What Akubra size for me?

[citRon]

Hopefully one of the many Akubra owners can offer a bit of advise. I am a 7 1/8 long oval it seems. I can wear a 7 in Stetson and Resistol hats I've tried, although they are very snug. A 7 1/8 is a tad too big, as it is round and my head is not- If I shake my head side to side, I can flop the hat around a lot. When I measure in inches, I get 7 1/16th.
I read from endless searches here that the Akubras tend to shrink a bit...so maybe a regular 7 1/8 would work for me?

 

[indycop]

Get your regular size, it will shrink down to fit nicely.

 

[KY Gentleman]

I say order your regular size. I have ordered several of these Akubras and they fit pretty true.

 

[Colby Jack]

Now not to put a damper on things....but....I have an Akubra Snowy River in 7 1/2 that fits perfectly...so I got the Adventurer in 7 1/2...and it's a bit to small...but now I've found that I wear a 7 5/8 instead...Soooooooo....I blame it all on the vast knowledge I have gained by being here on the lounge...and my head swelling to larger proportions from said knowledge...

 

[citRon]

I had gotten a Leisure Time from Aaron Hats (great guy btw) and it was the 7 1/8, and it felt way to big. I sent it back because the color looked weird on me[huh] and it felt sooo big. I guess a little big is better than too small...

 

[NonEntity]

I don't think we're ever going to get consensus on the Akubra size issue. I'm a dyed-in-the-wool (or should I say dyed-in-the-pure-fur-felt) Akubra fan, and this really bugs me.

Most people find that they fit true to size right out of the box and shrinkage, if any, easily stretches back to the original size. However, for a substantial minority, they are a size too large but shrink to fit after they dry out from a good sweat or a rain soaking. Now keep in mind that if you dry any fur felt hat in direct sun or near a heater, it's going to shrink, so let it dry slowly at room temp if you can. If that's not possible, get a hat stretcher, set it to your size, and insert it BEFORE you expose it to the heat to dry.

I have tried on hundreds of Akubras to solve this size conundrum. Do certain models run large? No. Is sizing related to the type of fur felt the hat is made of--standard (Imperial Quality, Superfine), premium (Heritage Collection), crushable (Pliofelt)? Nope. Is there enough variability in the manufacturing process to cause noticeable size differences? Heavens no. All 7 1/8 Akubras fit me perfectly and continue to do so ad infinitum.

One thing for sure, though, is that the softer the felt, the better the hat will initially feel, and that's true of any brand. Everyone loves the feel of a crushable felt hat the the moment they try it on because they have fabric sweatbands and the felt is so very pliable. My new Sydney, though not a crushable, is very soft and felt great from the get-go, with no break-in necessary.

On the other hand, when my Banjo Patterson was new, it did not feel so great, and I was seriously wondering at first whether I may have gotten a size too small. But after a few wearings in vigorous activities and through a couple showers--the kind that falls from clouds, not the ones in the bathroom; yes, I love my Akubras, but I do remove them to get cleaned up--the hat fit fine. The Banjo is made of Akubra's premium quality fur felt, which is stronger, denser, and stiffer, so it just took a bit of break-in to fit.

Another variable that makes a hat feel wrong-sized at first is head shape. If your head is more ellyptical or more round than the standard oval configuration, or if your head has idiosyncratic protuberances, most hats will not feel right at first. Again, simply wearing the hat usually solves the problem by allowing it time to conform to the "topography" of your head.

Some folks, especially long ovals like you citRon, find that that they need a felt pad on each side under the sweatband to make the hat fit. Felt pads just for this purpose come with all Akubras from David Morgan, and I'm sure you could find them elsewhere.

The final source of the misfit problem I've discovered is in properly measuring the head for 1) how you wear the hat and, 2) how a particular hat seats.

As for 1), Be sure to take the fabric tape measure and carefully wrap it around the circumference of your head along the exact band where you like to wear your hat. This is not as easy a task as it may seem, and you may need someone else to help, for that protrusion at the very rear of the cranium can may a difference in one full size. Some people like the sweat band right on it, while others prefer it above or below. Of course, a significant change in hair length/thickness will affect sizing, so keep that in mind when measuring your head.

And with respect to 2), hats vary considerably in crown height, crown taper, and other more subtle aspects of shape. Everything else being equal, a fedora with a short, tapered crown may sit higher on your head than one with a tall, straight-sided crown. Assessing how a hat that looks good online or in a catalogue is going to actually seat on your head is tough, but with experience, you'll learn what's likely to work or not. Since you can vary the depth of the bash yourself, open crown hats have a greater likelihood of fitting than preformed ones.

To the point, citRon, get the 7 1/8 Akubra and wear it a bit to conform to your head. If it still feels too large, insert the felt pads.

 

[citRon]

or if your head has idiosyncratic protuberances,

...you said idiosyncratic protuberances!

 

[Colby Jack]

Don't get me wrong...I love Akubras...and plan on owning a number of them...got lists written and everything ...It's just that when ya get one (unless you go some place and try them)...you may end up with one that needs to be sent back for a more correct size.... [huh]

 

[tm3]

...you said idiosyncratic protuberances!

citRon i've asked both david morgan and hatsdirect about shaping to long oval and they say they can do it. so you might have a good bet of proper fit from either of those vendors.

 

[citRon]

citRon i've asked both david morgan and hatsdirect about shaping to long oval and they say they can do it. so you might have a good bet of proper fit from either of those vendors.

I wonder how they'd do that....a stretcher?

 

[tm3]

stretcher is my guess. i found both very helpful in answering my questions.

 

[D.W. Suratt]

I just purchased a third Akubra. The first two I ordered size 7 1/8 or 57 my normal size. They were both a little to big. The Snowy River I just ordered I ordered in size 56, as I have seen no shrinkage in the other two hats.