Stetson Open Road vs Akubra Campdraft

[nick51xx]

Thanks again for the info!

To me, there was a big difference between the CD and the Squatter. The Squatter that I looked at was unlined, but also felt more like a 100% wool hat - very soft, thick, and pliable.

There also seemed to be a very slight variance in finishing between the different CDs that I looked at, with Silver Belly being the "smoothest" and a couple of the brown ones feeling a bit more rough. I can't say whether this is a trend everywhere, or if the ~5 hats I looked at the other day came from vastly different batches etc etc

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[Winston Carter]

I just prefer the lower "cowboy hat" look (https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSP2tyTBdARdjKuO-d0h6wLis7gyK7yM0Sg0T5j20PSw_oY-kvg) compared to the more traditional high-crown fedora look (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/80/9f/2e/809f2e21b6fcb8784dd1b00c44cdbf39.jpg).

Both pics from Pinterest so apologies if I've used somebody's original content!

My head is quite large at 60-61cm, which I guess is more like a 7-1/2 or 7-5/8?

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Be careful putting a cattleman crease too low. It will sit high on your head due to the crease.

 

[Frunobulax]

One thing nobody has mentioned to you. In my experience (I have 3 CDs, 3 vintage ORs, and numerous clones), all of my CDs have a crown height of ~5 7/8". Although I believe they exist, I've never seen an OR more than about 5 1/2".


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[Winston Carter]

One thing nobody has mentioned to you. In my experience (I have 3 CDs, 3 vintage ORs, and numerous clones), all of my CDs have a crown height of ~5 7/8". Although I believe they exist, I've never seen an OR more than about 5 1/2".


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

I can't wear a cattleman crease any shorter than 5". I can't pull it down low enough to look good or be comfortable.

 

[nick51xx]

Tried on the CD again today and did a very (very) rough cattleman crease to see how it fits. Love the way it looks from the front and "above" angle, but feel like the back of the crown accentuates my prominent occipital bone haha.

Is there the capacity to lower the back of the crown so it follows my head's shape a little more closely? Or should I just suck it up and accept that I have a weird head?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

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[Frunobulax]

Tried on the CD again today and did a very (very) rough cattleman crease to see how it fits. Love the way it looks from the front and "above" angle, but feel like the back of the crown accentuates my prominent occipital bone haha.

Is there the capacity to lower the back of the crown so it follows my head's shape a little more closely? Or should I just suck it up and accept that I have a weird head?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

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I think it looks fine, but you can always push the crown down a bit in the back for a rake effect.

Or just wear high collars.


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[Hurricane Jack]

Tried on the CD again today and did a very (very) rough cattleman crease to see how it fits. Love the way it looks from the front and "above" angle, but feel like the back of the crown accentuates my prominent occipital bone haha.

Is there the capacity to lower the back of the crown so it follows my head's shape a little more closely? Or should I just suck it up and accept that I have a weird head?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

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If you flatten the brim by pressing out some of the flange or cup it will break up the contour line in the back that you don't like. I will also lower the brim a bit in appearance on the back of your head. You will want to do that all the way around the brim. Leave just the beginning of a cup or curl in the brim out near the binding to retain the OR look (you can't eliminate that anyway).

I use the wooden back of a clothes brush which just happens to be shaped like a bar of soap, contoured & the right size. With enough pressure you can sometimes do this dry but it will work better with a bit of steam or a misting bottle. You're pressing & moving the felt around a bit. From the topside always work in a counterclockwise direction.

I think the hat sits you well, not to high or to low on the ears just the way you have it. Looks good!

 

[Winston Carter]

Tried on the CD again today and did a very (very) rough cattleman crease to see how it fits. Love the way it looks from the front and "above" angle, but feel like the back of the crown accentuates my prominent occipital bone haha.

Is there the capacity to lower the back of the crown so it follows my head's shape a little more closely? Or should I just suck it up and accept that I have a weird head?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

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Like said above it has to be worked a little to fit your head features. Looks good to me. If you don't have any way to steam and work it the hat shop should be able to do it.

 

[belfastboy]

If you flatten the brim by pressing out some of the flange or cup it will break up the contour line in the back that you don't like. I will also lower the brim a bit in appearance on the back of your head. You will want to do that all the way around the brim. Leave just the beginning of a cup or curl in the brim out near the binding to retain the OR look (you can't eliminate that anyway).

I use the wooden back of a clothes brush which just happens to be shaped like a bar of soap, contoured & the right size. With enough pressure you can sometimes do this dry but it will work better with a bit of steam or a misting bottle. You're pressing & moving the felt around a bit. From the topside always work in a counterclockwise direction.

I think the hat sits you well, not to high or to low on the ears just the way you have it. Looks good!

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I had not thought of using the back of a brush, great idea. I use my wife's good pastry rolling pin and that works perfectly for the hat but not so much for my marriage.

 

[Jedi5150]

It’s not often we hear someone wanting a crown that is lower and has more taper. It sounds like the world is your oyster. Are you also a size 6 7/8?

I’d bet you’d get to like the taller less tapered crowns if you gave them a chance, but to each their own. I have one of the current 6X Open Road hats and I really suggest you go with the Royal DeLuxe grade if you decide to go with the Open Road.

If you’re a size 61 and want a Silverbelly 6X Open Road send me a PM.

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I got a kick out of your "the world is your oyster" comment, Deadly. I actually feel the same way as Nick51. I don't necessarily like the "cowboy look", for instance I don't like brims curved up on the sides, but I do like lower, tapered crowns. Once I started realizing it, I discovered that's what I love so much about the Lightning Ridge crown, is the relatively low height and the significant taper.

Doug

 

[belfastboy]

I got a kick out of your "the world is your oyster" comment, Deadly. I actually feel the same way as Nick51. I don't necessarily like the "cowboy look", for instance I don't like brims curved up on the sides, but I do like lower, tapered crowns. Once I started realizing it, I discovered that's what I love so much about the Lightning Ridge crown, is the relatively low height and the significant taper.

Doug

For me a large part of the fun of collecting various hats over the years is the discovery of the perfect dimensions/proportions for me. I have cycled through a great many hats to get to "my look". It has been a fun endeavour and on the upside have been able to resell the ones that did not "fit" my profile for pretty much what is cost me.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I got a kick out of your "the world is your oyster" comment, Deadly. I actually feel the same way as Nick51. I don't necessarily like the "cowboy look", for instance I don't like brims curved up on the sides, but I do like lower, tapered crowns. Once I started realizing it, I discovered that's what I love so much about the Lightning Ridge crown, is the relatively low height and the significant taper.

Doug

I’m part of the herd and hat likes the #52 block for the majority of my fedoras. I will go as low as 5 1/2” open crown, but I prefer 6” or a touch over. I also like my brims to have a medium flange and be 2 5/8” or wider. The problem is that I’ve just described the most expensive and rarest part of the vintage market. On some hats I don’t mind a little taper, but once it becomes really noticeable I lose interest. Add my preferences to my large hat size and that’s why I’ve focused mostly on custom hats. It’s nice to find a good hatter(s) and get exactly what you like.

 

[RBH]

Here is a shot [from another post] of my 2 5/8 inch brim Silverbelly Campdraft.

 

[Jedi5150]

I’m part of the herd and hat likes the #52 block for the majority of my fedoras. I will go as low as 5 1/2” open crown, but I prefer 6” or a touch over. I also like my brims to have a medium flange and be 2 5/8” or wider. The problem is that I’ve just described the most expensive and rarest part of the vintage market. On some hats I don’t mind a little taper, but once it becomes really noticeable I lose interest. Add my preferences to my large hat size and that’s why I’ve focused mostly on custom hats. It’s nice to find a good hatter(s) and get exactly what you like.

Luckily I'm safe there...you can have my share of the vintage hat market. For me, a hat is in the same realm as a sleeping bag, shoes, etc...if someone else has been in it, I don't want it. Hahaha. Don't get me wrong, I can certainly appreciate the quality and beauty in them, I just have a mental block against wearing a hat that someone else has worn. Now if we're talking to collect, as opposed to wear, that I could wrap my head around (horrible pun intended).

 

[Frunobulax]

Luckily I'm safe there...you can have my share of the vintage hat market. For me, a hat is in the same realm as a sleeping bag, shoes, etc...if someone else has been in it, I don't want it. Hahaha. Don't get me wrong, I can certainly appreciate the quality and beauty in them, I just have a mental block against wearing a hat that someone else has worn. Now if we're talking to collect, as opposed to wear, that I could wrap my head around (horrible pun intended).

You've never been in a sleeping bag with someone else in it?

Pity, that.


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[RJR]

You've never been in a sleeping bag with someone else in it?

Pity, that.


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[deadlyhandsome]

Luckily I'm safe there...you can have my share of the vintage hat market. For me, a hat is in the same realm as a sleeping bag, shoes, etc...if someone else has been in it, I don't want it. Hahaha. Don't get me wrong, I can certainly appreciate the quality and beauty in them, I just have a mental block against wearing a hat that someone else has worn. Now if we're talking to collect, as opposed to wear, that I could wrap my head around (horrible pun intended).

I can see how someone could feel that way. The biggest problem is that you can’t get a new hat anywhere near the quality of vintage felt no matter what you’re willing to pay.

 

[Jedi5150]

I can see how someone could feel that way. The biggest problem is that you can’t get a new hat anywhere near the quality of vintage felt no matter what you’re willing to pay.

Oh, that’s interesting to hear. Now when you say the vintage quality is higher, are you meaning only for very recent felt, or has it been lower quality for a long time? I guess what I’m asking is to get a truly high quality felt, was there a certain decade where quality started to drop?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Oh, that’s interesting to hear. Now when you say the vintage quality is higher, are you meaning only for very recent felt, or has it been lower quality for a long time? I guess what I’m asking is to get a truly high quality felt, was there a certain decade where quality started to drop?

It depends. Borsalino, for instance, maintained higher quality much longer than most. For most of the US brands, the felt quality went into steep decline decades ago. The felt from the 1960s is usually a pale shadow of earlier felt, and even some of the felt from the 1950s is hit and miss. If you can find felt from the 1940s or earlier you’ll know it at first touch. There is a lot of discussion on why modern felt is so poor. The deletion of mercury in the process and other technical changes as well as the quality of raw materials, have all been speculated as parts of the cause.

Ask Max @drmaxtejeda about his conversion from arguably the best modern beaver felt from Optimo to vintage. Quality vintage felt is incredible stuff. Hmmm. If you’re a size 7 5/8 then forget what I said. I don’t need more competition.




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[Jedi5150]

It depends. Borsalino, for instance, maintained higher quality much longer than most. For most of the US brands, the felt quality went into steep decline decades ago. The felt from the 1960s is usually a pale shadow of earlier felt, and even some of the felt from the 1950s is hit and miss. If you can find felt from the 1940s or earlier you’ll know it at first touch. There is a lot of discussion on why modern felt is so poor. The deletion of mercury in the process and other technical changes as well as the quality of raw materials, have all been speculated as parts of the cause.

Ask Max @drmaxtejeda about his conversion from arguably the best modern beaver felt from Optimo to vintage. Quality vintage felt is incredible stuff. Hmmm. If you’re a size 7 5/8 then forget what I said. I don’t need more competition.




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Ha! You’re safe. I’m a 60 (I have officially changed my size from a 59). In reality, I’m between the two, but I am more comfortable making a slightly large hat fit than I am making a slightly small hat stretch.

Thanks for the info. I’m very impressed with both the Imperial Grade and the Heritage Grade felts from Akubra. So if I’m smart, maybe I should try to never check out a vintage hat, so I won’t be disappointed in my hats.