Campdraft vs Bushman

[BobG]

Hi folks, I'm a long time hatless lurker, but I'm hoping to change that. I'm trying to decide between the Campdraft and the Bushman. I'm having a hard time figuring out the differences betweeen them. The Bushman has a little bigger brim, but that's about all I can come up with.
Is there a difference in the thickness of the felt, height of the crown, ease of shaping, etc?
Also, are there any threads on how to shape a hat? I've tried to search but haven't come up with a lot that helps me.
Thanks for helping out a new guy.
Bob

 

[fmw]

The campdraft is an open crown hat. That means it has no crease or curl. The owner either needs to do that or have a hatter do it for him. The Bushman is pre creased and, as you say, has different specifications. To get exact numbers for the specs, you should probably visit one of the Australian web sites that sell both models. The Campdraft isn't sold in the U.S.

 

[Tone]

The campdraft is an open crown hat. That means it has no crease or curl. The owner either needs to do that or have a hatter do it for him. The Bushman is pre creased and, as you say, has different specifications. To get exact numbers for the specs, you should probably visit one of the Australian web sites that sell both models. The Campdraft isn't sold in the U.S.

No, the Bushman is an open-crowned hat. Where have you found someone selling pre-creased Bushman hats?

 

[gtdean48]

Bushman has a larger brim & only comes in 1 color from 1 place = David Morgan. They are both open crowned, thin ribboned, Imperial grade Akubra lids.

 

[fmw]

Nowhere. I simply erred. Sorry.

 

[Tone]

No worries, FMW.

Bushman has a larger brim & only comes in 1 color from 1 place = David Morgan. They are both open crowned, thin ribboned, Imperial grade Akubra lids.

Hmm. Interesting observation, gt. What was the difference (in crown) between the Campdraft and Federation III?

 

[Neophyte]

Campdraft vs Bushman
Hi folks, I'm a long time hatless lurker, but I'm hoping to change that. I'm trying to decide between the Campdraft and the Bushman. I'm having a hard time figuring out the differences betweeen them. The Bushman has a little bigger brim, but that's about all I can come up with.
Is there a difference in the thickness of the felt, height of the crown, ease of shaping, etc?
Also, are there any threads on how to shape a hat? I've tried to search but haven't come up with a lot that helps me.
Thanks for helping out a new guy.
Bob

Campdraft and Bushman are both made of Akubra's Imperial grade felt. They have the same crown height, but the Bushman has a wider brim (the brim of the CD measures about 2 7/8 inches, whereas the Bushman's brim width is stated to be 3 1/4 inches). The Bushman also comes with chinstrap hooks/ventilation grommets.

GTDean pretty much summed it up. Both hats will do you fine. I myself have been meaning to get a Bushman. At any rate, good luck and welcome to the Lounge!

Hmm. Interesting observation, gt. What was the difference (in crown) between the Campdraft and Federation III?

I might be wrong on this, but I recall the FedIII having a 6'' crown versus the CD's 5.5'' crown.

 

[Tone]

Can't remember the thread but it's here somewhere. The Federation III and Campdraft were the same crown but closer in brim specs back then. Someone posted the two side-by-side. Where is that thread now?

Anyway, yeah, Bushman only comes in the Nullarbor Tan. Not sure which Campdraft color matches that. Some of the Tawny stuff looks close.

 

[T Rick]

Welcome to The Lounge! Don't be intimidated by the open crown thing, it's easy as pie (easier, more like easy as eating pie!). I got my Camp Draft about a month ago. Within 10 minutes of pulling it from the box, I'd tried 3 different crude dry bashes just for fun. Later that day, I sprayed it a bit with distilled water, put in a teardrop crease and wore it until it dried. Took an hour total, most of that drying time.

Here is a link to the Master's (Jimmy The Lid) thread on doing the tear drop. He's the King of this, and he does use steam. But you can get a perfectly acceptable result without the steam IMO. I did use many of the tips in his thread though, helped a bunch! (And steaming would give a much more "professional" look I'm sure, though some of that is also his skill to be sure!).

There are tons of other threads on how to bash or style a crown, but no worries, it really is a piece of cake (okay, think I may need to go eat something sweet ).

 

[Picker]

I own the Bushman plus several Camp Drafts. The Bushman's brim is wider, and although the crowns are the same (I think), the Bushman's seems shorter. The Bushman's color is a little darker than the taupe fawn Camp draft. I love them both.

 

[T Rick]

Thought I'd try this link (hope it works) to my post on bashing my Camp Draft. Only took 10 minutes, plus another 45 or so to dry. Have a look here. (If the link does not work, it is post #1545 in the Akubra Camp Draft thread).

 

[monbla256]

Hi folks, I'm a long time hatless lurker, but I'm hoping to change that. I'm trying to decide between the Campdraft and the Bushman. I'm having a hard time figuring out the differences betweeen them. The Bushman has a little bigger brim, but that's about all I can come up with.
Is there a difference in the thickness of the felt, height of the crown, ease of shaping, etc?
Also, are there any threads on how to shape a hat? I've tried to search but haven't come up with a lot that helps me.
Thanks for helping out a new guy.
Bob

I bought my first Bushman from David Morgan over 30 years ago and another 3 1/2 years ago. They are a GREAT hat and the main difference is in the brim width ( Bushman a solid 3 1/4" ), color and exclusivity . It is a style made EXCLUSIVLY for and distributed in the US ONLY for/by David Morgan up in Seattle, Wa. area.Whereas the Campdraft is the model once made as the Stetson Open Road for them by Akubra and now that Stetson sells US made hats in Australia, Akubra still makes the same hat as the Campdraft for the Australian market only. ( it comes with the same crown hght, but a 2 7/8" brim width) . It comes in several colors whereas the Bushman is made in only one color, Nulabor Tan, an olive brown shade , and both are made in the same grade of felt and have bound brims and are sold as open crown hats. The "bow" work of the Bushman is different as well though both have the same width ribbon.
You can get a Bushman from DM in about 3/4 days and it takes up to 3 mo's depending on stock and color ordered for a Campdraft.
Here's my newer Bushman :

Onward thru the fog

 

[Tone]

So, both pretty much thin ribbon - bound-edge styles, with the same, basic open-crowned shape, except:
Campdraft - A bit more crown with a bit less brim
Bushman - A bit less crown and a bit more brim

 

[gtdean48]

...
I might be wrong on this, but I recall the FedIII having a 6'' crown versus the CD's 5.5'' crown.

My CD's are a good bit more than 5.5" open crown....

 

[monbla256]

My CD's are a good bit more than 5.5" open crown....

I checked with City Hatters in Australia last year about the Campdraft and they gave me dimensions of 5 1/2" open crown and 2 7/8" for the brim. Production runs or color runs may produce different dimensions or different tape measures give different results
Onward thru the fog

 

[gtdean48]

I checked with City Hatters in Australia last year about the Campdraft and they gave me dimensions of 5 1/2" open crown and 2 7/8" for the brim. Production runs or color runs may produce different dimensions or different tape measures give different results
Onward thru the fog

I've got 4 in different colors & they are all more than 5.5" open crown....

 

[monbla256]

I just checked 3 of my tape measures and can't find the "... a good bit more than..." dimension on any of 'em

 

[gtdean48]

I just checked 3 of my tape measures and can't find the "... a good bit more than..." dimension on any of 'em

Knocking out the teardrop & diamond creases, mine measure between 5 3/4 & 5 7/8 inch open crowns...

 

[Neophyte]

Yeah, sorry guys! I got my FedIV and CD dimensions mixed up. I think the FedIV has the 5.5'' crown and the CD has the 5.75'' crown. That would certainly fall in line with both of my CDs. Both my Fawn and Green Campdrafts fall right around the 5.75'' mark, open crown.

 

[danofarlington]

Hi folks, I'm a long time hatless lurker, but I'm hoping to change that. I'm trying to decide between the Campdraft and the Bushman. I'm having a hard time figuring out the differences betweeen them. The Bushman has a little bigger brim, but that's about all I can come up with.
Is there a difference in the thickness of the felt, height of the crown, ease of shaping, etc?
Also, are there any threads on how to shape a hat? I've tried to search but haven't come up with a lot that helps me.
Thanks for helping out a new guy.
Bob

I own neither a Campdraft nor a Bushman, but my advice to you as a hatless lurker is to go with the Campdraft. It has a shorter brim, but by no means a short brim. Every 1/8 inch difference in brim size is remarkably, ridiculously noticeable, and you will be far happier at the beginning with the narrower Campdraft brim, because it will be more versatile and more in keeping with what you had in mind. Hats with very wide brims like the Bushman, I personally consider to be strictly outdoors hats, better yet in the full sun, and I think you would get less use out of it than you would a Campdraft.