I have a Federation that I got last August and I love it. I was wondering though, what are the major differences between the Federation and the new Federation IV. Are the differences major enough that I would ever want to get a Fed IV. I am very happy with the Fed that I have and don't plan on getting a new hat any time soon, but I was just wondering for future reference.
The Fed 4 is 1/2 inch shorter unbashed, there's a whole lot less taper, maybe even a bit of reverse taper depending on the hat, the ribbon is more accurate, and the color is a huge improvement. I think the brim may even be a little bit smaller on the Fed 4, but I can't say for sure.
From what I've seen, it's the best and most affordable fedora you can get. It's even got Steve's (of AB fame) good graces and he is THE expert on these hats.
It's a great lid. Can't go wrong for price, shape, felt quality, color, and fast shipping.
Thanks BTJepson. Like I said, I've already got a Federation, I just wasn't sure if there were any huge differences that would make it worth it to upgrade to a Fed IV.
I don't know about the differences between the regular and deluxe, but if you have a fed 3 then the best reason to upgrade would probably be the color. That was the thing that convinced me to upgrade, and the improved blockshape was an added bonus.
For us peanut headed guys, size 7 (56) the Fed IV is a big improvement. It's slightly shorter, and the brim is a little narrower, so the proportions are much better. I got used to the extra tall look of my Fed III, but the IV is an instant hit. I got the Tawny Fawn in the Fed IV, since I already have brown Fed III and an AB in the works. My AB will have similar dimensions to my Fed IV.
