Akubra Lightning Ridge

[Just A Hat Rack]

Akubra felt, in either grade, is adequate. It’s not great, but it’s generally very serviceable and very rugged.

I don’t know anything about the exact hat you are looking at, but the good thing about dealing with David Morgan is that you can call and speak with a salesperson.

The sweats that Akubra uses are my biggest issue with the brand. They are comfortable and seem to last, but they are notorious for shrinking. A lot of us buy Akubras a full size too big knowing that the sweat will shrink. There is a huge amount of information on this in various threads. Check out the Akubra Overload thread and spend a couple hours reading. Again, a call to David Morgan is in order if you get serious. They can address the unique Akubra sizing issues.

Akubra makes certain models and colors just for certain retailers. I don’t know the availability of the Akubra hat(s) you’re looking at, but check out The Hattery, Everything Australian, and Hats by the Hundred. If you can wait an additional week and are willing to put up with the pain of trans-Pacific shipping, your best deals will be buying from an Australian retailer.

Brent


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I've read several reviews on this specific hat, and while none of the listings described the fur quality (5X, etc.), all the reviews were very positive. From what I've gathered during my short time on here is that Akubra makes one of the more quality hats these days, and that they're preferred when it comes to the outdoors and dealing with weather. I plan on wearing it (whichever hat I decide on) quite a bit outside, and casually.

I've done some reading on the overload thread already. I didn't see too much in the way of western style fedoras, and what I did see centered more around the Banjo Patterson. I didn't spend a great deal of time on there because it actually is overload. You guys do not lie.

As of now, this hat is my front runner. I may wait a few days to pull the trigger on it just in case my mind changes or something else comes along. I will definitely look into the retailers you mentioned. I've noticed that Akubra sells certain hats through certain retailers, so it could take some time to sort that out. If I do decide on it, I will most likely call and speak to someone. If you haven't noticed already, I like to ask questions I also haven't ruled out the possibility of going custom either, but buying premade is obviously easier. Again, thanks for all the help!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I've read several reviews on this specific hat, and while none of the listings described the fur quality (5X, etc.), all the reviews were very positive. From what I've gathered during my short time on here is that Akubra makes one of the more quality hats these days, and that they're preferred when it comes to the outdoors and dealing with weather. I plan on wearing it (whichever hat I decide on) quite a bit outside, and casually.

I've done some reading on the overload thread already. I didn't see too much in the way of western style fedoras, and what I did see centered more around the Banjo Patterson. I didn't spend a great deal of time on there because it actually is overload. You guys do not lie.

As of now, this hat is my front runner. I may wait a few days to pull the trigger on it just in case my mind changes or something else comes along. I will definitely look into the retailers you mentioned. I've noticed that Akubra sells certain hats through certain retailers, so it could take some time to sort that out. If I do decide on it, I will most likely call and speak to someone. If you haven't noticed already, I like to ask questions I also haven't ruled out the possibility of going custom either, but buying premade is obviously easier. Again, thanks for all the help!

I’ll only add that Akubra only currently makes two grades of fur felt, and I’ve olny seen them separated in the softer city/fedora hats. I think the consensus is that Akubras don’t have much competition in their price pints, and they are weather warriors, but the felt is not wonderful. In my experience, modern Stetson Royal DeLuxe felt is nicer all the way around; you just pay more for it. It doesn’t make much sense to use great felt for westerns/outdoors hats that will be saturated with stiffeners so....

 

[Doctor Strange]

My experiences...

I haven't handled a modern Stetson, maybe they really are better now - my last was a vintage-2002 Temple... but I thought it was clearly inferior to the Akubra hats I've had since. The felt, while more finely pounced, didn't hold up to rain/snow without losing its shape. The sweatband leather felt like cardboard, uncomfortable on the forehead. The half-dozen Akubras I've had since (Federation III, Stockman, Cattleman, Stylemaster, Campdraft, and just-received Leisure Time) have laughed off rain/snow with no loss of shape. And I've never had a problem with their sweatbands continuing to shrink after their initial conforming to my size.

Re dealers, it comes down to this:

If you want to "buy American", David Morgan's Akubras have some variations from the mainstream models (different bands and colors, chin strap grommets) and you'll pay considerably more... but get 'em quickly.

HatsDirect/The Hattery has nearly all models/colors in stock for immediate delivery, but both their prices and shipping rates are higher than other Australian dealers.

Everything Australian has less on-hand stock, mostly country hats, but lower prices and less expensive (and slower) shipping. They have the dreaded three-month wait for many models/colors/sizes they don't stock. (But think about this for a minute: you're getting a hat made to your custom order for no additional cost, just time. Who else does this?!?) I just got a Leisure Time from them for $99 plus $15 shipping... but it took two weeks to arrive.

I've also had good service from Aussie Bush Hats and Oilskins. And a very bad experience with Hats By The Hundred, I would never buy from them again.

Hope this helps!

 

[Just A Hat Rack]

My experiences...

I haven't handled a modern Stetson, maybe they really are better now - my last was a vintage-2002 Temple... but I thought it was clearly inferior to the Akubra hats I've had since. The felt, while more finely pounced, didn't hold up to rain/snow without losing its shape. The sweatband leather felt like cardboard, uncomfortable on the forehead. The half-dozen Akubras I've had since (Federation III, Stockman, Cattleman, Stylemaster, Campdraft, and just-received Leisure Time) have laughed off rain/snow with no loss of shape. And I've never had a problem with their sweatbands continuing to shrink after their initial conforming to my size.

Re dealers, it comes down to this:

If you want to "buy American", David Morgan's Akubras have some variations from the mainstream models (different bands and colors, chin strap grommets) and you'll pay considerably more... but get 'em quickly.

HatsDirect/The Hattery has nearly all models/colors in stock for immediate delivery, but both their prices and shipping rates are higher than other Australian dealers.

Everything Australian has less on-hand stock, mostly country hats, but lower prices and less expensive (and slower) shipping. They have the dreaded three-month wait for many models/colors/sizes they don't stock. (But think about this for a minute: you're getting a hat made to your custom order for no additional cost, just time. Who else does this?!?) I just got a Leisure Time from them for $99 plus $15 shipping... but it took two weeks to arrive.

I've also had good service from Aussie Bush Hats and Oilskins. And a very bad experience with Hats By The Hundred, I would never buy from them again.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the tips. As far as Stetsons go, from what I've seen on their website , the Pawnee and Catera are the only ones I would really consider based off of what I am currently looking for. I would prefer a narrower crease in the crown as opposed to a more teardrop shape. I am not sure if Stetson sells other models through other retailers. As it stands, I prefer the Akubra Lightning Ridge over either of those just based solely on look. I've done some poking around on Australian retail sites and still lean toward the LR, but I plan on doing some more investigating. Based on what I've read on here, I'm assuming that the Akubras are more durable because of the amount of stiffeners used, at least with western style hats. Maybe Stetson doesn't use quite the same amount as Akubra does, at least in the recent past as you mentioned. Proper care after getting wet would probably help with a lot of that, but I am inexperienced in dealing with that. I would prefer a western with a softer feel, more malleability, but my notion is that the only way of finding that would be going the custom route, which I still need to figure out.

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[Doctor Strange]

I don't think it's about the amount of stiffener, per se. I just think Akubra's rabbit fur felt is a tougher, more weather-resistant material than whatever felt blend Stetson uses.

I'm not a western hat guy - I've never had a Stetson western hat - but I do have an old Resistol cowboy hat, and it's MUCH stiffer than my Stockman, Cattleman, or new Leisure Time. They are preshaped hats, but still have a little flex. The Resistol feels like it's made of wood in comparison.

Hopefully some other folks can compare western hat "stiffness" better.

 

[Florida_Marlin]

My experiences with Akubras.

Have ~100 hats. Several Akubras. 4 Campdrafts, 2 Fed IV's, A Cattleman, and have had a few others go through my hands that I passed on to others. I wear hats daily and give them hard use, rain or shine. The only Akubra I ever had that had chronic sweat shrinking was a Bushman that I wore hiking for several years. I would have to stretch it out once in a while. To be fair, it had its challenges, as I would dunk it in the Suwannee River on my hikes to cool my head when I got too hot. So, can't really blame the hat! I'm halfway between 7 1/4 & 7 3/8, so I buy new in 3/8 and let it take initial shrink to my head. No problems from then on.

As far as the felt. My opinion is that you cannot buy a better production grade felt for the money than an Akubra. I have a newer Stetsonian and Premium (or whatever its called) Strat. I wore the Strat in a heavy rain-once- and it never regained it's shape. I broke it down, relocked it, sewed the sweat back in and sent it on its way. The Stetsonian sits on a shelf and I rarely wear it. To be fair to it, it has to compete against my vintage hats for wear time, so I'll give it a break. The hats I grab when I know I'm likely to encounter foul weather are these: either one of my Akubras or one of my vintage Stetson/Resistol 3X's.

I have been caught in the rain with some of my vintage dress fedoras. They of course came out great, I just try to keep them out of the bad weather because they're older than me.

I haven't bought a new Stetson or Akubra in the last 3 years or so, since I have waaaaay too many hats now and just focus on acquiring vintage that are missing from my collection (they're missing, because they're there, they just don't know it yet.)

Now, getting back to your question about Lightning Ridge. I believe it is a Heritage Grade felt. It's seems to be a denser felt than Imperial grade. If you like the style of the LR, you'll probably love the hat and you'll never wear it out!

Regards, Marlin

 

[Just A Hat Rack]

I don't think it's about the amount of stiffener, per se. I just think Akubra's rabbit fur felt is a tougher, more weather-resistant material than whatever felt blend Stetson uses.

I'm not a western hat guy - I've never had a Stetson western hat - but I do have an old Resistol cowboy hat, and it's MUCH stiffer than my Stockman, Cattleman, or new Leisure Time. They are preshaped hats, but still have a little flex. The Resistol feels like it's made of wood in comparison.

Hopefully some other folks can compare western hat "stiffness" better.

I catch your drift. I am probably mistaken but I was under the impression that fur blends (which I thought most fur hats consisted of) tend to be better quality than straight rabbit, with straight beaver leading the class. I'm new to all of this, so I claim ignorance. The only other hat I've ever purchased was a Resistol 2X wool felt cowboy hat about 10-15 years ago when I was younger and went to country bars. To me it always felt like furry cardboard and somewhat rigid, although it has a little flex. I live in Ohio, so unless you work on a farm, nobody really wears them around here. Obviously it's not about "fitting in" anymore, but I have a great fondness for the American west, and am looking for something that somewhat represents that, that I can wear to work outside and also in leisure.

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[Just A Hat Rack]

My experiences with Akubras.

Have ~100 hats. Several Akubras. 4 Campdrafts, 2 Fed IV's, A Cattleman, and have had a few others go through my hands that I passed on to others. I wear hats daily and give them hard use, rain or shine. The only Akubra I ever had that had chronic sweat shrinking was a Bushman that I wore hiking for several years. I would have to stretch it out once in a while. To be fair, it had its challenges, as I would dunk it in the Suwannee River on my hikes to cool my head when I got too hot. So, can't really blame the hat! I'm halfway between 7 1/4 & 7 3/8, so I buy new in 3/8 and let it take initial shrink to my head. No problems from then on.

As far as the felt. My opinion is that you cannot buy a better production grade felt for the money than an Akubra. I have a newer Stetsonian and Premium (or whatever its called) Strat. I wore the Strat in a heavy rain-once- and it never regained it's shape. I broke it down, relocked it, sewed the sweat back in and sent it on its way. The Stetsonian sits on a shelf and I rarely wear it. To be fair to it, it has to compete against my vintage hats for wear time, so I'll give it a break. The hats I grab when I know I'm likely to encounter foul weather are these: either one of my Akubras or one of my vintage Stetson/Resistol 3X's.

I have been caught in the rain with some of my vintage dress fedoras. They of course came out great, I just try to keep them out of the bad weather because they're older than me.

I haven't bought a new Stetson or Akubra in the last 3 years or so, since I have waaaaay too many hats now and just focus on acquiring vintage that are missing from my collection (they're missing, because they're there, they just don't know it yet.)

Now, getting back to your question about Lightning Ridge. I believe it is a Heritage Grade felt. It's seems to be a denser felt than Imperial grade. If you like the style of the LR, you'll probably love the hat and you'll never wear it out!

Regards, Marlin

I get that a lot of "forums" can be fan sites for certain brands, etc. This is not one of them in my opinion. People on here have a love for all styles and brands of hats, and that's why I'm here and respect everyone's insight and opinions. That being said, I haven't heard anything bad about Akubra, and many people prefer them over others, at least in the style that I'm looking for. I know they're imperfect, but all brands are. I came into this preferring to buy an American hat, but everyone on here has allowed me to expand my horizons. For that I am grateful.

I have wondered what the difference in quality was between the Akubra grade felts. It makes sense that the Heritage would be thicker and more firm due to the fact that it's more of an outdoors hat. Again with the LR, all the reviews I've read on it have been very positive.

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[Just A Hat Rack]

What did you not like about the charcoal banjo? I'm interested in both. My concern with the fawn is blending too much with my skin; but concerned that the charcoal is too hot for summer?

Did you decide on any? I am debating on colors as well for the LR. I prefer sand the most, but don't want to limit myself to only wearing it during the seasons the fashion police say I should. The fawn isn't bad, I'm just afraid it may be a bit warm in the summer because I work outside.

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[deadlyhandsome]

I catch your drift. I am probably mistaken but I was under the impression that fur blends (which I thought most fur hats consisted of) tend to be better quality than straight rabbit, with straight beaver leading the class. I'm new to all of this, so I claim ignorance. The only other hat I've ever purchased was a Resistol 2X wool felt cowboy hat about 10-15 years ago when I was younger and went to country bars. To me it always felt like furry cardboard and somewhat rigid, although it has a little flex. I live in Ohio, so unless you work on a farm, nobody really wears them around here. Obviously it's not about "fitting in" anymore, but I have a great fondness for the American west, and am looking for something that somewhat represents that, that I can wear to work outside and also in leisure.

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I haven’t had any issues with my Stetson fedoras made in the last couple of years, but to be honest I don’t wear them in bad weather. I do reach for either an Akubra or one of my western hats I’ve converted into medium-wide brimmed outdoors hats when the weather is bad. A western conversion is a legitimate option as you can pick up a donor hat pretty inexpensively, shape the crown to any style you want, and trim the brim to your exact desired width. If you start out with a decent hat you’ll end up with a tough all-weather hat that can soak up abuse and still look good. This is the direction I’ve gone in and I have no regrets.

Brent


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[deadlyhandsome]

One more plug:

There’s a fellow Lounge member who will make you a 100% beaver fur felt hat using a any weight hat body you want (dress to full think western) to your specifications for $225! That’s crazy cheap for a quality custom and you can get exactly the hat you want.

 

[Just A Hat Rack]

One more plug:

There’s a fellow Lounge member who will make you a 100% beaver fur felt hat using a any weight hat body you want (dress to full think western) to your specifications for $225! That’s crazy cheap for a quality custom and you can get exactly the hat you want.

That sounds like an incredible deal. However I do not know this person, nor do I want to put anyone out. Other than deciding on a color (I'm being indecisive over 2 [emoji23]), I have already pretty much made up my mind that I am going to purchase the Lightning Ridge. Were I more knowledgeable and experienced about the process, I probably wouldn't hesitate to jump at the opportunity.

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[deadlyhandsome]

That sounds like an incredible deal. However I do not know this person, nor do I want to put anyone out. Other than deciding on a color (I'm being indecisive over 2 [emoji23]), I have already pretty much made up my mind that I am going to purchase the Lightning Ridge. Were I more knowledgeable and experienced about the process, I probably wouldn't hesitate to jump at the opportunity.

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I’m sure you’ll like your Akubra. If you want to go custom someday, the price I quoted is his retail price and he makes hats for a living so I’m sure he won’t mind you hitting him up