John's Akubra Confession

Brothers, I have sinned.

Yes, I have ordered another Akubra Federation Deluxe, this time in brown.

I ask forgiveness and offer some mitigating factors here.

I ordered it from OZ because the Fed Deluxe is not offered here. David Morgan offers another hat I liked but he is an advertiser on the Fedora Lounge and any attempt I have made to do business with a hatter there has been a disaster, barring Aaron, from whom I ordered accessories and not a hat. He was a gentleman, provided good and pertinent communication, and delivered quality goods.

(In related news, it has come to my attention that Panama Bob has claimed I balked at being informed that it would take six months to fill my order and that THIS is why I did not follow through. He never mentioned any time frame whatsoever except to say that Charlie would be bothered by how long it would take. I found that bizarre and unsettling. If he did not want my business he could have simply said so. This is one of the reasons I like Art Fawcett. He is man enough to gently suggest that doing business with me might create complications best not made, and I agree and take no offense. I respect him and his position absolutely. HE is a man and a gentleman.)

Back to the Akubra thing. The problem with Akubra is not Akubra. It is that there are others for whom this is deemed to be a premier quality fedora. The fact is that they have never been near a premier quality fedora or they would not say so. However, Akubra makes hats with that Australian pioneer toughness in mind, and there is a place for them.

No one is ever going to make the error of confusing an Akubra with a Gladhatter fedora. That is like confusing a Chevy pickup with a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. I have owned both and they both gave good service and value, but they are not equivalent vehicles. However, when I needed that pickup, it was what I needed and that car would not have done the job.

I would not suggest the Akubra Federation Deluxe as a high end gentleman's dress hat, but I will say that once one understand the Akubra product better and sets one's expectation right, it is a decent hat for the money. And I will also say that Akubra makes no claims that it does not merit. Others seem to do that.

By the way, I ordered it in brown because the only brown hat I own is an older Borsolino that just gets sadder looking every time I wear it. Even for a beater.... and I do not abuse my hats... it is becoming a shapeless mess.

Here is what I have learned about the Akubra. All these guys who rave about the hat do not know better. There are some who are more honest about it. First of all, there is the matter of fit. Akubra's run large, so either go down a size... in my case from 60 to 59.... or get ready to take some steps to get it to fit... like the lampshade treatment. Secondly, get the hat damp with sweat or a light misting and wear it until it firs. The shape is more round than American hats and will press on the forehead while it has gaps on the side. Be prepared for a break in period. Many Akubra owners say that after months it is a fine hat.

Also, be aware that these hats have a significant amount of stiffener and you should expect that. They are not quite as bad as most western hats but they may have more than you expect. As delivered my last Federation Deluxe was unruly until I approached it with steam. That permitted me to set the crown and pinch as I wanted and to take most of the waviness from the brim. I am still fighting that a little, but it gets better each time. I used a hand steamer but a kettle should work nicely.

So there it is, I have ordered another one of these.... this time in a dark brown... as an outdoor hat. I think that it makers would be the first to say that it is a town and country hat, as opposed to a city hat, or whatever it is that persons who have never had a truly fine bespoke fedora try to make it to be. It, like OZ, seems a thing that must be tamed and that taming must not be taken for granted, but as value for money, it works for me for that outdoors purpose I will put it to.

Let me say again, that Akubra presents itself as what it is.

God bless,

John