My New Akubras

[Not-Bogart13]

The moment has arrived at last. I am now the owner of not one, but two open crown Akubras! A standard Federation and a Campdraft. The quality of both meet (maybe even exceed) my expectations based on opinions on this forum. Thanks for steering me right, guys!

The Campdraft is really nice, and I have a few shots of it. I've already started shaping it with a center dent and pinch. No steam, no water. I'll add pics of me in it when I find someone to take them. Hope these links work... it's my first time!

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/michaelgarcia13/detail?.dir=/16cc&.dnm=89d7.jpg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/michaelgarcia13/detail?.dir=/16cc&.dnm=1394.jpg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/michaelgarcia13/detail?.dir=/16cc&.dnm=144f.jpg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/michaelgarcia13/detail?.dir=/16cc&.dnm=a9ed.jpg&.src=ph

The Fed; I can see why so many like this hat, even before shaping it. I'm holding off though, because I'm not fond of the color. I got it in the Mid-Brown color, and I expected it to be dark, but it's an odd color. In some light it looks greenish, in others sort of purple! In bad lighting, it almost looks like it was an attempt to make black by using a bunch of different colors. Is this normal?
Anyway, I'm looking into exchanging it for a gray one, but if it's too costly to do it because of shipping I might Ebay it. Also, if somebody here really wants it... it's a size 59cm, 7 3/8 US.

 

[scotrace]

Nice!

I like that Campdraft! Is that also a HatsDirect-only item? Looks sort of Open Road Like.

My Fed is a deluxe, and based on other's reports of odd coloring on the standard fed, I'm glad I spent the extra money. It's brown, always brown.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Wow, I have never seen a Campdraft -- that is a neat hat, looks like my vintage 50-year-old Borsalino. Does it come in any other color besides the light brown color in your photos?

Did you get that at Hats Direct? It is a beauty. Congratulations on your new hat.

karol

 

[havershaw]

Really nice! You did a fantastic job on the shaping. I agree - looks like an Open Road, or maybe a Stratoliner.

 

[Bebop]

I love the Campdraft. I like it better than the Fed. I am going to have to hit Hatsdirect.com again. I understand Getahaton.com is also starting to sell Akubras. Might try them also.
I recieved a Federation about 2 weeks ago and thought the greenish-black-brown-strange color was not what I expected but it is a color that goes well with alot and I certainly do not have another hat that color so I kept it and now kind of like that I can't really describe what color it really is.

 

[fedoralover]

Where did you get the Campdraft and how much was it? I don't see it on hatsdirect website. Also on my monitor it looks like a very light brown. Is it darker than that? I have a friend who is looking for a hat that looks like that and vintage ones are getting harder to find in that style and a brown color.

Also the greenish color on the regular federations has been a problem since they first came out. Some are worse than others, the Federation Deluxe is a more solid brown.

NOTE TO AARON: will you be able to get the Campdraft?

fedoralover

 

[scotrace]

Not finding

Neither David morgan nor Hats Direct is showing the Campdraft - where'd you get that hat???

Is it softer than your fed?

 

[Aaron Hats]

We are currently working on getting several styles that aren't available through other US retailers such as the Croc and Stylemaster. If the deal goes through I'll ask about the Campdraft. I checked Akubras website and they don't list it there either.

 

[scotrace]

Here's one

Looks like about $70 US:

http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=19&ccode=1180&cat_id=2

Comes in silverbelly too - shown with the trolley cord.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Silverbelly

I don't think the hat is being made any longer.

Colour Silverbelly Size's 55,56,57,58(2 Units),59,60(2)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Akubra-Campdraf...yZ111231QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Simon82]

Sweet Hat!

Nice lid, Non-Bogart! Love the color, but I think I like the Silver Belly just as much. Seeing as how I like the looks of the fedoras in "Seabiscuit" (and have Fedora making a custom "Chris Cooper Brown" -- can't wait!), this seems like it would be a nice cheap way to have a reasonable facsimile of the Jeff Bridges Penney's Marathon fedora, in a sort of a gray.

Thanks for showing us! You're going to start an Akubra Campdraft club here!

Simon

 

[Not-Bogart13]

The "Skinny" on the Campdraft

Wow. Everybody seems to like the Campdraft as much as I do! I'm going to try to answer all the questions so far.

I first saw the Campdraft at everythingaustralian.com and imagined it in fedora shape. I felt it would have that Bridges "Seabiscuit" look or Open Road. Since I wanted a Fed, I asked Hatsdirect if they could get it, and they said yes. I only asked about the Taupe Fawn (light tan) and Sky Grey (very light gray). They told me that the Sky Grey was discontinued, even though it shows up on other sites. They also told me the Fed in Tawny Fawn was about the same color as the Taupe Fawn. The pictures I posted look a bit darker than the actual hat, which is a really nice tan color. Hatsdirect charged me $98.50 Australian Dollars, which I think converted to less US dollars than the Fed.

As for the stiffness, softness, and all that, the Campdraft feels like the felt is just a tiny bit thinner (but in a good way), though the crown felt pretty much the same as the Fed out of the box. However, it's very easy to shape, and I started over several times without any signs of the previous shaping visible. It also seems to be softening as I play with it. The brim is more cooperative about staying snapped down than the Fed, which I think I'd have to steam if I kept it. The main advantage of feel that the Fed has is that it has a slightly more luxurious feel to the felt's finish.

The photo on everythingaustralian.com is closer in color than my pics, but my brim shape is how it comes, I just snapped the front down. The crown is not as high as the Fed.

Overall, I like the Campdraft better, and I'm considering a silverbelly. Buying it alone (rather than with another hat to save on shipping) would be cheaper through Everything Australian, but Hatsdirect has been so great, I might go with them again.

Well, thanks for all the compliments. Fell free to lavish me with more!

 

[Prairie Shade]

Consider yourself lavished enough. Does it come with the trolley cord?

 

[besdor]

You would think that with all of the desire for Akubra hats , more people would sell them in the USA .The problem is that the main distributor here only sells there "outback" styles such as the boomerang and snowy river . I think it's cheaper to buy them from a store in Australia and ship it directly to the USA .By the way ,never buy a black Akubra. They don't hold the color well .

 

[Bebop]

Besdor, Who is the main distributor of Akubra in the U.S.A? I know that David Morgan has much more than just "outback" style Akubras. I thought that David Morgan was the main distributor. Is there another Akubra distributor in the U.S?

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Prairie Shade; Yep, the Campdraft comes with the Trolley Cord.

Besdor and Bebop; Aside from a good find on eBay, it is cheaper to order an Akubra from Australia. That's probably why there are so few US distributors. The US distributor I found was Noggintops.com whch has a fair selection, but none of the open crowns. I think they carry some non-outbacks, though.

Thanks for the warning, besdor. I was thinking about black, but I'll steer clear.

 

[Sefton]

The Campdraft is a nice looking lid indeed. They have my size too! Of course I'll have to wait 3 months! As Charlie Brown once said: "Aaauuugggghhhh!!" (or something like that).

 

[besdor]

The main distributor is called Outback Trading Co . They are located in Oxford ,Pa . They carry alot of hats from Akubra as well as junk made in China in their lesser expensive lines. Those you dont want to touch.

 

[Aaron Hats]

The two US distributors are Outback Trading and David Morgan. Anybody selling Akubras in the US has to buy from them. The problem is they don't carry all styles and won't special order anything unless you want huge quantities. The other problem is that Akubra won't even talk to a retailer. Try finding an email address or phone number on their website. We're currently exchanging emails with an Australian distributor trying to get some of those other styles but they don't want to get in trouble with Akubra and the US distributors. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Bebop]

I find it really strange that Akubra does not want to reel in the American dollar. They should be soliciting American retailers not the other way around. Maybe that is what keeps the American market wanting the Akubra. The fact that you can't find one just anywhere.