Hat sizes : Akubra vs. Borsalino vs. Stetson

[CurlyW]

what is the correct way to measure your hat size. i'm ordering the campdraft as everyone here seems to really like it. I see some saying I should order larger. any thoughts on that or the hat in general, where to order, etc. would be appreciated.

thanks

 

[CurlyW]

I measured my head and came up with 7 5/8 and 7 3/4. so according to the everything Australian site that would be a size 60, but I thought I read on one of these posts where someone with a much smaller head than that ordered the 60 and it was too small. I've also read they shrink. soooo, can others who've order the CD offer their size experiences.
I was also like the SB, but was concerned i'd get it filthy dirty in no time if I wore it regularly. i'm looking for a hat I can just wear around all the time to help protect my hearing aids from the weather. any thoughts on this and cleaning.

thanks

 

[belfastboy]

Sam at Everything Australian has the best pricing but depending on colour may have to wait up to 3 months. Great service.
I am a 59 and my CD is a 59 and it fits perfectly. But I know others have ordered a size up. I betcha if you send Sam your size in mm he will advise you well.

 

[belfastboy]

I measured my head and came up with 7 5/8 and 7 3/4. so according to the everything Australian site that would be a size 60, but I thought I read on one of these posts where someone with a much smaller head than that ordered the 60 and it was too small. I've also read they shrink. soooo, can others who've order the CD offer their size experiences.
I was also like the SB, but was concerned i'd get it filthy dirty in no time if I wore it regularly. i'm looking for a hat I can just wear around all the time to help protect my hearing aids from the weather. any thoughts on this and cleaning.

thanks

By my calculations a 60 is a 7 1/2 or rough equal. I measure 59mm and usually buy a 59 but can get away with a 60. If you are between 7 5/8 and 7 3/4 guaranteed a 60 will NOT be a proper fit. Be cautious.

 

[DOGMAN]

I'm 23" my size 59 fit great.

 

[belfastboy]

I just checked numerous sizing charts. At the measurements you give you are likely a 62. I suggest you measure your head, get an exact measurement. I know for a fact that even when I am feeling good about myself I still measure 59.5mm bang on. There is no debate or confusion ..the measurement is exact. Measure again and then check any manner of online hat sizing chart.

 

[RJR]

I just checked numerous sizing charts. At the measurements you give you are likely a 62. I suggest you measure your head, get an exact measurement. I know for a fact that even when I am feeling good about myself I still measure 59.5mm bang on. There is no debate or confusion ..the measurement is exact. Measure again and then check any manner of online hat sizing chart.

I'm exactly 24" and a 61 shrinks to fit nicely.

 

[Eliesti]

Sam at Everything Australian has the best pricing but depending on colour may have to wait up to 3 months. Great service.
I am a 59 and my CD is a 59 and it fits perfectly. But I know others have ordered a size up. I betcha if you send Sam your size in mm he will advise you well.

I am also a 59 and I ordered a 59. Mine fits almost perfectly but is actually a tad large. I am waiting for a rain shower to see if it will shrink just a little.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CurlyW]

I'm exactly 24" and a 61 shrinks to fit nicely.

thanks for the responses, after reading your 24 measurement i realize that I wrote it wrong. i can't get hat size out of my mind and so wrote 7 when i meant that my measurement was 23 5/8 and 23 3/4.

 

[CurlyW]

that sounds good, thanks

 

[Monavillecowboy]

Bear in mind that one mans 59 is not another's.
A size is approximately a 3/8" (1cm) range.
I find my Akubra hats are no different than any other brand I sell and can be anywhere I that range.
As a practical example, I recently sold a 7 1/8 hat that is being returned. The buyer said that all his hats are 7 1/8 and this one is too small.
Well, all my hats are also 7 1/8 and the hat fits me perfectly.
The point is that if you want to be guaranteed a perfect fit you need to be in a store where you can try the hat on and purchase the hat that fits.

 

[tropicalbob]

^^ Correct. I have two CD's and a Fed IV, all of which arrived a bit big, one a little smaller than the others (I take a 63). When I spoke with the ladies at Hats Direct, however, regarding a straw that only went up to a 62, they strongly advised against me buying it as they were afraid it wouldn't fit me. It's really hard to know how a hat will fit unless either you try it on or you have access to one of those measuring devices (a conformator?) that Art Fawcett sends out to his first-time customers. Buying most things on the internet is a hit-or-miss deal, but I suppose a bit big is better than a bit small.

 

[hatsRme]

If you follow the instructions here, this measure provided by Panama Hats Direct works perfectly. I've used it several times without fail, including the very first lid I bought from them.
https://www.panamahatsdirect.com/shop/assets/Panama-Hat-Sizing-Chart.pdf
It WORKS!!

 

[CurlyW]

thanks for the chart, that's awesome. you should post that somehow to the "guides" forum, i'm sure it would be a great help for a lot of people.

 

[g.durand]

If you follow the instructions here, this measure provided by Panama Hats Direct works perfectly. I've used it several times without fail, including the very first lid I bought from them.
https://www.panamahatsdirect.com/shop/assets/Panama-Hat-Sizing-Chart.pdf
It WORKS!!

Charlie's right, these work!

 

[ingineer]

Curly;
I am 23 5/8 and i usually order a 61, they are loose on me the first 6 months. so i use foam or a couple folded bills for a while as the leather shrinks down to that 60.5 perfect size. This can be accelerated by placing a wetted sweat band in a hot place such as a an attic.
the leather on the imperials is vegetable tanned and shrinks.unlike a Stetson which is chromate. a 60 heritage will fit right out of the box perfect and is perfect if you never sweat in it or leave it in a car or other hot place, then you need a hat jack to restore its size.
buy the blue grass green, you will be very happy. i now own three colours

 

[CurlyW]

thanks Richard, sounds like 61 is what I want. I really appreciate everyone's help.

 

[LuvMyMan]

Curly;
I am 23 5/8 and i usually order a 61, they are loose on me the first 6 months. so i use foam or a couple folded bills for a while as the leather shrinks down to that 60.5 perfect size. This can be accelerated by placing a wetted sweat band in a hot place such as a an attic.
the leather on the imperials is vegetable tanned and shrinks.unlike a Stetson which is chromate. a 60 heritage will fit right out of the box perfect and is perfect if you never sweat in it or leave it in a car or other hot place, then you need a hat jack to restore its size.
buy the blue grass green, you will be very happy. i now own three colours

I totally agree, a hat that is just a bit big may be a blessing in all ways as if you need to pad the hat, shove some money folded over in kleenex, (you now have a hidden bank..haha) and eventually a hat will usually conform to fit you as time passes. Some hats will need to be "tweaked" with a hat jack to fit your head no matter what unless of course you order a custom made hat (Art Fawcett) or another custom hat maker that sends you a conformer that will make your hat an exact match to you head shape and size. In over the years I would safely guess we have had close to 200 or more hats pass through and most have had to be hat jacked to put some long oval into the hat to fit my Husband. You can live with a bit larger, but smaller is a real pain to have to jack it and then get the brim from being all "wonky".

Good luck in your quest for fedora hats!

 

[Michael R.]

Mike from @Monavillecowboy is right , and the Panama Hats Direct PDF , too . Even if you use a cloth tape , it might not fit you , most of the time it will , especially if its a standard size , going up to the nearest size to 1/8". But if you're Long Oval , and say you measure 23" / 58.5 cm every time , and order a custom {Different Topic} by that it will probably be too small . I did it . Then I decided to try two different things to compare , the US sizing method (longways + short ways divide by 2) , then just run scotch tape around the rim of the sweat of a Hat that fits . There was a Big Difference , on the same Hat that fit Perfectly (being that my head measures 58.5 cm 10/10 X) , the US Method showed 7.316 , the tape around the rim showed 59.5 cm , the Hat is a 7 3/8 Long Oval Old Resistol as comfortable as it can be . There is a variance in factory Hats , I checked on other Hats , Dress , and Western , and the tape around the rim told the story , my Head Measurements fooled me . But I have an OR 7 3/8 RO that's closer to a 7 1/2 measuring it , and its too big . Others that are loose , and measuring them even being size 59 , they're US measurements show 7.459 . Dress Hats conform but they can be too small or too big at the same size . They do shrink over time . A true 7 3/8 if its exact would show 7.375 , but even with that , if its not Long Oval it could be too tight front and back , and still wobbly side to side . Another thing I noticed is a Hat thats Blocked to your correct size will be even with your head , too big its wider , too small its narrower . I'm still miffed at the whole thing personally , it doesn't make sense , but I bet a Conformateur would show a peanut , or egg plant shape . And to complicate it more a 59 that started loose shrunk to a 58 and has to be stretched . Once a Hat fits use Leather Conditioner on the sweat , and a retainer / stretch to keep it where you want it .

I bet Art has seen it all . Or other Hatters that use Conformateurs / Conformers . Almost Always Better to go the next size up if you're between sizes , but my Campdraft at 59 cm , is the Hat thats still showing 7.459 US , and loose , but it will shrink , and foam makes it fit just right , especially after a hair cut . It started too Big like all do , and a little stiff , but now it is soft .

The take away is the same size , and brand , and style Hat can have one thats too big , one too small , and a Goldie Locks thats just right .

And Charts are different , too .

 

[TheDane]

And Charts are different , too .

Absolutely, and that one seems quite a bit off!

The "(length + width) / 2" method is actually a hack, but it's usually very accurate. The definition of the US-size is: The diameter of a circle with the said circumference. If your head measures 23", the exact corresponding US-size is: 23/PI = 7.321 ... somewhere between 7-1/4 (7.250) and 7-3/8 (7.375).

A 7-1/4 hat should in theory have an inner circumference of 22.777" or 57.85 cm. For a 7-3/8 the numbers are: 23.169" or 58.85 cm.

There is no difference in circumference between a wide (round), regular and long oval with the same size-designation.

In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, this seems quite different