TRimmed the TRaveller

[Duper]

I purchased my Akubra Traveller from EA late last summer. My intention was to have a lighter coloured (Sand = Silverbelly) , unlined, broad brimmed hat for summer wear that is supposed to be packable.

Unfortunately I never wore it out of the house. It hung on my office wall for many months. Saturday evening I made the decision to trim the brim. Out came the exacto knife and the rest is history.

Taking 1/4 inch off made all the difference. It was very easy as the Traveller has a built in wire sewn into the brim edge to help it return to its original shape after being stowed away. That was all the guide I needed. No measuring,,,just slicing and a bit of sand paper.

I also swapped out the very narrow seemed like pleather hat band for something with a bit more colour.

It has been on my head for two recent voyages out for lunch and for doing some banking. I am very pleased with my decision.

 

[Neophyte]

Your TRim on that TRaveller is TRemendous :eusa_clap. Seriously, it looks great, and I really like that new band .

 

[Gromulus]

The Traveller has always sparked my interest but I was also turned off by the (relatively) large brim size for what I would use as a business hat.

Aside from the brim size, what are your general impressions of the hat? How packable/stowable is it?

Does the wire placement preclude further trimming?

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Looks super, Duper.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Looks great!

I sold my Traveller 'cuz I never thought the proportions worked. YOU nailed it tho'! Well done & killer band as well.

 

[randooch]

Duper, did you just eyeball the width of the portion you removed? Impressive accuracy, if so. They make brim-trimming tools that keep a blade equidistant all the way around, but you maybe didn't need the help? Anyhow, nice improvements!

 

[warbird]

It has always amazed me how such small difference in brim widths makes such a large difference in appearance. Nicely done.

 

[fmw]

I was about to say the same thing. A 1/4" is huge in brim width. The hat looks great.

 

[Duper]

Thanks guys.

That was the widest brim hat I have purchased. I now know that 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 is definately my comfort range.

The wire was inside the brim which was folded back over and sewn. I didn't even have to eyeball it. I placed the exacto knife against the edge of the sewn section and pressed and cut firmly. The wire is gone now and I prefer the cut edge to the double thick edge for sure.

As for being packable I have not done that yet. I wouldn't be afraid to try however. Akubras pliable felt definately has a different feel than regular fur felt.

Now I see what others have said about the Silverbelly colour being a very flexable shade for coordinating with other colours.

 

[daizawaguy]

I`ve trimmed an Akubra before...never been sucessful, but good on you Sir...it looks GOOD!

 

[scottyrocks]

Having not known what a standard AT looks like, I had to look it up. I like your result. Wear it in good health!

 

[Duper]

I wore my Traveller to my son's soccer tournament today. It was a high heat, high humidity, blazing sun, no shade event. I was very happily surprised on how comfortable I was. I had brought along my Tilley hat incase I started to melt, but I had no issues. I figure the sand colour and it being unlined made all the difference. Again pleased with this choice. It stays in my top 10 list as well as Akubras.

 

[mikemxyzzy]

I wore my Traveller to my son's soccer tournament today. It was a high heat, high humidity, blazing sun, no shade event. I was very happily surprised on how comfortable I was. I had brought along my Tilley hat incase I started to melt, but I had no issues. I figure the sand colour and it being unlined made all the difference. Again pleased with this choice. It stays in my top 10 list as well as Akubras.

Is there space between the top of your head and the crown? That would keep your head cooler in the sun I would think.

 

[Woodfluter]

Super job Duper...I agree with others, this is just the right brim on your noggin. Looks great.
For a semi-western type hat, I really prefer something around 2-3/4" or a bit wider.
With exceptions of course! I like a beat-up Cattleman I have too, on suitable occasions.

I've trimmed several Akubras and liked them better.
That includes three Feds (to make them uniform all around), Kiandra, Lightning Ridge, and Rodeo.

If you just want to take off a fixed amount all around...
Make a guide that folds over the edge.
Move that around the circumference while marking with a sharp pencil.
Then go at it carefully with very sharp shears, smooth off and even up with plane (or fine file).
Singe off any loose bits with a lighter.

- Bill

 

[Sam Craig]

That's a good looking hat.

Isn't it amazing what just an eighth or quarter inch will do?

I nabbed a great navy blue Resistol western last week and shaped the crown into a C-shape crease and trimmed the brim down to about 3 inches.

I had planned to have it taken down to 2 3/4 and have a ribbon binding done on the edge, but it looks so good like this, I'm gonna let it ride for now.

Great job, Duper,

Sam

 

[Duper]

Took my Akubra Traveller to the UK (England and Scotland) and I was very impressed how it handled the long trip packed inside my carryon suitcase. I filled the crown with some socks and other small soft items and away we went. It came out of the suitcase and went straight onto my head no worse for the journey. If this hat had a leather sweatband it would be even higher on my list of favourite lids. It sure came in handy on those rainy Scottish days as well as the sunny days.

Here is a snapshot taken on the bridge over the lake on the Campus of the University of Stirling in Stirling Scotland. We were there for 10 days for an international soccer tournament my son's soccer team participated in. 100 teams from 10 nations gathered for some very good sport and a very good time.

For fans of the film "Braveheart" the monument you see to the left of me up on the hill is the Wallace Monument dedicated to Sir William Wallace. It overlooks the site of The Battle of Stitirling Bridge that took place in 1297. It is about 265 narrow stone steps to the top and offers some magnificent views of the surrondings.

 

[Sam Craig]

That turned out great and the band is super, Duper!
Even an eighth of an inch can really change the look of a hat.

Sam

 

[Fedster]

Let me revive this thread and ask -- assuming I get a traveller, I trim off the edge and its wire, how packable/rollable is the hat? I need a hat that I can pack away (twice a day) in a backpack while I wear a hard hat. When the hard hat is not needed I am still outside and I want a hat (for the sun or rain). I do accept the hat will look (likely) like a mess after a while of this treatment, but I *do not care*. I am currently using a Tilley T3 for this job and it is now looking like an expensive boonie hat. Since I prefer felt to canvas I am thinking of the Traveller, assuming it can be packed small (many times over...). Any experience on how small it packs?

 

[johnnycanuck]

Let me revive this thread and ask -- assuming I get a traveller, I trim off the edge and its wire, how packable/rollable is the hat? I need a hat that I can pack away (twice a day) in a backpack while I wear a hard hat. When the hard hat is not needed I am still outside and I want a hat (for the sun or rain). I do accept the hat will look (likely) like a mess after a while of this treatment, but I *do not care*. I am currently using a Tilley T3 for this job and it is now looking like an expensive boonie hat. Since I prefer felt to canvas I am thinking of the Traveller, assuming it can be packed small (many times over...). Any experience on how small it packs?

Really soft and well loved Akubra Federation with a leather sweatband (so it's really not designed for this)

Pop out the crown

Fold in half

Roll

If you want to make sure it doesent get creased too bad find a Scotch bottle tube or wine gift tube would work.

Then it pops back into shape, no harm no foul. And this isnt a travel hat thats designed to be crushed.

Johnny

 

[Fedster]

Really soft and well loved Akubra Federation with a leather sweatband (so it's really not designed for this)

Pop out the crown

Fold in half

Roll

If you want to make sure it doesent get creased too bad find a Scotch bottle tube or wine gift tube would work.

Then it pops back into shape, no harm no foul. And this isnt a travel hat thats designed to be crushed.

Johnny

Well that is impressive. I have a Banjo Paterson (i removed the wire from the sweatband already for other reasons) and I might just to that, though I am still tempted by the traveller...