Why I Am Terrified By The AB

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu May 05, 2005 10:37 pm

I have been a big fan of the AB since back in the days it was (unofficially) a 'Fedora's Fedora'

I love the way he's making them. I love the care that goes into them. I love the pride in workmanship and customer service that so many people talk about (and which some vendors could learn a great deal from...)

But you know what? I haven't bought one.

If I owned one, I'd want to have it on the shelf - maybe even in a glass case. That's how much I revere these hats. But that's a problem when you want your gear to be wash and wear and good to go.

Now, I know some of you blokes have gone bush with them, and they held up well, but how did you feel afterwards? WOuld you have rathered sweating in, or having @#$% fall on, an old Akubra instead, for example?

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Thu May 05, 2005 10:46 pm

For some reason I have never been worried about getting my AB dirty. In fact when things get dusty enough this summer I may let my Dad drag me down a dirt road.

A few weeks ago I saw a tv show about hunting in Africa. Several guys had brown wool fedoras on. I couldn't help but think that they really needed an AB.

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Thu May 05, 2005 11:40 pm

I know what you mean , I love my adventurebilt and would hate for it to get ruined. I wish I found steve before buying so many others. I would own a couple of his lids ( and will get another in the future ). maybe wear it but, don't drag it though the mud, just give it a little love and should hold up just fine.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Thu May 05, 2005 11:44 pm

Rob, don't fear the Adventurebilt! It's named that way for a reason! When I first got my AB, I admit I babied it a little because I was so impressed with the quality and craftsmanship of the hat. When I went to Cancun, I was even a little skeptical about taking that hat because I didn't want anything to happen to it. Then I remembered that it was supposed to have been built to take the abuse, so I took it to Mexico with me. And boy, was I glad I did!

My Adventurebilt got squished by fellow passengers on the plane, saw plenty of heat, sun, and sweat in Mexico, and had it's share of true adventure. I had people on the streets of Mexico try to buy the hat off my head and compliments from older men who remember their fathers wearing hats just like mine. The AB took all the abuse I gave it in Mexico and hardly even gave it notice. Since then, I've worn the hat everywhere. My Adventurebilts are my fedoras of choice wherever I go, and I'm rarely caught out without a hat.

Trust me, Rob, the worst thing you could do to an Adventurebilt is let it sit on a shelf or in a case somewhere. The best thing you can do is wear the darn thing and let it live the life of a well loved hat. Even though I would've cringed at the thought of this months ago, I've even sat on my AB from time to time to loosen up the hat and break it in a little bit more. You know who gave me that advice? Steve Delk. The same Steve Delk who makes the Adventurebilt.

Don't fear the AB, Rob. It is a hat Indiana Jones himself would be proud to wear!

bink

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Thu May 05, 2005 11:59 pm

After reading the comments that were posted as I was writing my above response, let me reiterate a few things:

Don't be afraid of the Adventurebilt!

Yes, I have fedoras that I like to keep as dress hats, but every one of them is eventually subjected to rain, snow, and the elements. Regardless, I can appreciate anyone who wants to keep a nice, clean looking fedora in his or her collection. But if you want to be able to wear a fedora anywhere, the AB will perform more than admirably. If it gets dirty, muddy, or whatever, you have a true Indy fedora!

On the other hand, that's why you can have your fedora cleaned and reblocked. I've seen some pretty gruesome hats get a total makeover after having been cleaned and reblocked. You'd never know they were ever dirty before.

My friends, just wear your Adventurebilts. The more you wear them, the better they look. We talk about our Indy jackets aging and looking better the more we wear them and the more adventures they see. Well, the same holds true for the Adventurebilt. Enjoy your hat. Wear it. Play in it. Go out and have your own adventures with it. You'll be glad you did.

bink

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Fri May 06, 2005 12:08 am

Well, this is why it's called the ADVENTURE bilt. It's meant to be worn, and to get out there. There's nothing that Steve can't do with these hats, and some basic cleaning techniques will help you keep your hat looking great. The fact that Steve offers re-blocks for just 10$ should sooth your concerns even more.

AB's are not inferior quality hats, and won't melt if you put 'em through a little stress. So I'd say don't worry about it, wear it and enjoy it

Regards,

Mulceber · Post by **Mulceber** » Fri May 06, 2005 12:08 am

I should also remind you, Rob. (though I don't own an AB yet, it's in the mail) these hats are said to age EXTREMELY well (ie. it'll actually look better after it's been beaten up a bit). Kinda like a Wested. :junior: -IJ

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Fri May 06, 2005 12:28 am

I would never abuse my AB, but I won't baby it either. I think it will be fun to watch it age and look like a well loved fedora. I intend to use my current AB as an outdoor hat. In fact I kinda hope it devlopes the Cairo look in the years to come. However, I'd love to have 2 more; 1 in the LC style and 1 in the gray Raiders style.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri May 06, 2005 12:33 am

Strider wrote:AB's are not inferior quality hats, and won't melt if you put 'em through a little stress.

Nor am I suggesting as much. I just hate to take a thing of beauty and 'wreck' it. It involves a change of mindset, as bink alludes to, I think.

Snakewhip_Sable · Post by **Snakewhip_Sable** » Fri May 06, 2005 12:38 am

Like Bink, I babied my Adventurebilt when I got it, but it's been through all weather (even raining glass and drywall!), gotten dirty and it looks as good as ever (I don't have a hat brush yet, so I beat it with a chamois to get the dust off). It's still very much my dress hat and I do take care of it, other than the odd beating.

To have ANY fedora just on display is a crime. They need to be worn... to show them you love them.

IndyFlyer · Post by **IndyFlyer** » Fri May 06, 2005 2:04 am

The very nature of beaver felt is to shed water and the elements in every day life. Fedora may just be a little insulted if you didn't take his craftmanship into the adventure that is your own life. This hat will take it! Fedora will sit back and read these posts with with a smile, as they are a compliment to his gift to us all. Do yourself a favor, commission yourself a true Raiders hat from Fedora, send us pics (you have to send pics, believe me, I know..), then go and wear it hard. Then--send more pics with stories from the road.

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Fri May 06, 2005 8:30 am

These hats can take abuse and they acquire character as they do. These hats were made for wearing. As you all know, I have worn mine from Rain Forests to North east mountain ranges to beaches in Maine to the streets of Boston. This hats fits in all ocassions.

That being said, I must admite, when it rains, not a sprinkle, but pouring rain, I throw on my Akubra. I know my AB can take it, but I don't have the heart!

My advice is... get two! get three! Can you really ever have enough???

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri May 06, 2005 9:34 am

I have to admit, Hemingway, though I've worn my AB in rain before, I'm waiting for a good solid downpour to wear it in!

And Rob, it does take a bit of a shift in mind set. You'll likely find the more you wear it, the more you'll want to wear it everywhere and the less you'll totally baby the hat. It's true that the first "ding" is always the most painful (as a guitar player, I can tell you it's REALLY true!) but after a while you'll just think, "No problem. It's just more characher for the hat."

bink

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri May 06, 2005 10:39 am

I totally understand what Rob is saying, though. It's sort of like the folks who finally purchase a Land Rover, but are afraid to take it off a paved road....let alone out of their driveway!

Rest assured, Rob, what everyone says above is absolutely true.

And I HAVE worn mine in a driving rain. No problems what so ever. Regards. Michaelson

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Fri May 06, 2005 10:39 am

binkmeisterRick wrote:I have to admit, Hemingway, though I've worn my AB in rain before, I'm waiting for a good solid downpour to wear it in! bink

bink,
We are supposed to get a Nor'Easter in Boston this weekend. I promise I will wear my AB out in it, but I am also going to carry my Brigg Umbrella!

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Fri May 06, 2005 11:15 am

Michaelson wrote:It's sort of like the folks who finally purchase a Land Rover, but are afraid to take it off a paved road....let alone out of their driveway!

Boy isn't that the truth. My uncle has one and its never been off road. However, I've never had that problem with mine.

Land Rovers and AB's are a lot alike. To fully appreciate them you must put them through their paces. In fact sometimes you may even end up in a position that you wish you hadn't.

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri May 06, 2005 11:20 am

So Ken has told us. (grins)

Regards. Michaelson

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Fri May 06, 2005 11:23 am

Michaelson wrote:So Ken has told us. (grins) Regards. Michaelson

Yea, I remember those pics. They nearly made me sick. Those old Rovers are a work of art.

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri May 06, 2005 11:29 am

...as are the AB's! (how's that for turning it back around. (grins))

Regards! Michaelson

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri May 06, 2005 11:33 am

I'm proud of you, Michaelson.

Hey, Hemingway, let me know how the umbrella---er.. HAT holds up in the nor'easter!

bink

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Fri May 06, 2005 11:41 am

Michaelson wrote:...as are the AB's! (how's that for turning it back around. (grins)) Regards! Michaelson

Rats! I guess I'm still not gooed enough at hijacking a thread to qualify as a scoundrel.

What am I doing wrong Bink?

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri May 06, 2005 11:46 am

Years of practice, and learning not to ask bink for advice.

High regards! Michaelson

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Fri May 06, 2005 11:47 am

binkmeisterRick wrote:I'm proud of you, Michaelson.

Hey, Hemingway, let me know how the umbrella---er.. HAT holds up in the nor'easter!

bink

I certainly will, unless I get blown away.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri May 06, 2005 2:35 pm

Michaelson wrote:Years of practice, and learning not to ask bink for advice. High regards! Michaelson

Yeah, but he's still asking YOU for advice, Michaelson, so he's got a LONG way to go!

bink

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri May 06, 2005 2:37 pm

Hummm. You gotta point there, but I'll ignore it for now.

Regards. Michaelson

Renderking Fisk · Post by **Renderking Fisk** » Fri May 06, 2005 3:23 pm

I've wore mine for two months and nothing... zip... Nada... no tapering or distressing.

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Fri May 06, 2005 9:21 pm

Here is a short list of things I did with my Adventurebilt:

Sat on it multiple times
Scrunched it up into a ball and popped it back out again a few times
Wore it every day
Kneaded it like dough in my hands multiple times

I never had a problem with it. It still looked great.

Regards,

Snakewhip_Sable · Post by **Snakewhip_Sable** » Sat May 07, 2005 8:31 am

Yeeeeah, but bear in mind Strider's crazy...

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Sat May 07, 2005 10:29 am

Hey, I have to admit that I sit on my AB from time to time and play around with it. You never would've caught me doing that two months ago, but the hat will take it. Oh, and I AM crazy!

(To be fair, I have a second AB I'm much nicer to

)

bink

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Sat May 07, 2005 12:36 pm

If I owned one, I'd want to have it on the shelf - maybe even in a glass case.

Dude, WHAT are you talking about??? IT'S A BLOODY HAT!!!!!!!!! You're supposed to wear it on your head, not put it in a case!

IndianaGuybrush · Post by **IndianaGuybrush** » Sat May 07, 2005 4:42 pm

Do you wear your hat all the time agent5? I got the impression that for you it was more of a 'costume' item.

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Sat May 07, 2005 4:56 pm

Snakewhip_Sable wrote:Yeeeeah, but bear in mind Strider's crazy...

You should see the list of things I've done to it that I didn't post.

No foolin.

Regards,

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Sat May 07, 2005 5:23 pm

Do you wear your hat all the time agent5?

Not all the time, but if I'm gunna spend that much money on a hat, I'm gunna get some wear out of it. I don't wear my Indy's too much because, well, they're just too Indyish. I do get alot of wear out of my Toht fedora as it's a more standard look and goes well with quite a few different wardrobes. I'm mainly a fall/winter fedora guy since I only own felt hats. So far.

Neolithic · Post by **Neolithic** » Sat May 07, 2005 7:28 pm

Rob, we next time we meet up, I'll bring my AB along and I'll demonstrate the cruelty it can take. It lends itself to beating up, it's good to soften up the beaver felt a bit- gives it that Cairo look even more...

Renderking Fisk · Post by **Renderking Fisk** » Sun May 08, 2005 7:35 am

Clothes are made to be worn. Wear the fedora on the trail or around the city on the weekends and go from there...

Get it done...

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun May 08, 2005 8:30 am

I think the point that people are missing is that this is precisely what I do with my Akubra.

So it's not so much that it's an SUV I don't want to take offroad. I'd liken my Akubra to an SUV I'm happy to take offroad, like a Jeep, and (in my mind so far) the AB is a VW Toureg or something that you just don't consider taking offroad, because it's so ####### nice. Not because it's not capable.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Sun May 08, 2005 10:48 am

You can buy a cheap bat or a nice and expensive bat. Either way, they're both made to hit the snot out of a baseball or cricket ball. A nicer bat is built to take more abuse on the playing field, but it's built to be used and used alot. I'd liken the AB to a nicer bat, though I don't think you'll hit a ball very far with it.

bink

Mulceber · Post by **Mulceber** » Sun May 08, 2005 10:50 am

The only irony is that it's the nice expensive wooden bats that break, and the cheapo aluminum bats that last. :junior: -IJ

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Sun May 08, 2005 11:04 am

So much for THAT analogy.

bink

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Sun May 08, 2005 11:10 am

Rob wrote:So it's not so much that it's an SUV I don't want to take offroad. I'd liken my Akubra to an SUV I'm happy to take offroad, like a Jeep, and (in my mind so far) the AB is a VW Toureg or something that you just don't consider taking offroad, because it's so ####### nice. Not because it's not capable.

Are you saying that my Jeep isn't nice? -That it's some crummy car that you can beat up off-road? :evil:
I'm just messing with you!

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon May 16, 2005 10:46 am

Ha! Take it as a compliment! You have a car that I would feel comfortable giving some real stick to.