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Akubra size question

daddy0d0

A-List Customer
Messages
452
Location
Maryland
I currently own 7 Akubra's and love them but boy do they shrink! 3 of them have shrunk at least a full size maybe a size and a half. I know this is normal but was wondering if other felt hat do the same?
 

Bushwalker

New in Town
Messages
24
Location
Far East Asia
Same thing happened to my Akubra hat, and it is the leather sweatband that shrunk by approximately 2 sizes.

I can hardly wear it now and it just sits so high on my forehead, not at the place where it used to sit anymore.

I am looking for a quality leather to replace the sweatband. Hopefully I can wear it again after the replacement.
 

Doctor Strange

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,242
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
Akubra's felt just shrugs off rain and wet, that's not what shrinks them.

But won't any felt hat shrink if exposed to major heat? I've been careful never to leave any of my hats in the car with the windows closed and blazing sun for that reason.
 

daddy0d0

A-List Customer
Messages
452
Location
Maryland
I take very good care of my hats. I never leave in a hot car and when the hat gets wet I let in dry naturally in a room temp setting. I still get shrinkage though.
 

moontheloon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,592
Location
NJ
I take very good care of my hats. I never leave in a hot car and when the hat gets wet I let in dry naturally in a room temp setting. I still get shrinkage though.
it is not the felt that is shrinking it is the sweatband

your perspiration is full of salt obviously and that salt dries out the material which causes it to shrink

I'm not a huge fan of modern hats but I do own a number of them and my Akubra hats are the only ones I have experienced shrinkage with

their sweatbands are awful
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
I've owned a half dozen or so. Ordered in my size, come labelled as such - bit too big for the first week or two ,then snug right up to a perfect fit. never noticed them get any smaller after that.

This has been my experience, as well.

Not having as many hats as many of you, I wear my Akubras quite often. They are comfortable and have held up very well.
 
Messages
12,002
Location
Southern California
...I'm not a huge fan of modern hats but I do own a number of them and my Akubra hats are the only ones I have experienced shrinkage with...
I like my Akubras, but I do think Akubra and their vendors could do a better job of informing their potential customers around the world that their sweatbands will shrink one-half to a full size once the customer starts wearing his/her new hat(s); it's apparently well known in Australia where Akubra has been doing business for over 100 years, but not so much anywhere else. If I hadn't done the research before I bought my first Akubra I would probably have been very disappointed by it's rather loose fit when it arrived, returned it for a smaller size, then been disappointed again when it shrank and was too small for me to wear.
 

PHIL1959

One of the Regulars
Messages
265
Location
anchorsholme england
heres an email i receive from Naomi & Trudi from the Hattery, regarding my last purchase of a fed. the hat they sent me. a 58 even though im a 57, fits great
The Fed IV's tend to measure a little small - eg. a Size 57cm generally measures 56.5cm, so just a little too small for you. We have three Size 58cm in stock and will measure all of them to find the one which measures just over 57cm for you.

Two of these are at our storage facility, so Trudi will get them this evening and we'll choose the best one for you and post your hat tomorrow.

Best regards,
Naomi & Trudi
 

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