Akubra Capricorn - sizing advice

[TopGumby]

I'm ready to pull the trigger on a Capricorn. I'm a little concerned about the size, however.

My Stylemaster was ordered and delivered as a size 61. I had to give it the water/hairdryer treatment a couple times before it really started to fit. Even then, I had to put some thin foam strips for and aft under the sweat...I probably could have substituted some folded over dollar bills. It seemed a trifle too big.

Now, after months daily wear, that thing fits like a shadow. It's a beautiful thing to have something that fits so well...I toss it on and it's on right, if the wind is blowing I just give the brim a tug on it's on safe and tight, and I can tilt it back or give it an angle and it all just works.

I have a Resistol San Antonio Open Road clone that was listed at 7-1/2 but didn't quite fit my long oval head...and it's not my daily hat, it's more of a weekend and expedition hat. It has just started to get comfortable with the shape of my skull, and that took a little work with a stretcher and a few good soaks where I wore it dry. I can sense that it's getting to the point where I can put it on without having to put it on...if you know what I mean. I don't know that it will ever be that second skin like my Stylemaster is. Maybe, but it will take a lot more time unless I start wearing it more often.

The thought of putting the Stylemaster away during the Summer season has me somewhat dismayed. However, I've decided that I have to get a warm weather lid, and the Capricorn will be it.

I'm hesitant to order another size 61 as I don't think the polypro hat will shrink up like the fur felt Akubras. I know it has a leather sweat, but I'm pretty sure my Stylemaster wouldn't fit like it does if the sweat was the only thing about it that shrank.

On the other hand, I think that in Hell we will be given hats that are a little too small.

Suggestions or ridicule invited.

 

[Wil Tam]

umm you can try a 60...? [huh]

----------------
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[Daoud]

My Fed is a 60 and it was huge at first, but my Capricorn is a 60 and it is much snugger- I used a couple of dollar bills folded into thirds behind the sweatband and it's perfect. Jenny from Hatsdirect told me the sweatband will shrink to some extent, but I think you're 1000% right on about the fact that there's more to shrinkage than the headband. And that polypropylene ain't gonna shrink.

I just re-read your post......I think that you ought to measure your head and use that to determine the size of your Capricorn. I would email the folks at Hatsdirect or EA or wherever you're going to get it and ask them.
By the way, Hatsdirect does not stock the Capricorn, but it only takes them about a week to get one in. I don't know if you can still get the grey or green somewhere, but I could get one from HD only in Tawny Fawn.

 

[RobFedoraField]

poly propaline (sp?)

being that the Capricorn is synthetic straw, I don't think there would be an issue with shrinking (unless it got too close to the campfire). I would email Ron @ Hats Direct, give them your measurements and go from there. He was good about providing me with the correct size of hats. but my fed 4 has shrunk slightly and now I need to keep it on a stretcher to keep it a little larger, but I don't think you'll have that problem with it not being fur.

good luck with the hat, I've been eyeing those for a while, but I'm waiting until I can order two to save on shipping. it hurts my feelings that shipping is the same price as the hat.

 

[skyvue]

I have a 62 Sydney that's a touch snug, but has conformed to my head reasonably well over time (I'm a 61, but in extra long oval) and two new 63 Stylemasters that weren't bad front to back, but has lots of room on the sides (it remains to be seen how they'll come to fit me).

Is there any chance that a 62, which is the largest size the Capricorn comes in, would fit me, either out of the box or over time? EA told me that Capricorn's can't be ordered in long oval (much less ELO), and I assume that they are less likely to form themselves to one's head over time, as the Sydney has done for me.

Am I right? Should I give up on the idea of ordering a Capricorn?

 

[Daoud]

If you do some searching you'll find a thread in which I believe this exact thing was discussed.....as I recall the upshot was that one could special-order a Capricorn with a cloth sweatband which would provide a bit more room. This might be it here-http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=38186&highlight=capricorn- if not, keep looking.

 

[skyvue]

So you're saying that, given the material of which the Capricorn is instructed, it wouldn't as readily form itself to my ELO head as the Sydney did?

 

[carldelo]

If you do some searching you'll find a thread in which I believe this exact thing was discussed.....as I recall the upshot was that one could special-order a Capricorn with a cloth sweatband which would provide a bit more room. This might be it here-http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=38186&highlight=capricorn- if not, keep looking.

I currently have a Capricorn on order from EA in gray, size 62 - Sam arranged to have it made at this now-maximum size. It was in response to my query that Sam said any Capricorn can be made with a cloth sweat that gets it about 2/3 of the way to the next size up, so a 62 Capricorn with a cloth sweat would be close to 63. Others have reported that the poly hats don't conform much, so the long oval issue is a question mark. Skyvue, you're welcome to try my size 62 Capricorn when it arrives, but that won't be until May. We can compare navy hats at the same time...

 

[skyvue]

It was in response to my query that Sam said any Capricorn can be made with a cloth sweat that gets it about 2/3 of the way to the next size up, so a 62 Capricorn with a cloth sweat would be close to 63. Others have reported that the poly hats don't conform much, so the long oval issue is a question mark. Skyvue, you're welcome to try my size 62 Capricorn when it arrives, but that won't be until May. We can compare navy hats at the same time...

Thanks. What, generally, are the down sides to a cloth sweatband over leather?

And is it the Capricorn that can be made wet and then easily reshaped, or am I conflating that with the Sunbody?

 

[carldelo]

Thanks. What, generally, are the down sides to a cloth sweatband over leather?

And is it the Capricorn that can be made wet and then easily reshaped, or am I conflating that with the Sunbody?

I would wager that the Capricorn cannot be easily shaped, unless you got it almost melting hot, but I haven't held one in my hands so I can't swear to it.

I currently have two polypro hats (Riverz Delta and Joe Fedora) - both have cloth sweatbands. It is coolmax material, sort of like terry cloth, which does a good job of wicking sweat and is quite comfortable. The Delta is my kayak hat, so gets fully drenched regularly - in fact I dip the hat on hot days to cool off. The cloth sweat means it is totally unaffected by water - I can abuse it with no compunction.

The Joe is not quite big enough, and the cloth sweat allows it to stretch out to fit better. The polypro on this hat is stretchy, and looks fairly convincingly like straw (in comparison, the Delta looks downright plastic-y). I typically use the Joe while hiking and on really hot days when I expect to be sweaty or rained on. I tend to wear it more often than my Stetson Milan with leather sweat, a very nice hat that I don't want to destroy in the rain.

So I think a cloth sweat is more functional in a hot, rainy weather, but a leather sweat is more traditional and looks fancier. I thought of getting my Capricorn with a cloth sweat, but wanted to see it as designed. You might ask Sam at EA what he thinks, they're pretty helpful there.

Carl

 

[Goose.]

I would wager that the Capricorn cannot be easily shaped, unless you got it almost melting hot, but I haven't held one in my hands so I can't swear to it....

What Carl said is accurate. I have a fawn Capricorn...don't think I could shape it unless I was too close to a camp fire...