No too long ago, though, the HJ Indy hat started being offered through a couple different vendors, and not strictly from Herbert Johnson themselves. It has been noted that some have recieved HJ's from other vendors who provide a better block and hat shape than what you can get from London. From what I've read and seen, the current production of Herbert Johnson Indy hats is a bit of the luck of the draw. Some have been perfectly happy with their hat, whereas others have not been. Again, if you love your hat, enjoy it and wear it often.
As to the felt issue, it is my understanding that the HJ felt originally may have been a high quality rabbit felt. The current felt offering has been inconsistent and not as durable and pliable as better rabbit felt bodies. Case in point, Fedora reblocked a current HJ and easily tore the brim apart in the reblocking process, where this had never happened with any vintage HJ he had worked with. Because of that experience, Fedora will not reblock the current HJ hats. He does not trust it won't happen again.
There is chatter that Herbert Johnson is looking to improve the quality of their Indy hats and make them as good as they once were. There is talk that they may reunite with the original felt supplier and that they have an idea where the original block may have got to. If this happens, then HJ will have regained the name which made them famous in the first place. This would be a very good thing. I would like to see HJ pull this off.
But then comes the AdventureBilt issue. AdventueBilt fedoras are excellent fedoras. To many (myself included) they are considered the best current offering in an Indy hat. They are handmade, built custom to your specification, and come in either rabbit or 100% beaver felt. Steve Delk has done extensive research finding the perfect felt supplier to supply him with his hat bodies. If Steve doesn't like the felt, he wont use it. His beaver felt is vintage quality in my book. He has secured actual vintage ribbon, too. He has the knack to shape these hats spot on to what you see on screen, regardless of what scene you want it to look like. His customer service is outstanding.
Now when you compare felts, a rabbit felt is generally a good quality felt. The Akubra is a rabbit felt, and those hats can take a LOT of abuse and still look good. Beaver felt, on the other hand, is a denser, stronger felt than the rabbit. This means it can take the abuse of a lifetime. It usually tends to be a softer, more pliable felt, too. It's also more expensive than rabbit. Some hats use a rabbit/beaver blend. I am not sure what the current HJ felt consists of, but I'm prettty sure it's not 100% beaver.
Perhaps the biggest reason folks push the AdventueBilt over the current Herbert Johnson is that you can get a 100% beaver AB for less than the price of a rabbit/rabbit blend HJ. The satisfaction rate of the AB has been more consistant than the HJ as well. Initially, some folks want gear (hats inclued) that have the label of the manufacturer who made the gear for the movies. There is nothing wrong with that whatsoever. Others find it more important to have screen accuracy to the gear no matter the maker. Some are driven by budget restraints, others not.
So what really matters? Having fun with the hobby. If you have a piece of gear you love, enjoy the heck out of it. Don't let anyone talk you out of your happiness. Sure, you can alway grow your collection like the rest of us addicts, but at the end of the day, purchase what you want for whatever reason you want it in the first place.
Enjoy!
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