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Akubra R.M.Williams "RM" Hat/ Akubra Fed iv

rclark

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,272
Location
Central Texas
Wow! Holy resurrected thread.
Great hat.
Mine is more rigid than my CampDrafts, but the felt texture is more pleasing to the touch. Not as deeply flanged in the brim which I like because mine are often turned down in the front and back.
The factory crease is shallow and easily changed.
The color shown in the photos is a bit too gray. The actual color is more of a rich chocolate brown with slight gray on the edge highlights.
This model is actually termed a CampDraft in some ads with references to its Open Road roots:
http://www.rmwilliams.com.au/akubra--rm--hat/HA179.html
I wear this hat a lot and love it.

Fed View attachment 64863 View attachment 64864
Very interesting. The felt on mine is much more supple than my Campdrafts. Regardless, Akubra got it right on this hat.
 

Fed in a Fedora

Practically Family
Messages
739
Location
Dixie, USA
Very interesting. The felt on mine is much more supple than my Campdrafts. Regardless, Akubra got it right on this hat.

I have actually had 2 of these. (The first was over a size 60 and far too large for me to wear so it went back.) Both were quite stiff, but with great feeling felt texture.
 

Hat Masterson

Familiar Face
Messages
60
Gonna jump start this one again. I noticed that the sizing on this seems different - a 63, for instance, is listed as 8, whereas in a Campdraft a 63 = 7 7/8. Are these hats sized differently - can anyone confirm?
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Gonna jump start this one again. I noticed that the sizing on this seems different - a 63, for instance, is listed as 8, whereas in a Campdraft a 63 = 7 7/8. Are these hats sized differently - can anyone confirm?

I’ve noticed the same thing but regarding the exact same model but sold by different retailers. Case in point: Australian Gear calls their Campdrafts in size 62 a US 7 7/8 whereas most equate 62 to 7 3/4.

I go by the official Akubra sizing chart:

7fca7d932234469682d6153b09b7c16e.png




https://akubra.com.au/pages/hat-sizing-guide



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Woodtroll

One Too Many
Messages
1,263
Location
Mtns. of SW Virginia
Gonna jump start this one again. I noticed that the sizing on this seems different - a 63, for instance, is listed as 8, whereas in a Campdraft a 63 = 7 7/8. Are these hats sized differently - can anyone confirm?

I just received an RM from "Hats by the Hundreds" a few weeks ago. I ordered a 62, and would say it fits like a 7-3/4 US. It seems a tiny bit larger than a 62 Adventurer (the David Morgan version) that I bought early this winter, but only very little bit.

Now, the question that seems to be in constant debate here on the forum, "do I buy a size larger to accommodate the 'Akubra shrinkage' that some here have experienced?" I've worn both of these most of the day on occasion but not sweated heavily in them, so I don't know if the sweat-induced shrinkage is a problem with the RM or not.

Good luck!
Regan
 

Hat Masterson

Familiar Face
Messages
60
Great point, Deadly.

Regan, that's the very one I was looking at, so thanks. I am a 7 3/4 LO in a Stetson felt, and I had a 62 Akubra CD which was tighter than I'm comfortable with. I wonder if I should go 63 on the RM. I noticed 63 was the largest they sell. I do love that color, too. How does it look in person?
 
Last edited:

Woodtroll

One Too Many
Messages
1,263
Location
Mtns. of SW Virginia
Even though they call it a “mid-brown”, to me it is a dark brown, about like dark chocolate candy. It’s a little darker than would be my very first choice personally, but Akubra seems to do lots of variations on fawns and grays but no good mid-browns, rusts, or russets, at least in these style hats. With that said, though, it is a nice hat and well-done; somehow the hat, edge binding, and ribbon all being the same color give it a classy look (at least to me).

If you are 7-3/4 LO, no doubt in my mind you should order the 63. Easier to pad the sides a little if needed than to stretch the hat and tweak the brim shape.

Hope this helps!
Regan
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Even though they call it a “mid-brown”, to me it is a dark brown, about like dark chocolate candy. It’s a little darker than would be my very first choice personally, but Akubra seems to do lots of variations on fawns and grays but no good mid-browns, rusts, or russets, at least in these style hats. With that said, though, it is a nice hat and well-done; somehow the hat, edge binding, and ribbon all being the same color give it a classy look (at least to me).

If you are 7-3/4 LO, no doubt in my mind you should order the 63. Easier to pad the sides a little if needed than to stretch the hat and tweak the brim shape.

Hope this helps!
Regan

As to your Brown conundrum, have you looked at Akubra’s cedar brown? I’ve been eyeing it and @Desert dog has one on order that I’m looking forward to seeing. I’ve only seen the color offered in the DeLuxe Campdraft so the Hattery is your only option. It’s also a dark brown, but it’s a bit different.
 

Woodtroll

One Too Many
Messages
1,263
Location
Mtns. of SW Virginia
From what I can tell from that small sample, the mid-brown looks very close to tanbark. I thought it would be lighter, being called “mid-brown” and all, so I chose it over the cedar brown DH mentioned because that looked dark, too. You’ll notice that the cedar is not on that chart either; I think there are probably a few Akubra proprietary colors that are vendor-specific.
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Just over 5 3/4 open crown and exactly 3” wide brim.

The exaggerated brim down (front and back) is not my regular style. It forces me to wear the hat farther back on my head or have my view partially blocked by the brim. Nice felt for Imperial Quality.

63488402-EC7E-4544-A5F7-C45C2FC5B625.jpeg
42F399EC-D6DE-4150-8A4D-8C2B3B360A31.jpeg
509F58D9-1C62-4AF4-9E3B-839FA13F4C88.jpeg
38DEB931-5C5B-4557-BBAD-C271BC83EE8D.jpeg
20D5E973-A590-4638-A583-3687C5BA6B7E.jpeg
EBE21298-8868-436F-914A-C9FDC14B7CF7.jpeg
7B8311AF-E7BB-4CB5-AB30-2869158B5873.jpeg


I’ll probably steam the front of the brim up some, but I don’t want my R. M. to become a Campdraft.
 

Boomerang

One of the Regulars
Messages
277
Location
Washington State
Just over 5 3/4 open crown and exactly 3” wide brim.

The exaggerated brim down (front and back) is not my regular style. It forces me to wear the hat farther back on my head or have my view partially blocked by the brim. Nice felt for Imperial Quality.

I’ll probably steam the front of the brim up some, but I don’t want my R. M. to become a Campdraft.
That is some serious downward swoop, Brent. I've been known to shape a brim downward to my liking, but that profile shot illustrates your point.

Easily overlooking such minor details, it is clear that you have yourself another darn fine looking hat.
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
That is some serious downward swoop, Brent. I've been known to shape a brim downward to my liking, but that profile shot illustrates your point.

Easily overlooking such minor details, it is clear that you have yourself another darn fine looking hat.


Thanks! I split the difference: I steamed it and removed some of the front’s downward swoop and decided to wear it a bit farther back on my head. It looks more outdoorsy and less fedora that way. Should make a nice fishing hat too.
 

Xylophile

One of the Regulars
Messages
132
Location
Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
I bought one of these because I liked the color and wanted to do a reshaping project to see what that's all about. I got my actual size which is 58 and it ended up being too tight. I now have a head-fitting block of wood that is shimmed out with layers of duct tape that I leave in that hat. I haven't actually stretched the hat, and I may put another round or two of tape on my head-fitting block. It fits great and its kind of a dressy hat for me however my long oval head makes it want to tip up right at the sweat instead of mid-brim, and I haven't been able to relax the brim enough to get it like I want it. The other Akubras I have are size 59 and I shim them out with felt front and back. My next felt hat will be a custom to accommodate that long oval. Also the felt was very stiff and I worked it to soften it up. Its very nice now though there is a spot that is a little cut from the pressing of the initial shape.
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
I bought one of these because I liked the color and wanted to do a reshaping project to see what that's all about. I got my actual size which is 58 and it ended up being too tight. I now have a head-fitting block of wood that is shimmed out with layers of duct tape that I leave in that hat. I haven't actually stretched the hat, and I may put another round or two of tape on my head-fitting block. It fits great and its kind of a dressy hat for me however my long oval head makes it want to tip up right at the sweat instead of mid-brim, and I haven't been able to relax the brim enough to get it like I want it. The other Akubras I have are size 59 and I shim them out with felt front and back. My next felt hat will be a custom to accommodate that long oval. Also the felt was very stiff and I worked it to soften it up. Its very nice now though there is a spot that is a little cut from the pressing of the initial shape.


Photos? We’d love to see it!
 

rclark

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,272
Location
Central Texas
Just over 5 3/4 open crown and exactly 3” wide brim.

The exaggerated brim down (front and back) is not my regular style. It forces me to wear the hat farther back on my head or have my view partially blocked by the brim. Nice felt for Imperial Quality.

View attachment 246685 View attachment 246686 View attachment 246687 View attachment 246688 View attachment 246689 View attachment 246690 View attachment 246691

I’ll probably steam the front of the brim up some, but I don’t want my R. M. to become a Campdraft.
Where did you cone across an RM in silver belly? Nice!
 

Lordteabelly

New in Town
Messages
16
Hi guys,

Im in the process of ordering the Akubra Fed iv non deluxe in Moonstone which i love the look of, apart from the raw brim edge but I know a hat maker near where I live who will add a binding for me and is going to curl the brim a little. Anyway, i have noticed that the dark brown is back in stock in my size too. However I've been looking at and reading reviews about how nice the Akubra RM Williams hat is. I love the campdraft and ive read that the RM hat is very much like or similiar to a brown campdraft, is this correct?

On the website it looks very high in the crown but I've spoken to someone who bought it and he steamed it so an open crown and bashed it himself to lower the crown and gave it a nicer teardrop crease so I'd likely do the same so it didn't have as much of an indy look.

I'd love your opinions on which hat I should maybe go for on this one, the dark brown Fed iv or the akubra rm hat? I was kinda leaning to the rm hat due to the campdraft comparison comments but I'm not sure.

Any help would be appreciated:)

Thank you guys
 

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