Which "Indy" should I choose?

[citRon]

Get the Fed now and order an AB for the future. He doesn't bill till he's on your order if I recall.

Quite contrar, mon frair...you have to pony up the Washingtons first, when you place your order, and then wait a ~year until yours is made.

 

[citRon]

Don't forget to have a look at the Adventurer at David Morgan. A very nice hat with US shipping cost... I had to return mine for size and I was very happy not to have to ship it to AU.

:arated:

Also, may I suggest the Camptown 1936 Fieldmaster. http://camptownhats.com/

50/50 Beaver-Bunny blend, made by one of our very own members here. -and he may have your size in stock, check with him. Right now he's running a special- $175 shipped and shaped- He styles it for you, however you like.

 

[RBH]

Get the Federation.... and order the Adventurebilt.

I already have both... and they both are great fedoras.

 

[indycop]

Hmmmmm, "the layaway option" ?

I wonder if Art participates in this type of plan? [huh]

Yes you just paypal him money and when you have sent the total amount for the hat he will send you one!lol

 

[indycop]

Adventurebilt is the only option if you want THE movie hat! but I would get an Akubra to hold me over while I waited for the AB. You could even go a little different and get a bushman so that when yer AB gets to ya you would have to different hats. Or go with the Federation.




Feraud what is the avatar pic? Obviously somewhere south with the palm!

 

[Spellflower]

Shaping is really not a big deal. However, after using steam on my Fed and shaping it several times, it is now quite tapered, so I recommend just getting it wet with distilled water. I'm not positive this will prevent taper, but if enough of you guys do it we'll find out.

 

[indycop]

I used just distilled water on my Federation and it worked fine no taper. The crown is fairly soft so its not hard to shape and if you get it wrong just try again . You won't ruin the hat shaping it.

 

[mourazav]

I think I've finally made my decision. At this point I think I'm going to go with the Akubra Federation Deluxe. I've heard great things about it. Does anybody know how long the wait is usually for one of these babies?

 

[fletch31]

They usually come quick but as it has just gone through a redesign to bring it even more so in compliance with indyfans, I believe orders placed now have a mid April delivery time for the new and improved model.

 

[indycop]

I think I've finally made my decision. At this point I think I'm going to go with the Akubra Federation Deluxe. I've heard great things about it. Does anybody know how long the wait is usually for one of these babies?

Is that a Romeo Y Julieta in your avatar?

 

[Feraud]

Feraud what is the avatar pic? Obviously somewhere south with the palm!

It is NYC.. where we have palm trees and The Empire State Building!

 

[Fatdutchman]

Hey, is Hatsdirect changing the color on their new Federation? It could sure use a change from their dark (DARK) brownish gray.

You can't go wrong with an Akubra basically.

I just got my Adventurebilt yesterday. The wait was about 15 months (no doubt it will be longer if you order now...the price is now about double too).

 

[Feraud]

Hey, is Hatsdirect changing the color on their new Federation? It could sure use a change from their dark (DARK) brownish gray.

Is the regular Federation a brownish gray?

My Fed Deluxe is a fine dark chocolatey brown.

 

[NonEntity]

A Question of Value & Timing

The Adventurebilt is the best Indy style hat available, period. BUT, for the money, it is not a good value, and, given that we're on the brink of the release of the new Indiana Jones movie, your'e looking at receiving it in about a year and a half. That could be good timing: By then, there could very well be another Indy film!

I'd go with an Akubra, but I'd be shy about the "new-and-improved" Federation and Fed Deluxe simply because I have not yet seen and handled them firsthand "in the felt." You could not have possibly heard much at all in the way of "great things about it" because, remember, it has just been redesigned and very few people have the new one.

That leaves the Akubra Adventurer, at $125 + $7.00 S & H from David Morgan, it is a terrific buy for a spot-on dimensional-brimmed Indy in Imperial Quality pure wild rabbit fur felt and a comfortable reeded roan leather sweatband. Get the $13.00 hat brush while you're at it--and use it.

The Adventurer replaced the Explorer, which had a 1/4-inch narrower brim and 1/8-inch skinnier ribbon, but is otherwise the same in every way. A friend of mine notorious for mistreating his personal effects has one that he wears almost every day, and it still looks 95% as good as it did when he got it several years ago.

Don't be intimidated by having to bash it yourself. Even if you're a fumble-fisted ham, you're not going to hurt an Akubra, and there's plenty here on the Fedora Lounge to guide you through shaping the authentic Indy pinched telescope bash.

 

[genphideaux]

Feraud,

Depending on when you ordered your Fed seems to dictate the color.
Most Fed's I have seen and owned have a little green or moss hue to them the Fed Dlx have a red hue. The adventure I have is a dark brown with no hue and same color ribbon. This was when they were new, once they are worn in the sun this all changes.

 

[rebelgtp]

yet another vote here for the Akubra, it really is about the toughest hat out on the market. Pictured below is my Federation regular that is about 2 or 3 years old. In its life with me it has seen, rain, snow, desert sun, winds in excess of 90 mph (fun trying to keep it on then), being crushed, stepped on by a horse and carried around by my dog (he doesn't chew on it or anything but he does like to steal it from time to time). It has never been reblocked, heck its barely ever been brushed clean (as you can see and no thats not the fake dirt/distressing you see some apply to their hats). Actually come to think of it I think this is the first time it has been shown on here. Oh and of course had to picture it with one of my whips thats only right for a Indy style hat right? Oh and note none of the green hue you commonly see with Fed regulars, it had it when new but it has long since gone with sun exposure.

 

[genphideaux]

mourazav,

From someone who has been up and down that dirt road a few times my I suggest the following. Order an Art Fawcett he builds a great hat using the best of materials and his wait time is 4 to 6 weeks. He can do any crease you want. You may also look into a Jimmy Pierce design Raiders also, great looking hat be sure to ask for the American felt. Then for a screen accurate Indy IV or the best Indy order an AB. This way you will have a great hat on your noggin soon and be able to stand the wait for the AB. Don't get me wrong, Akubra is a great hat but once you have a custom......I really can't explain, you just know.

Before the fur flies this is just my humble and experienced opinion.

 

[fletch31]

The Adventurebilt is the best Indy style hat available, period. BUT, for the money, it is not a good value, and...

The Adventurebilt is a GREAT value for the money. Where else can you get a handmade (or machine made for that matter) 100% beaver hat for that price in that dead on style? The price to value ratio has always been fantastic.

 

[rebelgtp]

mourazav,

Don't get me wrong, Akubra is a great hat but once you have a custom......I really can't explain, you just know.

Before the fur flies this is just my humble and experienced opinion.

See I actually think it depends on how you are going to use the hat in many cases also. The reason I say this is I have an AB along with my Akubra, as I have said my Akubra has taken a TON of abuse I do not baby the hat one little bit. Would I wear my AB in the same situations that I do the Akubra? The answer is simple, NO! While the AB is an awesome hat, it just doesn't have that old friend feel that my Akubra does and if I screw it up I would be waiting for more than a year to get a new one. So if you are planning on abusing the hat at all, using it for any sort of adventuring go for the Akubra, if you are going to just use it more as an around town hat then go for the custom. I would like to someday get a hat from Art as the hats I have seen from him are real beauties.

just my 2 cents.

 

[fletch31]

First let me say I love Akubra hats. They are a great value for what they deliver and their rabbit felt is of great quality for what it is. If you are on a tight budget and dont have time to wait, go for one and you will be thrilled with what you get. That said, a well made beaver hat under the same abuse and wear and tear will outlast the best rabbit felt. Old cowboys specified 100% beaver in their hats because they would withstand the rigors of the elements in their day to day activities. This was back when western wear was part of life and not just some fashion statement. These hats were used and abused! Beaver felt is denser at the same thickness, stronger, and retains it shape much better than rabbit felt.
Don't baby your AB brother. It will hold up to what you have put your Akubra through and then some. They are made to be worn and used.
Akubra hats are better than many rabbit hats out there because they use wild hare fur native to Australia rather than the majority of rabbit fur that comes from domesticated rabbit farms in Europe. The wild hare felts tighter than the domesticated type. Even still beaver felt will be superior to it.