Thoughts on Akubra Federation IV Deluxe?

[gtdean48]

It is so funny because I am so off the rack with suits & other stuff.
Guess I had to pay my dues with hats!

http://www.drysdales.com/Mens/Hats/Hat-Accessories/detail-33-Large-Fit-Hat-Jackreg.html
Harbor Freight has a much cheaper version

 

[Everwyck]

Perhaps your vegetarian friends could use some of the same tolerance they request from others, because that is silly. I have vegetarian and vegan friends both, and if they so much as opened their mouths about my own lifestyle preferences in a tone that even approaches judgmental, I'd swiftly and possibly not-so-politely silence them. Part of being in a minority group is self-awareness; you're going to disagree with most people, and that's okay, but no skinning of people alive is warranted because of it.

I've got to agree with Matt on this one, however: If worse comes to worse, you may want to consider covering it up with "silk" surgeon's tape. I have no idea what this will do to your sweatband in the long run, mind you, but it's a possibility. That tape is meant to be used on skin for short periods of time, so I'd think it okay in the short run.

Anyway, if it ever came up, you could tell them it's synthetic, or from miscreant criminal rabbits a/o beavers who deserved to die, or that they were shaved, not skinned, or to mind their own business.

PS: Best time I ever had in one of those "discussions" was observing that the vegetarian in question was wearing leather shoes. End of conversation.

 

[Owney_Madden]

I recently got my FED IV DLX and i must say it is a comfortable hat. They include some foam when you get it so you can help it stay on your head comfortably and stably which is nice. im a size 59 but I got a 60, arrived in about 10 days. Fits great with a few pieces of foam.

My moonstone looks a little darker than some Ive seen on the site but its fine with me. I wore it to church this past Sunday with my new suit, ive got to say, at times you almost forget your wearing it, attesting to its comfort.

Compared to my dad's vintage hat collection(its all he owns in terms of fedoras) the felt is not as smooth but it is very soft. The band is nicer than most of his older hats. It was easy to make a teardrop shape that fit my head.

Long story short. I like it lol

 

[Goose.]

...
My moonstone looks a little darker than some Ive seen on the site but its fine with me. I wore it to church this past Sunday with my new suit, ive got to say, at times you almost forget your wearing it, attesting to its comfort.
...
Long story short. I like it lol

Owney...
Congrats.
Now that I got that out of the way...
WHERE'S THE PICS???

My Moonie should be here Tuesday! Need to live vicariously through you for now...
So, in addition to what I presume is your FEDIVD in your current avatar, post pics soon

 

[jlagman]

Has HD restocked the Moonstone Fed IV DLX's or are they still backordered? While I'm somewhat come to accept my Light Grey Christys' Adventurer for what it is, I can't help but be bothered by the fact that I could've had Moonstone Federation IV Deluze instead.

Recently watching Australia and The Sting back-to-back didn't help matters, I'm getting the itch to buy another hat again.

 

[Goose.]

Has HD restocked the Moonstone Fed IV DLX's or are they still backordered? ...

jlagman...

Here's a status from four days ago: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=756583&postcount=85

From this thread: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?p=756583#post756583

Based on the that post regarding communication with HD...your FIVD Moonstone day may be sooner rather than later

 

[jazzncocktails]

Slightly off topic, but I'm looking to buy an Akubra and I read somewhere that correct sizing might be an issue. I'm a 7 3/8 (59cm). Do I just order one in that size, or is there anything else I need to know?

Shel, I'm a 7 3/8 too, and I was worried when ordering my Fed IV standard. E-mail Hats Direct and ask for their advice. They'll walk you through a re-measuring of your head and will advise you on the basis of that whether you should go 59 or 60. I'd planned on ordering the 60, given that I'd heard they run small, but the customer service staff conviced me to order a 59, and it's perfect--started a little big but is shaping to my head nicely.
Steve

 

[jazzncocktails]

Does anyone have both a Stetson Chatham and an Akubra Fed IV to compare them? I have a Chatham and I'm interested to know how much better a Fed IV (deluxe or standard) is.

And also, can hatsdirect make a Fed IV without the sweat band saying that it's pure fur felt? I know it sounds silly, but I have vegetarian friends who would skin me alive if they knew my hats were made of fur felt.

I do have a Chatham and a Federation. That's a difficult comparison, to be honest. The Chatham is a much more solid hat, if that makes sense. The felt is thicker and feels more luxurious, the leather sweat band is a bit more substantial. On the down side, the Chatham feels quite a bit stiffer, more molded (because it is--it's not open crown). That may have to do with stiffener added to the felt, but the felt also feels thicker and perhaps of a higher quality. At times, it almost feels as thick as velour to me (it's not...but compared to the thinner felt of the standard Fed, it gives that impression).

The crown feels a good bit lower on the Chatham, despite the dimensions. It's molded in a teardrop crown that comes up just under 4 1/4" in the front, swoops up to about 4 3/4" at the peak, and dips in the back to about 3 3/4". It's quite tapered on the sides comparatively, and that's why it feels so much lower to me. The angled sides make the crown look smaller. My Fed IV standard (Tawny Fawn) has a center dent, and with that I've got the front at 4 1/2" and the back at 4". But there's little taper to the crown itself, going straight up. I understand from some members on the site that creating the taper is possible on the Fed.

My Chatham:

My Fed IV, sitting a bit further back on my head than ususal, so it may not offer the best perspective on it:

The Chatham feels a bit more formal than the Fed--maybe because mine's a darker color, but also because of the felt. But if I had a choice today over the $148 I paid for the Chatham (no shipping--I was a newbie and made an impulse buy) and the $106 I paid for the Fed IV standard (with shipping from Australia), I'd probably go for the Fed.

 

[Goose.]

...
My Fed IV, sitting a bit further back on my head than ususal, so it may not offer the best perspective on it:....

It looks great on you

 

[indycop]

I like the hat but I really like the coat! Is it new production?

 

[Owney_Madden]

WHERE'S THE PICS???

Just for you! lol

 

[jazzncocktails]

I like the hat but I really like the coat! Is it new production?

Thanks, Indycop. The coat is new production...got it about 10 years ago as a 2-pc. suit...the label is Evan Picone. Unfortunately, I've grown out of the pants in that time, and eventually I'll see if they can be expanded as much as I have. But for now I wear the jacket separately. It's a brown and tan houndstooth that goes well with the Tawny Fawn.
Steve

 

[Everwyck]

Well, I went "all in" and placed the order moments ago. Fingers crossed...

 

[trailrunner]

Well, I went "all in" and placed the order moments ago. Fingers crossed...

When you get it you'll be glad you pulled the trigger. The wait will be rough though.

I bought my first fedora from Hats Direct about three months ago (a Federation IV), and I was nervous the whole wait for delivery. I wondered constantly if I had made the right decisions on size, color, style, etc. Once I got my hands on it everything was fine, although I changed the crease about three times in the first two weeks I had it, and was nearly obsessive about getting the brim "just so". I have it just the way I want now and wear it nearly everyday.

 

[jlagman]

OT: Crease question

When forming the teardrop/c-crown crease, how do you raise the centre of the crown and keep it up? I've been trying to convert my diamond crown to a teardrop and I just can't seem to keep that little dome in the centre of the crease, it always collapses.

 

[gtdean48]

OT: Crease question

When forming the teardrop/c-crown crease, how do you raise the centre of the crown and keep it up? I've been trying to convert my diamond crown to a teardrop and I just can't seem to keep that little dome in the centre of the crease, it always collapses.

Are you dry creasing or using steam or water? I have had no luck with getting the center dome in a dry crease attempt. The best result is steam & using the JtL technique of your trigger finger knuckle. Steam it real well or spray with distilled water, then from inside the hat use your index finger knuckle, the one that forms if you mimic pulling a trigger, & press up. Start at the center & work out the edges. HTH

 

[Goose.]

Just for you! lol

...

Thanks! Really appreciate the nice pics.
What a great job you did on that! Fantastic :eusa_clap

...When forming the teardrop/c-crown crease, how do you raise the centre of the crown and keep it up?...

Like GTDean stated, I spritzed it with water. This has held up since I received the hat about a month ago. Not as smooth around the inner edge as when I first did it, but I haven't touched it up since. Guess it helps to have a huge noggin like mine that keeps that crown pushed up

... I wondered constantly if I had made the right decisions on size, color, style, etc. Once I got my hands on it everything was fine, although I changed the crease about three times in the first two weeks I had it, and was nearly obsessive about getting the brim "just so". I have it just the way I want now and wear it nearly everyday.

DITTO! My few other hats have been neglected. The Fed has been on my head pretty much each day since I received it last month.

 

[rrog]

Nice looking hat Owney. And you say that's the moonstone? It does indeed look darker than others I've seen. Based on your pic, this doesn't look too far off from my carbon grey colored Stylemaster. Has anyone else seen one this dark?

rrog

 

[Mr. Paladin]

Owney & Goose--You guys did really nice jobs on those FEDs. Both creases look great.

 

[ProfCharles]

sorry to bring back an old thread but I wanted to ask, is there a color difference between the deluxe and the standard Federation? I'm thinking about the moonstone but wonder if the standard is lighter or darker then the deluxe.

Thanks