Stetson Open Road vs Akubra Campdraft

[Old Fogey UK]

Thanks, guys.
I'll look at the relevant thread and experiment on my old Federation which has developed a slight taper with a centre dent.
I may try and persuade my other half to buy me a Campdraft for Christmas (thank goodness the Australian Dollar's in no better shape than the British Pound at the moment).
I shouldn't have wasted my money on that OR when I really wanted something that looks like the hats worn by the Deputy Sheriffs in "The Grapes of Wrath" movie. That'll be the Campdraft, I guess - will it take an OR-style centre and 2 side dents without tapering, do you think ?

 

[carter]

In the What Hat Are You Wearing Today? thread, Tone asked,

Carter, that Stetson Open Road looks great. Is it me, or does it look to be a bit slimmer, and shorter than the Campdrafts when that crease is in one?

regarding my Open Road Twenty-five.
Here are some pictures for comparison. The OR is the hat on the right.

 

[Tone]

Pic Comparisons!

Thank you, Carter. Seeing them from the top helps alleviate some guessing. Both great hats and I'm really liking the 'Be Anywhere' sleekness of these with a narrow diamond as seen on your Stetson and Jauntyone's examples. :eusa_clap Thanks much.

 

[KatintheHat]

The new Stetson Open Roads have no relation to the vintage OR's. The Akubra Campdraft is as good as it gets these days.

It's sad. Sorry that you got ripped off. You gotta pay $300 or more for a decent Stetson these days. And then ya gotta wonder.

 

[JohnnyB53]

The new Stetson Open Roads have no relation to the vintage OR's. The Akubra Campdraft is as good as it gets these days.

I have gotten so spoiled by my Akubras for their soft felt (once it breaks in), pliability, and shape-holding ability in the face of sun and rain.

A couple days ago I was in a hat shop that carried an extensive Stetson selection, and I was shocked at what the Open Road has become--stiff, thin, card-boardy in feel. Three of my four Akubras are open crown and I have played around with other open crown Akubras (Sydney, Squatter, and Bushman) at the David Morgan showroom, so I know exactly how their Campdraft would feel and how to bash it to get a desired look. The modern Stetson OR feels like a toy hat or costume accessory by comparison, and costs considerably more.

You might be able to salvage your open road by having a professional steam and re-block it into a shape you like. Hopefully the steaming or wetting would soften the felt from its stiff texture out of the box.

 

[Tone]

I've had a few open-crowned akubras myself; including the Bushman and probably one of the very first Adventurers (Current version) to hit the shelves. I'm aware of Akubra's capabilities for shaping and the quality of their felt. My biggest curiousity about the Campdraft was its dimensions, as the Campdraft always appears a bit large, based on a good number of examples I've seen. (Large being relative, of course; I've heard the Bushman - which I find to be an ideal balance between crown and brim - described as "a lot of hat"; whereas the Fed IV also being described as too short.) [huh]

I know they can always be shortened with a diamond, teardrop, etc. to bring them into a good perspective with the crown, I just wasn't sure I'd be happy with the degree of depth needed to do it. As I say, based on Carter's example of his reconfigured Stetson, in comparison to some of the Campdrafts, it is apparent that this same, sleek look can be done with the Campdraft, too - which is nice to "see". The pic comparisons definitely help.

Quality differences understood, I still think his OR looks great there!

 

[carter]

...Quality differences understood, I still think his OR looks great there!

Just to clarify, that OR Twenty-five is not a new OR. It's far superior to a modern OR.

 

[Tone]

I never thought it was.

But - whether it was new or old it wouldn't really change the opinion that the hat in that picture looks good, would it?

Though, yes, that was the purpose behind your posting this, right? To show the differences (mainly the similarities) of the Campdraft to the old OR? That's what I was saying thanks for doing.

 

[carter]

Tone, You are correct. I posted the pictures solely in response to your question regarding comparing the Campdraft to the vintage Open Road. I'm glad you like it. I do as well.

 

[RBH]

In the What Hat Are You Wearing Today? thread, Tone asked, regarding my Open Road Twenty-five.
Here are some pictures for comparison. The OR is the hat on the right.

Thanks Carter! These shots show why the Campdraft out shines the modern Open Roads. [at least to me they do!]
Fuller crowns with great height and a very nice brim... plus they are so easy to crease! :eusa_clap

 

[Preacher Man]

:eusa_clap Carter;
Thanks for those comparison pics. Great looking hats! My Tawny Fawn Campdraft was shipped this past Tuesday. Is your Campdraft in the pic a Silverbelly? If that's the Silverbelly color I may have to spring for one of those too!

Preacher Man
Philippians 4:13

 

[carter]

Thanks for all the positive comments, gentlemen.

The felt color of the Campdraft in the photos is Silverbelly. The photos were taken outside on a bright, sunny day and the colors are accurate. The OR Twenty-five has a very slight grey hue when side-by-side with the Campdraft.

I rebashed the Campdraft after taking these pictures as I really like the log deep side dents and a more defined crown shape. I'm pleased with the result.

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Monsieur Carter, we meet again. I'd like to begin by thanking you for the great side-by-side pictures of the Camp Draft and the vintage Stetson 25. These pictures give a very accurate idea of the general similarity of both hats, whilst concurrently indicating some of the differences.

To me, it seems obvious the "25" has great intrinsic quality. The creases are sharper, more defined, "thinner", all indicative of very very good felt and the qualities such outstanding felt should posess. With such felt, you can -basically- do almost anything you want; some steam and ...finished.

The Camp Draft (and I have a silverbelly one which I am very very happy with) is an excellent contemporary hat. A felt hat, unlike those sorry wool contraptions with an iron wire as excuse for a brim. Generous proportions, to a man's taste: no taper here! Having moulded my Camp Draft into (more of less) the shape I intended it to have, it has become apparent that, yes, it is probably still a bit new, a bit stiff. You cannot give the "edges" same clearcut fold, crease, that "hand bashed" quality as in a vintage felt. The Akubra felt seems to have more "resilience", "springiness", resistance to changing the shape. The Stetson has a more "putty" like quality: give it a shape, and it stays there, until moved to change.

Now I don't own a "new" Stetson hat. I love the old ones. I am extemely pleased with my vintage Stetson hats. And I like my Akubra.

 

[carter]

Paul, A bit more conversation. The felt of the OR 25 is superior to that of the Campdraft and it does hold it's crease with no problem.
I found that the Campdraft is an easy dry bash but needed some steam to set the longer and deeper side dents and the diamond of the crown. Another result that I like is that it adds some taper to the profile of the hat and removes a bit of the height. I may rebash my tawny fawn Campdraft as well. Currently it's bashed like the silverbelly was in the side-by-side photos.

 

[Scary Mc]

Old post, but what color is this Camp Draft?

I have both and I prefer the Campdraft. Here is the Campdraft with open crown.

Here it is creased.

My Campdraft is made of lighter felt and feels more vintage. And at the current exchange rate the Campdraft is a real bargain.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Old post, but what color is this Camp Draft?

Mid-Brown

 

[Scary Mc]

What a beautiful color. Thanks.

Mid-Brown

 

[Atticus Finch]

I have several vintage Open Roads and one modern OR. I also have two Camp Drafts. The Camp Drafts have slightly taller crowns and slightly longer brims than my modern OR. This doesn’t bother me because there is no absolute when it comes to OR brim width and crown height. Depending on the decade of manufacture, Open Roads may have larger or smaller brims and crowns. The Camp Draft’s dimensions fall within this variation.

I bought the first Camp Draft so that I could have a fedora blocked Open Road that I could wear in the rain. I liked the new Camp Draft so much that I soon bought another. Over the last two years, they have both preformed splendidly. I wear one or the other of them when the weather is too wet or snowy to wear an Open Road. In spite of being exposed to much rain and snow, they continue to look as good as new.

 

[danofarlington]

I have several vintage Open Roads and one modern OR. I also have two Camp Drafts. The Camp Drafts have slightly taller crowns and slightly longer brims than my modern OR. This doesn’t bother me because there is no absolute when it comes to OR brim width and crown height. Depending on the decade of manufacture, Open Roads may have larger or smaller brims and crowns. The Camp Draft’s dimensions fall within this variation.

I bought the first Camp Draft so that I could have a fedora blocked Open Road that I could wear in the rain. I liked the new Camp Draft so much that I soon bought another. Over the last two years, they have both preformed splendidly. I wear one or the other of them when the weather is too wet or snowy to wear an Open Road. In spite of being exposed to much rain and snow, they continue to look as good as new.

I have a vintage and modern OR, and am considering a Campdraft someday, for a similar reason. Would it be correct to say that Campdrafts have a thicker brim than vintage Open Roads? The reason I would want another hat as a rain hat, is that vintage Open Road brims are thin and have a tendency to wave up if wetted very much. I am thinking Campdrafts are less vulnerable to wavy brim, which would mean that the brims are thicker, if I am guessing correctly.

 

[Atticus Finch]

I have a vintage and modern OR, and am considering a Campdraft someday, for a similar reason. Would it be correct to say that Campdrafts have a thicker brim than vintage Open Roads? The reason I would want another hat as a rain hat, is that vintage Open Road brims are thin and have a tendency to wave up if wetted very much. I am thinking Campdrafts are less vulnerable to wavy brim, which would mean that the brims are thicker, if I am guessing correctly.

No, I wouldn't say that the Camp Draft is made from thicker felt than a vintage OR. But the Camp Draft's brim doesn't deform after exposure to water...at least neither of mine ever have. I've never wet the brims of either of my 'fifties Open Roads to know how they would react to water.

AF