Fed IV vs. CEO vs. Fedora v. Leisure Time another help me decide thread, sorry.

[Kbobrex]

Hi all. I had posted this in the "Ask a Question" section, but did not get too much feedback (thanks to those who did respond) so I thought I'd try again.

I'm looking for my next hat. Based on some good advice here last Spring I bought a Silverbelly Campdraft. I got the Campdraft to wear "all the time" intending that it get that worn in look. The Campdraft is a delight. I wear it all the time. Problem is that it is so nice that I've taken to wearing it to work and now I kind of hate to let it get too much "character", as was my original intent. (I also have a graphite/carbon Stetson Downs, which is lower crown, and 2 1/2 inch brim or so, which I wear primarily as a "dress" hat.) The Campdraft (and a panama) have been my go to hats for the summer, but I'd like to get something for the cooler weather that will serve my initial intent, that is, something that will not be too "dressy", and will become my all the time hat aside from work.

So, I'm looking for a soft felt (in the same softness league as the Campdraft at least) open crown, every day (casual, hiking, travel, no fear about ruining) not western hat. I initially thought of a dark brown Fed IV, since there is a lot of love for that hat in this forum. But I'm not sure about the dimensional brim, and started looking around. I think I have narrowed it down to a dark brown Fed IV, an Akubra Fedora and an Akubra CEO. I might even go for the Leisure Time.

I like the turned down rear brim of the CEO, which I associate with a more country or casual look, but am concerned that the CEO may be too stiff. Likewise with the Leisure Time, which is pre-creased. (I like the open crown of the Campdraft, and confess that I like to fiddle with the crease as I walk out the door to suit my mood.) Is the CEO or Leisure Time going to be too stiff?

All that I read about the Fedora speaks of a very soft felt. Is it as tough as the rest of the Akubra line? I will wear this hat in weather all winter.

Is the FedIV too associated with the Indy look? Is it too formal? I know it is open crown and can be bashed to suit, but I'm not sure it is casual enough. Maybe I should get another Campdraft in a darker color....

I've searched online for days for reviews and comments, and I've tried to read all I can about these choices. What do I really need to know about these hats to make the perfect choice. (Yes, I know, the perfect choice is to buy one of each, but I don't live in that perfect world!).

Thanks in advance.
Bob

 

[gtdean48]

... Maybe I should get another Campdraft in a darker color....
...

Glen Grey Campdraft gets my vote. I have all colors except Taupe Fawn.

 

[Wolfwood]

FedIV is not an official Indy hat, but a hat that was made using a hat block dating from the 1930's or so. As such, you should not be worried of it being too much of a costume piece.

And insofar as random Indy comments from passerbys are concerned, you'll get them no matter what type of fedora you are wearing.

It all really depends on your style of choice. Campdraft is certainly a great looking hat, if you like a thin ribbon, whereas Fed IV is great for that classic look. Akubra CEO and Fedora are more of dress hat types and have a lot more taper than Fed IV - as such they are likely to attract those who find the big size of FedIV a bit too intimidating. The leisure time is perhaps the most casual of the options - again with a thinner hat band.

 

[EggHead]

I have the Campdraft and Leisure Time. Two really different hats except for the same type of sweatband and liner.

Since you already have the CD, here are the differences with LT:
Ribbon is leather
Much thicker felt (because of that it's not as soft in the beginning, but spray it with water and you can mold it)
Back brim is downward, which in windy conditions help the hat fly off (the reason that brims are curved upward, like fedora or cowboy style is to reduce wind drag)
Crown is much lower than CD
Brim edge is raw
Very rain resilient, I spent hours in moderate rain walking in the park, didn't soak through, but you still have to dry it.

Conclusion:
It becomes a comfortable hat after some wear, very weather resistant, but short crown does not give a lot of choices in creases. It's more of an outdoors hat.

 

[EggHead]

Oh yes, I also have an Akubra Fedora (which has a name of Sydney), if that is what you are looking for then here are the differences with CD:

Thinner and much, much more pliable felt.
Shorter crown, not a lot of crease choices.
Shorter, raw brim
A much better sweatband
Ribbon is wider, but kind of cheap
A very comfortable hat because it's so soft, but does not hold crown shape well (except for pork pie and center dent).
Felt does not feel as tough as CD, but can withstand some rain and does not shrink.

This would be a city hat.

 

[Edward]

I have both a CD Deluxe and a couple of Feds. The biggest differences I have noticed are:

Visually: the CD can look much taller than the Fed - an optical illusion, due to the thin ribbon (as opposed to the deeper ribbon on the Fed).

Stiffness: I bought mine a few years apart so I may be misremembering, but the CD did seem to me to be markedly stiffer when it arrived than was either of my Feds fresh out of the box. (I would expect this from a Western).

In use: I bashed my CD as a Fedora shape. The biggest difference I notice in use is the lack of a snap brim (I habitually snap the brim up as I remove a fedora, and back down as I sweep it onto my head). Not really a big deal. Also, the CD has a wind trolley, which can be a benefit (the sole "failing" of the Fed, in my opinion, is the lack of same, though given its origins as a production hat shooting after the Indy vibe, it is of course true that his never had one - nor do many quality fedoras).

As to Indy comments..... I rarely get them. More often kids who I am sure are far too young to know the reference shout "Inspector Gadget" (typically when I am also in a long coat)... I'd prefer Indy..... If you're going to get them, though, you'll get them whatever brown (or often any other colour, it seems) Fedora you wear...

Back brim is downward, which in windy conditions help the hat fly off (the reason that brims are curved upward, like fedora or cowboy style is to reduce wind drag)

Jinkies! That I never realised, but it makes perfect sense!

 

[Kbobrex]

Very helpful responses so far. Was looking for comparisons by those that own at least two of the contenders, and that is what I'm seeing. Thanks.

As to the Fedora, I understand the felt is very soft. I see that as a positive. EH, how long have you had yours, and has it seen much rain? You indicate that it doesn't shrink. I would likely not mind a bit shorter open crown if it is not going to shrink much. Again, I intend to wear the heck out of this one. It is available in Burnt Oak, is open crown, with a 2 1/2 inch cut brim..... different enough from the CD to reamain a contender, but it has to have that Akubra durability. Any others with long term experience with this hat?

The CEO may be fading from contention. The bound brim may be too dressy for what I want out of my next hat. Also, the taper is offputting. While I don't mind a bit of taper, I seriously want to avoid a bullet shaped hat.

On the other hand, is the Fed IV too stovepipe? Good observation that the perceived height of the Fed IV may be less than the CD due to the thicker ribbon....One "really" tall hat (my CD) is probably enough for me. I must confess, I had previously just assumed that my next hat would be a Fed IV, and this process is for piece of mind (obsession) reasons.

Fed IV... then Fedora.... and Leisure Time still there, but becoming a long shot.

 

[Kirk H.]

Just to add my two cents worth. I too do not like a super high crown and when I bashed my Fed IV I went with a C-crown with straight sides.

[/IMG]

Good luck on your decision.

Kirk H.

 

[Duper]

The hat we are working on drumming up 25 orders for may interest you. Think of it as a Campdraft-lite. All of the same great body and flavour with a few less centimeters.

Also very popular because it is a "green" initiative.

Perhaps you have already looked over the thread?

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?66763-Fedora-Lounge-Edition-Akubra-Camp-Draft-2-5-8s-brim

 

[Kbobrex]

Kirk, nice, that height puts it right in the sweet spot. Duper, saw that thread, but I really don't see me ever having too many more hats, I'd like to have something decidedly different than another CD. The slightly narrower brim wouldn't overcome the narrow ribbon, and other attributes that say, "Campdraft".

I began seriously considering a Fed after coming across this thread. http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...Akubra-Federation-IV&highlight=moonstone+fawn. But it cuts both ways. Hard to take a hat that nice and commit to wearing it hiking, camping etc, without an archeological team as a backup...........

Again, thanks for the replies.

 

[EggHead]

I have had Akubra Fedora for about 2 years. Wore it often the first year then cut my long hair and no longer wear it because it's too large.
Have been in a few downpours with it, but not for long, going from a bus stop to the office about 3 blocks or so. The pork pie accumulated water and it didn't seep through, but not sure for how long it could hold it.
I would dry it afterwards, didn't notice any shrinkage.

It has very soft brim, so on one hand it folds up when you want to place it on the table, on the other, it doesn't keep an exact shape when worn.
In terms of rain-proof - it would be fine for misty weather, but using it in harder rain all the time is probably not a good idea.

 

[jlee562]

What is it about the dimensional brim which makes you unsure about it? It's not a particularly garish feature. In fact, when I brought my Christy's in to The Hat Guys in Oakland, the guy there couldn't even tell it was a dimensional brim at first glance. It's a pretty subtle feature, IMHO.

 

[Kbobrex]

What is it about the dimensional brim which makes you unsure about it? It's not a particularly garish feature.

You know, that's a good point. I tend to lose sight of the conversion factor from metric to inches. The "difference" is only 1/4", and even at the front-to-back widest it is still narrower than my Campdraft is all around. I guess I had the impression that it would give it an obvious elongated impression. I actually would not mind it narrower on the side, and it would lose functionality as a brim if it were too much shorter in front. Thank you for pointing that out.

EH, thank you for the comment on longer term weather handling expectations. Again, I got the Silverbelly Campdraft fully expecting that I would be wearing it camping, hiking and basically all the time. I got so many favorable comments about it I now hesitate to get it really dirty. The next lid will be a darker color, and will be tortured and used. The Fedora may, like the Silverbelly, be a bit too pretty.

Thanks again.

 

[danofarlington]

I would avoid the city hats like CEO, and I would venture, the Fed. They'll be too nice for rough duty, and they'll be strange wear peeping out from the bushes. Better to get an outdoors hat of some kind.

 

[jlee562]

Here's my carbon grey Fed IV with the dimensional brim:

 

[Wolfwood]

I would avoid the city hats like CEO, and I would venture, the Fed. They'll be too nice for rough duty, and they'll be strange wear peeping out from the bushes. Better to get an outdoors hat of some kind.

Not _that_ strange, surely. The Fed IV, I mean.

Not a bush, but I hope a hole serves the same purpose...

 

[danofarlington]

That's not fair! You make it look so natural.

 

[Kbobrex]

Nothing is easy...... or fair, apparently! OK, so you got me thinking, and last night I read everything I could about the Banjo Paterson.....almost convinced myself that here in rural northern New Jersey that might really be what I need to complement my Campdraft, Stetson and the older black open crown amish hat I have, which I bashed fedora style. I guess the Fed IV can certainly look at home on the range.

I'd toss a coin, between the Banjo and the Fed, but I'm sure that no matter how the toss comes out, I'll try for 2 out of 3 tosses, then 3 of 5 etc. Analysis paralysis has set in......

Time to put on my Tilley and go fishing.
Thanks again.

Bob

 

[Duper]

Nothing is easy...... or fair, apparently! OK, so you got me thinking, and last night I read everything I could about the Banjo Paterson.....almost convinced myself that here in rural northern New Jersey that might really be what I need to complement my Campdraft, Stetson and the older black open crown amish hat I have, which I bashed fedora style. I guess the Fed IV can certainly look at home on the range.

I'd toss a coin, between the Banjo and the Fed, but I'm sure that no matter how the toss comes out, I'll try for 2 out of 3 tosses, then 3 of 5 etc. Analysis paralysis has set in......

Time to put on my Tilley and go fishing.
Thanks again.

Bob

I think the Banjo Paterson, Traveller, and Leisure Time are all very similar in crown style. I have both the Traveller (I trimmed the brim) and two Banjos. The Banjo does not come in as many colours, but has a better sweat and felt. The Traveller's felt really is forgiving for getting knocked around. It has a material sweat band.

 

[tealseal]

I would avoid the city hats like CEO, and I would venture, the Fed. They'll be too nice for rough duty, and they'll be strange wear peeping out from the bushes. Better to get an outdoors hat of some kind.

Hmm. My tawny-fawn Fed IV is my rough-duty hat. It's my hiking hat and the first one I go for when I know I'll be doing something sweaty/dirty. I have abused it and abused it again. It's seen things that would make plenty a Lounger cringe however it still has great shape, and looks almost like new, except for some salting on the ribbon and some liner staining. Never stiffened nor waterproofed. It's my "working man's" fedora. Best part is, if it gets dirty, I simply wear it outside during a rainstorm or (but be careful) in the shower, and the stains I've had on the felt all but disappear.

IMHO, bulletproof and looks just fine on a trail. I think the raw edge + my colour choice are large contributors to that opinion.