Akubra Overload

[NewJack]

How snug is it? My experience has been that if a hat's a little snug and I can't stretch it into shape, I'll eventually stop wearing it. The hats I wear all the time are barely noticeable while I'm wearing them.

I hear ya. But not snug enough to let it go. Or sell. Or return. Indeed. A size adjustment has been done. The hats I wear are mostly never noticeable (as far as snugness) when I wear them. The piont made was the same company (Akubra) with different 'styles' of hats being the same size with different fit.

 

[tropicalbob]

I hear ya. But not snug enough to let it go. Or sell. Or return. Indeed. A size adjustment has been done. The hats I wear are mostly never noticeable (as far as snugness) when I wear them. The piont made was the same company (Akubra) with different 'styles' of hats being the same size with different fit.

Yeah, it is odd. The amount of stiffener (starch, I think) also seems to vary from one run to the next. What the hell, though: nobody else on the planet makes such a decent hat at their price points.

 

[1961MJS]

A black Bushman is not the black Campdraft that so many of us have been pining for, but I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on it. I once considered a Premier Strat in black, but I doubt that it would endure my region's standard precipitation. And that extra nudge of brim in the Bushman serves me well.

Heck, I bought a Charcoal grey hat from Tumwater Hats because I was traveling to Mulkitilo a lot, put a nice medium blue ribbon it and it's my rain hat. I don't know what he charges now, but it is 100% beaver and still looks great.
Later

 

[Blackthorn]

I just got an Akubra Drover on ebay. I've never heard of this model before but I like it.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Akubra Squatter Featherweight:

Specs:

3" x 2-7/8" Dimensional Brim
5-1/2" Crown (open)
1-1/8" Ribbon
1/4" Binding (symmetric)
122g Weight
​

A somewhat less common model being the unlined, Superfine Quality Australian version. I think the color may be bluegrass green, though some other threads mention it being offered in willow green at one time. I haven't been able to find a good picture to compare as many of the old links are broken. Should make for a good foul weather hat.

 

[Boomerang]

Thanks for posting that! It sure looks like a nice hat. I'm waiting for the standard Squatter to come back in-stock in my size. Seems like a hat for me.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Akubra Squatter Featherweight:
View attachment 244020 View attachment 244021 View attachment 244022
Specs:

3" x 2-7/8" Dimensional Brim
5-1/2" Crown (open)
1-1/8" Ribbon
1/4" Binding (symmetric)
122g Weight
​

A somewhat less common model being the unlined, Superfine Quality Australian version. I think the color may be bluegrass green, though some other threads mention it being offered in willow green at one time. I haven't been able to find a good picture to compare as many of the old links are broken. Should make for a good foul weather hat.

Nice and unusual Akubra. I have a hat in the color Winchester calls willow and it’s nothing at all like yours.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Thanks for posting that! It sure looks like a nice hat. I'm waiting for the standard Squatter to come back in-stock in my size. Seems like a hat for me.

Thank you. I've only worn it a few times but the 3" brim does a good job blocking the rain. I had been looking for an Akubra to use as a rain hat and this one seemed to fit the bill.

Nice and unusual Akubra. I have a hat in the color Winchester calls willow and it’s nothing at all like yours.

I only have two Akubras and both are shades of green and relatively uncommon models, this Squatter Featherweight and a Cockatoo 1035. I'll probably try to snag a Campdraft at some point.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Love the ribbon colour against the hat. Is it brown or more burgundy?
Johnny

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Love the ribbon colour against the hat. Is it brown or more burgundy?
Johnny

Thanks, Johnny, though to my eyes and screen it's black.

(It has been a while since my last eye exam.)

 

[johnnycanuck]

Damn. I was just looking at Akubras web page and I couldn’t see the Squatter anymore. Is that one going out of favour as well? I still see it on Hatsdirect and EA has it as a special order. Is this now a custom Hat?
Johnny

 

[Zombie_61]

^ Anything's possible, but I thought the Squatter was one of those "staple" styles at Akubra. It's just a guess, but I think it's more likely they've just run low on stock because of the worldwide Coronavirus precautions and workforce reductions.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I know that One 2 Mini Ranch is having trouble getting any Akubras in. This pandemic has thrown a wrench into lots of works.

 

[johnnycanuck]

^ Anything's possible, but I thought the Squatter was one of those "staple" styles at Akubra. It's just a guess, but I think it's more likely they've just run low on stock because of the worldwide Coronavirus precautions and workforce reductions.

Maybe. I just know looking at Instagram under #akubra and #akubraofficial there is a lot more western outback styles featured then fedora/city hats.
Johnny

 

[Zombie_61]

Maybe. I just know looking at Instagram under #akubra and #akubraofficial there is a lot more western outback styles featured then fedora/city hats.
Johnny

Well, those are Akubra's "bread and butter"; hats for people who work outdoors in all kinds of weather conditions. Assuming they've had to adjust their manufacturing like most companies have, it makes sense that they would focus on the styles that are highest in demand and that make the money for them; the styles that we North Americans and Europeans like rarely break the top 10 on Akubra's "best sellers" lists. The Squatter might be another casualty of the current pandemic, but we probably won't know until that subsides and everything returns to "normal".

 

[Boomerang]

... The Squatter might be another casualty of the current pandemic, but we probably won't know until that subsides and everything returns to "normal".

On June 11, 2020 I sent an inquiry to The Hattery in regard to the status of the Squatter. Trudi got right back to me with this...

"Please don’t order the Squatter yet as it has not been included on the list of hats that Akubra are starting to re make. I have put a note on our Squatter page to notify you as soon as they start making it again."

That's not much, but it sounds as if your suspicions may be correct. When I get news I'll drop a post into this thread.

 

[tsores]

It is the middle of summer so, naturally, I am thinking about getting a new felt fedora for winter. The Akubra Bushman (first) or Camp Draft (second) are in my sights. Before I place that order I have some questions:

1. I am a size 59 LO. How will this work for a long oval? Is there a reed in either/both of these products? If so, should I expect to be removing it? I have a hat stretcher that worked well on my Akubra Angler. If the reed is removed, how does that impact how the hat fits and holds its shape?

2. How flexible is the brim? I prefer just a little curl in the brim. Will I be able to flatten the brim without destroying felt?

If this should be posted under another thread please let me know and I will be happy to do so.

 

[belfastboy]

I know that One 2 Mini Ranch is having trouble getting any Akubras in. This pandemic has thrown a wrench into lots of works.

A few months ago that I ordered felts from Aus. There were two ways of getting them here...1 very expensive courier or true snail mail via boat taking upwards of 3 months. Postal service by air was not an option.

 

[Boomerang]

How flexible is the brim? I prefer just a little curl in the brim. Will I be able to flatten the brim without destroying felt?

I have shaped the brim of two Bushman hats and a few Camp Drafts, using distilled water from a spray-bottle. In most cases I was pulling the front of the brim down just a bit more than the flange offered in the snapped-down position. But for one Bushman I also needed to work some serious wonk out of the brim-break in the 7:00 position (behind the left ear).

My experience was similar with both hats: once the brim was wet it pretty much did as I asked. I had no problems and certainly no damage to the brim. The brims on both hats are bound, which might affect extreme flattening of the brim, as you could be forcing the binding fabric to stretch, but I'm speculating. More experienced voices may chime-in.

 

[tropicalbob]

On June 11, 2020 I sent an inquiry to The Hattery in regard to the status of the Squatter. Trudi got right back to me with this...

"Please don’t order the Squatter yet as it has not been included on the list of hats that Akubra are starting to re make. I have put a note on our Squatter page to notify you as soon as they start making it again."

That's not much, but it sounds as if your suspicions may be correct. When I get news I'll drop a post into this thread.

That's what I call customer service.