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[Willebe]

Unfortunately, that is where the inconsistency in QC sort of comes in to play. Both my Fed IV's are 58cm -- yet the standard one shrunk to the point of requiring a stretcher in less than a month of use. Whereas, the deluxe Fed IV fits perfectly. I think slightly larger is always going to be better since the hat will naturally shrink and conform to your head. At the same time, the Fed IV is a little larger at the get go in order to compensate for the conforming process. My head measures 58cm, I ordered 58cm, and both Akubras started out a bit large.

I think you'd be safe going with the 60cm and letting it naturally conform over a couple weeks of wear/steam.

Thanks for the I sight. I will remeasure for the 100th time before I order. [emoji3]

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[FedOregon]

I've said it before,and I'll say it again. When it comes to modern hats, neither. Vintage or custom.

 

[Willebe]

I've said it before,and I'll say it again. When it comes to modern hats, neither. Vintage or custom.

Where exactly can someone pick up a vintage hat?

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[blueAZNmonkey]

Thanks for the I sight. I will remeasure for the 100th time before I order. [emoji3]

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No prob! I think if you normally wear a 60cm, you'll be fine with a 60cm CampDraft. It's commonly said of the Fed IV (elsewhere in the forums) that the hat starts out a bit on the large side and shrinks to a final circumference during its early lifetime. So to keep the hat fitted against the head while that process is occurring, the hat ships with a foam sweatband insert which you can eventually remove. Not sure if CampDrafts are shipped with that foam piece as well, but I'm fairly certain that the CD will behave the same.

 

[FedOregon]

Ebay is where I got mine. I've also picked up 2 custom hats second hand right here in the classifieds.

 

[blueAZNmonkey]

Where exactly can someone pick up a vintage hat?

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Ebay, good sir! Or Etsy, or antique shops. Or in the classified section of the Fedora Lounge. I think this might be a step down the road for you, though. You may want to try out that CD first and get used to steaming and bashing, and let yourself fall in love with the silhouette before hunting around Ebay et al. Shopping for vintage is almost an art form in itself, and many of us find ourselves restoring these hats after they wind up in our posession.

 

[Zombie_61]

When it comes to sizing. I usually where a 60cm in my Tilley, and my head measures 60cm with a cloth tape. The Stetson Stratoliner fit perfect in the 59cm, but was too big with the 60cm. If I order the Akubra, will the sizing be more toward the 60 or 59? Specifically, what size would be more appropriate. I have read that slightly larger is better than too small. The 59 in the Stetson was dead on perfect as it would have endured a strong wind storm while not causing an hypoxic brain injury due to decreased circulation. My Tilley fits the same way. I would hate to order it and need to send it back for a different size.

My head measures so close to exactly 60cm that the difference isn't worth mentioning, so that's the size I've ordered every time. As I mentioned in post #13670, my Fed IVs all fit perfectly (in my opinion), but my Campdrafts were about 1/2 size too small; a little time on a hat jack solved that. But there are members here who will tell you their experience was quite different, and that they've received hats on which the sizing varied as much as a full size.

Just in case you're unfamiliar with Akubra hats, they are known for their "shrink to fit" quality. When you start wearing a new Akubra your perspiration dehydrates the sweatband and causes it to shrink somewhat; Akubra knows this, and takes it into consideration when they manufacture their hats. What this means to the buyer is that the hat you receive should initially be a little large (approximately 1/2 to a full size) but will become more snug and conform to your head as you wear it. They use different materials for the sweatbands on their "regular/Imperial" hats and their "deluxe/Heritage" hats, so the deluxe hats shrink considerably less and will almost fit properly right out of the box. That being said, it really applies best to those fortunate few whose head measurements are a dead-on match to any specific hat size, and anyone who is between sizes should almost always order the larger size.

But size isn't the only factor to consider when it comes to getting a proper fit--the shape of your head is also important. For example, my head (as far as I know) is considered to be a "regular oval" and is an almost perfect match to the shape/ovality of the blocks Akubra uses on their size 60 hats. But someone who has a "wide oval", "long oval", or "extra long oval" head shape might have to adjust up or down on size in order to account for the difference in shape(s) and get a good fitting hat. I have no experience with this, so someone else might have some advice for you in this regard.

 

[Willebe]

Ebay, good sir! Or Etsy, or antique shops. Or in the classified section of the Fedora Lounge. I think this might be a step down the road for you, though. You may want to try out that CD first and get used to steaming and bashing, and let yourself fall in love with the silhouette before hunting around Ebay et al. Shopping for vintage is almost an art form in itself, and many of us find ourselves restoring these hats after they wind up in our posession.

I think you are correct. As stated before, I will get my feet wet and learn to swim before I jump into the money pit with you all.

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[Willebe]

My head measures so close to exactly 60cm that the difference isn't worth mentioning, so that's the size I've ordered every time. As I mentioned in post #13670, my Fed IVs all fit perfectly (in my opinion), but my Campdrafts were about 1/2 size too small; a little time on a hat jack solved that. But there are members here who will tell you their experience was quite different, and that they've received hats on which the sizing varied as much as a full size.

Just in case you're unfamiliar with Akubra hats, they are known for their "shrink to fit" quality. When you start wearing a new Akubra your perspiration dehydrates the sweatband and causes it to shrink somewhat; Akubra knows this, and takes it into consideration when they manufacture their hats. What this means to the buyer is that the hat you receive should initially be a little large (approximately 1/2 to a full size) but will become more snug and conform to your head as you wear it. They use different materials for the sweatbands on their "regular/Imperial" hats and their "deluxe/Heritage" hats, so the deluxe hats shrink considerably less and will almost fit properly right out of the box. That being said, it really applies best to those fortunate few whose head measurements are a dead-on match to any specific hat size, and anyone who is between sizes should almost always order the larger size.

But size isn't the only factor to consider when it comes to sizing--the shape of your head is also important. For example, my head (as far as I know) is considered to be a "regular oval" and is an almost perfect match to the shape/ovality of the blocks Akubra uses on their size 60 hats. But someone who has a "wide oval", "long oval", or "extra long oval" head shape might have to adjust up or down on size in order to get a good fitting hat. I have no experience with this, so someone else might have some advice for you in this regard.

That is helpful, and I will keep that in mind. Thank you.

Willebe

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[Bill Hughes]

Came close to a fight yesterday. In Scotland, actually Glasgow, taking in the sites. A young Scottish man mid-twenties comes up and says "can I give your hat a go?" I politely tell him no. He starts telling me that I should let him. He says "you can give my coat a go." He keeps going on until I say listen, it's not going to happen. Then he walked off but I really thought it might come to blows. And yes; he was tanked.

So do any of you ever let a stranger try on your hat?

BTW Aside from ball caps I didn't see one other hat all day. I was wearing a vintage Borsalino. It's the only hat I brought on this trip.

 

[moontheloon]

I do not have a love affair with Akubra the way many here do .... nor do i love the modern Stetson offerings ... but having owned both I can give my thoughts

if you are going the ... "you get what you pay for" route ... Akubra definitely gets the nod over Stetsons modern offerings

if you get a $130 Campdraft ... you get just that ... a $130 hat ... a sort of crude , so so made hat that will withstand weather and take a beating.

where anything worth buying from the modern Stetson catalogs will be in the $245 -$300 range and in my opinion are not worth that price tag at all.

I've owned 8 Akubra hats ... still have 3 of them ... kept 3 of the CDs because I like them just fine for rainy days and for your everyday knock around that you may wear a little harder .
I find there is zero rhyme or reason as far as felt quality no matter what "grade" you buy ... the only actual upgrade that I can see to any of the "Deluxe" models I have owned has been the sweatband ... and even that was a minor upgrade.
I have a video I made a while back comparing the felts of a few CampDrafts ... I will link it below
they were all stiff aside from my Bluegrass green and taupe CD .... they all outside of the bluegrass green had the famous Akubra tolliker mark on the brim that is permanent... this mark is an Akubra staple and irritating beyond belief in my opinion.
I have found the sizing on Akubra hats to be so inconsistent that it is almost comical.


I've owned 7 modern Stetson furfelt hats ... still have one ... the felt on all of them was much nicer than any Akubra hat I owned but I despise the plastic tacking stitches on the ribbons ... and the price tag is quite ridiculous.... all have had nicer sweatbands and fit far more consistently.
where I benefited with the Stetsons was that I was able to go and handle each one before purchasing ... not always possible with Akubra.
I still have my modern Premier Stratoliner because it is quite a nice hat ... but like I said I picked it out of a stack of Premiers at JJ Hat Center and not all of them were "buyable" in my opinion.

Akubra CampDraft i believe is what you are looking for

it is a nice combination of they type of hat that it looks like you are used to and a sort of "western" fedora ... the price is right ... whatever you do don't get the "silverbelly"

 

[Bob Roberts]

Came close to a fight yesterday. In Scotland, actually Glasgow, taking in the sites. A young Scottish man mid-twenties comes up and says "can I give your hat a go?" I politely tell him no. He starts telling me that I should let him. He says "you can give my coat a go." He keeps going on until I say listen, it's not going to happen. Then he walked off but I really thought it might come to blows. And yes; he was tanked.

So do any of you ever let a stranger try on your hat?

BTW Aside from ball caps I didn't see one other hat all day. I was wearing a vintage Borsalino. It's the only hat I brought on this trip.

Would you let a stranger wear your kilt...? Only my friends can wear/try on my hats.

 

[Willebe]

I do not have a love affair with Akubra the way many here do .... nor do i love the modern Stetson offerings ... but having owed both I can give my thoughts

if you are going the ... "you get what you pay for" route ... Akubra definitely gets the nod over Stetsons modern offerings

if you get a $130 Campdraft ... you get just that ... a $130 hat ... a sort of crude , so so made hat that will withstand weather and take a beating.

where anything worth buying from the modern Stetson catalogs will be in the $245 -$300 range and in my opinion are not worth that price tag at all.

I've owned 8 Akubra hats ... still have 3 of them ... kept my CDs because I like them just fine for rainy days and for your everyday knock around that you may wear a little harder .
I find there is zero rhyme or reason as far as felt quality no matter what "grade" you buy ... the only actual upgrade that I can see to any of the "Deluxe" models I have owned has been the sweatband ... and even that was a minor upgrade.
I have a video I made a while back comparing the felts of a few CampDrafts ... I will link it below
they were all stiff aside from my Bluegrass green and taupe CD .... they all had the famous Akubra tolliker mark on the brim that is permanent.
I have found the sizing on Akubra hats to be so inconsistent that it is almost comedic.


I've owned 7 modern Stetson furfelt hats ... still have one ... the felt on all of them was much nicer than any Akubra hat I owned but I despise the plastic tacking stitches on the ribbons ... and the price tag is quite ridiculous.... all have had nicer sweatbands and fit far more consistently.
where I benefited with the Stetsons was that I was able to go and handle each one before purchasing ... not always possible with Akubra.
I still have my modern Premier Stratoliner because it is quite a nice hat ... but like I said I picked it out of a stack of Premiers at JJ Hat Center and not all of them were "buyable" in my opinion.

Akubra CampDraft in my opinion is what you are looking for

it is a nice combination of they type of hat that it looks like you are used to and a sort of "western" fedora ... the price is right ... whatever you do don't get the "silverbelly"

Nice beard, Moon. I appreciate the information and comparison video. I will spend some time looking at the CD. I have been concerned that I wouldn't be able to sport the Fedora with a long beard. I actually liked the way it looked. I figured worse case I would shorten my beard to the more Allen Quatermain length. Glad to see you to rocking the beard.

This is the Stratoliner I was looking at.

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[moontheloon]

Nice beard, Moon. I appreciate the information and comparison video. I will spend some time looking at the CD. I have been concerned that I wouldn't be able to sport the Fedora with a long beard. I actually liked the way it looked. I figured worse case I would shorten my beard to the more Allen Quatermain length. Glad to see you to rocking the beard.

This is the Stratoliner I was looking at.

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Take a look at some of Bob Hufford , HurricaneJack and my photos and you will see that a fedora and beard go very well together.
You look fantastic in that hat

 

[Bob Roberts]

Beard first. Hat second. Any other way and the hats wearing you.

 

[Windsock8e]

I do not have a love affair with Akubra the way many here do .... nor do i love the modern Stetson offerings ... but having owned both I can give my thoughts
...
if you are going the ... "you get what you pay for" route ... Akubra definitely gets the nod over Stetsons

Funnily enough, I have seen a modern Premier Strat (2nd hand, good apparent condition) for about the same price as a CD. I have not nor practically can I handle them so what would be your choice if choosing just one?

 

[belfastboy]

I think you are correct. As stated before, I will get my feet wet and learn to swim before I jump into the money pit with you all.

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I think that is a prudent move. Buying "vintage" especially on Ebay is not for the faint of heart or wallet. It was fun in the beginning for me as I was prepared to learn by the old trial and error. Bought a few good ones a while back before it seems the pricing has gone haywire. However I made some dumb purchases as well. I now admit that I do NOT know enough and am not prepared to do the work to upgrade my knowledge so at this point no longer shop on the Bay. I buy "vintage" hats from a known source, here on the lounge from other members or on Etsy. I have purchased some great fedoras this way. Paying fair prices for good quality hats from reliable sources. Be prepared to open your wallet if you begin to bid on vintage on the Bay these days or conversely be prepared for disappointment at a hat that appears a bargain.

 

[Willebe]

I think that is a prudent move. Buying "vintage" especially on Ebay is not for the faint of heart or wallet. It was fun in the beginning for me as I was prepared to learn by the old trial and error. Bought a few good ones a while back before it seems the pricing has gone haywire. However I made some dumb purchases as well. I now admit that I do NOT know enough and am not prepared to do the work to upgrade my knowledge so at this point no longer shop on the Bay. I buy "vintage" hats from a known source, here on the lounge from other members or on Etsy. I have purchased some great fedoras this way. Paying fair prices for good quality hats from reliable sources. Be prepared to open your wallet if you begin to bid on vintage on the Bay these days or conversely be prepared for disappointment at a hat that appears a bargain.

I'll admit that I have always steared away from eBay. I have friends who purchase there and enjoy it, but I have never been able to open up to the bid game. Thanks for the insight.

Willebe.

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[BobHufford]

This is the Stratoliner I was looking at.

Don't shorten the beard! It goes great with the hat. (and thanks for the shout out Moon)

 

[moontheloon]

Funnily enough, I have seen a modern Premier Strat (2nd hand, good apparent condition) for about the same price as a CD. I have not nor practically can I handle them so what would be your choice if choosing just one?

That completely depends on what you are looking for .

I would probably go new Akubra over the used Stetson


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