Doctor Strange
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,246
- Location
- Hudson Valley, NY
My own experience with the softness of Akura's Imperial grade felt:
Cattleman (Sand) and Stockman (Glen Grey) - these are preshaped and not very flexible, as you'd expect of outback hats. Not quite as hard as American western hats I've handled, but not meant to be reshaped.
Federation III (Mid-Brown) - this one was as nearly as hard as the outback hats from day one, and it NEVER softened up, not even after 12 years of rain and snow wear. It always felt more like an outback hat than a fedora, which is one of the reasons I sold it and replaced it with a...
Campdraft (Taupe Fawn) - somewhat softer and easier to shape than the Fed III, but not exactly soft. But it's only a year old and hasn't been exposed to the elements much yet.
Stylemaster (Carbon/Steel/Mid-Grey) - much softer than the others from the moment it arrived, which seems odd for a preshaped hat. More flex in the brim than any of the others, and I deepened the front dents down to the ribbon effortlessly when I first got it (2007) and they've held perfectly. Definitely closer to what I consider a "classic soft fedora feel" than the Fed or Campdraft.
So I have to agree with those who've said that felt softness/hardness is inconsistent in Imperial-grade Akubras. But I love 'em anyway.
Cattleman (Sand) and Stockman (Glen Grey) - these are preshaped and not very flexible, as you'd expect of outback hats. Not quite as hard as American western hats I've handled, but not meant to be reshaped.
Federation III (Mid-Brown) - this one was as nearly as hard as the outback hats from day one, and it NEVER softened up, not even after 12 years of rain and snow wear. It always felt more like an outback hat than a fedora, which is one of the reasons I sold it and replaced it with a...
Campdraft (Taupe Fawn) - somewhat softer and easier to shape than the Fed III, but not exactly soft. But it's only a year old and hasn't been exposed to the elements much yet.
Stylemaster (Carbon/Steel/Mid-Grey) - much softer than the others from the moment it arrived, which seems odd for a preshaped hat. More flex in the brim than any of the others, and I deepened the front dents down to the ribbon effortlessly when I first got it (2007) and they've held perfectly. Definitely closer to what I consider a "classic soft fedora feel" than the Fed or Campdraft.
So I have to agree with those who've said that felt softness/hardness is inconsistent in Imperial-grade Akubras. But I love 'em anyway.
