With a Banjo on my Knee

[MrBadExample]

Or rather, on my head.

After a subjective wait of about six weeks (though the calendar, lying thing that it is, has only noted the passing of two weeks) I finally got my Akubra Banjo Paterson yesterday. I ordered it in a size 58 with some trepidation; every measurement I could come up with said my head was 57.3cm, and a long oval. I didn't want to wait the three months for a special order, not without having a better idea first if I was even going to like the hat, so I ordered one off the rack. I figured it would be a little snug fore-and-aft, but that it would stretch out.

Unfortunately, it wasn't tight fore-and-aft. It barely touched my head at all. I could slide it back and forth a little. The sides, of course, were WAY too big. I've stuck some weather stripping in behind the sweatband and it fits well enough that way, but I'm now debating what to do. Order a size 57, or see how much this one shrinks? I've heard the Akubras will shrink to fit, but how much shrinking can I expect?

 

[gtdean48]

Personally, I'd rather have one slightly too large & need spacer strips to adjust the fit than know I'm going to have to stretch it. I'm an XLong Oval so I always have fit issues side to side. I have a 61 & a 62 that fit about the same now, the 61 is much newer. It will draw in some & you can speed that up by wetting the sweatband & letting it dry on your head.

 

[pauljmuk]

that's a nice hat, and the one I nearly went for, but was a bit to pricey for me!

Everything I've read is that the shrinkage will work very well on an akubra - their own advice is to use tissue or paper towel behind the sweat (folded down three times). From what you read, as the hat starts to shrink (after a few good sweats!), if its shrinking too much, remove the tissue.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Did anybody ever notice that the Akubra Leisure Time is essentially the Banjo Patterson with a different band... for considerably less money?

 

[pauljmuk]

they are very similar, but I think it all comes down to the "heritage" element on the Banjo - rather like the Fed and the Fed Deluxe (again, essentially the same, but one a lot more money) - the Banjo is in the Heritage range, so has the better quality fur.

I've never felt the two felts side my side (felt the felts? ), but from what I read, they are noticeably different.

 

[Doctor Strange]

A good observation. But if you're mostly interested in appearance (vs. felt feel), the Leisure Time might be a good option at a more attractive price point.

 

[MrBadExample]

A good observation. But if you're mostly interested in appearance (vs. felt feel), the Leisure Time might be a good option at a more attractive price point.

The difference is about thirty Aussiebucks. That's, what, about $10, US? Not a very significant difference, anyway.


Thanks, guys. I'll try wetting it tonight and see how it goes. I wore it around the house most of last night and it was comfortable enough that I kept forgetting I had it on.

 

[gtdean48]

On new ones, I turn the sweatband down & wet the backside, flip back up & wear it. HTH

 

[G MAN]

MrBadExample,
My second Banjo Paterson size 59 was bigger than my first that fit great right out of the box, I turned out the sweat and wet it and then let it dry and it did shrink down about a 1/2 size.
I also have the Leisure Time and the Banjo Paterson is a much better hat, the felt is better and the Barrumundi hat band looks great, also the sweat band on the Banjo is superior to that of the Leisure Time.
Also for what it's worth, I get compliments everytime I wear my Banjo Paterson and not many with the Leisure Time. It must be the Barrumundi trim.

 

[BobC]

Mr. BE, I thought the same thing you do when I received my Banjo. I'm a 58 also and my size 58 Banjo fit bigger than any of my other size 58 Akubras. I cinched it up with felt strips and wore it, thinking that if I ended up not liking it I could sell it. After several good sweats it shrunk up and fits pretty good now.

 

[CRH]

Honeymooners

... The sides, of course, were WAY too big. I've stuck some weather stripping in behind the sweatband and it fits well enough that way, but I'm now debating what to do. Order a size 57, or see how much this one shrinks? I've heard the Akubras will shrink to fit, but how much shrinking can I expect?

My Campdraft in 58 arrived loose enough to coax over my ears .

So... I hemmed and hawed and whined about it to my wife and she says, "Well that's what you get, Ralph, for ordering a hat from Australia. I told you to just walk down to Penney's and buy one on sale," to which I replied, "HOW CAN I HELP IT, ALICE, IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE A MEASURING TAPE IN AUSTRALIA!

"Look, Ralph, either fix it or send it back........ to AUSTRALIA .

OK, so anyway....... I put in enough "weather stripping stuff" to make it snug and when it feels tight on first morning doff like all good hats should i just trim off a little of the frosting and go on my way. The hat is indeed shrinking and conforming to my gourd.

Carry on, MrBadExample.

 

[MrBadExample]

G Man, The Barramundi trim really does make the hat, doesn't it? It looks great.


BobC, I thought I remembered someone having an experience like that. OK, I am encouraged.


CRH, If the crown were taller I could have pulled it down over my ears. I think it's already shrinking up a little, though. It's starting to snug up in the front and back.

 

[CRH]

...
CRH, If the crown were taller I could have pulled it down over my ears. I think it's already shrinking up a little, though. It's starting to snug up in the front and back.

Sounds right. A Campdraft has a little taller crown. When my Campdraft arrived I took it outside, plopped it on the picnic table, climbed up, crawled my way up the crown, took a stand........ heck I could see Paul Bunyan all the way up there in Minnesota.