Akubra Riverina

[portolan]

I read a thread from several years ago regarding safari hats. Many guys bought this Akubra Riverina and adopted it to a safari style. I was so happily surprised to find the same place everyone was recommending two years ago had three sizes left in this hat at a really terrific price - $47 or so. They had my size so I grabbed one quickly. I really this this is a great looking Akubra hat. Can't wait to get it and begin changing it around. I am not sure of the name of he safari band that FLers put on it...pugaree or pungaree or something like that. I think this is gonna be a great hat, especially coming from a FL thread that was two years old.....Thanks FL....another great lead that worked out. Can't wait to get this great hat....

 

[Lefty]

Here's Alan's thread, with a link to Mike's original thread on the subject.

 

[kiltie]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?p=470998&highlight=riverina#post470998

Start here and look around the Adventure Gear thread around Dec '07.


*** Aaaah... a minute too late; quick on the draw there, Lefty.

 

[Woodfluter]

Got my Riverina in May of last year, for a low price like yours Portolan, and it's a great hat. "Summerized" it by removing the liner and adding a lot of extra holes with eyelets. Looking forward to wearing it more come warmer weather. A very good field hat if you are a geologist-type person.

Really impressive how Akubra does the edge binding. Beyond what you'd expect for this kind of money.

- Bill

 

[gtdean48]

Had & worn Riverina for years...

It was my second Akubra that is my hunting hat. It has seen both warm & cold weather situations & hopefully will see many more...

 

[Carlisle Blues]

nice looking hat.

 

[gtdean48]

Mine has a much plainer leather band than the one pictured above. I really don't know how old it is.

 

[Edward]

Great hats - mine served me especially well on its first big outing, a near-three week holiday in Eastern China last year, during which it keep me shielded from both extremes of heat and rain (we got caught in Hong Kong's worst rain in 120 odd years!).

The only real 'flaw' I found was the white lining, which I chose to keep in mine. The heat and humidity caused me to sweat some of the dye out of the leather sweatband and up into the liner. Not really an issue as it's not visible when the hat is in use. does keep me wodnering, though, why the default norm for so many hats is a white liner when regular use marks and sweat stains would be so much less visible on a dark brown / bottle green / black / scarlet colour. [huh]

I'm off to Beijing again in May for a couple of weeks (combined work trip and holiday), and the riverina will be going with me, along with a folding Panama this time. The Riverina is no replacement for a Panama, as there are some temperaturs where the straw would definitely be preferable. I would still take the Akubra over the Straw, though, if I could take only one hat on my travels, as it is far and away superior in the wet (obviously). A very flexible hat indeed.

 

[MCrider]

You guys are getting me in trouble

Thanks to all the great posts I've read here since finding the Lounge, you guys have me buying even MORE hats. Yesterday I ordered the Riverina from The Outback Outlet after work. Looks like it's a great deal at $55 shipped. I plan on using this hat when my son and I go hiking, since right now I'm using a cotton safari style from Dorfman. So that's the good.
Now for the bad. My wife is starting to recognize that there are more hat boxes piling up in the computer room / den. Right now she hasn't said anything, but if she brings it up, I may have to kill her. [huh]
Or are there any other suggestions that you fellow Loungers have with dealing with your spouses? Anything would be appreciated because I'd really hate to lose her (she makes a mean homemade pizza).

PS: Tiffany at the Outback Outlet said that mine was the third order for the Riverina that day, so I think the others who ordered need to fess up!

 

[Mike K.]

Tiffany at the Outback Outlet said that mine was the third order for the Riverina that day, so I think the others who ordered need to fess up!

Okay, so I ordered 50 of them at once! Just kidding.

Welcome to the Riverina club. I lost count but last I checked the number of Riverina owners at the Fedora Lounge was somewhere around two dozen! It truly is a great hat...certainly the most comfortable one I own.

If anyone is interested, I do have one spare safari-ized Riverina to part with (size 7 3/8). This one has a sturdy glued-on (not wrapped) puggaree band, liner removed for warmer climates, rebashed for safari style, and brim trimmed to 2.5 inches. Hand worked so it's soft and supple. PM me if interested.

 

[Gummy]

Do you still want to part with it?

Okay, so I ordered 50 of them at once! Just kidding.

Welcome to the Riverina club. I lost count but last I checked the number of Riverina owners at the Fedora Lounge was somewhere around two dozen! It truly is a great hat...certainly the most comfortable one I own.

If anyone is interested, I do have one spare safari-ized Riverina to part with (size 7 3/8). This one has a sturdy glued-on (not wrapped) puggaree band, liner removed for warmer climates, rebashed for safari style, and brim trimmed to 2.5 inches. Hand worked so it's soft and supple. PM me if interested.

Great looking hat Mike.

I might be interested if you still want to part with it, can you PM me. For some reason I can't PM.

Gummy

 

[Spats McGee]

Welcome to the Lounge, Gummy!

 

[Edward]

Gummy, the Lounge accounts are all configured that you can PM once you reach 15 posts, but not until then.

 

[Gummy]

Gummy, the Lounge accounts are all configured that you can PM once you reach 15 posts, but not until then.

Edward: I saw that minutes after I posted this But thanks anyway. I shoot first and then ask

 

[Edward]

Can't find the threads with shots I took before, or the thread on the various locations in which Safari-ised Riverinas have been worn, but....

Bangalore, India, May 31st 2010:

 

[Rick Blaine]

Cocker or Coward, your choice.

Can't find the threads with shots I took before, or the thread on the various locations in which Safari-ised Riverinas have been worn, but....

Bangalore, India, May 31st 2010:

"Mad dogs & Englishmen..."

 

[CRH]

Edward: I saw that minutes after I posted this But thanks anyway. I shoot first and then ask

The answer is no. No you can't borrow any ammo.

 

[CRH]

...

Bangalore, India, May 31st 2010:
...

Cool! :eusa_clap

 

[Edward]

"Mad dogs & Englishmen..."

We Irish usually have more sense, but I wasn't gonig to get to see Bangalore again anytime soon, so...

 

[deadlyhandsome]

This was an ebay find. It was certainly used, but the felt was soft and surprisingly nice. The leather band was a disappointment in its execution and in its hot glue attachment. Worse, it was misshapen and the crown had a lot of taper. I had intended this as fodder for working on my technique with a brim edge curling tool, but now I think not.

I recently received a most thoughtful gift of a 7 1/2 block from Bowen. As I’m a 7 5/8 (the hat is a 61cm), I thought I’d have a try at reblocking it without removing the sweat. A good soaking (I tried to avoid the sweat) and a lot of steam and force, and the hat stretched over the block fairly well. I reestablished the brim break and gave it a new ribbon. The ribbon fought me and I’m not happy with the result, as this will be a hard-use hat I can live with it. There is a very faint line in the felt from the top of the sweat being pressed into it.

The relatively short crown called for a shallow crease. Im happy with the overall results and will put it to good use.

As received: