Zombie_61

I suspect this is true of all fur felt hats, but it's certainly true of Akubras--no matter how stiff the felt is at first, "working" it by shaping and re-shaping the hat softens it little by little.

Boy, I hate this stupid "limited number of characters" messaging system.

I do have one Deluxe/Heritage Grade felt Akubra, a Fed IV. That felt was definitely more resistant to the idea of being re-shaped than any of my Imperial Grade hats; I had to shape the crown three times and the brim five or six times before the felt stayed in the shape I wanted.

I wouldn't describe mine as stiffer, but it's more resilient and all things considered I'd bet the deluxe/Heritage Grade felt would outlast the regular/Imperial felt.

Regarding which Campdraft you should get, I'd say it doesn't matter because you'll eventually get the other one too. Have fun, and good luck!

Al

I never really thought about it, but I suppose I do prefer my crown lower than most. Check post #4997 of the Akubra Campdraft thread, I re-posted a couple of photos there. And if you have any other questions, comments, or whatever, I'm always willing to help when I can.

Al

Getting together sounds fun, but my schedule is pretty erratic right now. It's a long story, but the short version is that I've been on disability for the last 12+ years and my wife lost her job in January of 2017, so for the last year we've both been focused on trying to find decent paying jobs before we go broke and/or lose our house, both of which are looking like real possibilities at the moment.

You know how expensive it is to live in California, so I'm sure you understand our predicament. After we "get back on our feet" I'd like to meet up with you, but for now the timing isn't right for me.

Well, thank you! I look forward to your posts as well. Where in California are you? My wife and I live in Whittier, about 12 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.