Akubra Overload

[RJR]

I wear my cattleman in fawn while mowing lawns in 27 degree temperatures and it seems fine.
Akubra picture time
Here I am in my Coolabah finding what may be the last pay phone booth in Canada

 

[Eliesti]

Check out the Stylemaster in bluegrass green.



I've been eyeing a sand Cattleman for a while. How's it do in ridiculously hot weather like we've been having recently?

I have the Cattleman in Bran. I live in Houston and it is one of my go-to hats for the heat (the other one being my hemp Balmoral). The brim is quite large if you are not used to wearing hats but it grew on me (see what I did there?).


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[Obsessed]

I have the Cattleman in Bran. I live in Houston and it is one of my go-to hats for the heat (the other one being my hemp Balmoral). The brim is quite large if you are not used to wearing hats but it grew on me (see what I did there?).

I sure do!

Bran's a nice color. Seems like they have quite a few hats in bran all of a sudden.

 

[FedOregon]

No picture yet, but my Akubra Coober Pedy came yesterday. I ordered it in Sand, and thought it might be a little closer to white but do like it as is, which is a light tan color. Other than my Panama hat, the CP is the lightest colored hat I now own.

Impressions: I guess I was expecting a little more in the way of "heft," I guess, to the felt. I have a factory made Penman "Everyman" Indy hat that is advertised as an 80/20 blend of rabbit/beaver. I was expecting something along those lines in this outdoor/adventure hat. It is not that, but a lighter, thinner felt and the pouncing is not as fine but has a ribbon sewn on the brim that finishes the hat nicely.

Past that, I do think it's a very nice hat, especially at $118 USD delivered direct from Oz.

I seem to have a hard time getting an off-the-shelf hat to fit me right. John Penman measured me for one of his handmade hats at 23-3/8". According to online sizing charts, that should be 59cm or US size 7-3/8. Now, the with Everyman from John we had to go to the 60cm and it fits great.

I bought a Large Stetson wool hat, a western called Mountain Sky and it was too small. I ordered a 7-1/2 Justin western hat and it was quite a bit too big. I grabbed a used Stetson fur felt fedora off ebay in size 7-3/8 and it fits ok, but I'll look for 7-1/2 for those in the future. The Coober Pedy I ordered is a 60cm and it's just a little bit tighter than I like, but I'll keep it.

If/when I order another Akubra it'll be a 61cm. I do like the Banjo Paterson. I also like the Angler, but after receiving the Cobber Pedy I believe it can do double duty as an about town hat and a fishing hat on spring/summer/fall days.

Overall, it's a very good hat and I'm happy with the purchase. I'll buy another Akubra, but will try a 61cm next time. I'll try and get pictures later.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Wow thats like 2 sizes up correct? I think most of us here only order one size up.

 

[FedOregon]

I like to wear my hats low, almost on my eyebrows... maybe that makes up the difference? I wear the CP as low as the crown allows. I like the brim to shade me from the sun... sensitive eyes, even with shades.

It's the difference in sizing between makers that gets to me. I'm saving for a couple handmade hats.

 

[FedOregon]

Here's the Coober Pedy:

 

[Zombie_61]

...It's the difference in sizing between makers that gets to me...

Hat sizing really appears to be more "art" than "science", even with the same manufacturer. I have six Akubra hats--three Campdrafts and three Fed IVs. They're all size 60. The Campdrafts all fit the same, and the Fed IVs all fit the same, but the Campdrafts were about 1/2 size smaller than the Feds until I stretched them out with my hat jack. It's the nature of the beast, I suppose.

 

[FedOregon]

I was looking at the CP again last night, put it on and tilted my head back to see... yep, a bit of room on the sides and tight front to back. My head is a bit more oval than the hat. Custom can get you away from that, otherwise... I still like my Coober pedy.

 

[Motorcyclist]

I have many many Akubras and all are size 60. More than one Coober Pedy and one of those has always felt a bit smaller than all the rest. Nothing a hat stretcher didn't resolve for me but there will always be little differences.

 

[Obsessed]

I was looking at the CP again last night, put it on and tilted my head back to see... yep, a bit of room on the sides and tight front to back. My head is a bit more oval than the hat. Custom can get you away from that, otherwise... I still like my Coober pedy.

Maybe this will help:

 

[FedOregon]

That's great, thanks!

 

[Chamuco]

Sorry to tell bad news, Akubra just discontinued the Safari hat, a shame I really liked that shape

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[Duper]

Something new and the tempest colour looks interesting. I like those packable/crushable hats. Many more colour options as well. I would probably trim the brim down to around 70mm.

http://www.akubra.com.au/shop-product/new-releases/avalon---tempest

,,,Mike in Canada

 

[Mm25]

Wore my sombrero to work today. A guy I work with who wears western hats came up and liked it and asked what it cost. I asked what he thought it would cost and he guessed between $350-$400 as a custom hat.

I just smiled. Guess my "custom" crease is worth a couple hundred bucks.

 

[GLB Pro]

A couple of pictures of my 17 year-old Akubra Cattleman. Apart from the front of the crease this hat shows almost no wear - a testimony to how well they were and are made.

Back when it was new, in them bad old days

 

[GLB Pro]

Has anybody else ordered through Australian Gear before?

I've placed four orders with them this year - every single one was fulfilled perfectly: no delay, items all correct and all packed and shipped very nicely. They really use common sense when packing - for example on my most recent order I ordered a hat jack as well as a Stylemaster: the hat jack was wrapped, fully collapsed and placed inside the hat, the hat was then braced on the outside with an additional cardboard tube in addition to the standard Akubra packaging to prevent the box collapsing. Additional packing was then placed on top of the jack to stop it coming loose and bouncing around inside the box.

They also have very good customer service - I recently returned my Akubra Zephyr and they gave me a refund no questions asked in line with their 60-day return policy. Jess and Chelsea in the customer service department also do a very good job of answering emails and are very knowledgeable - for example they can tell you exactly what material flatcaps are made from (even variations between different colours!) and also assist with sizing and colour choice. I asked Jess what colour regency fawn was and she described it as a mix of brown and grey which was quite spot on.

Hats by the Hundred/Australian Gear can also do some limited customisation of their Akubras - for example they can swap a leather band to a fabric puggaree. Ask and ye shall receive!

Bruno

 

[FedOregon]

No pictures coming up on my end...

 

[Sonero]

Well I totally binged on a few Akubra hats. I can safely say that I know what the company is about more or less. Between Hamptons Campdrafts and Fed IV's......

Today I received The Hampton. The pictures online make it look like a tiny trilby shaped hat. I was pleasantly surprised to open up the box and find a respectable sized brim on this baby. Somewhere between not too short and not to wide...just nice. Lucky for me since I have it coming in fern green and beaver brown. I will get TONS of use out of this model since it looks good with the brim UP all the way around.

The Fed IV. Well these will take getting used to. Somewhat cartoonish in brim width and crown height.....if you aren't careful with the bash you put in it. I purchased it in 3 colors. I could pass as an orthodox jew in black , a Raiders of The Lost Ark wannabe in brown and a Godfather fanatic in carbon grey. They come with an open crown which is WORK. The front of the hat brim is very important IMO with this model. Too far down and you look cowboy but it doesn't want to stay flat with just a hint of downward slope which is what I want...Pffft. Each of the Fed IV's that I purchased have a different character. The bash I did for one will not work exclusively for all of them. You need to find what works with each individual one. I also notice some inconsistencies. Not too much but I can attest that not all Feds ( at least that I have ) are 100% uniform in shape and brim size. It's fine though. I have found my starting point with each one. Now it is a question of what brand of beer I will drink while fiddling with them during the wee hours of the morning.

By the way I had The Hattery throw in a suede outback type hat for $35....NO. I will give it as a gift to an unsuspecting hippie

Eventually I will post pics once I play around with them a little more.

Great customer service by The Hattery.com

 

[johnnycanuck]

What is happening to you has happened to most. In time the federation will not look too large at all. In fact it will start looking small and you will be looking at hats with larger proportions. I started with a blues brothers styled trilby in grey. When I got my Federation I thought it was massive. Then I got a snowy river, then a Coolabah, then a cattleman. Largest hat I have is a 80's Stetson that looks like something Tom Selleck would wear.
Enjoy your hats and wear them in good health.
Johnny