Akubra size question

[Mike K.]

Greetings all,
I've been reading through some old threads regarding the fit of Akubra hats, specifically the Federation. Many indicated that their purchases ran a bit larger than the size indicated. I would like to purchase an Akubra Territory from hatsdirect.com. Anyone have experience with the Territory that can shed light on its fit?

 

[analogist]

AKUBRA SIZING

I have several Akubras including a Federation Deluxe and several western/outback models and find that all have run a bit too big. I wear a size 58 with a felt strip inserted behind the sweatband. The 57's were just too small.

When I received my first recent Akubra I was not head over heels nutso about it but this has really changed. When I took them for what they are, they get mighty nice and in a short time, I have really grown to appreciate them.

analogist

 

[Mojave Jack]

I have a Flinders in a 56, which would be a 6 7/8. I wear a 7 in everything else, including my Australian slouch, which is a 57. I tired a 57 in the Flinders first, and sure enough, too big.

 

[Mike K.]

Okay, I normally take a size 58 but often run into the problem of my hats shrinking a bit from perspiration & humidity. They don't get too terribly tight, but enough that I need to stretch them periodically. With that said, if I order an Akubra size 58 do you think it will basically "shrink to fit"?

 

[analogist]

AKUBRA SIZING

Mike;

Go ahead and order that "58".

analogist

 

[Joel Tunnah]

I only own one Akubra - a Stylemaster - and it is true to size, if not even a bit small.

 

[scotrace]

Fed Deluxe (very soft) is a 60 and loose enough that it needs some tissue.
But my Akubra Snowy River (stiff as sheet metal) is a 60 and squeezes my skull.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Well, Mike, I sure hope that clears things up! :eusa_doh: I guess it's just a crap shoot. At least if it's in the US you won't pay as much to ship it back if it doesn't fit. When buying my Flinders I ended up with two, one in a 56 and one in a 57. When the 57 felt too big I kept it until the 56 arrived so I could compare. Sure 'nough, the 57 had to go back. I tend to spend a lot on shipping doing that, but at least I'm not wondering if I should have gone the other way. Maybe it's a long oval, short oval thing. Or maybe it's my long square head, who knows? lol

Good luck, and I look forward to pics of the final purchase! That Territory is a lot of hat!

 

[Mike K.]

With the sun down here in south Florida, I'm not sure there is such a thing as "too much" hat. lol At any rate, I just purchased a new camera lens for my girlfriend's graduation gift so I won't be getting any new hats for awhile. My Purdey safari hat (size 58) fit just great when I first got it, but after a few times in the Florida sun and a good bit of sweat, it feels a tad tight and needs some occasional stretching. I figure a size 58 Akubra, if I ever get it, will probably do fine. I would like to remove the standard hat band and replace it with a custom puggaree.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Mike,

Consider how close you are to limits of the size when you measure your head. I'm on the very upper end of a 59. The softer hats, like the Federation, fit well in a 59, and form themselves to my head. A 60 Federation would simply be way too big. However, the stiffer hats (mostly the western styles) don't have much give, so if your on the high end of a size, order the next one up. If you want to know if the Territory is particularly stiff, e-mail the vendor about it.

One other thing to consider... size conversions are not all the same, neat and clean. Best to measure your head and look up the Akubra size, not convert your usual size.
Good Luck,
NB

 

[Atomic Glee]

I agree - measure and look up Akubra's size somewhere like Hatsdirect.com.

I also concur about the type of Akubra making a big difference. My brown Federation is a 63, and fits great. My grey Federation is a 62, but fits equally great, and I attribute that to the fact that A) my head is near the borderline of the sizes, I think, but mostly to B) the fact that the grey Federation is noticeably softer than the brown, and conforms more.

 

[Mike K.]

Thanks gents. I was planning to purchase through hatsdirect.com seeing that they have good prices and equally good customer service. So far I have not been doing any size conversions...except for the few S/M/L sizes, all my hats have European sizing. I attribute some of the shrinkage on my currently-most-worn safari hat to the fact that it's made of loden wool and is subjected to humidity & sweat here in Florida. However, I will definitely contact hatsdirect to get some advice on the Akubra Territory.

 

[ledsled]

7 3/8 = 59

My 59cm Akubra Traveller fits me comfortably and 7 3/8 seems to be the right size for me. I don't know if that tidbit is worth a darn for you, but hope it helps.

I wonder if some of the Akubra sizing talk has to do with Australian leather hats in general? I have had better luck with X-large Aussy leather hats rather than the large size, which a 7 3/8 would normally fall into...

 

[ledsled]

60cm

I also meant to say that I have another hard felt Akubra... not sure of the name, but it's from the Broken Hill collection which I think is manufactured in China. It's 60cm and my head is swimming in it. One of these days I want to photograph it and put it in the classified section here.

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

I'm normally a 61 and ordered a Fed in a 61. But Hats Direct wrote me back and suggested a 60 and indeed their size chart said the same thing, that if you wear a 7 5/8, which is normally a 61, that in an Akubra, it's a 60. The hat fits fine...KC

 

[Byrne Sherwood]

I have two Akubras, including a Territory. Both are size 60 (I usually wear 7-1/2) and they fit fine. I bought from www.everythingaustralian.com.au and have had good experiences w/ them.

 

[Apache]

Shrinkage of Akubra hats?

Good day:

I am new to the forum, and most likely the question I want to ask has been answered somewhere else in other forums, however I guess there is no harm in asking again.

As a field anthropologist, most of my work is in the outdoors, where a good hat is not only a personal charecteristic, it is a mandatory fieldwork ítem. I have tried everything, from military-style boonie hats to "cowboy" style hats. However, so far nothing has been more comfortable as the good old fashioned Akubras. I guess there is no discussion that Akubras are top-of-the-line hats, and their performace speak volumes for the hats and the manufacturers.

Over the years I have bought several Akubras (Bushman, Coober Peddy, the Cattleman, the Snowy River, the Bronco, the Federation IV, the Adventurer and the Angler), and I have taken them to the bush for years. With this I mean "the bush", literally, where the rain, mud, sweat, dirt and hard sun are constants, and they have held up in an amazing way. Most of the times, that is.

The problem I have encountered is that over the time, the Akubras shrink, and so far I had to retire two good hats because they reduced almost a size, and that made them very uncomfortable to wear.

I have tried the hat-jack, but seems to be I cannot stretch them back to their original size.

While I know I have subjected them to the elements, I have never abused them or mistreated them: I just wear them as they are intended to be I guess.

I heard from and old cow hand in South Texas that in order to avoid shrinkage of hats a good method is to rub some mink oil on the inside part of the sweatband. He said that avoids shrinkage of the hatbands, and therefore of the hat itself. Now, before I actually give it a try on an Akubra, I would like to know your opinions on this. Do you feel it would be a good idea to use mink oil on the sweatband? Do you feel this could damage the hat or reduce its durability? Would it reduce the shrinkage issue? Has anybody tried this before, or has some experience with this method?

Thank you in advance for any comments you can share,

Have a good one!

 

[jlee562]

....yes answered many times over.

You have a few options:

1)Yes, conditioning the leather helps with shrinkage. Haven't heard mink oil specifically, but any number of commercial available products will fit the bill: Pecards, shea butter, jojoba oil, etc. Just don't get the stuff on the felt, not so much because it would cause any harm, but would probably stain.

2) Replace the sweatband.

3) Buy a size larger.

 

[Blackthorn]

If you are sentimentally attached to the hat (like all the rest of us), getting a new sweatband will keep your old friend serviceable for a long time to come. Or you can order a hat block from Art Fawcett in your size, pull the hat down onto the block and leave it for a few days. That has worked on all my hats that shrank.

 

[KingAndrew]

If you have access to a real hatter, you could also have it professionally re-blocked to the proper size. Any shop that makes hats should be able to do it. You can also ship the hat for service to a shop like Optimo in Chicago.