My best friend got soaked

[Jerekson]

Well, I've had my Akubra Federation for about a year now, and tonight it experienced it's first rainstorm! Soaked all the way through - when I took it off it was totally pliable and heavy with water.

I rest the hat on an old army helmet, to help keep the shape nice. Do you think that'll work?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

we'll see. I've heard good things about Akubras and their ability to withstand a soaking. Do report back.

bk

 

[RBH]

Also did your color hold up?
I had a little discoloration when I shaped mine, after it dried I sprayed it down with Scouts protector so it has shed water since then.

 

[Feraud]

Your hat should be fine Jerekson.
My Federation Deluxe has been thoroughly soaked before with no ill effects.
This is the perfect time to fool with the bash or brim shape.
Reshape and leave it to dry. The Fed is a tough hat.

 

[Jerekson]

Well, I left the hat to dry on the helmet overnight, and the next morning when I looked at it...

It had melted into a large pool on the table

Jokes aside, the hat it fine, better than ever actually. I messed with the front pinch a little while it was still wet and I like it...

No noticeable changes otherwise. Akubra rocks.

 

[Spellflower]

I've worn my Fed in many a rainstorm. Rain mostly beads up and slides off it, but in prolonged heavy rain, it will eventually seep through. When that's happened, it has stained the liner a bit, but otherwise, no permanent effect. I always head for the mirror when I come in out of the rain, and reshape the hat with it on my head. Then I carefully hang it on a hook, so that the desired shape is undisturbed. When it dries, it looks better than it did before the rain, since it's been freshly shaped.

 

[fatwoul]

My Fed Dlx has now been in three two significant soakings, and doesn't seem any worse for it. It's my everyday hat, now, so I'm not going easy on it anymore. If it dies, it dies. I can always get a replacement.

If anything, I'd say mine, like Jerekson's, may actually be improving with wear, simply because it is becoming my hat more and more.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

I've worn my Fed in many a rainstorm. Rain mostly beads up and slides off it, but in prolonged heavy rain, it will eventually seep through. When that's happened, it has stained the liner a bit, but otherwise, no permanent effect. I always head for the mirror when I come in out of the rain, and reshape the hat with it on my head. Then I carefully hang it on a hook, so that the desired shape is undisturbed. When it dries, it looks better than it did before the rain, since it's been freshly shaped.

Cowboys on the trail drives couldn't do that. Consequently, their hats got real personal real fast. They did not, however have a lot of "shape."

 

[fatwoul]

Part of the reason the felt in westerns is so much thicker and stiffer, I guess.

 

[Spellflower]

Cowboys on the trail drives couldn't do that. Consequently, their hats got real personal real fast. They did not, however have a lot of "shape."

Cowboys on the trail drives also had their own personal odors.lol

But seriously, even without going to extremes, as long as you take the time to reshape your wet hat before it dries, it will keep that shape when it does. If it turns into a flour sack after a soaking, it's only because it was left in the shape of a flour sack when wet. At least that's been my experience. I'm sure that after enough rainstorms, any hat will require a reblocking, but my Fed is still looking fine after quite a few.