Akubra Overload

[Bird's One View]

I wonder how much of the difference between the Fed IV Deluxe and Standard is the sweatband, and how much is the felt.

 

[High Pockets]

After literally spending the entire day reading this thread and all others relating to the Federation IV I think I've fallen in love with the hat.

Somewhere around page 35 of this particular thread I couldn't stand it anymore and ordered a Moonstone Fed IV.

I congratulate you all for driving me completely crazy.

Thank you.

 

[Chinaski]

Way to jump in, High Pockets! That's the Lounger spirit!!

 

[Chinaski]

Spend a little time on the river, myself:

And also, Doublegun, great picture! That's the way to use a hat...

 

[Doublegun]

Thanks, Chinaski. I hope it develops lots of character as it travels through field and stream with me.

 

[Akubra]

Try and avoid this happening to you...

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/r...1627596122f762628e38c6d8e&sid=8AZNXDhq3atFGXQ

That's me wearing my snowy river after getting caught in a strainer on a snowy river!! April in Northern Maine is no time for a swim!!

 

[elvisroe]

tough enough!

Just sent the money for a squatter, fawn. Pictures as soon as it arrives! I lost my wilderness trekking hat to the Chattooga river. The squatter, chin strap attached will be my new hiking/camping/river running hat. That is unless some of you folk differ. What's the consensus on how tough the squatter is?

I bought this squatter back in 1991 and have done some pretty hard yards in it! It no longer has a band and is wearing through at the crease but it's still the lightest most comfortable hat i own. These days it's my kayaking and lawnmowing hat and still keeps the sun off after more than 17 years - can't go wrong!.

Woah, big image...sorry 'bout that!

 

[BobC]

After literally spending the entire day reading this thread and all others relating to the Federation IV I think I've fallen in love with the hat.

Somewhere around page 35 of this particular thread I couldn't stand it anymore and ordered a Moonstone Fed IV.

I congratulate you all for driving me completely crazy.

Thank you.

Congrats, HP. You're going to really like that Fed. And it will only get worse after this.

 

[FurFeltFedora]

Only one High Pockets? Goose and I have fleets (or is it squadrons?) of Fed IVs. You're gonna have to buy more to catch up

 

[MississippiLong]

I bought this squatter back in 1991 and have done some pretty hard yards in it! It no longer has a band and is wearing through at the crease but it's still the lightest most comfortable hat i own. These days it's my kayaking and lawnmowing hat and still keeps the sun off after more than 17 years - can't go wrong!.

Woah, big image...sorry 'bout that!

Thats exactly what I want to hear. When I get my squatter, I'll put it through it's paces on the Ocmulgee River--posting pictures of course.

 

[MississippiLong]

Try and avoid this happening to you...

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/r...1627596122f762628e38c6d8e&sid=8AZNXDhq3atFGXQ

That's me wearing my snowy river after getting caught in a strainer on a snowy river!! April in Northern Maine is no time for a swim!!

You swamped that pretty Old Town (Discovery?). I guess your paddling partner decided it would be better to take a picture than to help you drain it.
The Snowy River looks right at home in Maine. :eusa_clap

 

[babs]

silly newb question.. Is this akubra felt significantly better than others? beaver, blend, etc? These threads are making me seriously want one in a dress fedora if I can... Once I figure out where a North Carolina boy goes to get one.

 

[gtdean48]

silly newb question.. Is this akubra felt significantly better than others? beaver, blend, etc? These threads are making me seriously want one in a dress fedora if I can... Once I figure out where a North Carolina boy goes to get one.

Not really. It is a blend of rabbit & hare & well made. They use quality sweatbands & liners. The Imperial line could use a tad more pouncing but given price to quality, they are a good value.
I'm just South of you near Atlanta, & I get mine from Hats Direct or Everything Australian by web order. I already had 1 brought back from Down Under & knew my size. I think I own a total of 7 now with 1 bought for my brother.

 

[Woodfluter]

I'm guessing that's a good thing In that case, thanks CRH!

HEY! Fresh from the US Gov't approved digital scale at the post office.
Woodfluter asked about weight difference bewteen the Federation IV Standard and the Deluxe.

So, I just got back from my assignment. Each hat was weighed three times to ensure accuracy.

3.8 oz. Sydney/Fedora
5.1 oz. Squatter
5.2 oz. Federation IV Deluxe
5.5 oz. Federation IV Standard

There ya go

Thanks Goose!

Well, this is certainly very interesting, although I'm still not entirely sure what to conclude. Some differences between your weights and mine might be due to size. Here's what I'm getting for my three Fed IV deluxes, all in size 59 - weighed on a triple-beam balance:

FIV Brn______131.75 gm____4.65 oz
FIV Fawn____137.2 gm_____4.84 oz
FIV Gry______140.1 gm_____4.94 oz
..........average____4.81 oz

So we see there's some production variability at play.
For comparison, a Fed III in size 60:

FIII brn_____148.1 gm_____5.22 oz

So the combination of one size larger plus a half inch taller crown adds about 0.4 oz or thereabouts. Seems about right.

Now here's two more hats to consider in light of felt properties.

1. A Banjo Patterson (Heritage felt like the above Feds) with 1-5/8 sweat, size 60.
2. A modified Kiandra (Imperial felt) with brim cut down to be exactly the same as the B.P., a 1-1/4 sweat, size 59 - and stiffer.

Both these hats have a narrow leather hatband, and I'd guess those weigh very nearly the same. The crown on the Kiandra might be a wee bit higher, but it's also more tapered.

B.P. 60_______142.9 gm_____5.04 oz
Kiandra 59____186.1 gm_____6.56 oz

All of these weights, by the way, are with the liner installed. All liners weigh 13.5 gm.

Comparing them, I'd say the larger hat size of the Banjo plus the wider sweat should approximately compensate for the possibly taller crown on the Kiandra - if that really contributes anything because it tapers more. If the felts were of the same density (speaking like a physicist, in gm/cm3, not in tightness of the felting etc) they should weigh close to the same. The Imperial felt one weighs 1.5 oz more. Quite a bit.

Lest my Kiandra be considered a freak, my Riverina is about the same weight - but has a wider brim, lower crown, and I've replaced the leather band with skinny grosgrain. So it seems in line here.

Now your Imperial felt Fed's are heavier than your deluxes, but the difference is not nearly so great as I'm seeing with the Banjo and Kiandra. This leaves me wondering if there's more stiffener of some weighty sort in the "cowboy" Akubras - but the Banjo feels pretty much like the Feds except for a stiffer brim. Or...maybe Akubra uses a thinner felt or different process for the standard Feds than for their other "Imperial" felt hats? Quite a mystery.

As to why - here I go again, all of this speculative.

Mass density of the felt has to be a combination of two things, the density of the individual fibers (hairs) and the air space between them (porosity).

Akubra say the Heritage felt is made from specially selected belly hairs or something...maybe they process it differently also. So the Heritage might weigh less per unit volume if:

1. It is as tightly or even more tightly felted with a similar or lower porosity, but the hairs used are themselves less dense (lighter weight)???

2. They customarily use some sort of filler or additive in the felting process for Imperial that they don't need to use with the Heritage, due to the different felting properties of the selected fur???

Now the weight difference might obviously be explained by thickness alone, but I really can't see or feel that. Banjo and Kiandra and Feds and others...all look just the same when I lay the brims next to each other. Maybe it is very small but significant in terms of final weight?

As to why your Fed standards are closer in weight, maybe explanation (2) is the critical one and they don't add that stuff.

I really am making wild guesses and expect to hear some indignant replies from hatmakers saying there's no additives in their hats! :whip:

- Bill

 

[High Pockets]

Only one High Pockets? Goose and I have fleets (or is it squadrons?) of Fed IVs. You're gonna have to buy more to catch up

Well, I wanted to order several of them, but I figured it'd be easier on my wallet if I only screwed up the size on one of them. If when it arrives in a couple weeks, I find I screwed up and actually ordered the correct size,.....well.....game on!

I only have two "dress" hats, both Biltmore's, and I really like them, but after reading all about the Federation IV, I'm pretty convinced it's exactly what I've been looking for in an "everyday" cover.

I've worn what you guys call "cowboy hats" forever,.....they're great work hats, but there's just some clothes you don't wear with a hat like that, at least in this part of the country.
I think the Fed IV will be a lot more versatile.

In all my excitement I placed the order yesterday afternoon, and returned to the thread, only to find after reading a few more pages that I really wanted the Deluxe version instead of the one I ordered. I emailed them and...(dang it I can't remember her name)....almost immediately got another email telling me that it was ok, the hat had been boxed but it was certainly not too late to change the order and that it would still go out "today"!
HatsDirect! Sweet!

 

[CRH]

I bought this squatter back in 1991 and have done some pretty hard yards in it! It no longer has a band and is wearing through at the crease but it's still the lightest most comfortable hat i own. These days it's my kayaking and lawnmowing hat and still keeps the sun off after more than 17 years - can't go wrong!.
...

You've got it, elvisroe. Hats should be rotated into the worn out state just like the rest of our cloths. That Squatter has shrunk up nicely after 17 years, especially without a band and reed, I presume.

 

[elvisroe]

Fits like a glove and yes it's probably a size too small as I was 16 when I got it and about 18 when ripped out the water-shrunk band. :eusa_doh:

It's held it's shape pretty well considering!

It's interesting to see people wearing the back flipped up. I always felt the brim was a bit broad for that.

 

[Akubra]

You swamped that pretty Old Town (Discovery?). I guess your paddling partner decided it would be better to take a picture than to help you drain it.
The Snowy River looks right at home in Maine. :eusa_clap

He couldn't miss the photo op. He got wet a little later during the trip so it all evened out ! HAHHAHAH

 

[JerseyMutt]

Here's my Fed IV. A good friend of mine had me try his on back in May and I was hooked. Just had to buy one for myself. My first, but certainly not my last Fed IV or Akubra for that matter.

A couple of mood shots with the lid. The hat is the only thing that is "authentically" vintage. Everything else is modern attire.

 

[Tone]

Looking good ScottF!!! :eusa_clap

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Another fine display of the Squatter. Looks great, Goose.
If the bash hasn't settled too much, would you mind putting the Squatter in a quick center dent and letting us see how it looks with the taller crowned pinch?

Can we get a direct, front view of both hats (center-dented equally) - the Fed IV and the Squatter while worn? Thanks!