Fedoras on a budget???

[WideBrimm]

Orvis

Orvis is always a good bet for inexpensive wool felt fedoras - either online or in their stores.

As for the thrift stores here in the west, nice western hats occasionally show up for cheap. I especially like the pinch front western hats. Fur felt, of course.

 

[NonEntity]

KeyGrip,

Definitely go for a pure rabbit fur felt Akubra, which typically run only slightly over your $100 budget. Akubras are far and away the best values in fur felt hats today, very high quality at a reasonable price, and they'll last practically forever.

In fact, the Sydney mentioned I got in charcoal for Christmas, and it's my favorite fedora. Felt is very soft, so it's both comfortable right out of the box and a cinch to shape the open crown. Brim's quite snappy, though.

I got mine for $116 from David Morgan, where S & H is only $7.00, and you'll have it anywhere in the U.S. in less than a week.

 

[KeyGrip]

How accurate do Akubras run in sizing? I'm a 59-60; should I order high or low at all?

 

[Stoney]

A little big is always better

How accurate do Akubras run in sizing? I'm a 59-60; should I order high or low at all?

I'm a 54-55 and went for 55. At first I thought it was going to be too big, but the sweatband was easy to shrink. It fits like a glove, err hat, now.

 

[carldelo]

Stoney, that Buffalo fur hat is pretty cool - although not my style. I'll be interested to hear what the felt is like.

I'm on the cusp of ordering a Sydney for myself, but JT has persuaded me with that impressive display to go on a sortie to the Burlington Coat Factory first.

As long as it is not inappropriate, I'll continue to post discount codes when I get them. Right now there is 10% off at VHS until Feb 28th, code 'StimPlan10' - they have a number of lower cost fedoras for the budget-minded fedora craver. Again, I have no affiliation with any vendor.

Cheers, Carl

 

[Ryan]

Check out outback outlet for some Akubra models. It's an outlet so they only have a few to choose from but for 47-60 bucks it might work for you. Better yet call them. I called in my order and was offered some hats not listed on their web site. I wear a size 60 and the 7 1/2 fits really good.

 

[bolthead]

Does DM offer a discount for members?

LMAO.....

 

[Stoney]

Stoney, that Buffalo fur hat is pretty cool - although not my style. I'll be interested to hear what the felt is like.
Cheers, Carl

Trust me, when I'm finished with that Buffalo hat, it will not look like does now.

 

[thunderw21]

Like others have said, haunt local antique/thrift shops. You will eventually find cheap vintage fedoras in your size but it might take some time. The most I've paid for a fedora at an antique shop is $55 for a 1950s Stetson Open Road from my great-great grandpa's haberdashery.

Most of my other vintage fedoras have been $20 or less.

 

[KeyGrip]

As long as it is not inappropriate, I'll continue to post discount codes when I get them.

Please do.

 

[KY Gentleman]

The Fedora Store has some Beaver Brand fedoras for $55 right now. I've heard they make a good hat so I ordered one...

 

[Stoney]

Should be a good hat

None in my size :eusa_doh:

Get em while they last.

 

[citRon]

All I saw were Navy Blue ones....is there another page with them?

 

[NonEntity]

How accurate do Akubras run in sizing? I'm a 59-60; should I order high or low at all?

Akubra sizing has been discussed on other threads at length, but the executive summary is that most find they fit true to size while a substantial minority feel they run a size large, but with sweat and rain, shrink to fit just right.

My advice is to use a fabric tape to carefully measure your head around the exact part where you like the sweatband of the hat to ride and do it when your haircut is the typical length/thickness. Order the size the measurement corresponds to and round up if it's halfway between or more. If it's too big at first, use felt pads made just for the purpose of inserting behind the sweat to reduce the size a bit. David Morgan includes a pair with every hat it sells.

My Sydney fit perfect in my usual size 57.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Akubra is trying to correct a problem they had in the past. I found out about it when I bought a used Akubra "Jackaroo." It was a 57 (the correct size), but when it arrived I discovered it had shrunk nearly TWO SIZES. (It also had a terrible amount of taper.) I have now twice taken it apart, stretched, and rebuilt it. It is still a bit snug. It keeps wanting to shrink again. The moral: Buy NEW Akubras, NOT USED ONES.

 

[Ande1964]

Thanks for the tip. I just bought one of the Navy Blue Beaver brand hats from Duane at the Fedora Store.

It's gonna be a little big on me. If I can't work with it, I'll offer it here to an even larger-headed gentleman.

PS- Never mind... Duane just told me the size I needed is out of stock.

Anj

 

[NonEntity]

J.T.,

I'm not sure I'm following you. Are you saying that older Akubras used to be true to size when new, but then shrunk, so they changed their sizing so that new ones are actually larger than the size would indicate, and then they shrink to fit properly? Or is your point that when you buy used, you take the risk that someone did not take care of it and let it shrink dramatically?

In any case, your "pre-owned" Jackaroo is a great-looking Aussie outback style hat. That's the first Jackaroo I've ever seen, and the first Akubra with vent holes that do not have grommets I've seen, as well. Is it lined? Did it originally come as an open crown or pre-formed? Brim looks very wide--how wide? That hatband is good-looking; what kind of leather is it made of, roo?

 

[J.T.Marcus]

J.T.,

I'm not sure I'm following you. Are you saying that older Akubras used to be true to size when new, but then shrunk, so they changed their sizing so that new ones are actually larger than the size would indicate, and then they shrink to fit properly? Or is your point that when you buy used, you take the risk that someone did not take care of it and let it shrink dramatically?

In any case, your "pre-owned" Jackaroo is a great-looking Aussie outback style hat. That's the first Jackaroo I've ever seen, and the first Akubra with vent holes that do not have grommets I've seen, as well. Is it lined? Did it originally come as an open crown or pre-formed? Brim looks very wide--how wide? That hatband is good-looking; what kind of leather is it made of, roo?

The hat showed no sign of any sort of abuse. It seems to have just shrunk since it was manufactured. That is evidently why some Akubras now are made larger than the marked size, to allow for anticipated shrinking. If you are considering a used one, don't go by the size label. Ask for the sweatband circumference.

Thanks for the nice words about the hat. I bought it for no better reason than those "cool' vent holes. It is not lined. there was a label in the top of the crown. The crown was preformed; but after the second stretch, I left it open crown. The brim is 3 1/4". Akubra started with wide brims. Even today, most models are quite wide. "Jackaroo" is Australian for "cowboy." The hatband is nice leather, but I don't suspect it of being anything other than "bovine."

 

[Stoney]

Stetson Montana Before and After

Trust me, when I'm finished with that Buffalo hat, it will not look like does now.

I received the Buffalo Hat from Noggintops today. Nice hat but very stiff and a 3 1/2 inch brim. So, first things first, I steamed the entire crown and re-blocked it with as little taper as possible. Next, I trimmed the brim down to 2 1/2 inches. Finally a Safari style bash to finish it off.

Before:

After:

The actual color of the hat is not accurate in either photo. It is almost exactly between the two in shade. Kind of an Olive Khaki.

After the re-block, some rough handling and a little brushing, the crown is much softer, I was able to remove some of the stiffness from the brim by rolling it by hand, but I left it stiffer than the crown. My apologies to Hatco, but I like the hat much better this way.

 

[Rick Blaine]

... My apologies to Hatco, but I like the hat much better this way.[/QUOTE]

Me too ! Damn fine looking hat, Stoney!