Akubra

[jrh]

I own couple of Akruba hats. They don't stand a match to my Rands but the are a fraction of the cost. I like them. Classics.

I am interested in opinions about Akrubas as compared to modern day Stetsons and the like. How does the regular line of Akubra compare to the Heritage line. I only have Heritage.

[GCR]

I can't speak for the regular line of Akubras either, as I only have an Akubra Federation Deluxe, which is of the Heritage line. I can say it is a fine hat, and has been everything I needed and/or wanted it to be. I'm glad I got it. I have owned modern Stetsons. That is something I am not proud to admit. Of course, when I purchased them, it was before I knew about the better brands out there like Akubra and others, plus I had no clue about some of the custom hatters out there like Peters Bros. and the highly acclaimed Optimo (I still gotta get me one of them someday). The MODERN (and I stress that) Stetsons are a waste of money. They look fairly nice, but can't hold up to wear and tear like an average rain or snow storm. Moisture seems to make them taper and discolor horribly. Both of the modern Stetsons I owned turned "pink" in areas that were moderately saturated during rainstorms. Not soaked mind you...just "saturated". I have also owned a custom Biltmore purchased (exclusively) through Miller Hats. It held up better than the Stetsons, but I would have to give my Akubra the nod between these two as well. The Miller/Biltmore was a fine hat that served me well, but the Akubra is everything I wanted in a hat. Something that looks just as good while wearing a suit as it does while on a hike. What kind of Akubra have you got? And what type of hats have your purchased from Rand? I'm not familiar with this vendor.

-GCR

[jrh]

I have the Flinders and Overlander. The Overlander is a Snowy River style in the Heritage Line. The Flinders is bound edge and likewise keeps it shape better then the on Overlander which is not bound edge.

My other felts are by Rands and custom designed to some of his standard designs. All his hats are that way as each of us is hopefully different in our style desires. I have a Tom Ford, a Roper, and a Sangray/Safari variation.

My Rands are 100 % beaver. Akubras are 100% Rabbit/Hare. I like the pure felts not the mix. (Ok Rabbit/hare is a mix, but they claim wild rabbit). I am wondering if that has something to do with the quality of Akruba felts. More likely the fact they process their own pelts and make denser felt them other commercial vendors the likes of Stetson goes to.

Bye the Bye ... Rand is a master and does top notch work. He has been a hatter for over 2 decades and a published historian on western hats. He does other then western styles. The problem with Rand is I want another hat..the Cattleman 123.

[Renderking Fisk]

I have nothing but good things to say about The Akubra Federations, Regular and Deluxe. They're made to hold up, work hard and look good. I might as well be designated the Official Unofficial Spokesman.

Personally, I would recommend the Akubra to anyone who?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s looking for a fedora that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s actually going to hold up to a lot of abuse. Too many people are spending hundreds of bucks on a lid they?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re never going to wear out of the house. I do a lot of out-doors ?¢‚Ǩ?ìstuff?¢‚Ǩ? and that just wouldn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t do. If' you've been lurking, then you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve seen my pics and seen that I do indeed wear it almost everywhere. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s been rained on, snowed on, the sun?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s beaten down on it?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ and it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s showing the kind of GOOD wear I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve been looking for. No other fedora I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve owned has held up this good.

Another high selling point for The Akubra Federation and The Federation Deluxe is that Ron accepted in-put from some of our members her on COW. That says a lot about a manufacturer who actually listen to his potential customers and the level of respect and knowedge there is in this forum.

Go with what I call "The Best Fedora I've Owened In Over 20 Years".

[milliner]

as a milliner, I LOVE the felt that Akubras are made of. It beats any of the other felts that I buy to make my hats. As you mentioned, it is very thick and strong. I can block and stretch it to wafer thin before the felt rips.
I have been able to wash, reblock and brush an akubra that had been worn everyday as a work hat for 5 years easily. If I had given it a dye as well, I swear the thing would have looked brand new again.
My only whinge about Akubras is their headband and their high head fit. I generally have to lower the fit by up to a centimetre for my clients who like a deeper fit, but the felt is so good, that that does not affect the look of the hat at all.

They are a hat designed to be worn hard, and the quality of the felt allows that. I cannot say anything about it in comparison to Stetsons, as I don't believe that I have ever had the pleasure of holding a real one in my hands.

[Art Fawcett]

Welcome to the Lounge Milliner, it's good to have another hatter in the group. I haven't had the opportunity to rebuild an Acubra yet as all that I have owned have been in great shape.

[fedoralover]

You would only experience that pleasure if it was a vintage Stetson. The new Stetsons don't have a very good reputation on this board. Those of us that have owned them haven't liked them. But the old ones, Now they are a pleasure to hold and wear.

regards and welcome to the board, fedoralover

[milliner]

thanks for the warm welcome.

Please feel free to get me to check things out in Aust for you if required. Just as a guide, I paid for the Akubra stockman AU$90 which in US$ at approx exchange rate of .745 equals US$67-68.

Just as an aside does this board know about an industry magazine called "The Hat Magazine" from the UK?.
It is a quarterly trade edition that mainly focuses on women's hats but also has mens hats featured. One of the reasons that I like it is that it has a fantastic international hat directory for all things hat related, male and female as well as industry stories such as the making of a panama hat from material gathering to final production.

[Matt Deckard]

Welcome to the lounge Milliner

Just as an aside does this board know about an industry magazine called "The Hat Magazine" from the UK?.

I have heard of it, though as you said it primarily deals with womens hats so I decided not to subscribe, I may rethink that decision if it features more mens hats.

[Renderking Fisk]

Milliner... do you own a hatshop in Australia?

[Kodiak]

Originally Posted by milliner

thanks for the warm welcome.

Please feel free to get me to check things out in Aust for you if required. Just as a guide, I paid for the Akubra stockman AU$90 which in US$ at approx exchange rate of .745 equals US$67-68.

Milliner- where did you manage to buy the stockman for $67-68 USD? Is there a website where I can find it at that price, by any chance? If it matters I am US.

-Kodiak

[czack]

Hey folks,

Just wanted to say Akubras are just fine and dandy. I have 4, two just purchased from that auction site. Anyway, as compared to modern Stetsons I have a Stetson Temple that I purchased some years ago that has held up pretty well. Granted I really haven't put it through the hoops. On the other hand, my Akubra Bushman has held up through some rough stuff. I feel that wearing my Bushman is Mother Nature's signal to unleash hell.

Cheaper than a vintage, more durable than most modern productions, and just plain stylin'.

[SHARPETOYS]

Originally Posted by Kodiak

Milliner- where did you manage to buy the stockman for $67-68 USD? Is there a website where I can find it at that price, by any chance? If it matters I am US.

-Kodiak

He only made 3 posts and has been gone since 3-2004...

[Kodiak]

Originally Posted by SHARPETOYS

He only made 3 posts and has been gone since 3-2004...

Oh... my bad...

[Mister_Ed]

Kodiak - Here is a link for the Stockman at Aussie Bush Hats, price $90 AUD. I currently have a Coolabah on order with them, but I wear a size 8 which is a 10-12 week wait . If you have a more common-sized noggin they may have it in stock. They're good folks, very fast and friendly replies to emails. Their shipping charge is around $22 AUD, so your total bill will be around $90 USD. They currently have Sand and Santone Fawn listed as the colors in stock. http://www.aussiebushhats.com/catalo...products_id=72

[RedPop4]

I've been looking at these intermittently over the last few months. It'll be some time before I get that much money to spend on a hat again, though. The shipping and the prices are still the best I've seen yet, including HatsDirect and Everything Australian, both of which I peruse regularly.