Akubra Overload

[deanzat]

Me and Banjo

New guy here. Just thought I'd show my Banjo Paterson. I've been shopping for new hats, but every time my wife or daughter see me looking at the hats direct or everything australian or noggintops web sites, they point to the Banjo and say, "You should get this one." Even though it' usually already sitting on my head. Makes me wary of buying hats online...

 

[Benny Holiday]

What I have discussed with Ron at HatsDirect is a Campdraft in Green and one in Grey. I'd say a Mid Grey and Bluegrass Green but who knows what may come to fruition. If all else fails, just request Grey and Green.

Now, if we could hope to get what we really want, I'd be asking for Mid Blue/Grey, Mid Grey, Sage Green, Bluegrass Green, and Loden Brown but that would just unduly complicate things. Let's not agonize over this too much, just make the requests. Let's see how Akubra responds.

Why not add a POLL to this thread and see what results?

BTW, Akubra still has this Campdraft description posted on their official website:
Campdraft Imperial Quality
Colours: Silver Belly, Taupe Fawn, Mid Brown, Black, Bluegrass Green
Description: A country style open crowned hat which allows for individual styling.

Friends, a little note of explanation just so you don't get your hopes up or anything (as if we ever really do, having been disppointed with our hat wish lists all too many times in this day and age, I fear):

Akubra is an Australian company, and while I love my country with all my heart, my fellow countrymen, for the most part, simply revel in mediocrity and apathy. The country folk wear them as a utilitarian need, but I can't imagine that Akubra actually sell every many stylish dress hats at all. In fact, I'm surprised they still bother to make hats like the Stylemaster or the CEO.

I live in the largest city in Australia, and I'm lucky to see another 10 dress hats on men's heads per year. Akubra thus make only the most basic hat colours. I'd love to see a great range of colour in the felts they produce, but realism tells me I'm lucky to be able to get black, one shade of brown and one of grey, let alone bluegrass green!

I don't know how much impact overseas sales are making on Akubra's scales of economy. Maybe a huge demand for a particular colour might influence them, I don't know; but knowing the Australian "she'll be right mate" mentality, I can't see it ever really happening.

 

[BobC]

New guy here. Just thought I'd show my Banjo Paterson. I've been shopping for new hats, but every time my wife or daughter see me looking at the hats direct or everything australian or noggintops web sites, they point to the Banjo and say, "You should get this one." Even though it' usually already sitting on my head. Makes me wary of buying hats online...

I like that Banjo, Deanzat. I've got one in the mail myself. I hoped it might be here today, but it's not.

Welcome to the lounge.

 

[rrog]

Welcome to the lounge deanzat. And yes, that's a nice lid.

rrog

 

[Colby Jack]

Welcome to the lounge Deanzat!...That Banjo looks great!
Benny...it's to bad that apathy is all around us...when a company hears what's wanted, and they hem and haw about making what people ask for...they lose along with the consumer...for some reason this is everywhere lately...

 

[carter]

Campdraft news from HatsDirect

This from Ron at HatsDirect on Thesday:

"We have enough demand to have a special run made in a grey - we have yet to get confirmation of this as we need to have ribbon and trolleys to match and available. I expect to hear in the next few days. To have a special color made we need to order serious numbers across a good size range, our experience has been while there can seem to be good demand via chat on web sites this usually does not translate to firm orders.
We are confident that both our local clients and web clients will take up the grey so will proceed if we can."

Let's not be apathetic about making those requests. At least one retailer in OZ seems to be responding to our requests. Let's give them some support.

Ron also ststes that the Campdraft in Mid Brown will be available after Christmas.

 

[BobC]

This from Ron at HatsDirect on Thesday:

"We have enough demand to have a special run made in a grey - we have yet to get confirmation of this as we need to have ribbon and trolleys to match and available. I expect to hear in the next few days. To have a special color made we need to order serious numbers across a good size range, our experience has been while there can seem to be good demand via chat on web sites this usually does not translate to firm orders.
We are confident that both our local clients and web clients will take up the grey so will proceed if we can."

Let's not be apathetic about making those requests. At least one retailer in OZ seems to be responding to our requests. Let's give them some support.

Ron also ststes that the Campdraft in Mid Brown will be available after Christmas.

As soon as I read carter's post I emailed Ron at Hatsdirect to ask him to include me for a gray campdraft should they materialize. That would be a very cool hat.

 

[gtdean48]

As soon as I read carter's post I emailed Ron at Hatsdirect to ask him to include me for a gray campdraft should they materialize. That would be a very cool hat.

Me. too for a size 61... gtd

 

[carter]

gtd & Bob, Thanks for supporting the Campdraft in Grey.

Do we have other folks who have placed orders with HatsDirect?

Who's committed? Who's on the fence?

 

[gtdean48]

My pleasure Carter. BTW I went and ordered one in Mid-Brown from EA. Hard to pass up such a good hat for under $72 shipped. Wish HatsDirect had a cheaper shipping rate... gtd

 

[BobC]

It'll be my pleasure too, carter, if a gray one shows up at my door. Did anyone happen to mention which gray they might consider. I'm in for any gray, but moonstone or lighter would be very cool with me.

 

[deanzat]

You got me

Okay, I just ordered a campdraft. When it gets here, can I depend on you guys for shaping tutorials?

Thanks, Z

 

[RBH]

Okay, I just ordered a campdraft. When it gets here, can I depend on you guys for shaping tutorials?

Thanks, Z

Friend.. those Campdrafts damn near shape themselves!
You will not regret it!

 

[carter]

Adventurer & Bushman Pictures?

... I discovered that I lived less than 8 miles from the David Morgan showroom...
Well, just inside the door are some factory seconds at $50 ea., and I picked up a dark brown Adventurer from that pile. I steamed a nice little teardrop into the crown when I got home and am glad I got such a nice and unique-looking hat for such a nice price. There was nothing about this one to indicate why it was a second. (I'll post pics of my new hats soon.)...
But the thing that's been haunting me is that they also had a Bushman in my size in the same pile ($50). I've toyed with the idea of getting a Campdraft, but I'm tempted to satisfy that thin ribbon urge with this Bushman at the near-giveaway price. The exclusive Nullarbor Tan color is gorgeous. There are a couple of participants at the Lounge here who swear by the DM Bushman's ability to withstand the most heinous weather. The DM even comes equipped with chinstrap hooks.
Like the Campdraft, the Bushman is open crown, thin ribbon, of a fairly light, neutral color. The crown is 5.5" unbashed. The brim is bigger, however, at 3.25" instead of the Campdraft's 2-3/4". ...

JohnnyB53, Please don't forget to post picturers of your Akubra Adventurer. I'd like to see one as the pictures on the DM website look very good. Also, did you get the Bushman? .

 

[Viper Man]

gtd & Bob, Thanks for supporting the Campdraft in Grey.

Do we have other folks who have placed orders with HatsDirect?

Who's committed? Who's on the fence?

Carter, if you're looking for interest, I'd order a Campdraft in grey. I'm definitely committed or at least I should be committed!

Just picked up a Federation IV from Hatsdirect and love it. I was also very pleased with their service and wouldn't hesitate to do business with them again.

I'll e-mail Ron with my sentiments.

 

[BobC]

I just received an answer to my e-mail from Ron Lilburne at Hatsdirect. He said Hatsdirect is waiting to hear from Akubra regarding their request for a special run of MID-GRAY Campdrafts. He said Akubra's response would be dependent on whether they have suitable trim and wind trolleys. I responded to suggest that no one is likely to be offended if the wind trolley is omitted entirely.

 

[JohnnyB53]

I just received an answer to my e-mail from Ron Lilburne at Hatsdirect. He said Hatsdirect is waiting to hear from Akubra regarding their request for a special run of MID-GRAY Campdrafts. He said Akubra's response would be dependent on whether they have suitable trim and wind trolleys. I responded to suggest that no one is likely to be offended if the wind trolley is omitted entirely.

Akubra makes the Fedora model with a wind trolley in carbon grey; that would probably coordinate adequately with their mid-grey, which is pretty dark too.

 

[JohnnyB53]

JohnnyB53, Please don't forget to post picturers of your Akubra Adventurer. I'd like to see one as the pictures on the DM website look very good. Also, did you get the Bushman? .

It turns out the reason my Adventurer was on the "reject pile" was not because there was a manufacturing defect; it's because it was a manufacturer's interim sample that had features that were changed before DM's Adventurer went into production. In this case, it appears that the crown was shorter and more tapered than the final product.

By the same token, the Bushman they have in my size is also a sample and was set aside because it's not quite the shade and tone that became DM's proprietary "Nullarbor Tan" color. It's still a nice-looking color, though. I returned to DM to check the hat out again and for the time being decided to pass. There's nothing wrong with the hat; it's just that it may be too much hat for me. It is quite substantial. It has the scale to be bashed and shaped into a ranger hat or a Southwestern cowboy hat, and--if bashed into a fedora--makes for one big fedora! OTOH, I do have a couple pairs of low-heeled roper style cowboy boots, and maybe this hat in a Western curl or cattleman's crease might be just the thing.

 

[UWS Cowboy]

Here's my month old Federation after a good New York downpour.

Great hat, getting softer and more comfortable every day. Only quibble is the fact that it's not as tall as it's supposed to be.

 

[RobFedoraField]

crown height

...Only quibble is the fact that it's not as tall as it's supposed to be...

That's alright, I think I'd look better in my Fed IV if the crown was about 1/2" shorter that it is.