HERITAGE grade Akubra Campdraft in Silver Belly Campaign

[gtdean48]

Yes, there can be quite noticeable color variations from batch to batch. And then there's what the hat finisher might do to those hat bodies that can have an effect on color as well. None of these factors account for the wide divergence among the colors called "silverbelly," but they do indeed make a difference.

Right Tony. I'd expect some variances since custom hatters are taking raw bodies & doing their techniques to get to a finished hat that can change the shades, especially how the end product would reflect light off the finish. I'd expect variances in different felters too since Akubra, HatCo & Winchester all don't use the same dyes, water, etc.

 

[TiltRotorFlyer]

I just received my new Heritage CD today and I really like it. I'm not an expert by any means but I can tell a difference in the felt quality between my Imperial CDs and this one. The Heritage CD is more dense; it is smoother and softer, just like the Fed IV dlx. As for the color, it is what I was expecting, maybe a little warmer or richer, but I really like it. It is nowhere near as dark as my Imperial grade CD in Tawny Fawn. This silverbelly reminds me of a clay color along the lines of Paul Maclean's fishing fedora (A River Runs Through It), only not as beat up. I wouldn't wear this one to go fly fishing though. I will continue to use my old Stetson 25 for that activity. I can see this being my everyday hat and I would buy more Heritage grade CDs in different colors if Akubra made them. Overall I am extremely satisfied with the quality and look of this great lid!

I would post pictures but since I am not a regular here, I believe I do not have permission to post attachments. The pictures posted by others are pretty much on the money colorwise. I would positively recommend this hat!

 

[EggHead]

Flyer, try posting pictures anyway. I think you need more than 8 posts and you have them.

 

[Yeps]

No one can post attachments. What you need to do is load the pictures up to a third party site like photobucket and use the

 

[EggHead]

Ah, sorry, I missed the word "attachment".

 

[Jauntyone]

Yay! My new CD Delux just arrived:

Here it is next to my old CD (old hat on the right):

Strangely enough, the felt on this new hat seems just a tiny bit lighter in color than the old. However, the ribbon and binding are abit darker. The felt is noticably finer, but much stiffer than the felt on the old CD.

 

[T Rick]

Yay! My new CD Delux just arrived:

Here it is next to my old CD (old hat on the right):

Strangely enough, the felt on this new hat seems just a tiny bit lighter in color than the old. However, the ribbon and binding are abit darker. The felt is noticably finer, but much stiffer than the felt on the old CD.

Nice, have you bashed it yet? (Any pics of the bash?).

I've read that the stiffness of the Heritage felts (which I assume is related to the tighter felting of these?) eases with age, and that they'll just have a nice, quality feel about them. I think I've read some rainstorms can actually help this (raining here today, maybe I should take mine out for a walk!).

 

[bowlerman]

Wow-- I think I actually prefer the warm golden tan undertones to the cooler variations or silverbelly. Now I sort of wish I had jumped on that boat. Did they make any overstock, or only as many as were pre-ordered?

 

[Jauntyone]

I ordered mine after everyone had started receiving theirs, so I assume they've got a good stock of them. Also, it appears on their web-site; I guess that means it's at least a semi-permanent style.
I haven't had time to try creasing it; it's pretty darned stiff!

 

[T Rick]

I ordered mine after everyone had started receiving theirs, so I assume they've got a good stock of them. Also, it appears on their web-site; I guess that means it's at least a semi-permanent style.
I haven't had time to try creasing it; it's pretty darned stiff!

I'm certain they have some, didn't just order the pre-orders (they had a minimum to order from Akubra, the pre-orders were just to ensure there was enough interest I think). I know this as though I expressed my interest in an email, I didn't actually place my pre-order until about a week or two before they began shipping, long after their order was placed with Akubra. They'll need to sell out this batch before deciding whether or not to re-order or not I'll wager, but of course they'll list them on the site to sell their stock.

As to the bash, give it a go! While stiff, it's very forgiving. I did mine dry, no soak, no water spray and no steam. Took just a few minutes (mostly because I decided to change from the center dent to the diamond, otherwise that would be seconds). And of course, very easy to return to open crowned and begin again if you're not happy with it.

Here's a shot of my own quick dry bash again, just for encouragement (wearing the hat right now too).

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

I finished bashing mine Sunday afternoon.

Started with the open crown and my portable steamer.

After steaming the crown for a few minutes I was able to get the center down to start the teardrop.

Here is how the teardrop turned out.

Here is how the Crown and brim looks from the front.

Here is a side view of how the hat looks.

This Camp Draft has great dense fur felt similar to my Mallory 15's from the 40's a very solid feel to the felt.
This was a birthday present from my wife and in-laws and they will be seeing me wearing it a lot when the Temperatures allow in the fall.

 

[Lastmohecken]

I have the new Delux Campdraft, but I am curious, how much difference is there between the regular Campdraft and this Delux model? Could someone show a comparison between the sweatbands, as that is supposed to be an upgrade?

My Delux does have a nice sweatband and I am just woundering how much a person was giving up in that department, when purchasing a regular Campdraft. I thought maybe sometime, I might get a different color.

By the way, I bashed mine into a teardrop. I used steam as I am not a big fan of dry bashing, but later on I received my latest Ebay purchase which was a Resistol cowboy 3X with a tall 6.5" or more crown, which is the tallest crowned hat I have ever had, and I ended up putting the Classic Roy Roger's double Teardrop/C crown in it, because I needed to do something with all of that crown. I found that IMHO, Roy's use of the shower to wet his hat down, really works very well, where I have to hurry with steam, vs just getting a hat wet, and doing it.

However, the steam, made it easy to set the brim on my Campdraft, so that I could keep the shape like I wanted it. My Campdraft is pretty stiff, but I really like that in a hat, as it will hold a shape better, then a soft hat.

 

[gtdean48]

I have the new Delux Campdraft, but I am curious, how much difference is there between the regular Campdraft and this Delux model? Could someone show a comparison between the sweatbands, as that is supposed to be an upgrade?
....

The Imperial CD has a 1.5" wide sweatband compared to a 1.75" wide one in the Heritage.
The material of the sweatband is a much nicer leather = higher quality leather. It is easily noticeable that this sweat is better both look & feel.
HTH

 

[T Rick]

The Imperial CD has a 1.5" wide sweatband compared to a 1.75" wide one in the Heritage.
The material of the sweatband is a much nicer leather = higher quality leather. It is easily noticeable that this sweat is better both look & feel.
HTH

Which of course is not to say that the standard one on the Imperial Grade Camp Draft is not fine, it is. But the Heritage model's is nicer. The felt is heavier/denser also, though again, not a HUGE difference IMO, and certainly nothing wrong with the standard version.

I'll try to get some pics of the two sweatbands put up later tonight for you to see the difference, but I would not hesitate to order the standard version if you wanted another color. Love mine in Bluegrass Green!

If you read through this thread, you'll find some who feel the additional cost is worth it for the Deluxe, while others do not agree. You'll get a similar mix on the two grades of Fed IV.

Here's a pic I just snapped of me in mine, the Camp Draft Deluxe, and one of the two together (I left the Deluxe much taller with a diamond than the teardrop of my Bluegrass Green).

Hoping for a rainstorm, I really would like to take this thing out in some weather and wear some of the "newness" off of it .

 

[Harry Gooch]

Fizzle?

I'm seeing a lot less posts about the hat than I thought.

Anyone with the new hat got any other pictures/comments?

Cheers,

Harry.

 

[frussell]

Mine went back to the Hattery to exchange for a Fed in Moonstone, which will get more wear. The sweatband on the Heritage was very nice, noticeably softer and better leather than the standard Campdraft. That's not just conjecture, I've worked with leather, making chaps, belts, holsters and other things for many years, and I know leather fairly well. The wider width of the sweatband makes it more comfortable to wear for long periods also. The felt seemed heavier and more dense, which is great for some, but not for a desert dweller like me. This was too nice a hat to sit on my shelf for 8 or 9 months a year. I wasn't crazy about the slightly darker tone (than my previous Silverbelly Campdrafts) of the felt and binding/ribbon at first, but it is a great looking hat regardless. If I didn't have a closet full of "Silverbelly" hats of all shades, I would have kept it as a great example of what this group can do when they work together. Cheers to Tom Dean and the Hattery for making this come out so well. Frank

 

[Seth Hawkins]

Update

Well folks... I've been living with this hat for a while now, and I have to say that I LOVE it! I know my first reaction to the hat wasn't that great. My only real disappointment was with the color. And only because it wasn't what I was expecting. The color is actually very nice. And the quality of the felt is very nice, too.

If you like Akubras, and especially the Camp Draft, you owe it to yourself to add this Campdraft Deluxe to your collection. You won't be sorry.

 

[gtdean48]

Creased the Heritage CD Deluxe

I went with a 5 sided diamond crease attempt & the JtL inner "arrowhead". It is still drying but here's a photo....

 

[Jedwbpm]

That looks real cool Tom

Jeff

 

[gtdean48]

That looks real cool Tom

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. With all that crown to work with, I had to try it!