smaller than the other 7 that I have dealt with.

On the other hand, it has very even and pleasant texture with no major issues as happened with my Moonstone CD which had awful pouncing gaps near the hat band and the brown CD which was 3 sizes too large and had to be returned to R M Williams for replacement.

After reshaping it, the hat is still very stiff, but looks okay.

Right from the box

Beside its older Moonstone sibling and still wet from reshaping

Close to completion. I touched up the top and sides a little later and it looks good.
Will try to get accustomed to this ridiculous stiffness.

Fed.

 

[Zombie_61]

My new Camp Draft in black arrived recently. To be honest, I am not all that impressed. It is a very stiff hat - more like a bowler or a Stetson cowboy hat than the Akubra Camp Drafts that we had come to admire and expect in the past. Was hard to work and the brim was a bit smaller than the other 7 that I have dealt with.

After reshaping it, the hat is still very stiff, but looks okay.


View attachment 506351

Fed.

When my Taupe Fawn Campdraft arrived I swear it was as stiff as all of my Akubra hats combined. It took four tries to get the crown to finally somewhat accept the shape I attempted to put into it, and for the first several times that I snapped the front of the brim down after a moment it snapped right back up. As a result, I didn't wear the hat much at first...well, for the first couple of years I owned it. Eventually I picked it up and began manipulating the felt on the crown, bending it this way and that way, crushing it down and pushing it back up again, snapping the brim up and down, all the while making sure I wasn't putting any sharp creases in the felt that would be difficult to work out. Eventually I had gently or not-so-gently bent every square inch of the crown, and that broke-up most of the stiffener and made the hat quite a lot easier to work with, so I shaped the crown and was surprised by how easily it now accepted it's new shape. For a while it became my favorite hat, and I'm still glad I didn't give up on it. Still...

...I clearly have a preference when it comes to shaping the crowns of my Campdrafts.

 

[Snowman]

My new Camp Draft in black arrived recently. To be honest, I am not all that impressed. It is a very stiff hat - more like a bowler or a Stetson cowboy hat than the Akubra Camp Drafts that we had come to admire and expect in the past. Was hard to work and the brim was a bit smaller than the other 7 that I have dealt with.

On the other hand, it has very even and pleasant texture with no major issues as happened with my Moonstone CD which had awful pouncing gaps near the hat band and the brown CD which was 3 sizes too large and had to be returned to R M Williams for replacement.

After reshaping it, the hat is still very stiff, but looks okay.

Mine was also crazy stiff when it arrived. I was able to dry bash it, but didn’t really like the shape. It took some steam pretty well, and is starting to soften up. I think it will be fine with some wear and some weather (which is why I wanted it) but definitely a big difference from previously worn vintage felts.

 

[BCTTU]

Dang it. Now that ya'll have convinced me to buy an Akubra CD, I can't find a Sand in my size anywhere. But, it did lead me to find a couple of cool straws on the David Morgan site.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Dang it. Now that ya'll have convinced me to buy an Akubra CD, I can't find a Sand in my size anywhere. But, it did lead me to find a couple of cool straws on the David Morgan site.

Did you check The Hattery (aka: Hats Direct), Everything Australian, and Hats by the Hundred?

Akubra is behind on production generally and they have dropped less popular models completely. The Campdraft has survived, but availability in all sizes and colors has been a bit of an issue. Some retailers allow you to get on a to-be-notified list when your exact hat returns to stock, and some allow you to place the order now with a delivery date months in the future when they anticipate having the hat. Sometimes the actual wait is much shorter than quoted and sometimes it’s longer.

 

[BlackSmp]

Did you check The Hattery (aka: Hats Direct), Everything Australian, and Hats by the Hundred?

Akubra is behind on production generally and they have dropped less popular models completely. The Campdraft has survived, but availability in all sizes and colors has been a bit of an issue. Some retailers allow you to get on a to-be-notified list when your exact hat returns to stock, and some allow you to place the order now with a delivery date months in the future when they anticipate having the hat. Sometimes the actual wait is much shorter than quoted and sometimes it’s longer.

How is the Covid situation in Australia? Has it stabilised or are they still having restrictions?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

How is the Covid situation in Australia? Has it stabilised or are they still having restrictions?

I don’t have an idea. I’ve been waiting on an Akubra Sombrero for over 1 ½ years with no idea when it will become available again.

 

[dmsantam]

How is the Covid situation in Australia? Has it stabilised or are they still having restrictions?

After being one of the most tyrannical places in the world during the pandemic, Australia has completely (quietly) turned 180 degrees and now is completely unrestricted except for some areas such as aged care and hospitals. There are no longer vaccine requirements for people entering Australia, no testing requirements, etc. I live in Sydney, we're completely back to normal and nobody cares about Covid anymore.