I love the Fed IV!!

[CRH]

It's a secret marketing scheme

 

[Edward]

Went to the Hatsdirect website today to look over some Fed IVs. A message came in stating that there is a ‘Fed IV hat Project’ in the works. Says nothing more about it. Anyone have any information?

News to me, hopefully someone on here does...

The most obvious way to go might be new colours - bluegrass green, midnight blue.... Personally, what I'd love to see them do the most would be a hemp milano-weave straw version. I miss my Feds this time of year when it's too dern hot to wear them...

 

[Edward]

It's a secret marketing scheme

Heh. here's clearly something afoot: they've run stocks of both versions down to almost nothing. Makes me suspect they're going to introduce a Mk V, maybe nodding to the Dial of Destiny version of The Hat? I can't see them stopping it, given it's an exclusive and, best as I can make out, a healthy seller. Fingers crossed, anyhow.

As well as a hemp Summer version, I think it would be cool if they did one as a 'plus' model of some sort, with a wide brim-binding matching the ribbon, and a wind trolley. Maybe an option of some contrast ribbons - the Moonstone grey would look sharp with carbon grey or copper coloured ribbon and binding. bluegrass green and a mid / turquoise blue would be nice options as well.

 

[scottyrocks]

I would definitely look into some sort of straw version of the Fed IV.

 

[RockyR]

Check out the Akubra Overload thread... we've been speculating for some time...

 

[Vintage Gent]

Carbon Grey Fed is back in stock, most sizes available. I bought one a few months ago but the crown was so tapered I had to return it. I hope this issue is solved in the new batch.

 

[Edward]

Carbon Grey Fed is back in stock, most sizes available. I bought one a few months ago but the crown was so tapered I had to return it. I hope this issue is solved in the new batch.

That does sound odd. Bummer you had to return it, but hopefully just a blip. I'm sure it was perfectly fine, qualitatively, as a hat, but the tall, straight sides on the crown were of course always a major part of the point of the Fed.

Still no further info on the teased new developments from Hats Direct, which is a shame...

 

[Vintage Gent]

I'm also eager for more information about new developments on the Fed. After the Carbon Grey, I could buy a Moonstone when it became available and I'm very happy with it. Feds are really great hats, we need them in production for years to come.

 

[Edward]

I'm also eager for more information about new developments on the Fed. After the Carbon Grey, I could buy a Moonstone when it became available and I'm very happy with it. Feds are really great hats, we need them in production for years to come.

There's not much like them I've been able to find at around the same sort of price point. I've looked at some nice Stetsons (I'd rather like a furfelt Stratoliner, having very much enjoyed a pair of hemp ones this Summer, but at the price they are to get them over here - they aren't officially imported by Stetson EU, so it's a case of ordering from the US and taking the hit on the postage - it starts to edge towards what could also buy custom, and hard for me to justify the thought of spending £100 odds more than a Fed goes for).

Moonstone remains the one I'm after too. I have my original Fed III DLX in brown bought back in 2008, and a new one of the same (an IV) bought a few months ago for 'best', alongside a carbon grey and a tawny fawn standard IV. The black I' not tempted by solely because I already have three other black fedoras with which I'm very happy. The moonstone remains the elusive one.... I like both the DLX and the standard - tbh, the bigger decision between them is the colour than anything else. In fawn, I prefer the warmer, gold hue of the standard's tawny fawn; the DLX Heritage Fawn is just a notch too close to my DLX Campdraft to really be worth it. Though if they did the latter with a scarlet ribbon and brim binding..... colour me interested!

It's such an accessible option for a hat in that style - something which will become more and more important to enthusiasts as original vintage hats become rarer, older, more expensive / valuable, and disappear entirely into a small circle of collectors.

 

[BdSal]

Not sure if this is news, but just saw on the Hattery site that the Imperial Fed IV will be available again in brown in November.

 

[Edward]

Not sure if this is news, but just saw on the Hattery site that the Imperial Fed IV will be available again in brown in November.
View attachment 643815

Interesting. No such comment on the DLX page.... This would suggest to me there are no looming changes to the standard model. Will the changes be to the DLX? It can't be solely being discontinued. Maybe they're going to offer it in different colours, or replace it with an alternative. Are we about to see a beaver Fed? I'd like to try that, as long as it didn't astronomically raise the price, though I'd be as happy with a bluegrass green DLX in Heritage Felt, and/or a hemp summer option.

 

[scottyrocks]

and/or a hemp summer option.

I'd go for one of those.

 

[Edward]

I'd go for one of those.

Me too. I have a few straws, but the idea of being able to buy a few in a milano weave hemp with a leather hatband... oh, my. That would be the perfect Summer hat. Logical seller, too, you'd think for HD, what with so many of us Fed Fans already - and Akubra seem to have retired a lot of their straws (including the Capricorn, which is a shame).

 

[jlee562]

I would be interested to see the end product of a straw Fed IV. The catch in my mind is that straw hats have to have a pre-creased block, open crown straws are not really a thing (ok, Resistol has some western style ones on the market, but no fedoras). It's either going to have the same pre-creased crown as already exists in the Akubra line (like the Range) or a custom block would have to be made to retain the straight sides. I'm not aware of any straw block in use that has the same straight sided profile. I'd settle for something like this BB Mombasa style though.

Oh, and I also don't think a dimensional brim is possible.

 

[Edward]

I would be interested to see the end product of a straw Fed IV. The catch in my mind is that straw hats have to have a pre-creased block, open crown straws are not really a thing (ok, Resistol has some western style ones on the market, but no fedoras). It's either going to have the same pre-creased crown as already exists in the Akubra line (like the Range) or a custom block would have to be made to retain the straight sides. I'm not aware of any straw block in use that has the same straight sided profile. I'd settle for something like this BB Mombasa style though.

Oh, and I also don't think a dimensional brim is possible.

I'd be fine with a pre-creased block - the 1930s bash Hats Direct offer as an extra service for a small upcharge (you'll see it on their website) would work.

Interesting re the dimensional brim - hadn't thought of that, presumably the issue is that you can't weave fewer rows of straw on the sides than front and back when forming the brim? That's a detail I'd be happy to compromise on if it meant getting a Summer Fed.

 

[scottyrocks]

Me too. I have a few straws, but the idea of being able to buy a few in a milano weave hemp with a leather hatband... oh, my. That would be the perfect Summer hat. Logical seller, too, you'd think for HD, what with so many of us Fed Fans already - and Akubra seem to have retired a lot of their straws (including the Capricorn, which is a shame).

I have a Capricorn and rarely wear it. I don't love its shape or material. Too shiny and plasticky. And it's heavy for a 'straw.'

It also doesn't look like an Indy hat. And I know it's not supposed to.

If Akubra makes a straw Fed IV it's gonna have to look like an Indy hat.

 

[jlee562]

Interesting re the dimensional brim - hadn't thought of that, presumably the issue is that you can't weave fewer rows of straw on the sides than front and back when forming the brim? That's a detail I'd be happy to compromise on if it meant getting a Summer Fed.

If I understand Milan construction correctly, the braided straw is formed into a strip, which is then sewn back to itself to create the hat body. It's basically a big concentric circle of a continuous spiraling braided strip.

 

[Edward]

If I understand Milan construction correctly, the braided straw is formed into a strip, which is then sewn back to itself to create the hat body. It's basically a big concentric circle of a continuous spiraling braided strip.

Yes, makes sense - that's my understanding as well. Looked to be the case when I once had some stitching go on the crown of a milano weave.

 

[Edward]

I have a Capricorn and rarely wear it. I don't love its shape or material. Too shiny and plasticky. And it's heavy for a 'straw.'

It also doesn't look like an Indy hat. And I know it's not supposed to.

If Akubra makes a straw Fed IV it's gonna have to look like an Indy hat.

That would be the attraction for me too. Should be possible - I remember Peter Bros did one years ago, though I've never handled one in person.


The Capricorns always had an odd sheen when new. Fortunately that dulled pretty quick. I did like them having a bit of reassuring weight to them. Plasticky straw is always gonig to be an opinion splitter. Certainly nowhere near as nice as my hemp Stratoliner, but I can't complain about the practicality (including its ability to take heavy, monsoon style rain in Beijing). The brim snaps well which is a plus.

I like the shape of the Capricorn for some looks - it has a definitely 50s vibe to me in a way that the Stratoliners are definitely an 'older' style. It is, though, a very different shape than the Fed of course. For sure, something shaped much closer to a Fed pre-bashed would be the birdy - I'd be happy to compromise on the brim.

The bash option Hats direct offer as an alternative to shipping open crown is this:

I could definitely live with that as a preformed option in a straw.

 

[Art Hat1]

First small outing for my moonstone Fed 4 this fall, a peaceful rainy walk.