Akubra Overload

CRH · Mar 17, 2009

Daoud said:
... I guess it just proves that these hats are whatever Akubra says they are, at the particular moment.

... or whoever they contract with wants it to be.....

Daoud · Mar 17, 2009

You're saying Akubra doesn't actually make the hats?

dr greg · Mar 17, 2009

factor this in

They are still made at the factory in Kempsey, probably the last Aussie made anything these days, they even export to China!!!!!!Whoever heard of such a thing!
and that one above looks like a RENMARK.

Daoud · Mar 17, 2009

Thanks, Doc. Now that you mention it I saw a Renmark on eBay once and this does look like the same hat.....might very well be. Glad to know about Akubras still being made in Oz.

Daoud · Mar 17, 2009

Actually it wasn't on eBay, it was right here in the Lounge....can't find the thread but here is the guy- who is from Oz as I recall

- perhaps 'twas he who sold me my hat!

And Doc, Googling back further, I see you have one as well!

Wil Tam · Mar 17, 2009

looks like the same hat to me

Daoud said:
Actually it wasn't on eBay, it was right here in the Lounge....can't find the thread but here is the guy- who is from Oz as I recall

- perhaps 'twas he who sold me my hat!

And Doc, Googling back further, I see you have one as well!

Daoud said:
Hey, y'all- I scored this tasty little number tonight- it's coming from overseas so probably will take a couple weeks to get here

and I have no earthly idea what it is besides a "vintage fur felt Akubra." Probably will be too small but I'm sure someone will take it off my hands.......I'm hoping it will be something we haven't seen before or see very seldom......

----------------
Now playing: Radiohead - Blow Out (live)
via FoxyTunes

Daoud · Mar 17, 2009

I know dat's right. Of course with mine you can't tell what color it is due to the washed-out flash picture.

That's pretty crucial- I might be going to have the only Renmark outside of Oz.

JohnnyB53 · Mar 17, 2009

Daoud said:
No kiddin'. Shoot, if I'da known they were such nice lids I might have gotten one by now. I'll have to ask Hatsdirect if they can get one in for me. Not like I can afford one right now, with all I've spent on older Akubras in the last week or so.

I was just at the David Morgan showroom Friday. His version of the Squatter is pretty cool. It has a lining, the felt is substantial, and it's available in moonstone.

When you factor in that shipping is something like $8 instead of $24, that you get the hat in about a week, the high level of QA, and their very accommodating return policy, the price difference compared to ordering direct from Australia is not that much for the quality and convenience you get in return.

During the last two visits I've been encouraging them to start carrying or at least distributing the Campdraft. I'd love to see it pop up at Village Hat Shop next to the Open Road.

BTW, their Adventurer is really nice and definitely a worthy alternative to the Fed IV. The crown is about as high and very straight-sided, and the slightly wider brim makes for very pleasing proportions. That hat looks and feels particularly good. It feels like it would hold up to any weather or conditions and thus is aptly named.

dr greg · Mar 17, 2009

mark this

Keep us posted, it might not be that old as the Renmark is still made today (occasionally, they tell me), and they still do the cavanagh edge, which is good to know. Does anyone else?

CRH · Mar 17, 2009

Daoud said:
You're saying Akubra doesn't actually make the hats?

No, I mean look at how David Morgan specifies the chinstrap holes, that sort of thing.

Daoud · Mar 17, 2009

CRH said:
No, I mean look at how David Morgan specifies the chinstrap holes, that sort of thing.

OK- I gotcha now.

Daoud · Mar 17, 2009

JohnnyB53 said:
I was just at the David Morgan showroom Friday. His version of the Squatter is pretty cool. It has a lining, the felt is substantial, and it's available in moonstone.

When you factor in that shipping is something like $8 instead of $24, that you get the hat in about a week, the high level of QA, and their very accommodating return policy, the price difference compared to ordering direct from Australia is not that much for the quality and convenience you get in return.

During the last two visits I've been encouraging them to start carrying or at least distributing the Campdraft. I'd love to see it pop up at Village Hat Shop next to the Open Road.

BTW, their Adventurer is really nice and definitely a worthy alternative to the Fed IV. The crown is about as high and very straight-sided, and the slightly wider brim makes for very pleasing proportions. That hat looks and feels particularly good. It feels like it would hold up to any weather or conditions and thus is aptly named.

I've noticed from other threads that you are a big David Morgan fan. Well, I've heard nothing but good about them, and I'm sure if I lived in the vicinity of their showroom I would love to go hang out there and drool all over their hats. And who doesn't like to support American businesses?

Having said that, I still don't buy your assertion that the cost of buying a hat at David Morgan isn't much more than buying a hat from an Australian company.
Today from EA a Squatter costs USD $77.91, delivered. A Squatter from DM costs USD $128.00 delivered. That's fifty bucks difference, which can be a whole lot for someone on a budget, which I am and a lot of others here are, I'm sure.

Yes, that is a three month wait on the hat from Oz. If Hatsdirect can get one from Akubra without having to special order it, it would still take about three weeks probably.

And I have no doubt that DM's customer service is unparalleled.

But I think for many of us that $50.00 is the difference between getting a hat and not getting a hat.

Jerekson · Mar 18, 2009

Quick pic of my black Squatter.

This has become my adventure hat.

I've given it a downturn brim which astronomically improved it's look, and I've found it pairs nicely with another iconic piece of Aussie wear;

[/IMG]

KeyGrip · Mar 18, 2009

Nice coat. Drizabone?

CRH · Mar 19, 2009

Jerekson said:
Quick pic of my black Squatter.

This has become my adventure hat.

I've heard rumors of Highway men. I've just never imagined that adventurous types would be wearing a Squatter. Squatter's are defenders of the land, plowers of the field - stay at home and milk the cows and 'listen to the cattle moo' types.

It's starting to look like these Squatters can hold a mug up to a Federation any day

.

FATS88 · Mar 19, 2009

Hatsquad said:
Randal..........my Fed IV Deluxe arrived a few weeks ago with a perfect turn-up flange all around the brim. All I had to do was bash the crown and flip down the front of the brim, and the back of the brim had a great flange dip to it.

Regards, Gerry

Yea Hatsquad,

that's the way this second batch of my feds arrived;
Stiff :eusa_clap with a very nice flange to the brim.
Both colors, Tawny, and Carbon.
There was so much of a difference between batches,
(No Complaints Here) that I decided to check the brim width
as well as the head band designation, thinking that I might
have been sent the Deluxe models by mistake.

Cheers!
Fats

FATS88 · Mar 19, 2009

indycop said:
Has anybody else ever encountered a growing federation? My fed seems too be too big now.[huh] I had to lower the crown so that it would not fall below my ears. Not the normal big then shrink, it is larger than when I first got it!:eusa_doh:

Hi IC!

with my first two feds, the Carbon fit a little loose,
so I used one of the foam strips, that Hat's Direct,
were nice enough to include in both of my orders.
I love the Carbon color and wore it quite a few
Sabbaths, as well as around my Apt. trying to impress
the dust bunnies, and make my other hats jealous.
I wore it so much, I didn't need the strip after awhile [huh]
The only thing I probably did different than the other
posters, is that I did use quite a bit of Bickmore hat stiffener,
on the underside of the brim.
I don't know if that would account for the better fit or not.
OH! I also "unstapled" those shipped shape retainers, and restapled them
to a smaller circumference, and I leave my Feds on them
with those plastic dust covers on.

Fats

Colby Jack · Mar 20, 2009

Jerekson said:
Quick pic of my black Squatter.

This has become my adventure hat.

I've given it a downturn brim which astronomically improved it's look, and I've found it pairs nicely with another iconic piece of Aussie wear;

[/IMG]

That's a great image Jerekson!...Love that Squatter!

Gilgamark · Mar 25, 2009

Arrived Today

Here's my just dried Moonstone Fed IV Deluxe. I went with a combination of kaosharper's modified Maltese Falcon bash with the height of the store-bought bash on the Akubra Stylemaster. The front is 4"; the back is 3 1/2". I put a tugboat effect on the sides; they rise to 4 1/2" at the back of the dents.

I went with the understated dents and tight pinch of the Maltese Falcon, which I like. Thoughts on making the dents deeper. I think I'm going to snap the back of the brim up a little more.

Overall, I'm please with this for my first bash. I was really surprised how easy it was to work the felt when wet.

I apologize for the poor quality of these photos. The batteries were dying in my camera. In fact, they are now dead.

jazzncocktails · Mar 26, 2009

Gilgamark said:
Here's my just dried Moonstone Fed IV Deluxe. I went with a combination of kaosharper's modified Maltese Falcon bash with the height of the store-bought bash on the Akubra Stylemaster. The front is 4"; the back is 3 1/2". I put a tugboat effect on the sides; they rise to 4 1/2" at the back of the dents.

I went with the understated dents and tight pinch of the Maltese Falcon, which I like. Thoughts on making the dents deeper. I think I'm going to snap the back of the brim up a little more.

Overall, I'm please with this for my first bash. I was really surprised how easy it was to work the felt when wet.

I apologize for the poor quality of these photos. The batteries were dying in my camera. In fact, they are now dead.

Nice job, Gilgamark...the bash looks good, and the Fed looks great on you! :eusa_clap

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