Anyone know anything about this hatmaker Daquino?

[Perry Underwood]

Akubra hats do not shrink. The sweatbands do. My first D'Aquino was a rabbit and it fits the same as when I got it almost 3 years ago.

Now things are beginning to make sense to me. I got my Campdraft (taupe fawn) about a month ago. I was surprised at how flat the brim was. I bought a size 59, which was larger on me than I expected. I put in the foam strips that came with the hat, but after a month, the hat now wears snug on my head without any sizing strips. The brim has also curled up quite a bit. I would think that could happen when the sweatband shrinks.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Things are looking up. Luisa answered my email the next day. I sent another and she answered that the day after. Honestly, VS often takes longer to answer routine emails so I'm fine with a day or even three.

Luisa also finally addressed my request for an upgraded sweat. She said it was delaying the hat a bit but she would provide it for no extra cost. I offered to pay for the upgrade as I don't want to take advantage of her.

I'm hoping to have a photo of the completed hat sometime next week and then the grueling wait for international shipping and the mysterious and random delays at customs.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Now things are beginning to make sense to me. I got my Campdraft (taupe fawn) about a month ago. I was surprised at how flat the brim was. I bought a size 59, which was larger on me than I expected. I put in the foam strips that came with the hat, but after a month, the hat now wears snug on my head without any sizing strips. The brim has also curled up quite a bit. I would think that could happen when the sweatband shrinks.

Perry, one of the authorities here at the Lounge calls Akubra the most frustrating hat company in existence. I'm nowhere near as picky about my hats as he is, so I keep buying Akubras, but they can drive me crazy with inconsistent sizing and quirkiness. Others only report smooth sailing so????

The waiting is hard for me, being an impatient fellow, but you might want to consider custom hats, and I'm not talking about D'aquino. Gannon has rabbit felt customs starting at $175, VS has their off the rack (very limited in colors/styles) for $195, Northwest 100 % beaver felt hats start at $250, and their are lots of other quality hatters. If you are large headed fellow (size 7 3/8 or bigger) then the vintage market is slow going and can be expensive. You might think about jumping on the waiting list for a custom as they really are excellent value for your money. It's just the 3-6 month waits that kill me; did I mention that I'm an impatient person?


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[RJR]

Perry, one of the authorities here at the Lounge calls Akubra the most frustrating hat company in existence. I'm nowhere near as picky about my hats as he is, so I keep buying Akubras, but they can drive me crazy with inconsistent sizing and quirkiness. Others only report smooth sailing so????

The waiting is hard for me, being an impatient fellow, but you might want to consider custom hats, and I'm not talking about D'aquino. Gannon has rabbit felt customs starting at $175, VS has their off the rack (very limited in colors/styles) for $195, Northwest 100 % beaver felt hats start at $250, and their are lots of other quality hatters. If you are large headed fellow (size 7 3/8 or bigger) then the vintage market is slow going and can be expensive. You might think about jumping on the waiting list for a custom as they really are excellent value for your money. It's just the 3-6 month waits that kill me; did I mention that I'm an impatient person?


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[Perry Underwood]

Perry, one of the authorities here at the Lounge calls Akubra the most frustrating hat company in existence. I'm nowhere near as picky about my hats as he is, so I keep buying Akubras, but they can drive me crazy with inconsistent sizing and quirkiness. Others only report smooth sailing so????

The waiting is hard for me, being an impatient fellow, but you might want to consider custom hats, and I'm not talking about D'aquino. Gannon has rabbit felt customs starting at $175, VS has their off the rack (very limited in colors/styles) for $195, Northwest 100 % beaver felt hats start at $250, and their are lots of other quality hatters. If you are large headed fellow (size 7 3/8 or bigger) then the vintage market is slow going and can be expensive. You might think about jumping on the waiting list for a custom as they really are excellent value for your money. It's just the 3-6 month waits that kill me; did I mention that I'm an impatient person?


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Thank you for the information. I think it's a question of do I want to pay more to get exactly what I want (custom hatter) or pay less and get about 85% there (D'aquino).

When I think about the ideal shade of sage green for me, I consider this hat owned by moehawk to be it. I quess it would be called a light sage green.

Thanks again for the info on custom hatters. There's a lot to think about. It's similar to when I was buying electric guitars. I had an idea what the perfect guitar would be for me. I bought many guitars, and each guitar is very special to me. However, I never did buy the ideal one.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thank you for the information. I think it's a question of do I want to pay more to get exactly what I want (custom hatter) or pay less and get about 85% there (D'aquino).

When I think about the ideal shade of sage green for me, I consider this hat owned by moehawk to be it. I quess it would be called a light sage green.

View attachment 101187

Thanks again for the info on custom hatters. There's a lot to think about. It's similar to when I was buying electric guitars. I had an idea what the perfect guitar would be for me. I bought many guitars, and each guitar is very special to me. However, I never did buy the ideal one.

Hey, I'm all about looking for bargains and trying to find some gem that others have overlooked. Personally, I'm tired to compromising and getting hats that sort of fit in sort of the style I like and in something close to the right color. I have a pile of hats that I had high hopes for that ultimately disappointed me. I've also found a few that were perfect; just often enough to keep me looking.

I'm ready to have fewer hats that I really like than lots of mediocre hats. I hope the D'aquino that should ship in a few days will be a keeper, but you can tell these hats have been made to a price and as such are a compromise. I'm ready to try paying more and avoiding compromises. I don't mean to speak to what it best for you and the decisions only you can make. Good luck.

 

[belfastboy]

Hey, I'm all about looking for bargains and trying to find some gem that others have overlooked. Personally, I'm tired to compromising and getting hats that sort of fit in sort of the style I like and in something close to the right color. I have a pile of hats that I had high hopes for that ultimately disappointed me. I've also found a few that were perfect; just often enough to keep me looking.

I'm ready to have fewer hats that I really like than lots of mediocre hats. I hope the D'aquino that should ship in a few days will be a keeper, but you can tell these hats have been made to a price and as such are a compromise. I'm ready to try paying more and avoiding compromises. I don't mean to speak to what it best for you and the decisions only you can make. Good luck.

I am following a similar route, giving up on the hunt for vintage and buying custom. I have kept about a dozen vintage so I have samples that establish the vintage feel but not patient enough or discerning enough to be successful in the vintage hunt. I have yet to be disappointed in any of my custom purchases and I def can't say that about all my vintage purchases.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I am following a similar route, giving up on the hunt for vintage and buying custom. I have kept about a dozen vintage so I have samples that establish the vintage feel but not patient enough or discerning enough to be successful in the vintage hunt. I have yet to be disappointed in any of my custom purchases and I def can't say that about all my vintage purchases.

There's some real wisdom there. Perhaps if I had a small sized head things would be different with vintage hats?

I have a friend here at the Lounge that I run possible vintage acquisitions past and he has taken to repeating the advice "keep your powder dry for Gannon" meaning to have patience and order another custom that will be without compromise. Good advice that I don't follow often enough. I think I'll always keep an eye on vintage, but the bar is rising on what I'll bite on.

Maybe (I hope) this latest D'aquino will restore some of my faith in the "economy custom." I go back to my own advice of keeping your expectations low so you won't be too disappointed. What do I have the right to expect from a hat that cost 1/3 as much as a benchmark custom? 1/3 the price and in 1/3 the time.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Shipping tomorrow. 6" open crown, 2 3/4" brim in her Light Gray rabbit fur felt. I ordered it with a blue ribbon/bow but I also have one in Raspberry that I'll try.

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[Perry Underwood]

Excellent! Looking forward to a full report.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

My latest D'aquino arrived today. Just ten days for shipping from Portugal isn't bad at all. Now to the hat:

I ordered it 6" minimal taper open crown. I received a 6" open crown with minimal taper. I asked for a 2 3/4" brim and it's very close to that. So far so good.

I ordered brim binding to match the felt color; however, I also specified that Luisa use her judgment on a closely matching color. The cream colored binding is fine.

The "light gray" rabbit fur felt is darker than I had hoped, but still acceptable. The hand is the same as my last hat, which is to say decent at best but not nice. It does not have the dreaded cardboard feel. There are tolliker marks and other handling marks on the felt.

The high grade sweat is an upgraded option that I requested and while not spectacular it is acceptable. Definitely nicer than the sweat on my first D'aquino.

The liner is the same and it is glued in and unremarkable. Not terrible, but not nice either. As expected.

The biggest disappointment is the ribbon. It is loose and poorly fitted. A big disappointment. The ribbon is a slapdash addition to an otherwise acceptable hat. My expectations are in proportion to the price and still this is not acceptable. The ribbon runs over the tolliker break and onto the brim in some places. It is also so loose as to create ripples and visual gaps as to folds away from the felt. The only good part is that I was intending on trying out a raspberry colored ribbon and seeing which I preferred; a choice that will now be easy.

I did try to crease it, but it's putting up a good fight. The felt is thick and stiff and it will definitely take some steam and distilled water to shape it.

Aside from the ribbon, the hat's quality is in line with its price. I have no doubt that it will be a rugged hat and I won't hesitate to wear it in bad weather. I guess the best I can say about it is that it fits (although slightly snugger than my last size 62) and once I change out the ribbon it will be acceptable for wear. Not a ringing endorsement, but I think an accurate and fair evaluation.

One last consideration; with the D'aquino costing roughly $120, if you have to pay to get the ribbon replaced/fixed and if there is any shipped involved you are right on the heels of a much better domestic rabbit felt custom that will be nicer in every way. The temptation of the cheap custom is hard to resist, but in my limited experience D'aquinos represent a questionable value for your money. It's hard to imagine a circumstance where spending more for a first tier US custom would not be a better choice.

I'll post additional photos in the new hats thread once it is creased.





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[deadlyhandsome]

Excellent! Looking forward to a full report.

Perry, I only have two D'aquino hats, but I'm pretty sure I'm done with them. There are just too many issues, too many compromises. D'aquino isn't trying to be a high end custom hatter and there is a niche for them, but if you are a hat guy I think you'll be disappointed. They aren't terrible and I plan on keeping mine, but they are no better than Akubra and in my estimation a step behind Akubra in quality. I'd take a Premier Stetson over D'aquino any day. I do like the customization, but the compromises are a deal breaker for me.

Just my two cents.


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[Perry Underwood]

Perry, I only have two D'aquino hats, but I'm pretty sure I'm done with them. There are just too many issues, too many compromises. D'aquino isn't trying to be a high end custom hatter and there is a niche for them, but if you are a hat guy I think you'll be disappointed. They aren't terrible and I plan on keeping mine, but they are no better than Akubra and in my estimation a step behind Akubra in quality. I'd take a Premier Stetson over D'aquino any day. I do like the customization, but the compromises are a deal breaker for me.

Just my two cents.


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Thank you very much for your review. Too bad about the ribbon. Kind of bursts the bubble, but as you said, D'aquino has a niche, and the opportunity of ordering a custom made hat is tempting. As I was reading your evaluation, I was thinking that Akubra is probably a better deal. At about the same price, Akubra is likely to offer more consistent standards even if there is variation in other areas.

Looking forward to more photos once the hat is creased.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thank you very much for your review. Too bad about the ribbon. Kind of bursts the bubble, but as you said, D'aquino has a niche, and the opportunity of ordering a custom made hat is tempting. As I was reading your evaluation, I was thinking that Akubra is probably a better deal. At about the same price, Akubra is likely to offer more consistent standards even if there is variation in other areas.

Looking forward to more photos once the hat is creased.

In my novice opinion, if you can find an Akubra that you like and that fits well you can't do better for the price...or for quite a bit more either. They own their price point. That said, my Bluegrass Green Campdraft is up for sale on eBay because it didn't fit even though I have another Campdraft in the exact same size that fits perfectly. Lots of Akubra owners don't have these issues with them, but I've sent back or sold four that didn't come anywhere near fitting or were otherwise not acceptable. I can also say that my Federation IV had the stiffest most cardboard feeling felt of any hat I've owned and it was from the higher grade DeLuxe line. I count a couple Akubras among my favorite hats, but it has been a roller coaster finding ones that work. If you can go into a store and try them on and buy one that fits and doesn't have any issues you'd really have something. Lucky Ausies.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180129/7b2bbd9d4abfb42b98329030bd9c4ef5.jpg[/IMG]

With some steam and a generous amount of distilled water it took a crease easier than I thought. I actually like the felt on this hat and it holds its shape well.

If it wasn't for the ribbon issues I would be tempted to order another...Luisa has a chocolate brown felt and if I tell her to pay extra attention to the ribbon....




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[Perry Underwood]

That does look very attractive.

In the musical and associated fields there is something called GAS, which stands for Gear Acquisition Syndrome. This is when people continue to buy musical gear despite owning quite a lot of it already. For example, I have about 12 guitars, and I know someone who has about 20.

There must be something equivalent when it comes to buying hats. We'll call it HAS--Hat Acquisition Syndrome.

Tempting about D'aquino . . .

 

[Redfokker]

That does look very attractive.

In the musical and associated fields there is something called GAS, which stands for Gear Acquisition Syndrome. This is when people continue to buy musical gear despite owning quite a lot of it already. For example, I have about 12 guitars, and I know someone who has about 20.

There must be something equivalent when it comes to buying hats. We'll call it HAS--Hat Acquisition Syndrome.

Tempting about D'aquino . . .

I have a terminal case of HAS.

 

[Redfokker]

uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180129/7b2bbd9d4abfb42b98329030bd9c4ef5.jpg[/IMG]

With some steam and a generous amount of distilled water it took a crease easier than I thought. I actually like the felt on this hat and it holds its shape well.

If it wasn't for the ribbon issues I would be tempted to order another...Luisa has a chocolate brown felt and if I tell her to pay extra attention to the ribbon....




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It looks good with that rake and some manipulation. Are you going to snap the brim when wearing it?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

It looks good with that rake and some manipulation. Are you going to snap the brim when wearing it?

Thanks, and yes, I'll snap the brim. I can't ever seem to to make the brim up look work for me like some can.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

We all have to die of something; this isn't the worst way to go.