Help with Akubra styles.

[Marty M.]

Gentlemen, I'm looking at adding Akruba hats to the store this fall. I've never seen one in person. But, I've read good things about them in Fedora Lounge posts. Since we're a more dressy store, I'm thinking of adding two dress hats and one to two casual hats. Here are the models that I'm contemplating: Sydney, Squatter, Banjo Patterson and maybe the Bushman.
Can I get some advice from any Akubra owners and/or experts? How do you like the models? How stiff is the felt? How's the sizing? Do you like the models that I picked? Have you had any issues? Would you consider another brand altogether. Feel free to PM me if you have any comments that you don't want published. Thanks for your considerations.
Marty Mathis

 

[Bebop]

Of the hats you mentioned, I would say the Sydney and the Banjo Paterson would be best if it is a 'dressy store'. The Sydney is soft and can be shaped easily. It also has a modest brim with a modest ribbon. The BP is stiffer, more casual but yet ok with dressy clothing. It is more of an outdoorsman hat. I have the BP and the Sydney and use them regularly. They still look like the day I bought them. I have a Squatter and can't seem to find the situation to wear it. Maybe because of the wide brim that does not match my face. I tried on a Bushman when I was at David Morgan and found it to be very stiff and cardboard like. It was also very round and there was no size that fit me correctly. I am sure opinions will differ.

 

[Joel Tunnah]

Bebop is right, Sydney and Banjo Paterson.

All your other questions have been discussed many times in other threads. Use the Search feature, or use key words in google, with the instruction site:thefedoralounge.com at the end.

 

[cookie]

Akubras Downunder

Gentlemen, I'm looking at adding Akruba hats to the store this fall. I've never seen one in person. But, I've read good things about them in Fedora Lounge posts. Since we're a more dressy store, I'm thinking of adding two dress hats and one to two casual hats. Here are the models that I'm contemplating: Sydney, Squatter, Banjo Patterson and maybe the Bushman.
Can I get some advice from any Akubra owners and/or experts? How do you like the models? How stiff is the felt? How's the sizing? Do you like the models that I picked? Have you had any issues? Would you consider another brand altogether. Feel free to PM me if you have any comments that you don't want published. Thanks for your considerations.
Marty Mathis

The Cattleman as favoured by a former bushie MP Tim Fischer ex Deputy PM - and is also a nice hat. A high crown but might excite your customers.

http://akubra.com.au/products_country.html

 

[johnnycanuck]

The Sydney and the banjo are good choices. The other two are a little more specialized. The squatter is one I like, but it either comes open crowned or in a porkpie bash. Most people (I would think) would not identify with these styles unless you bashed them yourself. Loungers go for open crowns but I doubt the average Joe would. If you are looking for sales the Snowy River, Cattleman, and Cooper Pebly are the three top sellers on most on-line stores I visit. I would also consider the Down Under just for the "Crocodile Dundee" fame.
That's my two cents worth anyway.
Johnny

 

[Simon82]

Or maybe the Campdraft

Marty,

Another hat that's gotten great reviews here is the Akubra Campdraft, basically an "Open Road," thin-ribbon fedora with a brim less than 3 inches. It comes open-crowned, and style-wise, straddles the line between dressy and outdoor.

I haven't seen it offered by any U.S. stores, so I think you'd be the first if you carried it.

 

[Doctor Strange]

You might also consider carrying the Stockman. It's got the same teardropish bash as the Snowy River, but with a less extreme 2-3/4" brim: it's like a nice cross between a fedora and a country hat. It may appeal to folks who want something less formal but obviously not a cowboy style. (I'm wearing mine in my avatar picture.)

And as others have said, Akubra's pre-shaped hats are pretty stiff, much more similar to western hats than fedoras. Even my Federation, which is shapable and designated as "soft", is nowhere near the floppiness of most fedoras. But it is indeed softer than my Stockman or Cattleman.

All of the Akubras I've handled are very solidly made with tons of style, and they represent outstanding values vs. most of the more expensive domestic hats by Stetson, Resistol, Biltmore, etc.

 

[MattJH]

I own many Akubras. My choices:

Dress: Sydney
Casual: Casual OR Traveller (both are packable)
Work: Cattleman

 

[RedPop4]

it's like a nice cross between a fedora and a country hat. It may appeal to folks who want something less formal but obviously not a cowboy style

That's what I'm considering, as well.

 

[akaBruno]

Watch the brim sizes. I don't think that you'll want to stock too many dress hats with 3+ inch brims.

My bud Reddog saw a pic of the Bushman and chose it. It was way too big on him. I couldn't stand it till I put a severe flip in the back and sides, pulling the front way down low. Now it looks good on him.

Personally I like a WIDE brim. But, I have a lot of long hair.

BRUNO

 

[Matt Deckard]

I'd say the Akubra squatter is a must for the crown alone. If possible have Akubra shorten the brim a bit as the large brim on the stock squatter could be daunting for those new to dress hats. Akubra has done this in the past for other companies from what I have read. It's also a good idea to have a couple preshaped for display next to open crowned models and possibly a pic of various shapes that the hat can be made into next to the hats as they are open crowned.

Another thing to tell customers is that the hat may look and feel awkward at the begening... has nothin to do with fit, though a hat isn't a hat until it has broken in a bit so that it doesn't look like an affectation.

squatter

 

[Prairie Shade]

Well Said Matt

Very well said.

 

[Russ]

You may want to check with Akubra to see what their best selling hats are. You get the benefit of the consumers' voice there on a large scale.

17 years ago, someone at J. H. Barsby and Sons in Australia indicated to me these were the most popular Akubras in the store (listed in no particular order):
Cattleman, Squatter, Down Under, Gymkhana, Snowy River, Stockman, Silver Spur

But a list from 17 years ago may not be relevant now. And possibly most of the walk in customers were country folk (this was before internet shopping kicked in).

Since you are a real store, I would suggest taking one of your Akubras after you get them, and wearing it and fiddling with it to soften it up. Spray it with water as well (or wear it in the rain). Then keep it in the store where customers can handle it and see how soft and friendly these hats become.

 

[Bebop]

I'd say the Akubra squatter is a must for the crown alone. If possible have Akubra shorten the brim a bit as the large brim on the stock squatter could be daunting for those new to dress hats. Akubra has done this in the past for other companies from what I have read. It's also a good idea to have a couple preshaped for display next to open crowned models and possibly a pic of various shapes that the hat can be made into next to the hats as they are open crowned.

Another thing to tell customers is that the hat may look and feel awkward at the begening... has nothin to do with fit, though a hat isn't a hat until it has broken in a bit so that it doesn't look like an affectation.

squatter

The Squatter looks great in the photos but it's the only hat that I have never been able to bash to a correct shape or to make it look like in photos I have seen. I consider myself pretty good at bashing hats to my content. Maybe it's just my hat or my hands. I would wear it more if I could get it to look like the one in the photo.

 

[akaBruno]

One word... STEAM!

BRUNO

 

[Bebop]

Steam is the only way to go. I have used steam with most of my bashed hats. For some reason, the Squatter I have does not take kindly to being steam bashed. The Sydney can be shaped without steam. It is very soft and pliable.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Stylemaster

My favourite dress hat is the Akubra Stylemaster. I've got Stylemasters in every shade to go with my suits - black, grey, bluegrass green, fawn, and navy blue:

I also recommend the CEO and the Campdraft, both of which make great dress hats, although their brims are slightly wider (2.75 inches) than the Stylemasters 2.5 inch brim.

 

[Wesne]

I like the Stylemaster as well. Mine is in the standard acorn fawn. I'd love to see a photo of yours in bluegrass green Benny.

Here's mine:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55751256@N00/423549234/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/423549234_04005f1da3.jpg" width="382" height="500" alt="stylemaster on" /></a>

 

[Benny Holiday]

Looks great Wesne!

The bluegrass green only arrived last week. I'll have to get some shots of it to post, I know a couple of the guys here were interested to see the colour when I first ordered the hat (there's a three month wait on that colour).

 

[Bebop]

I have wanted a Stylemaster for a long time. It looks like the perfect crown height and brim width for me. Nice hats, guys.