Federation Deluxe IV Size

[JulianPascal]

Hi ,i able to buy a Federation Deluxe IV but im unsure about the correct size.
I've detected 59 cm. On the page they say 59 = 58.5 real size and 60 = 59.5...
Can you help me please ?

 

[FurFeltFedora]

The Federation IV blocks are a little small, about half a size off. So, I'm a 59 cm (or 7 3/8) and all my Fed IVs are size 60 (about 58.5) with a little foam on the sides and they fit great.

Now that being said, my Feds are Standards not deluxe, but that shouldn't make any difference. Your best bet is to talk with Jenny at Hats Direct - she will make sure you get the right size.

One word or warning now to stop you from having a heart attack when your hat shows up, until you bash it, it will be waaaaay too big. So don't panic when you put it on and it goes over your ears. Bash it the way you want it, cut some strips of the foam they provide you and put them under the sweatband to adjust the fit. I recommend not actually sticking them to the band, but just laying them in there for now. After wearing a new hat for a few days or even a week, you'll find that it conforms to you head and you may need to move or remove the foam. It's a lot easier to do that if it's not actually stuck there. Hope this helps and be sure to post pics once you get it.

 

[babs]

Interesting that the hat will fit so much more loosely until it's bashed.
I confirmed 23" or more precisely pretty much 58.5cm so I'll feel pretty confident in a 7 3/8 though I'll certainly talk to them first.... If I can stay off ebay long enough to save up my folding money.

 

[Aristaeus]

Hello JulianPascal
Which site are you ordering from? I used hatsdirect and got good results.
Here is what the site suggests.

"Place a tape measure above the ears, and take it around the widest part of your head. The tape should be firm but not too tight. If in between sizes, go up or down to the closest size, ie 56.2 should be 56, 57.7 should be a 58 etc. We supply FREE foam adjustment tape or pads to adjust the hat to a perfect fit. We supply enough tape to convert a hat a full size down, ie a size 58 becomes a size 57."

In other words if the measurement you took was right at 59 that is what you want. if you measured 58.5 you want a 59, if you measured a 58.2 you want a 58.

http://hatsdirect.com/help/size.html

 

[JulianPascal]

Hello JulianPascal
Which site are you ordering from? I used hatsdirect and got good results.
Here is what the site suggests.

"Place a tape measure above the ears, and take it around the widest part of your head. The tape should be firm but not too tight. If in between sizes, go up or down to the closest size, ie 56.2 should be 56, 57.7 should be a 58 etc. We supply FREE foam adjustment tape or pads to adjust the hat to a perfect fit. We supply enough tape to convert a hat a full size down, ie a size 58 becomes a size 57."

In other words if the measurement you took was right at 59 that is what you want. if you measured 58.5 you want a 59, if you measured a 58.2 you want a 58.

http://hatsdirect.com/help/size.html

The Federation IV has different sizes... http://hatsdirect.com/federation/size.html

 

[FurFeltFedora]

Aristaeus that's for all the other hats, the Fed IV are different - I own 6 trust me It's the old block they are using, call or email and they will confirm the Fed's run 1/2 size small so order 1 size up.

 

[JulianPascal]

I've bught it in 60 ,thanks for help.:eusa_clap
I'll post some pictures when it's arrived.

 

[Goose.]

If you are a 59+/- you should be ok with the 60 you ordered.
I wear a 60. My FIV Standards, are all 61. Ordered a bit large thinking they may shrink...but they haven't A liitle piece of foam (comes with them) and no problem at all.
My Deluxe lids are 60 and fit just fine.

Enjoy you new hat and welcome :eusa_clap

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

My head measures exactly 23". A 59 cm Campdraft starts out big, but eventually shrinks down to an exact fit. A 59 cm Fed IV Standard also starts out a little big, but not quite as much as the CD. Eventually it conforms to my head as well. I've never bothered with the foam. Different strokes for different blokes.

 

[Bird's One View]

My head is a little under 60 cm (but also long oval), and my size 60 Fed IV Dlx is still a touch loose after about 6 months of regular wear. I took the foam out of the front after a few weeks but left some in the back. I'm tempted to order a 59 to try, but I'm pretty sure it would be too small (a Stetson Nostalgia 7 3/8 was too small, while my 7 1/2 is slightly loose).

I'm hoping both hats see some rain eventually and shrink a little.

 

[Classified00]

I debated whether to hijack this thread or start one of my own. It looks like the OP made his decision so I'll hijack this one

My Fed IV Deluxe arrived today and it "seems" to be too big but after reading this timely thread, I'm not sure. [huh]

I measured 24 inches (about 30 times) which on their regular size chart is a 61. That's what I ordered. I was worried that I had ordered too small of a size after reading that they are sized .5 smaller.

Yesterday I went to the Hatco outlet in Dallas (you people are a BAD influence ). I found that I am a 7 5/8 but a few, actually one, 7 1/2 fit me. The rest of the 7 1/2's were definately too snug. Since 7 5/8 translates into 61, I was stoked that I had ordered the right size.

My hat arrived today and it seems really large. I haven't bashed it because I don't want to mess it up in case I need to return it. Here are the details:
* It comes down to my ears. Rests on my ears. A slight updraft would cause it to lift off my head.
* If I adjust it to where it should sit on my head then I can just get the very tip of my pointer finger between my forehead and the leather band.

So .... whadda ya think? [huh] [huh]

 

[FurFeltFedora]

Classified00 I had the exact same scenario when I got my first Fed IV, don't worry about. Bash it, add a little foam and wear it for a week and you'd be surprised how well it fits. One thing I've found is that bashing a teardrop seems to make it fit a little better than a center dent.

 

[Blackthorn]

I have 2 of them. I wear a 59, but ordered a 60. They were both a bit loose at first (without the foam insert...with it they were perfect) but they both shrank (in a short time) to the point that I took the insert out and now they both fit well.

 

[scottyrocks]

Unlike some of you, I find my Fed IV standard to be true to size, if not a touch big.

My head is 23" exactly. I wear a 7 3/8, 59cm. The hat has been perfect for as long as I have owned it. I put a little foam in the sides because my head is a long oval.

 

[Classified00]

Thanks all :eusa_clap

It's making sense now. Because it's an open crown, out of the box there is no top pressure or side pressure to hold the hat in place. Once I lowered the top and dented in the sides (I call my bash "hatter on heroin" style ), it fit fine.

I was hesitant because the literature says not to bash it if you plan to return it. In the case of an open crown, it appears that you have to bash it (gently) to really see how it fits.

** One more question - Should I get a dark hat brush or a light hat brush for the heritage fawn? I can't really nail down what color it is.

 

[scottyrocks]

** One more question - Should I get a dark hat brush or a light hat brush for the heritage fawn? I can't really nail down what color it is.

I would say light. The color is light enough to show dark hairs and schmutz from a dark brush.

 

[Classified00]

Thanks to all who helped me through this minor hat related crisis

 

[Goose.]

Thanks to all who helped me through this minor hat related crisis

No such thing..."minor". You're typing to people that spend hours/days getting a bash just right. Like Goldilocks with OCD.
Have fun Classy

 

[Woodfluter]

I really don't want to muddy the waters, but...

Sorry to contradict many who have extensive experience, and Julian has already ordered. But my experience is more in line with Scotty's.

Background:

I measure 59.5 cm pretty exactly. Vintage 7-3/8 hats can fit with a little stretching if they haven't shrunk, but most require more extensive stretching. Some vintage 7-1/2 hats fit perfectly, others are loose. New 7-1/2 or 60 cm hats, most makers, are almost invariably too big.

Foreground:

I'm up to 10 Akubras now. Three are Imperial felt, seven are Heritage. Included are one Fed III and three Fed IV's. Some I ordered in size 60, including one Imperial felt Riverina and the Fed III deluxe, plus one Banjo Paterson. All the others are 59's, including two Imperial felt e-Bay buys.

I've worn most of these in the rain, and several (including one Banjo Paterson, two Feds, and one Imperial Kiandra) have been in torrents several times - completely soaked and hung on a peg to dry. I've deliberately tried to shrink two Heritage felts (Fed III and Banjo Paterson) that were size 60, using repeated saturation of the lower part of the crown and hairdryer on high to bone dryness. Got max 1/2 size reduction out of that, probably a little less really. Torture shrinkage test if you will.

My observations:

(1) There's a notable difference in stability between the Imperial and Heritage felts. The former seems to shrink a little bit spontaneously with wear and exposure to wetness, maybe time too. (Not that you can't stretch them out later.) It's very hard to make the Heritage felt shrink when you want it to. I can hang a Heritage felt soaking wet on a peg, when it's dry it seems just a tiny bit tight, and that goes away after a couple of minutes of wear. Shape of latter seems to stay the same.

(2) Akubra say that the Fed IV runs a half size smaller due to the block. I believed that initially but, I'm sorry, just can't believe it now. All the Akubras I've run across or own new seem to run about a half size large. Imperial felts, Heritage felts, Fed III, Fed IV, Banjo P., Lightning Ridge - you name it. Including other models I've tried on in western stores a few times. The 59's all fit me the same and are right, the 60's are too big. I can easily believe the 60's Imperials would shrink to fit me - but the Fed Deluxes just don't by themselves.

(3) Not an observation, just speculation, but I suspect Akubra make their hats a tad large to allow for shrinkage - of the Imperial felt. But since that doesn't happen with the Heritage (not for me anyway), and they almost certainly use the same blocks, you probably want to take that into consideration.

(4) If you are in-between sizes like me, the half-size too big thing can be a bonus! That's part of the reason why I ended up with so many.

- Bill

 

[Aristaeus]

Aristaeus that's for all the other hats, the Fed IV are different - I own 6 trust me It's the old block they are using, call or email and they will confirm the Fed's run 1/2 size small so order 1 size up.

Hello FurFeltFedora
I didn't use the Fed IV sizeing chart because for me at least it is in error. I used the standerd chart and if anything else my FedIV is a little loose and is in no way half a size off, so I went with what worked for me lol.