Akubra Overload

[theinterchange]

I'm not sure that I like the rolled brim on that overlander
At any rate, the barramundi band on the BP is a bit too shiny for me.
The LR also seems to have less taper in the crown than the BP.
...and let's face it, that opal stone is a really cool addition lol!

Oddly, the Heritage Fawn looks like a light grey on DM's photos...

I hear you.

I'm interested in the Overlander, but worry about looking like Little Joe from Bonanza

or Chester from Gunsmoke

in the hat. lol

The LR may just be what you're looking for, then.

Randy

 

[EggHead]

When I first measured my head, it measured to 60cm.
Then I tried Akubra and 59cm was good for me, other brands, sometimes a 58cm would be good.
Fortunately, I was able to try Akubra Sydney before I bought one. It still new and using one felt pad, I suppose that makes my head a 58 1/2.

Perhaps there is a little difference in sizes in different hats in the same brand. Going 1/2 size up would be fine with me.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

I hear you.

I'm interested in the Overlander, but worry about looking like Little Joe from Bonanza

It drives me crazy when Hollywood uses hats, boots, holsters, even guns all from the wrong time period in westerns. That hat that Little Joe wore would NEVER have been seen in the late 1800s. Same with Chester's. Those are pure 1920s and later western hat styles.

Heck, even the giant brimmed, ten-gallon hats that Gene Autry, Tom Mix and the rest wore are not at all from the REAL era of cowboys (1850 to 1900). They are all post 1900 era inventions.

 

[theinterchange]

It drives me crazy when Hollywood uses hats, boots, holsters, even guns all from the wrong time period in westerns. That hat that Little Joe wore would NEVER have been seen in the late 1800s. Same with Chester's. Those are pure 1920s and later western hat styles.

Heck, even the giant brimmed, ten-gallon hats that Gene Autry, Tom Mix and the rest wore are not at all from the REAL era of cowboys (1850 to 1900). They are all post 1900 era inventions.

:arated:

Agreed. But, sadly, that's what the public thinks of "the old west".

But my pet peeve in terms of "classic" western stars' wardrobes are those hideous sequined outfits. No cowboy could walk the streets of a REAL western town in them, they'd be dead before they could walk out a door. :rage:

Randy

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

But my pet peeve in terms of "classic" western stars' wardrobes are those hideous sequined outfits. No cowboy could walk the streets of a REAL western town in them, they'd be dead before they could walk out a door. :rage:

Randy

LOL, true, true. In fact, original cowboys wouldn't even wear jeans because jeans were farmer's or miner's or menial laborer's pants. Cowboys only wore wool pants (at least up until the turn of the century)!

I remember reading a story about Teddy Roosevelt going west after his wife died and was all dooded up in what easterners of the era thought westerners wore. The real cowboys out west thought he was a hilarious figure. But they came to respect him later due to his actions.

 

[Neophyte]

Having said that... I think for most, Akubra sizing is something that takes a bit of figuring out at first.

Randy

So true. I myself have five Akubra hats, and over the process of purchasing these (also my first 5 hats, ever), I've learned that I am a size 59, long oval.

Four rules I've developed for Akubra sizing:

1.) Accept that with factory hats, there will be some size inconsistencies, and therefore, have both a hat jack and some sizing foam at the ready.

2.) Account for the shape of the crown. Example: My size 60 Squatter gives me headaches, because its crown is much, much more round than my size 59 Camp Draft, which fits great. Not only does the circumference of your hat need to be the right size, but it also needs to be distributed along the correct shape .

3.) Account for shrinkage, and thus, have a hat jack at the ready.

4.) Do not, FOR ANY REASON, apply warm water or steam to the sweatband itself, and DO NOT leave your hat in the car while the sun is out !

So I have 5 hats, and only wear two of them. I'm okay with that, since I was buying online and I knew nothing about hats. I consider it an educational investment, especially since a trip across the country to DavidMorgan to try on some actual hats would probably have costed more than these hats combined lol.

 

[theinterchange]

So I have 5 hats, and only wear two of them. I'm okay with that, since I was buying online and I knew nothing about hats. I consider it an educational investment, especially since a trip across the country to DavidMorgan to try on some actual hats would probably have costed more than these hats combined lol.

Have you considered selling or trading the hats you don't wear? It could help you afford new, properly sized hats.

I know I'm the sort who, if it doesn't see regular wear, it's sold or traded for something that will be worn regularly. I'm a hat wearer, not particularly a collector per se. Matter of fact, I have a hat or two which need to be purged to make way for a few that I have in mind.

Randy

 

[Neophyte]

Have you considered selling or trading the hats you don't wear? It could help you afford new, properly sized hats.
Randy

I have put extremely tight creases in every hat up to the Bluegrass CD, and I've not the skill to get that out (I've tried steam, water, and brushing, and the "spoon" method that Woodfluter shared with me). The FedIV and Squatter have developed taper. The Squatter has a trimmed brim and possibly a few popped stitches, not to mention some bloodstains on the felt and liner (please don't ask lol).
I use the FedIV as a work hat around the house, and I honestly wouldn't feel right pushing the Squatter off on someone else without them seeing and feeling it in person. The Sydney I keep, because that hat is so soft and comfy I like to wear it around the house (though never outside), even though it looks ridiculous on me. The FedIV also has had its liner ripped out, which took a bit of fur felt with it (not the smartest thing I've ever done lol).

In short...no. It would take some effort to get these hats into a condition I'd be comfortable selling them in, some of which I'd probably have to pay someone to do. Not to mention the high shipping price (those Akubra boxes are pretty big), and I just wouldn't be making much of a profit.

They will remain in my closet, as examples of colors offered by Akubra, maybe as a bowl to water a pet, or as a reference when considering future purchases. In essence, they are physical research.

...Plus, I'm a hoarder lol!

 

[Rodkins]

I have put extremely tight creases in every hat up to the Bluegrass CD, and I've not the skill to get that out (I've tried steam, water, and brushing, and the "spoon" method that Woodfluter shared with me). The FedIV and Squatter have developed taper. The Squatter has a trimmed brim and possibly a few popped stitches, not to mention some bloodstains on the felt and liner (please don't ask lol).
I use the FedIV as a work hat around the house, and I honestly wouldn't feel right pushing the Squatter off on someone else without them seeing and feeling it in person. The Sydney I keep, because that hat is so soft and comfy I like to wear it around the house (though never outside), even though it looks ridiculous on me. The FedIV also has had its liner ripped out, which took a bit of fur felt with it (not the smartest thing I've ever done lol).

In short...no. It would take some effort to get these hats into a condition I'd be comfortable selling them in, some of which I'd probably have to pay someone to do. Not to mention the high shipping price (those Akubra boxes are pretty big), and I just wouldn't be making much of a profit.

They will remain in my closet, as examples of colors offered by Akubra, maybe as a bowl to water a pet, or as a reference when considering future purchases. In essence, they are physical research.

...Plus, I'm a hoarder lol!

Aren't you a 7 3/8 LO? I am in the market for a sydney

 

[Neophyte]

Aren't you a 7 3/8 LO? I am in the market for a sydney

The Sydney is in size 60, and the crown on the Sydney is one of the roundest I've ever seen. It almost looks like a regular circle.

 

[Rodkins]

The Sydney is in size 60, and the crown on the Sydney is one of the roundest I've ever seen. It almost looks like a regular circle.

10-4

 

[Jim2903]

Fed III

Just put a nice C-crown into my "new" Fed III bought used from eBay. Hope to post pix soon. It came with a front pinch and a center dent; kept the pinch but rounded the back and domed the center. Just used my fingers and some warm water.

This is my first "good" hat. Never understood what the big deal was with fur felt vs. wool felt until I got my Akubra. Makes my wool felt hats look like they're made of lint

 

[theinterchange]

Just put a nice C-crown into my "new" Fed III bought used from eBay. Hope to post pix soon. It came with a front pinch and a center dent; kept the pinch but rounded the back and domed the center. Just used my fingers and some warm water.

This is my first "good" hat. Never understood what the big deal was with fur felt vs. wool felt until I got my Akubra. Makes my wool felt hats look like they're made of lint

I think I can say this without fear of being wrong...

That Federation was brown and styled like an Indiana Jones hat when you received it.

Randy

 

[Neophyte]

Just put a nice C-crown into my "new" Fed III bought used from eBay. Hope to post pix soon. It came with a front pinch and a center dent; kept the pinch but rounded the back and domed the center. Just used my fingers and some warm water.

This is my first "good" hat. Never understood what the big deal was with fur felt vs. wool felt until I got my Akubra. Makes my wool felt hats look like they're made of lint

Nice catch! Can't wait to see it :eusa_clap .

 

[Jim2903]

I think I can say this without fear of being wrong...

That Federation was brown and styled like an Indiana Jones hat when you received it.

Randy

Yes, indeed. And the seller shipped it in a box that was too narrow, so the hat arrived with the brim turned up on the sides like a cowboy hat. Luckily I was able to reshape pretty easily to my preferred snap brim.

 

[theinterchange]

Yes, indeed. And the seller shipped it in a box that was too narrow, so the hat arrived with the brim turned up on the sides like a cowboy hat. Luckily I was able to reshape pretty easily to my preferred snap brim.

Ouch!

I've had hats shipped to me in some pretty wonky boxes, so I know what you mean. At least Akubras can take the punishment, and if anything be softer and more "characterized" once you give them a reshape.

Congratulations, you've got a fine hat.

Randy

P.S can't wait to see any pics you may post of it.

 

[The Good]

I hear you.

I'm interested in the Overlander, but worry about looking like Little Joe from Bonanza

or Chester from Gunsmoke

in the hat. lol

The LR may just be what you're looking for, then.

Randy

You know, I have always found the hats sported in those old western TV shows (Rawhide, Gunsmoke, etc) to be similar to some of the current production Akubras. I wonder which Akubra hat is most similar to this?

It's Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Yates character from Rawhide. I could do without the chinstrap, but I wouldn't mind owning one of these types of western hats someday for my trips to the interior of southern and central California, and the Southwest as a whole. Not sure if I'll wear this type of hat too often around the heavily urban, coastal regions though, that's where I feel a fedora fits in more, but it would make a great hiking hat as well.

 

[fenris]

I was at my daughter's school yesterday for a family-oriented activity and was getting kinda bored while waiting for the program to begin so I snapped a few pics of my Fed IV.

It's hard to get the color right when shooting indoors. You'll notice on the 3rd pic that it looks kinda greenish. In other shots, the hat's color seems to take on a very drab brownish-greenish-tan...

I had to play with the camera's settings to compensate for the weird effects of the indoor lights on the shots. It took awhile to get the settings right.

 

[Jim2903]

Fed III photos

As promised ...

 

[theinterchange]

Looks GREAT on you!

I like what you've done to the crown. Nice looking hat! :eusa_clap It's interesting how much straighter the sides are on this III vs. the IV's you typically see.

Thanks for sharing with us, and welcome to the Akubra owners family. [now leave your wallet at the door, whenever you want a hat, the valet will remove the appropriate funds... it's less painful and easier that way]

Randy