Akubra Overload

[Landman]

So we've got Akubras that run too big, and others that run too small. That's just like every other hat company (Borsalino is egregiously so). All individual hats in a production line probably have a "true size" distribution bell curve. It would probably be just too expensive to manufacture very exact hat sizes.

I was told by Hatsdirect it had to do with the old hat blocks they use to make each model. The Fed IV hat blocks tend to run smaller than the Campdraft hat blocks. That is why I wear a 59 in a Campdraft and a 60 in a Fed IV. I don't know about the other models Akubra makes.

 

[Duper]

I have four Camp Drafts all in size 58. They all started off feeling very large. Now 3 of them have a small amount of padding behind the sweat and one does not. I much prefer a bit of padding to any stretching.
I have two Fed IVs also in 58 which also arrived feeling huge and now neither has anything behind the sweat. One feels slightly sniugger than the other.
My Akubra Traveller and my Akubra Casual both in a 58 arrived fitting perfectly right out of the box, but they both have a cloth sweatband rather than the leather.
My Akubra Capricorn was ordered as a 57 and again fit perfectly out of the box. It has what I think is a "pleather" sweat.

Sizing seems to be an art rather than a science.

 

[The Good]

So, I'm deciding to get a tawny fawn Federation IV. It'll be a size 60 instead of the 59 I got with the dark brown one, as that hat feels a bit tight. I also have the Akubra Snowy River in size 60, and it feels right now that it shrank down, maybe still a little bit more shrinking to go before it goes down to the true size.

I might crease my hat very similar to the tan (lait au chocolat) one on this website:

http://www.baronhats.com/New_wave.htm

 

[gtdean48]

Replacement for an Akubra Cattleman...

New Bushman from David Morgan with chin strap & leather hatband mods...

 

[Landman]

Nice looking hat Tom. Personally I like the Bushman better than the Cattleman.

 

[Duper]

Very nice Mr Dean.. Love the colour of that leather band.

 

[B.J. Hedberg]

Thought I’d throw in a pic of the refurbished Federation, now with a 2 1/8” brim.

 

[Rogera]

If this works here is my first pic post and my first Campdraft. I love this thing!

 

[Duper]

Nice snap Rogera. You captured the colours well in both shade an sun. What's not to love eh?!

 

[Benzadmiral]

Thought I’d throw in a pic of the refurbished Federation, now with a 2 1/8” brim.

I like that one. Is that the black, or the Carbon Grey? I've been thinking about doing a black up like that.

My Moonstone model came back from its brim-trim at Henry the Hatter looking much like yours. At first I hated it -- I'd ordered them to trim it to 2.5", and they got carried away. But then I began to enjoy it.

 

[Rogera]

Nice snap Rogera. You captured the colours well in both shade an sun. What's not to love eh?!

No kidding! What an awesome and enduring design!

 

[DougC]

Just received a Fed IV in brown that I picked up from a COW member. Great hat...nice and soft!

 

[B.J. Hedberg]

I like that one. Is that the black, or the Carbon Grey? I've been thinking about doing a black up like that.

My Moonstone model came back from its brim-trim at Henry the Hatter looking much like yours. At first I hated it -- I'd ordered them to trim it to 2.5", and they got carried away. But then I began to enjoy it.

That's the black one. Thought about a carbon grey, but I'm glad I went with black, it's really the most versitile formal hat I've got, you can do a lot with it.

It's almost hard for me to believe all my hats were 2.5" at one time. That size just seems so huge on me now!

 

[B.J. Hedberg]

Having too much fun tonight with the once again reworked Campdraft. It’s become nice and soft. Not sure about the Hollywood look though; don’t think George approves.

 

[Brian Niebuhr]

I got my Akubra Silver Spur and Boss of the Plains in the mail today. Ordered them about 3 months ago. One in sorrel tan and one in sandtone fawn. I can't even remember which is which. They look the same to me. Ha. They almost seem like the same hat. Thr BOTP has more of a flanged brim and the crown seems just a tad taller. The crowns on these hats are very smooth and soft. The brims not so much but still not super stiff. I think they'll soften right up. I'm gonna try and figure out how to post pics tomorrow. Before and after bashes. Bashes might take a while. I don't like changing them too much so I gotta be sure what I want before I start.

 

[Rogera]

Having too much fun tonight with the once again reworked Campdraft. It’s become nice and soft. Not sure about the Hollywood look though; don’t think George approves.

Thats a great shot! That expression on George's face is great!

 

[danofarlington]

I think George was a thin ribbon guy.

 

[johnnycanuck]

You know you have a problem when you can flip threw the Akubra section of http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/ and say "got it, got it, don't got it, want it, don't got it, got it" These are hats, not hockey cards!
Johnny

 

[Orangegrad]

Banjo Paterson

This thread hasn't seen much activity recently. Thought I'd post a photo of my relatively new Banjo Paterson.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Akubra Capricorn (hemp)

I dunno if this thread is only for the felt Akubras; if so, feel free to move it.

I've plunged into the shark-filled waters of Australia again: Yesterday I ordered an Akubra Capricorn in hemp instead of the polystraw. Trudi wrote, "Capricorn in natural Hemp is a great hat to wear with many outfits...Lighter in weight and feel than the polystraw version. Not as stiff. Yes Hayman is very similar. (Too similar really!) All other Akubras besides the Federations measure true to size and there will still be a little shrinkage in that leather sweatband you have to allow for."

Because I asked, they're throwing in some extras: "The hat actually comes with a chocolate brown ribbon as standard, but occasionally they have a lighter brown stripe - which I found for you. I have also thrown in a brilliantly colourfull pugaree as an option!!"

Five to nine business days, she says. I can't wait!

http://hatsdirect.com/cgi-bin/products.cgi?view=71&returncat=Straw+Hats&returnpage=0