Best Indy Fedora

[DanielJones]

I've thoroughly have enjoyed my Camptown 'Fieldmaster 1936'. It looks good and holds up well for the price. It's no Adventurebilt but it is a good bang for the buck in my own humble opinion.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Thunderbolt]

Sounds like Adventure Built wins.

I dont planon giving my hat a beating, but I'd just like to be able to have the confidence that it can take it if something unexpected happens. As I understand, Adventurebuilt is sort of custom and can make a hat to a paticular scene? Is a Last Crusade hat possible? If so, I like the scene in LC where Indy and his father have the heated discussion on the motor bike after the chase. "Half the German Army's on our tail and you want me to go to Berlin, into the lion's den?" I guess the wait period is around six months?

 

[Indy Magnoli]

Yes, Steve's got quite a backlog at the moment, but he can squeeze my HJs through quite easily. Here is a great shot sent to me by one of my customers wearing our HJ at Machu Picchu:

Kind regards,
Indy

 

[Baron Kurtz]

what does HJ mean?

bk

 

[Victor]

OK, I honestly think that is teh first "Indy" style hat that I have seen on here or on COW that really looks right, that looks authentic and fits the face of the wearer. Most look too tall or cartoonish but this one looks *perfect*

 

[Indy Magnoli]

what does HJ mean?

Herbert Johnson. They supplied the hats for the first three films as well as the Young Indy series. They have been progressively getting worse in terms of quality over the years. Since the HJ name is still something important to many Indyfans, I have been offering revamped HJs, made to the specs of the hats from the time of Raiders.

Kind regards,
Magnoli

 

[Jerekson]

I cast my vote for the Akubra Federation.

I have a regular Federation that has pretty much been my best friend for the past year. It's the hat that I grab when I need to run out of the house and I don't have any time to think. It's just instinct, now...I've worn the hell out of it.
I've beaten it, sat on it, crumpled it into a ball, folded it, and buried it. And it took it all without complaining.

The Federation is a great hat, because it's cheap (I'm a bit of a cheapskate) but it's top-notch quality.

I gave it a Raiders bash...more specifically, an 'Idol Grab' bash...I'm pretty satisfied with the overall look.
I wouldn't mind some more reverse taper/mushrooming, but otherwise I'm happy.

I've applied the turn to the brim.
I've also tightened the ribbon to give that channeling effect under the dents.

I don't think it would be possible for me to love this hat any more. It is (and will forever remain) my one and only Indy hat.

100% for the Akubra Federation. I say go for it.

 

[Victor]

Just to mention that the Akubra Federation is exactly the same hat design as the Akubra Campdraft which is the same as the Stetson Open Road. The Campdraft and Open Road have thin ribbons however and Open Road was mostly available in lighter shades such as light grey and silver belly but it is the same hat. Personally, while I initially became fascinated by the Indy hat (like many here) I quickly tired of dressing like a movie character but still very much enjoy this general style of hat and now have a variety of this style that are not "Indy"

 

[Jerekson]

Does the Campdraft have a dimensional cut brim?

 

[cookie]

Cool Shot Indy!

Yes, Steve's got quite a backlog at the moment, but he can squeeze my HJs through quite easily. Here is a great shot sent to me by one of my customers wearing our HJ at Machu Picchu:

Kind regards,
Indy

Stood on just that spot c.1977!

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Does the Campdraft have a dimensional cut brim?

The Campdraft does not have a dimensional cut brim, and it is not really the same hat with different ribbon, but it's close. The crown is the same, but the brim is bound, it's not dimensional cut, and the felt is a little different. At least that's how mine is. I also find that the Campdraft is easier to bash without tapering the crown. Maybe it's the slightly thinner felt. [huh]

Anyway, I've seen Campdrafts that had the brim trimmed to get the right dimensions and remove the binding, with a wider ribbon put on. Looks very nice!

 

[MattJH]

While I'm not an Indiana Jones fan beyond enjoying the movies, this is what I've learned from summary over time:

01) If you can find a Herbert Johnson Poet, that's #1. I see them on eBay rarely, but I do see them.

02) Adventurebilt. The sturdiest of the bunch.

03) Akubra Federation. About $100 cheaper than the Adventurebilt. It's not beaver, but it's sturdy and has those huge dimensions. I have one in Carbon Grey that I've been playing with trying to get the bash to make the hat look a bit smaller.

04) Stetson Temple. It's close, but at the same price as an Akubra Federation without the proven sturdiness, not many opt for it after becoming familiar with threads here. The original Stetson Temple was the original licensed Indiana Jones hat, fur felt and all. They eventually changed the name to Stetson Temple as an homage to Temple Of Doom when Dorfman Pacific bought the rights to the official Indiana Jones hat from Stetson. Once in a while, you can find an original fur felt Stetson Indiana Jones hat from the early 80's.

05) The Dorfman Pacific "official" Indiana Jones hat. It has the logo, but doesn't resemble the hat at all. Worth mentioning if only because it's the official LucasFilms licensed Indiana hat. Wool felt. Lots of these on eBay all the time.

I'm pretty sure that covers it. I know that Miller Hats makes one, but I've heard mixed reviews.

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

I have an Adventurbilt and would recommend it in a second. Have been through all sorts of adventures with it, most recently climbing around Mayan ruins in Chiapas, Mexico. But the greatest adventure it has been on was on the four day Inca Trail in Peru.

On top of Dead Woman's pass, 14,500 feet up...

At Machu Picchu...

Ollantaytambo, Peru...

At Palenque, Mexico...

It holds up to major rain storms and sweating buckets without a problem. No tapering at all. It's the best hat I've ever owned, bar none.

I also have a Federation and like it a lot. I like the feel of the AB better, as beaver makes for a softer, more comfortable lid...KC

 

[Thunderbolt]

Other than Indy

Is it true that Adventure Built has also been tasked with makeing other styles of hats that weren't Indy?

 

[Jerekson]

They have before. I believe Marc made a Howard Hughes lucky fedora for someone a while back, and it seemed spectacular.

 

[rcinlv]

Indeed he did

I was one of the few for whom Marc made the "Aviator" hat (see avatar, left).

However, at this point I believe Steve is only making the Indy hats. Be advised there is around a 6-8 month wait if you are thinking of ordering one.

RC