Your evaluation of this hat please

[Ginseng]

I would very much like to hear your thoughts on this hat. Pictures follow.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Fed Deluxe. Looks like Moonstone. Nice hat. I have the same hat.

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[tonyb]

Nice, straightforward hat. Plain, nice dimensions.

I liken hats like this to cars with simple, elegant lines that usually look best in plain, solid colors, so as to highlight the form itself.

 

[Ginseng]

What do you think of the wrinkled sweatband? All the hats I've bought have been new and all of them have smooth sweats. This one is wrinkled through to the backside.

It is indeed a Fed IV Deluxe. Unlike the dark brown one I have, the felt is much softer from the brim to the crown. More like the Campdraft Deluxe which is softer still.

 

[Chamuco]

This is a beautiful hat, Moonstone Fed IV.

I have that one..

Great looking hat. ..

I love it

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[RJR]

That looks like an upgraded softer sweat to me.

 

[DougC]

Are those wrinkles or just grain in the leather? Regardless, and like everyone said, that hat is a keeper and I wouldn't worry about the sweatband. If it soft and pliable, it still has lots of life in it!

 

[Ginseng]

Are those wrinkles or just grain in the leather? Regardless, and like everyone said, that hat is a keeper and I wouldn't worry about the sweatband. If it soft and pliable, it still has lots of life in it!

I should hope so. This is a new hat I just received from the retailer.

 

[tonyb]

That's a brand new hat?

Looks like it is either a tad light on stiffener or that it got knocked around a bit before it found its way to you. Steam might well "reactivate" the stiffener. But, as you are likely already aware (but it never hurts to reiterate it), you can overdo the steam. Don't cook the sweatband!

 

[moontheloon]

moonstone Fed Deluxe

looks to have seen some weather judging by the brim and the taper

does not look new to me

who did you buy through?

 

[Ginseng]

That's a brand new hat?

Looks like it is either a tad light on stiffener or that it got knocked around a bit before it found its way to you. Steam might well "reactivate" the stiffener. But, as you are likely already aware (but it never hurts to reiterate it), you can overdo the steam. Don't cook the sweatband!

It is much floppier than the other Fed IV Deluxe which I also purchased from Hats Direct. I haven't done anything to the sweatband. The hat as it looks is exactly as received. The shipping box was undamaged.

moonstone Fed Deluxe
looks to have seen some weather judging by the brim and the taper
does not look new to me
who did you buy through?

Yes, the taper was worrying to me. My other CD and Fed arrived straight as an arrow with no taper. Also, the dents seem to be soft/thin spots in the felt. Hard to see in the photos were a few "fluffy" spots on the crown that looked like bad pouncing, or damage.

The sweatband was a major point of concern for me. I've never seen a sweat that had any texture to it that wasn't intentionally put in or part of the leather, whether emboss or ostrich. These look like a combination of pregnancy stretch marks and saggy centenarian skin.

In the front view shot (third from top), the tapering at the ribbon was also another issue. Superficially, it looks like it was stretched...a lot.

Could this have been a relocked, refurb? Can you tell that from looking?

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Doesn't look new to me either. Looking at the top pic, both the bow & back edge of the brim look a little sun faded but this could just be the photo. The sweatband too looks like it has seen some heat as the grain side of the leather has dried differently from the rest & so seperating or it could have been stretched too beyond reason & the sweat has shrunk back but the grain side being more flexible has remained stretched.
Prehaps this hat was used for display in a window or maybe left in a car on a hot day. If you payed top dollar for it, I'd send it back.

 

[moontheloon]

The sweat would be a concern for me as well
Here is my Fed Deluxe sweat after nearly a year of heavy wear

I cannot tell if it has been reblocked from the pics... But it definitely does not look new to me
... Not unless it somehow got wet or damp then was stored in a hot place

very uncommon for Hats Direct

email Trudi ... she will take care of you

that is not a new hat


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[Ginseng]

Here are shots of the sweat on my other Fed IV Deluxe, also from HatsDirect.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Whatever the reason, whatever happened, If you're not happy return it.

 

[Ginseng]

Doesn't look new to me either. Looking at the top pic, both the bow & back edge of the brim look a little sun faded but this could just be the photo. The sweatband too looks like it has seen some heat as the grain side of the leather has dried differently from the rest & so seperating or it could have been stretched too beyond reason & the sweat has shrunk back but the grain side being more flexible has remained stretched.
Prehaps this hat was used for display in a window or maybe left in a car on a hot day. If you payed top dollar for it, I'd send it back.

The sweat would be a concern for me as well
Here is my Fed Deluxe sweat after nearly a year of heavy wear

<< Image snipped for brevity and thread compactness >>

I cannot tell if it has been reblocked from the pics... But it definitely does not look new to me
... Not unless it somehow got wet or damp then was stored in a hot place

very uncommon for Hats Direct

email Trudi ... she will take care of you

that is not a new hat

I've contacted Trudi and she told me to send it back for a replacement. I really like my other Fed IVDel and I'd love one in this color and I have expressed that I'd like a replacement rather than a refund.

Trudi has taken care of me in the past. I just can't fathom how a hat like this 1) gets QC'd and released to the retailer and 2) gets shipped to customer.

I'm still waiting on a Campdraft from EA and it's been close to 2 months. I guess you give up something to get something else.

Here is the back/suede side of the sweat from the hat in question. I don't see staining or delamination but it is certainly puckered up where the worst of the front-side wrinkling is.



Here is a shot of the hat from the front with the ribbon folded down. I don't see a lot of shade difference between the exposed and covered regions of the felt but then my color vision isn't the greatest.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Thats too bad. That hat shoulda never been put in a box. Glad Trudi is gonna make it right. My Moonstone Deluxe is just abt my favorite hat.

 

[tonyb]

...

These look like a combination of pregnancy stretch marks and saggy centenarian skin.

...

I'm confident you could find a website devoted to exactly that.

 

[tonyb]

Thats too bad. That hat shoulda never been put in a box. Glad Trudi is gonna make it right. My Moonstone Deluxe is just abt my favorite hat.

Zackly.

 

[Ginseng]

I'm confident you could find a website devoted to exactly that.

I...will not endeavor to try.