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Akubra Campdraft

Chuck Bobuck

Practically Family
Messages
715
Location
Rolling Prairie
FurFeltFedora said:
That was too funny Chuck - too funny lol

And not to continue the rhyme but you are good luck Chuck - my Campdraft showed up when I got home and I've just spent the last half hour bashing it. I'll try to get some pictures up tonight, especially for Goose who is really trying to figure out if he's joining the Thin Ribbon Society.

And that's a perfect segway for a very important question I have about the ribbon - how to you stop the front loose end of the ribbon from blowing all over the place? I'm seriously considering tacking it in place. Suggestions? Thoughts? Rhymes or songs?

Well 3F...

(sung to the tune "Blowing In The Wind")

The thin ribbon my friend
Is blowing in the wind
Let the thin ribbon
blow in the wind...


Sorry 3F, I'm having a parody kind of day I guess.

Congrats on the Campdraft. I say, just let it blow free...Uh-oh...

(Sung to the tune "Born Free")

Blow free...
As free as the wind blows...
wherever your hat goes...
the ribbon blows free...


Wait til' the wind trolley starts to loosen up on you. Or the trolley button comes off the string...
I feel another song coming on...

Clang, clang, clang...went the....
 

FurFeltFedora

A-List Customer
Messages
320
Location
Great White North
Oh no Chuck, I'm afraid the wind trolly had and "accident" and by accident I mean I cut it off after quickly realizing it was driving me nuts.

So, I have one vote for trim the ribbon and one vote for let the ribbon blow free. I wonder what my decision will be? Won't someone else help me? Or at least get Chuck to sing in the right key?

Okay, I gotta stop that now.
 

FurFeltFedora

A-List Customer
Messages
320
Location
Great White North
Akubra Campdraft in Taupe Fawn

Okay, so here it is. Not sure if the pics are up to the usual standard but I've been a bit under the weather that last few days so bear with me...

First off initial impressions - The felt is thinner than my Federation IVs and oddly, much stiffer. There was some serious steaming involved to work this hat. All my Federation IVs are size 60 (going a little large since the Feds are made a little small) so I was confident that based on experience, measurements, and my Akubra Traveller size 59 that 59 was the right size for me in a Campdraft. Well I was swimming in it when I first put it on. Hoever, I have noticed in the past that Akubras seem to tighten up once you start shaping them and sure enough by the time I was done the fit was much better and with a couple of small strips of foam in the sides to accommodate my LO head the Campdraft is fitting like the proverbial glove and I've got some leeway if there is any shrinkage. Moral of the story - Campdrafts seem to be sized fairly accurately.

There were some modifications that I had to make though. The wind trolley. Yes, the wind trolley. It had to go. Second modification - the ribbon. The free end of the ribbon on the left of the bow was too long and kept blowing back and looked silly. So I cut about an inch or so off and now it's fine. Other than those two little things, all good.

My main reason for trying a Campdraft and wandering close to the dark side that is The Thin Ribbon was to get a hat that was a little less formal than my Fed IVs. Now part of that formal look is the tight crease I use, but it's also the wide ribbon. Let me tell you, a Fed IV and a parka doesn't quite look right (at least not for me) but the Campdraft and parka seem good. Why am I obsessed with a hat that goes with a parka? I'm in Canada!!! Summer is just July, rest of the time it's that white $hit. So clearly, a hat that goes with a parka is a very important thing :D

Okay, on to the pics....

Oh yeah, one thing I have to say is that this is one of those colours that changes depending on the light source. It's a darker brown indoors, and more beige/brown in natural light.

3740246595_7d70899d96_b.jpg


3740248733_166853d56b_b.jpg


It's not actually as uneven here as it looks in the picture, the camera was on a slight angle and increased the unevenness (I told you I wasn't feeling well).

3740241953_6786367060_b.jpg


And finally a comparrison to my Tawny Fawn Fed IV. The Akubra colour swatch says Taupe Fawn and Tawny Fawn are the same thing but not quite. The Taupe Fawn has a hint more of a mocha colour to it. Very close though.

3741036750_6e4e93fee6_b.jpg


And of course the whiteness that is me (notice how beige is looks in late evening light)...

3741015074_cab9f96fa5.jpg


Well Goose I hope this answers some of your questions and Chuck and the rest of the Thin Ribbon Society - am I in? Even if I did trim the ribbon and cut the wind trolley? :p


____________________________________

Cross posted in the "Akubra Overload" thread
 

Chuck Bobuck

Practically Family
Messages
715
Location
Rolling Prairie
FurFeltFedora said:
Well Goose I hope this answers some of your questions and Chuck and the rest of the Thin Ribbon Society - am I in? Even if I did trim the ribbon and cut the wind trolley? :p

You're in as far as I'm concerned. The Campdraft and the Fed are both great.
Excellent photos, as usual, and looks great on you 3F. :)
 

Goose.

Practically Family
Messages
898
Location
A Town Without Pity
FurFeltFedora said:
...Well Goose I hope this answers some of your questions and Chuck and the rest of the Thin Ribbon Society - am I in? Even if I did trim the ribbon and cut the wind trolley? :p


____________________________________

Cross posted in the "Akubra Overload" thread
I like it Triple F. HELL!!! Just realized I'm in the CD thread...not authrorized.
Will post later in the Overload ;)
 

BobC

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,378
Location
Central IL
Nice job creasing that new Campdraft, 3F. I predict you'll next have a full complement of Campdraft colors before long. lol
 

Chinaski

One Too Many
Messages
1,045
Location
Orange County, CA
I think we need to vote on nomenclature here, gentlemen. It's become fairly common usage to say, "a squadron of Fed IV's." But then there are those who prefer, "a fleet of Fed IV's." Then there's the Campdraft. If Triple F gets one in every color (and we know he will) what will that be called? A clan of Campdrafts? A colony of Campdrafts? A congregation? A brace? What do you like?
 

Chuck Bobuck

Practically Family
Messages
715
Location
Rolling Prairie
Chinaski said:
I think we need to vote on nomenclature here, gentlemen. It's become fairly common usage to say, "a squadron of Fed IV's." But then there are those who prefer, "a fleet of Fed IV's." Then there's the Campdraft. If Triple F gets one in every color (and we know he will) what will that be called? A clan of Campdrafts? A colony of Campdrafts? A congregation? A brace? What do you like?

Encampment ??? Or a campground full of Campdrafts :)
 

Chuck Bobuck

Practically Family
Messages
715
Location
Rolling Prairie
Corral, clique, collection, combination, company, conglomerate, congregation, coterie, covey, crew, crowd...

Cornucopia!

That is quite a cornucopia of Campdrafts you've accumulated there my friend.
 

Chinaski

One Too Many
Messages
1,045
Location
Orange County, CA
"The full complement of Campdrafts." I can see it in Triple F's future!

However, since I'm an interloper and don't presently own a Campdraft I'll defer to you Drafters. Where's BobC, Indycop, gtdean, Colby Jack, Carter, Jauntyone and others?
 

FurFeltFedora

A-List Customer
Messages
320
Location
Great White North
Yeah I've got to say, having an English degree in my past I've always been fond of cornucopia, if only I could find a hat that would go with plethora now...

Thanks for the inclusion in the Thin Ribbon Society, I'll try to do you proud, and yes, there is a real chance (despite the ever fading sounds of my girlfriend's protests) of me ending up with the Campdraft in most if not all colours. I'm thinking a Silverbelly might "appear" while she's travelling in August :D

A mid brown takes three months, so maybe for xmas...and then all that's left is Glen Gray so how could she say no? Right? I am so dead.

UPDATE - Just wanted to pass a little tidbit regarding the ribbons. I've found that if they refuse to lie smoothly, wetting them throughly and allowing them to dry in the position you want them tends to help a lot. Kinda like a crude form of ironing.
 

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