Akubra stiffness

[Doctor Jones]

Reflanging without an actual flange is nearly impossible, so good luck to you.

Tom

Thanks, I suspected that might be the case. As I said I'm a newbie so this is all a learning experience.

I noticed that hat blocks often have the flange built in. I suppose my next step is to buy one.

I was trying to follow a YouTube video which shows somebody re-flanging a hat that has a brim which had become flat, like mine. They did it just with steam and their fingers- but they knew what they're doing, and I don't know what I'm doing!

 

[scottyrocks]

I own six Akubra hats so far--three Fed IVs and three Campdrafts. In my experience the level of stiffness varies from hat to hat rather than from style to style. For example, when I received my Taupe Fawn Campdraft it was considerably stiffer than any of my other Akubra hats--it took some effort to snap the front of the brim down, and the first several times I did that it snapped right back up. The crown also tried to revert to it's "open" shape after I shaped it the first time, and it took two or three attempts before it retained the new shape I had given it. By comparison, my other Akubras almost shaped themselves because they took their new crown shapes so easily.

That being said, you can soften the felt on an Akubra somewhat by "working" the felt with your hands--shape the crown, re-shape the crown, shape it again, snap the brim up and down all the way around again and again, and so on. Just be careful to not sharply fold the felt; a hard crease can be difficult to eliminate. Also, after nearly four years of handling and wearing the seriously stiff Campdraft I mentioned above it has become softer, but it's still nowhere near as soft as a vintage or custom felt hat.

I find it very easy to shape even stiff hats using (preferably distilled) water from a spray bottle. Coat (don't soak) the area and mold it to the desired shapes. The water makes it very easy to manage. Then leave it sit right side up for a short while, preferably with the brim not being pressured by a flat surface. When the water evaps, the hat holds the shape like it's always been that way.

I usually do this at night before bed if I want to wear the hat the next day.

I have three Fed IVs. They have all been various grades of stiffness when new, and guess what? The softest one is the one I wear the most often, and the stiffest is the one I wear the least often.

Johnny mentioned how stiff his Fed III was. Mine is super soft, but it's got lotsa years, wear, and mileage on it to make it that way.

 

[Paravians]

I reverted my recent (stiff) Campdraft to its original shape and filled it with a towel, then started poking at it with my fingertips, pushing, pinching etc. for a good hour (maybe more, it's relaxing LOL).
Now the crown is a lot softer and in fact I can even quickly dry crease it.

 

[moontheloon]

Akubra

the least consistent hat company on the planet

almost none of the answers given will be relevant to your hat because the materials just are not consistent... at all ... zero ... even within one specific model your hat will feel completely different than someone else

these hats are fine for what you pay for them ... that's about it

a decently made rugged starter hat that will take some weather

a good daily wearer if you wear hats hard

but don't think you are getting a high quality hat

I know they are popular around here and my answer probably won't go over well with the Akubra loving masses ... but it is the truth

I don't hate them ... I own a bunch ... but they are highly overrated on this forum

 

[Doc Glockster]

Akubra

the least consistent hat company on the planet

almost none of the answers given will be relevant to your hat because the materials just are not consistent... at all ... zero ... even within one specific model your hat will feel completely different than someone else

(snip)

but don't think you are getting a high quality hat

I know they are popular around here and my answer probably won't go over well with the Akubra loving masses ... but it is the truth

... they are highly overrated on this forum

I have to strongly disagree. If hats were cars Akubra would be a Honda and Stetson would be a Yugo.

I gave up on Stetsons: crooked hat bands, rear stitch and ribbon not centered in the back for the blocking, poor glue that allowed the hat band to be pulled off with hardly any effort, brittle hat bands that tore like tissue paper even though the hat was so new it smelled new, etc. Plus I have NEVER gotten a Stetson that didn't need to be kneaded to my head to fit. MAYBE my Stetson Austral fit right from day one, but that's the only one. Plenty of them I've owned in the last ten years I've had to wet the crown and reshape it because the crown was blocked too low and it wouldn't fit on my head with any reasonable comfort otherwise. I visited a local western wear store, and I could not get a single Stetson to fit even going up a size and down a size while trying on at least a dozen hats. One was so bad that it had to have been mismarked about two sizes too small for the actual cavernous opening in the hat.

Contrast that with my Akubras: I have NEVER had one that didn't immediately fit, or be a hair oversized and shrink just a hair in the first few wearings to be perfect from then on. It was a joy to not have to mess with a poorly-fitted Stetson anymore. I converted to Akubras with my first two or three and my Stetsons went to Goodwill. Good Riddance.

Granted, to a certain extent I'm comparing apples to oranges because I'm not 100% sure the Stetsons weren't at least partially wool, but the comparison holds because they were comparably priced. A $150 Stetson Catera fit horribly while my $150 Akubra Slouch hat fit like the maker took a mold of my head. No exaggeration.

The one criticism I have of Akubras is that the Heritage and Imperial quality fur hats I've bought came with brims that didn't immediately have the classic Aussie "droop in the front and back/flared on the side" shape. I had to extensively shape my Angler brim, and the Banjo Paterson never did quite have the shape I wanted. On the other hand, my slouch hats (I own more than one) pretty much achieved the classic Aussie shape with just a little coaxing.

I also caution you not to spray an Akubra with hat stiffener and handle it while the chemicals are wet or you may get some dye on your hand.

Other than that, I will take an Akubra over a Stetson any day. My slouch hat has survived things that would have ruined some of the Stetsons I've owned (ask me how I know). I can also count on a brand new Akubra to actually fit and not become a project of wetting, shaping, squeezing onto my head or felt-stripping to make it conform to my head. I had to use the felt strips on one Akubra until the sweat band shrank a tad, but I am so pleased with my Akubras I literally think I won't order another brand in the conceivable future. And I am NOT a fanboy. I don't have enough money to be a "fan" of anything. I just know what is a good, durable, well-fitting hat and what isn't. I can order an Akubra online with confidence knowing sight-unseen it will fit. I wouldn't buy a Stetson ever again unless the hat shop had a rack filled with different sizes, and multiples of my size so I could try each one and find a well-fitted one from the get-go.

 

[Frunobulax]

I have to strongly disagree. If hats were cars Akubra would be a Honda and Stetson would be a Yugo.

I gave up on Stetsons: crooked hat bands, rear stitch and ribbon not centered in the back for the blocking, poor glue that allowed the hat band to be pulled off with hardly any effort, brittle hat bands that tore like tissue paper even though the hat was so new it smelled new, etc. Plus I have NEVER gotten a Stetson that didn't need to be kneaded to my head to fit. MAYBE my Stetson Austral fit right from day one, but that's the only one. Plenty of them I've owned in the last ten years I've had to wet the crown and reshape it because the crown was blocked too low and it wouldn't fit on my head with any reasonable comfort otherwise. I visited a local western wear store, and I could not get a single Stetson to fit even going up a size and down a size while trying on at least a dozen hats. One was so bad that it had to have been mismarked about two sizes too small for the actual cavernous opening in the hat.

Contrast that with my Akubras: I have NEVER had one that didn't immediately fit, or be a hair oversized and shrink just a hair in the first few wearings to be perfect from then on. It was a joy to not have to mess with a poorly-fitted Stetson anymore. I converted to Akubras with my first two or three and my Stetsons went to Goodwill. Good Riddance.

Granted, to a certain extent I'm comparing apples to oranges because I'm not 100% sure the Stetsons weren't at least partially wool, but the comparison holds because they were comparably priced. A $150 Stetson Catera fit horribly while my $150 Akubra Slouch hat fit like the maker took a mold of my head. No exaggeration.

The one criticism I have of Akubras is that the Heritage and Imperial quality fur hats I've bought came with brims that didn't immediately have the classic Aussie "droop in the front and back/flared on the side" shape. I had to extensively shape my Angler brim, and the Banjo Paterson never did quite have the shape I wanted. On the other hand, my slouch hats (I own more than one) pretty much achieved the classic Aussie shape with just a little coaxing.

I also caution you not to spray an Akubra with hat stiffener and handle it while the chemicals are wet or you may get some dye on your hand.

Other than that, I will take an Akubra over a Stetson any day. My slouch hat has survived things that would have ruined some of the Stetsons I've owned (ask me how I know). I can also count on a brand new Akubra to actually fit and not become a project of wetting, shaping, squeezing onto my head or felt-stripping to make it conform to my head. I had to use the felt strips on one Akubra until the sweat band shrank a tad, but I am so pleased with my Akubras I literally think I won't order another brand in the conceivable future. And I am NOT a fanboy. I don't have enough money to be a "fan" of anything. I just know what is a good, durable, well-fitting hat and what isn't. I can order an Akubra online with confidence knowing sight-unseen it will fit. I wouldn't buy a Stetson ever again unless the hat shop had a rack filled with different sizes, and multiples of my size so I could try each one.

Comparing them with modern Stetsons is a different ballgame. While I don't share Anthony's passion (anti-passion?) for Akubras, they are fairly inconsistent. From stiffness to sizing, It's been my experience that they can vary enough to be noticed.

I think they're fine hats. For the average Joe who's looking for a hat or two and has no desire for accumulation, a couple of Akubras are your best bet. I think they're rugged, durable, and nice looking. And the CD is the closest to an Open Road you're going to get for under two bills.

But Stetsons are even worse, they're QA/QC is abysmal, and some truly bad stuff walks out those doors in Garland sometimes. And having said that, I've got modern Stetsons I'm very fond of.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[moontheloon]

I have to strongly disagree. If hats were cars Akubra would be a Honda and Stetson would be a Yugo.

I gave up on Stetsons: crooked hat bands, rear stitch and ribbon not centered in the back for the blocking, poor glue that allowed the hat band to be pulled off with hardly any effort, brittle hat bands that tore like tissue paper even though the hat was so new it smelled new, etc. Plus I have NEVER gotten a Stetson that didn't need to be kneaded to my head to fit. MAYBE my Stetson Austral fit right from day one, but that's the only one. Plenty of them I've owned in the last ten years I've had to wet the crown and reshape it because the crown was blocked too low and it wouldn't fit on my head with any reasonable comfort otherwise. I visited a local western wear store, and I could not get a single Stetson to fit even going up a size and down a size while trying on at least a dozen hats. One was so bad that it had to have been mismarked about two sizes too small for the actual cavernous opening in the hat.

Contrast that with my Akubras: I have NEVER had one that didn't immediately fit, or be a hair oversized and shrink just a hair in the first few wearings to be perfect from then on. It was a joy to not have to mess with a poorly-fitted Stetson anymore. I converted to Akubras with my first two or three and my Stetsons went to Goodwill. Good Riddance.

Granted, to a certain extent I'm comparing apples to oranges because I'm not 100% sure the Stetsons weren't at least partially wool, but the comparison holds because they were comparably priced. A $150 Stetson Catera fit horribly while my $150 Akubra Slouch hat fit like the maker took a mold of my head. No exaggeration.

The one criticism I have of Akubras is that the Heritage and Imperial quality fur hats I've bought came with brims that didn't immediately have the classic Aussie "droop in the front and back/flared on the side" shape. I had to extensively shape my Angler brim, and the Banjo Paterson never did quite have the shape I wanted. On the other hand, my slouch hats (I own more than one) pretty much achieved the classic Aussie shape with just a little coaxing.

I also caution you not to spray an Akubra with hat stiffener and handle it while the chemicals are wet or you may get some dye on your hand.

Other than that, I will take an Akubra over a Stetson any day. My slouch hat has survived things that would have ruined some of the Stetsons I've owned (ask me how I know). I can also count on a brand new Akubra to actually fit and not become a project of wetting, shaping, squeezing onto my head or felt-stripping to make it conform to my head. I had to use the felt strips on one Akubra until the sweat band shrank a tad, but I am so pleased with my Akubras I literally think I won't order another brand in the conceivable future. And I am NOT a fanboy. I don't have enough money to be a "fan" of anything. I just know what is a good, durable, well-fitting hat and what isn't. I can order an Akubra online with confidence knowing sight-unseen it will fit. I wouldn't buy a Stetson ever again unless the hat shop had a rack filled with different sizes, and multiples of my size so I could try each one.

did I mention Stetson somewhere in my post ?

I'm glad you enjoy your Akubra hats

but it's all relative I guess

someone who has never tasted a 1947 Lafleur would probably enjoy Carlo Rossi Sangria

but hey ... I'm not a wine drinker either

I've never handled an Akurba that wasn't Eh ... but I handle hundreds of hats from the 30s and 40s everyday so my opinion of them may not be fairly drawn

from the hype I heard before I owned an Akubra I thought I was going to receive this wonderful hat ... but over and over all I received was ... Eh

that being said ... I have owned many modern Stetson hats that were Mercedes compared to the Honda of Akubra to use your car analogy

I've since sold all the Mercedes as well though

 

[Zombie_61]

I find it very easy to shape even stiff hats using (preferably distilled) water from a spray bottle. Coat (don't soak) the area and mold it to the desired shapes. The water makes it very easy to manage. Then leave it sit right side up for a short while, preferably with the brim not being pressured by a flat surface. When the water evaps, the hat holds the shape like it's always been that way...

I don't have an adequate way to apply steam to a hat, so distilled water and a spray bottle is my preferred method as well. And except for that one Campdraft, it has worked very well for me. The wet felt shapes almost like clay and might require a minor adjustment here or there while it's drying, but the hats do hold their new shape very well.

Akubra...the least consistent hat company on the planet...these hats are fine for what you pay for them...that's about it...I know they are popular around here and my answer probably won't go over well with the Akubra loving masses ... but it is the truth...I don't hate them ... I own a bunch ... but they are highly overrated on this forum

Hell, I'm a fan and I agree with you. But then, I don't expect any Akubra that I buy to be a "high end" hat. Sure, they make a few fedoras, a bowler, a homburg, and even a top hat, any of which could be worn formally I suppose. But to me Akubras are "working man" hats, and their various "wide brimmed, purpose designed/built" styles bear that out. First and foremost, they make hats that protect the wearer from the often harsh Australian weather, period. The fedoras and such are just a nice nod to those of us who want hats with a bit more "style". And I don't think Akubra pretends to be anything more than what they are--a company that makes decent hats at reasonable prices that will give the wearer years, perhaps decades, of useful service. They're definitely hats you/we don't have to worry about, and I think you might agree that it's handy to have an Akubra around for those days and nights when you don't want to risk your more expensive vintage/custom hats to the weather conditions.

With regards to consistency, except for one overly-stiff Campdraft the hats I've received have been fairly consistent as far as fit, finish, and workmanship go; maybe I've just been lucky. Overrated? Maybe, but as I mentioned above I don't expect an Akubra to be of the same quality as a properly maintained vintage or custom hat, and I don't think Akubra does either.

 

[Doc Glockster]

did I mention Stetson somewhere in my post ?

No, but given that they are the "go-to" hat for a lot of people they compare to Akubra in popularity. I was just trying to compare two modern name brands that are probably the most well-known for outdoor hats.

I've never handled an Akurba that wasn't Eh ... but I handle hundreds of hats from the 30s and 40s everyday so my opinion of them may not be fairly drawn

I've never handled a vintage hat. Given that hat wearing for men has largely seen its day, I suspect very few makers can reproduce the quality of the bygone era, and those are going to be prohibitively pricey for most people. Would I EVER buy a $300 hat? I did only once, and that was enough.

from the hype I heard before I owned an Akubra I thought I was going to receive this wonderful hat ... and over and over all I got was ... Eh

I knew from the outset they were good workaday hats: rugged and durable, and luckily for me at least they fit my noggin better than any other brand. That was enough for me.

that being said ... I have owned many modern Stetson hats that were Mercedes compared to the Honda of Akubra to use your car analogy

I would love to have had that experience as well, but every modern Stetson I've handled has been borderline JUNK, with the possible exclusion of my Stetson Austral, and it was an exceptional find.

 

[moontheloon]

I don't have an adequate way to apply steam to a hat, so distilled water and a spray bottle is my preferred method as well. And except for that one Campdraft, it has worked very well for me. The wet felt shapes almost like clay and might require a minor adjustment here or there while it's drying, but the hats do hold their new shape very well.

Hell, I'm a fan and I agree with you. But then, I don't expect any Akubra that I buy to be a "high end" hat. Sure, they make a few fedoras, a bowler, a homburg, and even a top hat, any of which could be worn formally I suppose. But to me Akubras are "working man" hats, and their various "wide brimmed, purpose designed/built" styles bear that out. First and foremost, they make hats that protect the wearer from the often harsh Australian weather, period. The fedoras and such are just a nice nod to those of us who want hats with a bit more "style". And I don't think Akubra pretends to be anything more than what they are--a company that makes decent hats at reasonable prices that will give the wearer years, perhaps decades, of useful service. They're definitely hats you/we don't have to worry about, and I think you might agree that it's handy to have an Akubra around for those days and nights when you don't want to risk your more expensive vintage/custom hats to the weather conditions.

With regards to consistency, except for one overly-stiff Campdraft the hats I've received have been fairly consistent as far as fit, finish, and workmanship go; maybe I've just been lucky. Overrated? Maybe, but as I mentioned above I don't expect an Akubra to be of the same quality as a properly maintained vintage or custom hat, and I don't think Akubra does either.

I'm a working man ... so all hats are a working mans hats to me

but as I said ... all the hype I heard about Akubra before I owned one made me think I was getting this wonderful hat ... and what showed up was a sort of shoddy built, poorly finished , semi stiff hats that were a bit undesirable to me

I'm not trying to change anyones mind ... don't get me wrong ... just being honest

the hype here gets out of control sometimes

I've literally bought an Akubra hat and given it away the minute it arrived

 

[Doc Glockster]

... all the hype I heard about Akubra before I owned one made me think I was getting this wonderful hat ... and what showed up was a sort of shoddy built, poorly finished , semi stiff hats that were a bit undesirable to me

I find that experience hard to fathom. I've NEVER had an Akubra that I could call "shoddy built" or "poorly finished." Maybe one wasn't 100% as stiff as I'd like. Maybe one didn't quite have the crown shape I wanted. Maybe I had to coax another's brim to be just exactly the shape I wanted. Maybe the fur on one was a little more rough-textured than the one before it. Maybe one had a really stiff crown. But I've NEVER had one that I looked at thinking it was poor quality, or poorly made. All of mine have been good-to-go for immediate service as far as I was concerned. My gripes with my Akubras have been more about me being a perfectionist than anything wrong with the hat. I bought a Serratelli in Tombstone Arizona that was $100 more than a comparable Akubra, and I couldn't honestly see $100 worth of difference.

 

[moontheloon]

I find that experience hard to fathom. I've NEVER had an Akubra that I could call "shoddy built" or "poorly finished." Maybe one wasn't 100% as stiff as I'd like. Maybe one didn't quite have the crown shape I wanted. Maybe I had to coax another's brim to be just exactly the shape I wanted. Maybe the fur on one was a little more rough-textured than the one before it. Maybe one had a really stiff crown. But I've NEVER had one that I looked at thinking it was poor quality, or poorly made. All of mine have been good-to-go for immediate service as far as I was concerned. My gripes with my Akubras have been more about me being a perfectionist than anything wrong with the hat. I bought a Serratelli in Tombstone Arizona that was $100 more than a comparable Akubra, and I couldn't honestly see $100 worth of difference.

that's wonderful ...

all 11 I have owned have been less than desirable

I still own 3 ... all CDs ... I wear them sometimes ...

 

[Paravians]

No company nowadays can manufacture hats with the same quality of vintage. In the past they would use processes and chemicals (mercury etc.) not even allowed now. So it's not fair saying Akubras are overrated (here or elsewhere). To me, they make the best 'modern' hats among their competitors. Comparing Akubra to vintage i.e. not manufactured anymore is not 100% fair.

 

[moontheloon]

No company nowadays can manufacture hats with the same quality of vintage. In the past they would use processes and chemicals (mercury etc.) not even allowed now. So it's not fair saying Akubras are overrated (here or elsewhere). To me, they make the best 'modern' hats among their competitors. Comparing Akubra to vintage i.e. not manufactured anymore is not 100% fair.

I'm not comparing them to anything

all I ask for is a decent hat ... never really received one from Akubra

and I guess for the price range they are ok ... but there are much nicer modern hats made ... pricier ... but much nicer

Akubra are highly overrated on this forum

 

[Doc Glockster]

I'm not comparing them to anything

all I ask for is a decent hat ... never really received one from Akubra

and I guess for the price range they are ok ... but there are much nicer modern hats made ... pricier ... but much nicer

Akubra are highly overrated on this forum

I would love to know your standards. You partially answered my question with the phrase "but there are much nicer modern hats made ... pricier ... but much nicer ", but I would love to know why you think Akubras are of such poor quality.

And I suspect Akubras are "highly overrated" on this forum because, like me, people have gotten crap from other makers and at least you can trust an Akubra to be fundamentally sound and durable. Maybe it's not up to the standards of a $500 handmade hat--but then again I don't think any Akubra fan on this forum expects it to be.

I'm sure that a high-end fedora or any other high-end hat is probably going to be of higher quality, but for less than $200 I can get an Akubra that may very well last me 20 years no matter what kind of conditions I wear it in. Not to beat the Stetson horse again, but I had a Stetson's felt crack when brand new because the felting process had left it paper-thin in the back and they had tried to cover that defect with extra stiffener. I've never seen that kind of crap in an Akubra.

Now, I don't know the high-end hats or what criteria you use to grade them, but if I have to spend $400 or $500 to get a hat you consider up to your standards, then I don't need that level of "quality" even if it's visible.

 

[moontheloon]

I would love to know your standards. You partially answered my question with the phrase "but there are much nicer modern hats made ... pricier ... but much nicer ", but I would love to know why you think Akubras are of such poor quality.

I think they are poor quality because they are poor quality ... they feel unfinished to me ... they look unfinished ...

you spend $130 and you get a $130 hat

really is as simple as that

you don't have to agree ...

but clearly people do get very defensive of their beloved Akubra hats

 

[Doc Glockster]

I think they are poor quality because they are poor quality ... they feel unfinished to me ... they look unfinished ...

you spend $130 and you get a $130 hat

really is as simple as that

you don't have to agree ...

but clearly people do get very defensive of their beloved Akubra hats

Not getting defensive...if you're used to eating at Red Lobster then Long John Silver's isn't going to appeal to you anymore, but I contend that there's nothing about an Akubra that is "inferior." I can say they could be considered "unrefined", maybe--they are not meant to be city hats you would wear with a silk suit. But when you say they are poor quality you need to define your terms.

I define poor quality as:

1. Not durable, or made of inferior materials.
2. Not straight.
3. Poorly sized, or otherwise uncomfortable.
4. Badly dyed.
5. Badly blocked, fitted, poorly constructed.

I've never had an Akubra that suffered from any of these, although I've had some that weren't stiff enough/too stiff, needed a little reshaping, or something that I consider a "preference" and not a product trait per se.

What are your criteria?

 

[moontheloon]

Not getting defensive...if you're used to eating at Red Lobster then Long John Silver's isn't going to appeal to you anymore, but I contend that there's nothing about an Akubra that is "inferior." I can say they could be considered "unrefined", maybe--they are not meant to be city hats you would wear with a silk suit. But when you say they are poor quality you need to define your terms.

I define poor quality as:

1. Not durable, or made of inferior materials.
2. Not straight.
3. Poorly sized, or otherwise uncomfortable.
4. Badly dyed.
5. Badly blocked, fitted, poorly constructed.

I've never had an Akubra that suffered from any of these, although I've had some that weren't stiff enough/too stiff, needed a little reshaping, or something that I consider a "preference" and not a product trait per se.

What are your criteria?

my man ... I get it ... you love your Akubras

believe it or not we can coexist

it's not a big deal ... truly ...

you like Akubra hats ... I don't ...

and aside from #1 on your list I've experienced every single one of those multiple times with Akubra ... as a matter of fact ... never experienced one that didn't have at least two of those

 

[scottyrocks]

Oh well, it was a nice couple of weeks.

 

[Doc Glockster]

and aside from #1 on your list I've experienced every single one of those multiple times with Akubra ... as a matter of fact ... never experienced one that didn't have at least two of those

Really? I know any manufacturer can have bad runs, but I've bought an average of two to three Akubras per year since 2013 and the only one I was disappointed in was the Banjo Paterson because I never could get the brim shaped like I wanted it. I was ready to give up brimmed hats after my bad experiences with Stetsons, but Akubras restored my faith that I could get hats that were worth the money.

Even my Civil War forage caps from Dirty Billy's haven't been as consistent as my Akubras.

Maybe you bought yours during a time that they were having probems?

I can only compare it to firearms since that's my other money-hole, but there are certain manufacturers that I wouldn't buy if the gun was made during a certain time period.