What do you think of the Indiana Jones hats?

[Donato]

I happen to like some of the styles of the official fur felt Indian Jones hats. They look like great hats for daily wear, but what is the quality of these hats? I wonder how they compare to the comparable styles made by Akubra. Thanks to everyone for this informative forum.

 

[Spellflower]

Welcome, Donato!

I think you'll find the general consensus here to be that the vast majority of factory made (non-custom) fedoras on the market today tend to be of poor quality, with the exception of Akubras.

Speaking from personal experience, I have a Federation, and its a great hat, though it has tapered and shrunk a bit after a lot of heavy use.

As for "offical" IJ hats, the official simply means that the company has a marketing deal with the movie studio. It does not mean that the hat you're buying is anything like the one on Ford's head, or anything like what IJ would wear, if he weren't a ficitonal character.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I've had my "official" Indiana Jones hat for twenty-five years now. I bought it in 1983 just prior to a six-month jaunt to Europe. Everytime I put it on I'm reminded of that trip and the comments I got from people we met along the way.

What a great value! After a quarter of a century that hat looks better than the day I bought it!

I don't know what the new one's are like - I havn't shopped for another 'Indiana Jone' fedora for decades. But I sure love mine.

-dixon cannon

 

[J.T.Marcus]

My wife has a 1984 (made by John B. Stetson, wool). It was given by Harrison Ford to one of the bus drivers for the making of the movie. It's a LARGE, and I wear a MEDIUM. Now, we all know "wool hats shrink." But this one is 23 years old, and it still is too big for my head. It looks pretty good on her, though.

 

[HamletJSD]

I have a cloth "Officially licensed" hat purchased at Disney that is supposedly "the same hat worn by Belloq" in Raiders (his looks like a Panama to me, but I didn't buy the hat to try matching the movie).

It is a bit bland in style, just like I see with the wool ones, but not too bad. It has a good color combo (cream colored with brown ribbon). I am happy with the quality for the price, even being a formed cloth.

Unfortunately I couldn't speak to the quality of the wool or fur felts, though. My guess would be that at any level above, say, $150, you could do much better looking at Akubra, Camptown, or any of a few other quality names.

 

[Solid Citizen]

STYLE vs. QUALITY

Check out:

http://www.indygear.com/gear/fedora2.shtml

Steve Delk's work is shown there, as he has been doing the HIGH end ($$$) Indy style hat for a long time now. Art Fawcett here could give you the same high quality. Its just a matter of what you can live with or not live without.

Solid Citizen

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Steve Delk make the Adventurebilt fedora and this is THE Indiana Jones fedora for fans over at Club Obi Wan. He makes them out of pure beaver fur felt and they are great hats. My avatar shows me wearing mine at Macchu Pichu...KC

 

[Mustang]

Steve Delk make the Adventurebilt fedora and this is THE Indiana Jones fedora for fans over at Club Obi Wan. He makes them out of pure beaver fur felt and they are great hats. My avatar shows me wearing mine at Macchu Pichu...KC

...and it looks good on you as well:eusa_clap . I'd really to get one as as well. To think...when I first came to this site, I was intending to get only one fedora. I now want at least 5

 

[Donato]

It looks great...

Steve Delk make the Adventurebilt fedora and this is THE Indiana Jones fedora for fans over at Club Obi Wan. He makes them out of pure beaver fur felt and they are great hats. My avatar shows me wearing mine at Macchu Pichu...KC

but all Adventurebilt hats cost $350.00 + $10.00 shipping and that is way out of my price range right now. I just dished over $250.00 for a Borsalino Bellagio so I suppose $100 more for a handmade, Beaver fur felt hat is a good deal, but still...I'd have to start selling some of my watches (another hobby) to afford an Adventurebilt. But the hat looks GREAT on you! Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[MK]

.

Steve Delk make the Adventurebilt fedora and this is THE Indiana Jones fedora for fans over at Club Obi Wan. He makes them out of pure beaver fur felt and they are great hats. My avatar shows me wearing mine at Macchu Pichu...KC

Nice hat and an excellent avatar. I am jealous that you have been there. That vantage point looks like the one in Secrets of the Incas.

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Nice hat and an excellent avatar. I am jealous that you have been there. That vantage point looks like the one in Secrets of the Incas.

A movie I am still trying to find! Yes, this is the vantage point right above the main entrance of the city of Macchu Pichu. It is without a doubt the most breathtaking place I've ever been to....and a perfect place to wear an Indiana Jones fedora

If you can't afford the Adventurebilt, then the next best thing is an Akurba, the Federation. This is a fine lid for around $100 or so. I got mine at Hats Direct...

http://www.hatsdirect.com/cgi/products.cgi?view=58&returncat=Fedora+Hats&returnpage=0

...KC

 

[Jerekson]

Official hat?

Don't do it.

Problem solved

 

[Yohanes]

I think JPD (Jimmy Pierce Design) can be an alternative. I believe some members here have hats made by him. JPD is a sponsor too here...

 

[Jerekson]

Well since we are now recommending alternatives, I might as well join in.

I can't give enough praise to Akubra (Federation and Bushman). Sure, Steve might be a little more screen accurate, etc. etc., but if you want the real deal - a hat that can take the punishment, and then some - then go Akubra. It's the closest thing you'll get to Indiana Jones idea.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

The official fur felts aren't too bad, but for the money (and durability), you'd be better off with an Akubra Federation. Plain and simple. The older official hats from the 1980's were better than what they make now, so don't go by their durability. Still, as a dress hat, the current official Indy's aren't as bad as most people say they are. They just aren't as good as some other options. I also hear that the Stetson Temple isn't too bad.

 

[1911 Man]

Remember that the "Official Licensed Hats" from the early 80's were made by Stetson, at a time when Stetson was much better than it is now (a few Stetsons even made it onto H.F.'s head in various Temple of Doom scenes). That contract expired shortly after ToD, and the Dorfman Pacific company was given the license contract a few years later. D.P. is well known to Indy Gear enthusiasts as a poorly made hat, that looks nothing like the movie hat. For the same price as a fur felt DP, you can get the Akubra Federation, which is a far better quality hat, and much more screen accurate.

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Gotta bash 'em yourself...

Just remember that the Federation comes open crowned, meaning you have to shape it yourself. No big deal, really, without any experience I made a pretty good Indy fedora in a few minutes. Just steamed it with my tea kettle...KC

 

[The Wingnut]

I'll get strung up and hung out to dry for this, but I've never really liked the Jones fedora in any of its forms. The oddball exaggerated pinch(someone - I won't say who, but you'd be surprised - once commented that it looked as if a rattail comb was jammed into the crown and they steamed around it), raw edge, monochrome ribbon, dimensional cut and overall generic appearance just leaves me cold. I've never seen a vintage one like it...it seems to much like a costume piece and not enough like an actual personal item. I prefer a bound or Cavanagh edge, a hand-formed crease, non-dimensional cut and some sort of contrast or creativity with the ribbon.

That said, I prefer to look as if I'm not trying to be Indy....because I'm not Indy. It's bad enough wearing a leather jacket and a fedora of any kind and having people ask you who you're trying to be.

The Jones series did play a role in my tastes and influences growing up, and I do enjoy the movies immensely...but I still can't get over that it's George Lucas' take on 1930s adventure pulp. I'd rather invent my own.

 

[Jerekson]

Wingnut, about your dillema with the leather jacket and hat; this one always works for me.

Get on your most confused face and tone: "What's an Indiana Jones?"

Trust me.

 

[Jovan]

Hahaha. I'm going to remember that. A class act.