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Akubra Campdraft

Fed in a Fedora

Practically Family
Messages
739
Location
Dixie, USA
Wider band on a Campdraft

I have been enjoying my Campdrafts a great deal, but the narrow band seems unbalanced with the rest of the hat dimensions. I got a 1 1/8 inch band to try out and wanted to get some opinions before beginning a replacement.

IMG_20140528_102840 crop.jpg IMG_20140528_102854 crop.jpg

Comments?

Fed
 

job

One Too Many
Messages
1,325
Location
Sanford N.C.
If you don't like the TAR then that looks good to me. I am starting to really like medium size ribbons.


Sent from my XT1049 using Tapatalk
 

MCrider

A-List Customer
Messages
360
Location
hills of West Virginia
I'm liking that 1 and 1/8" ribbon myself. When you're talking about a brim almost 3" wide, the thin ribbon makes it look even wider to me. So here's to being bold and +1 on the wider ribbon.

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
My favorite ribbon width is mid-ribbon = Playboy/Wanderer.
But you are posting in a thread about an iconic thin ribbon model = Campdraft/Open Road...so expect opinions to lean toward negative of changing from that standard...

I put a smaller ribbon on my Fed4 & bound the edge so no need to go posting for opinions in the Fed4 thread....I pretty much know what I'd hear from the lovers of Fed4's...

Once you change from the thin ribbon, it ain't a Campdraft any more...that TAR is key to the model even thought the sweatband still says Campdraft....If I changed the WAR of a Whippet to a thin ribbon, I'd have something that looked like a Stratoliner but had Whippet printed on the liner...

Conversion Corral is the place for converted models....JMHO
 

Fed in a Fedora

Practically Family
Messages
739
Location
Dixie, USA
GTD,

You are correct in all respects, but I am interested in the final look rather than purity of the original model. My thinking is that the mid width hatband balances the look of the hat nicely.

I do value the opinions and am not upset with the result at all.

I like the Campdraft and particularly like the people who post in this thread, so bumping the thread to give it some life is actually another reason to post - even with such heresy as a hybridized Campdraft. ;)

Fed
 
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fedoracentric

Banned
Messages
1,362
Location
Streamwood, IL
I might point out that some folks recently got all upset at others for dissing the ball cap in another thread and got onto that "you can do what you want, it's your hat" hobby horse. So, let me here say I endorse that general concept.

I am just as much the "purist" as the next guy when it comes to vintage, antique hats that have survived the ages in great shape. But I always say that you can do any danged ol' thing you want with a new hat. I mean, if you want to "keep it pure," then buy a second model for purities sake. But if you are buying a new production hat, well, why not make it your own?

I think the CD looks great in thin, mid-size or large ribbon. It is a classy look regardless. Even with the larger brim.
 

Tedquinton

A-List Customer
Messages
455
Location
Teddington Middx UK
I really like the look of the Campdraft with the mid size ribbon. It's a shame Akubra don't offer this style as a new model.

Out of interest how easy is it to source ribbon and apply it to the hat?
 

Landman

One Too Many
Messages
1,751
Location
San Antonio, TX
I think it looks very nice and I'm mainly a thin ribbon guy. Where did you get the ribbon? In the photos it appears to be a good match to the brim binding.
 
Messages
12,021
Location
East of Los Angeles
...I am just as much the "purist" as the next guy when it comes to vintage, antique hats that have survived the ages in great shape. But I always say that you can do any danged ol' thing you want with a new hat. I mean, if you want to "keep it pure," then buy a second model for purities sake. But if you are buying a new production hat, well, why not make it your own?
A Campdraft that is new today will someday be a vintage hat, and I can't help but imagine someone in 60-80 years pondering one in the same way some of the members here question an altered hat from the 1940s. "I just bought a vintage Campdraft on FutureBay, but it has a wide ribbon. Did Akubra ever make them that way?" lol

That said, I completely agree that anyone should personalize their hat(s) as they see fit. I generally prefer a wider ribbon myself and I like the Campdrafts I've seen with wider ribbons, but I've come to appreciate the thin ribbon look so I'll leave my Campdrafts as-is...for now.
 
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