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Bob Roberts

I'll Lock Up
Messages
11,201
Location
milford ct
2 CD'S plus 2 Feds. = 4 good sturdy hats. My CD'S were costing from $83-$90. My last a Imperial grade Fed was stiff as a board (still is) but looks good with the bash it "allowed" me to give it. All in all...
I'm glad I own them but will not be purchasing another unless their quality improves or their price goes back down. I'd rather find a killer vintage for $100 -$150 or go with a custom for $200+/-
 
Last edited:
Messages
12,005
Location
Southern California
I have a Campdraft, the very first felt hat I bought - it's the bluegrass green.

When it arrived, the felt was so stiff, it felt like it was made of cardboard.

Since then, and with lots of wear (from blizzards in New England, to sweatfests in Texas) it has softened up and honestly the felt quality is as good and soft as any hat I own.

I've worn the heck out of this hat and it still looks just about perfect. A couple of years ago, I removed the liner to make it work better in warns weather and I must have re-creased it a dozen or more times.

Since then, I've bought a Tablelands (I swapped the the leather band with an Aussie pug that I bought from a bloke in Singapore) which I swear is tough enough to stop a bullet.

Sure, I have a bunch of vintage and custom hats, but my Akubras are both great hats and probably have the best cost/quality ratio of anything I own.


Cheers!
David - 21st Century Man
Just to be clear, my comments in post #31948 were really nothing more than me having a bit of fun with Anthony's comments about the disappointing Campdraft he received recently. I have six Akubras myself--three Fed IVs and three Campdrafts--and I like 'em all. Are they the best hats currently available? No. They're probably not even the best mass-produced hats currently available. But I agree that you get a lot of bang for your buck when you buy an Akubra.

Or maybe I've just been lucky. The only real inconsistency between mine was the degree of stiffness on one of the Campdrafts--so stiff that it actually required some effort to snap the front of the brim down (and it snapped right back up the first four or five times), and the crown resisted shaping. But they've all become softer as I've shaped and worn them. Nowhere near as soft as a vintage hat, of course, but they're not 40 to 80 years old. *shrug* They're what I can afford, and so far I've been happy with the hats I've received.
 

RJR

Messages
10,620
Location
Iowa
all I can say is that it looks pretty much untouched
Not a flaw on it nor is there any show of wear


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wow,super fi
Just to be clear, my comments in post #31948 were really nothing more than me having a bit of fun with Anthony's comments about the disappointing Campdraft he received recently. I have six Akubras myself--three Fed IVs and three Campdrafts--and I like 'em all. Are they the best hats currently available? No. They're probably not even the best mass-produced hats currently available. But I agree that you get a lot of bang for your buck when you buy an Akubra.

Or maybe I've just been lucky. The only real inconsistency between mine was the degree of stiffness on one of the Campdrafts--so stiff that it actually required some effort to snap the front of the brim down (and it snapped right back up the first four or five times), and the crown resisted shaping. But they've all become softer as I've shaped and worn them. Nowhere near as soft as a vintage hat, of course, but they're not 40 to 80 years old. *shrug* They're what I can afford, and so far I've been happy with the hats I've received.
I agree with Zombie;his post very well sums up my experience with several Akubras.I will add that I haven't bought a new one in well over a year so have no idea if the felt supply issue has caused a QC problem.
 

Bob Roberts

I'll Lock Up
Messages
11,201
Location
milford ct
Just to be clear, my comments in post #31948 were really nothing more than me having a bit of fun with Anthony's comments about the disappointing Campdraft he received recently. I have six Akubras myself--three Fed IVs and three Campdrafts--and I like 'em all. Are they the best hats currently available? No. They're probably not even the best mass-produced hats currently available. But I agree that you get a lot of bang for your buck when you buy an Akubra.

Or maybe I've just been lucky. The only real inconsistency between mine was the degree of stiffness on one of the Campdrafts--so stiff that it actually required some effort to snap the front of the brim down (and it snapped right back up the first four or five times), and the crown resisted shaping. But they've all become softer as I've shaped and worn them. Nowhere near as soft as a vintage hat, of course, but they're not 40 to 80 years old. *shrug* They're what I can afford, and so far I've been happy with the hats I've received.
When the Imperial Camp Drafts were coming in delivered for under $100 from Everything Australian, they were an incredible value. Stiff or not. Factor in recent price increases and the cost of Feds or Deluxe Camp Drafts from The Hattery...
Not such a great value.
 

Chamuco

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,126
Location
Guadalajara Mexico
When the Imperial Camp Drafts were coming in delivered for under $100 from Everything Australian, they were an incredible value. Stiff or not. Factor in recent price increases and the cost of Feds or Deluxe Camp Drafts from The Hattery...
Not such a great value.
Agree, I got all my Akubras at a real good price.

Just got one a couple of days ago, a Capricorn that beats the poly Stetsons by far, that one arrived 6 months late due to Akubra delivering it in a wrong size first and then shipped to someone else by mistake, so far I am very happy with it, will post later on the new hats thread.

I knew that Akubra had some problems at their facility due to the colapse of part of the roof due to a storm, maybe this has something to do with the quality problems.

I have 3 CD's, 2 Fed IV's, 3 Snowy Rivers, 4 Coober Pedys, 2 Slouchs, a Safari, a Squatter, a CEO, and maybe a couple more that I dont remember right now and I am happy with all of them, are those Borsalino quality? No, Custom quality? No. But these are bulletproof I have worn them under the rain and so, one flew from my head while driving the jeep, my nephew sat on another, and,they just came back looking as new, also they do get softer with use.

I also own 4 Akubra Polys and 3 or 4 hemps, this ones. Are a great bang for your buck.

Anyway I am a 7 1/2 so finding vintages is hard and its harder in Mexico since you wont find them at thrift stores, heck we dont even have thrift stores in Mexico.


So maybe its luck or just Akubra failing in their quality control but I love mines.

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
 

Strapped-4-Cache

One Too Many
Messages
1,112
Location
Lawrenceville, GA
I was able to open my new-to-me Mallory 'The Dallas' this morning. I'm not sure what they did to list this as Premier Quality and Pliafelt, but those processes created an amazingly soft and malleable felt.
The hat fits about a size larger than the tagged 7 1/8, so I'll need to shim it a bit, but the sweat is soft and appears hardly used. Brim width is a uniform 2 7/8".
Anyone have a rough estimate on the production date for this one?
e1e20919bf307ff2e3928b337fa77439.jpg
ec5d7531f6dffb0d9444a8f5a1a9808c.jpg
0ac1c988bcfd1188d9e3234b00113a03.jpg
de6c57279942036bb6e0547135900af0.jpg
99e315a66144b38386cf5097b29c7fd5.jpg
e93cbfdf15e15c7fc882e846c39cd028.jpg
0928180401ad2cd8987471a859bfe130.jpg
 
Messages
19,409
Location
Funkytown, USA
I was able to open my new-to-me Mallory 'The Dallas' this morning. I'm not sure what they did to list this as Premier Quality and Pliafelt, but those processes created an amazingly soft and malleable felt.
The hat fits about a size larger than the tagged 7 1/8, so I'll need to shim it a bit, but the sweat is soft and appears hardly used. Brim width is a uniform 2 7/8".
Anyone have a rough estimate on the production date for this one?
e1e20919bf307ff2e3928b337fa77439.jpg
ec5d7531f6dffb0d9444a8f5a1a9808c.jpg
0ac1c988bcfd1188d9e3234b00113a03.jpg
de6c57279942036bb6e0547135900af0.jpg
99e315a66144b38386cf5097b29c7fd5.jpg
e93cbfdf15e15c7fc882e846c39cd028.jpg
0928180401ad2cd8987471a859bfe130.jpg

Good get, Mark! You got the interesting red liner like on mine, too. I put mine at early to mid-50s - just a guess, though. As I mentioned to you in the PM, none of my Mallorys are Pliafelts, so I don't know if that helps with dating. Sounds like yours might be of a notch higher quality, perhaps.

You could always swap with DOGMAN. His 7 1/8 Dallas is too small for him. [emoji6]


Sent directly from my mind to yours.
 
Messages
18,171
Moonstone Campdraft just arrived.

23ve0xx.jpg


2ihw3kz.jpg


21dimvd.jpg


esn6ex.jpg


2yyuy36.jpg


I had been thinking about an OR Cattleman style center crease with long side dents because I don't have one. I remember now why I personally don't have one! This hat will be getting a diamond or teardrop crease when I have more time.

I love the Moonstone color with CD specs.
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
Moonstone Campdraft just arrived.

23ve0xx.jpg


2ihw3kz.jpg


21dimvd.jpg


esn6ex.jpg


2yyuy36.jpg


I had been thinking about an OR Cattleman style center crease with long side dents because I don't have one. I remember now why I personally don't have one! This hat will be getting a diamond or teardrop crease when I have more time.

I love the Moonstone color with CD specs.
I like the edge binding. Nice color, wonder how it looks in the sunshine! Nice looking hat. More Akubra study is needed here.
 

Bob Roberts

I'll Lock Up
Messages
11,201
Location
milford ct
Moonstone Campdraft just arrived.

23ve0xx.jpg


2ihw3kz.jpg


21dimvd.jpg


esn6ex.jpg


2yyuy36.jpg


I had been thinking about an OR Cattleman style center crease with long side dents because I don't have one. I remember now why I personally don't have one! This hat will be getting a diamond or teardrop crease when I have more time.

I love the Moonstone color with CD specs.
Looks good. Is it soft/pliable?
 

moontheloon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,592
Location
NJ
Moonstone Campdraft just arrived.

23ve0xx.jpg


2ihw3kz.jpg


21dimvd.jpg


esn6ex.jpg


2yyuy36.jpg


I had been thinking about an OR Cattleman style center crease with long side dents because I don't have one. I remember now why I personally don't have one! This hat will be getting a diamond or teardrop crease when I have more time.

I love the Moonstone color with CD specs.

Man is that color gorgeous!!!
I love the look of the quick pinches you put in for the pic .... looks fantastic !
I look forward to seeing this one on you.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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