If you could own just one Akubra, what would it be?

[Blackhorse]

I assume you have a vendor picked out if you've picked the charcoal...I think there's only one that has it immediately available.

 

[HLSheppard]

I was planning on www.hatsdirect.com.

Is there anyone else?

 

[DOUGLAS]

NB13, That is my only complaint about that style. It is a great hat otherwise and the felt is wonderfully soft.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

NB13, That is my only complaint about that style. It is a great hat otherwise and the felt is wonderfully soft.

I've thought about getting one of their other styles with a bound edge, but with a higher crown, then replacing the ribbon with something more like the Squatter has.
NB

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Akubras -- Let's see: I own a Silverbelly Campdraft, a medium gray Squatter, a dark brown Federation, and also have a white Snowy River.

My favorite is the Campdraft, although I was bummed when I ordered one to find they had discontinued the light gray color I wanted and only had Silverbelly.

The Federation had been styled, by a previous owner, to look like an Indy hat. It looks great and fits well. The Squatter looks OK, but I need to have someone style it for me a bit better -- it has a somewhat flat brim.

I look best, actually, in the Snowy River, some say I look better in it than any hat I have. But it is a stiff hat and it is really a cowboy hat.

karol

 

[Benny Holiday]

If I had to pick just one . . .

I like the Stylemaster best of all, for my height and face (5'8" and reasonably lean). But I also have a silverbelly Campdraft, a dark grey CEO and a black Squatter, and I love them all (I've got three Stylemasters).

I bought my Campdraft and grey Stylemaster from Everything Australian, and ordered the Stylemaster with a black band, so don't forget that Akubra will change some little things around for you at no extra cost.

Karol, what is the deal with that light grey? I'm with you, I dig the light grey but Akubra doesn't seem to make it any more. My good pal Koop Kooper has a 'Bogart' model in I believe 'sky grey', which is very light, and it looks sharp as a tac (not to mention the scarlet lining inside the hat!). The Bogart is very similar to the Stylemaster, great-looking fedora. Apparently, they only make the Bogart in black now.

 

[John in Covina]

I look best, actually, in the Snowy River, some say I look better in it than any hat I have. karol

****
I think you should send pictures! We want to see!

 

[K.D. Lightner]

John -- I've got a photo of it somewhere on the computer, will look it up and see if I can send it over to photobucket.

Benny -- I noticed that not only did Akubra drop its light gray fedoras, but so did another hat retailer -- I tried to get a certain hat there in light gray and found they, too, had dropped that color. Maybe not enough people order the color? I don't know what that is about, lots of FL folks have expressed interest in that color.

Finally found the right fedora by asking Art to make me a Manhattan. It is a silvermist color and is absolutely perfect.

karol

 

[Blackhorse]

Maybe the light grays were just dropped for the Winter season...to be picked up again in the Spring?

 

[Benny Holiday]

The Manhattan is a beautiful hat Karol, the weakness of the Aussie dollar and house renovations this year made it impossible for me to obtain one from the esteemed Mr Fawcett. The silvermist is just the colour I was thinking of, too. Although the Manhattan's limited run is over, I hope in the future to be able to save up, poor currency rate and all, and order something in silvermist from Art.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I believe the man who emailed me said the color was discontinued. Whether Akubra discontinued it or the Everything Australian company, I don't know or recall. But that color suddenly became really scarce.

Yes, my Art Fawcett fedora is divine. I don't have photos of it, forgot to tell Art to take some pictures. Will have to get a digital camera and get some shots of it.

Here is a website that has a photo of a Snowy River. Not the same color as mine, but same hat.

http:///www.saddler.co.UK/acatalog/akubra_snowy_river.html

I will still try to get some photos up of me in the hat.

karol

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Well, I can't get that site to come up on FL. Just go to Google Image and type in Akubra Snowy River and you will see lots of photos of the hat in many colors.

karol

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Maybe the light grays were just dropped for the Winter season...to be picked up again in the Spring?

Karol is right. Akubra discontinued the light gray over a year ago. Hats Direct tried to get me a left-over but had no luck. I have found that a light gray that's darker than Silverbelly is close to impossible to find in an off-the-shelf hat. The only modern hats I've seen in a light gray have been custom jobs from Art, Steve, and the like. Can't imagine why. [huh]
NB

 

[Russ]

Snowy River

I look best, actually, in the Snowy River, some say I look better in it than any hat I have. But it is a stiff hat and it is really a cowboy hat.l

Like any stiff Akubras, even the Snowy River will get soft in time (I had mine for about 12 years before I sold them and got some new hats). My first three Akubras were Snowy Rivers in Santone Fawn, Black and Gray. That Santone Fawn one got nice and soft and floppy after being used as a bucket in the river.

 

[ledsled]

Traveller

Even before I stumbled upon the Fedora Lounge, I had ordered my first "real" felt hat from Akubra (via Everything Australian). It was a Traveller, and it was available in one color: regency fawn. I've been happy with it and when it's raining, that's the only felt I'll depend upon. (The other hats in bad weather are oil cloth or leather). I cannot discern any harm that has come to the Traveller for all the wear it's gotten. When the drops of rain hit the brim, it makes an interesting sound... different than the other hats. It's hard to describe, but it sounds more taut.

All that being said, I would have a tough time picking out ONE favorite Akubra. It seems like a lot of fellow lounger's have a stable of Akubra's so they can speak from experience. The Traveller is a great hat, a durable hat, a comfortable hat... something that I can depend upon. I think Akubra offers other designs that make more of a fashion statement, though.

 

[ledsled]

Traveller link

Here's a link if you want to see the Traveller in the regency fawn color:

http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=538&ccode=1600&cat_id=2