I found my inspiration!

howardmcheng · Post by **howardmcheng** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 5:45 pm

Firstly, I'm a complete newbie to this forum, so I'd like to say a bit hello to everyone to begin with.

I'm a massive fan of any form of headwear, and have been wearing hats and caps for as long as I remember. I had no idea where I got this love of hats etc from, but I have a shelf in my wardrobe dedicated to all sorts of hats, though mainly wearing my trilby.

I then recently saw in a shop a (yes, time to laugh) nice hat and bought it, without realising it was a DP Indy hat....obviously pin came off etc and I then realised this is exactly where I got my inspiration for hats...Indy (am so sure of it after watching the new one too)! Being an 80s (1984 for anyone interested) child, one of the first films I remember seeing was the Last Crusade, the prequels to that then followed after...and god I loved his hat. Anyway, I decided to do a bit of research and found Indygear and tried rebashing the (now I know to be awful) DP - it's kinda a mixture of the bash of all three films, as the tapered crown was a bit hard to manage (stupid taper) - pictures to follow.

I'm now determined to add a true Indy style fedora to my collection, but am a bit stuck after reading this forum etc. I don't want a hat purely as a dress hat, but I'm the kind of person who wants to be dragged behind a truck with it etc, so I'm hoping for minimal spend, maximum effect. I had a search around on eBay and found this crushable DP fedora, which looks okay with the non-tapered crown, but I was wondering what are people's views on proportions and everything after the teardrop crown has been rebashed. Bear in mind this will be my "dragged behind a truck hat", I thought this fate was only fitting of a DP (from everything I've read in the forum) and not a Fed IV, which I am hoping to get soon (anyone know of any UK stockists please?)!!!

Anyway, would be glad of any input into this question, and sorry if it is a newbie question *hides embarrassed*.

By the way, I managed to make my current DP crushable - it was a stiff one to begin with (if you're wondering, it's model IJ551), but I soaked it in warm water to rebash it, and now is a little more flexible, but still keeps shape after being stuffed in bag even overnight.

Pictures of my DP as promised. The back brim can be either upturned like in the pictures (more Last Crusade style?), all pulled down as I have it now (more like in Raiders?).

Thanks in advance for everything guys.

Howard

Vegeta · Post by **Vegeta** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:30 pm

All I have to say about the ebay one is YUCK!! Simple choice to make here........You need a Fed IV.

http://www.hatsdirect.com/cgi/products. ... turnpage=0

Here is how mine looks after bashing it.

WalkingEye · Post by **WalkingEye** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:54 pm

I came here for the very same reasons you did. I went with the camptown... it's a beaver blend so it should stand up really well against all types of elements. i don't think the turn around would be as fast as buying a fed though, as JerseyJones has them custom factory made and then styles them by hand, if you're not inclined to do it yourself.

oh and be careful posting ebay stuff the mods don't take very kindly to it!

Nice to meet you,
-Rich.

DanielJones · Post by **DanielJones** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:36 pm

Yeah, I would personally go with the Camptown or the Fed IV. You coud also go with the Christy's Adventurer in fur felt if price is a problem. It would be a good starter lid as a city hat, but the Camptown & Fed are tough as nails & do double duty as a city hat and adventure hat.

Welcome friend! There is plenty of opinions and advice here to be had and gleaned from. Enjoy!

Cheers!

Dan

DanielJones · Post by **DanielJones** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:38 pm

BTW, Vegeta, that is one nice looking lid. The color looks sort of putty like in color on my monitor. Is it grey or their brown?

Cheers!

Dan

Vegeta · Post by **Vegeta** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:49 pm

Dark brown.

howardmcheng · Post by **howardmcheng** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:21 pm

Thanks for the replies so far

I had a bit of a research on the net, and found the "Adventurer" hats on http://www.themovieshop.com/Indiana-Jones-Hats. I think I might opt for the wool felt one at £34.99 as it's cheap enough for me not to worry about damaging it. I would dread damaging a Fed IV by shoving it in bags or just generally trekking around in dense vegetation.

Do you guys think that the proportions and size is right? And do you think that it would be a "crushable" one where I can just shove here and there and still stay in shape? Maybe ribbon might need changing if I'm going to be fussy and going for the "authentic" look.

Are the "Adventurers" the ones which are you guys mentioned? The Christy's Adventurers? I couldn't find them on the actual Christy's website.

Thanks again for all the input so far, and again, thanks in advance for future input.

H

howardmcheng · Post by **howardmcheng** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:27 pm

I found Christy's Adventurer at Hornets Hats. Woo only £50 too!

What is the main difference between fur felt and wool felt? And would the fur felt version be able to take a good battering/crushing?

Thanks again

Vegeta · Post by **Vegeta** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:30 pm

The hardest hat to damage you could ever buy would be a Fed IV. These are the absolute best bang for the buck you'll ever get.....ever. And they stand up to anything. It's really that simple.

Zombie Jones · Post by **Zombie Jones** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:09 am

howardmcheng wrote:I don't want a hat purely as a dress hat, but I'm the kind of person who wants to be dragged behind a truck with it etc, so I'm hoping for minimal spend, maximum effect.

I'm reasonably new to this (and definitely new to Club Obi Wan), but I'd say the Akubra Federation IV would give you the most bang for your buck. I received mine last week, and I couldn't be happier with it; met or exceeded all of my expectations.

DR Ulloa · Post by **DR Ulloa** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:31 am

howardmcheng wrote:I found Christy's Adventurer at Hornets Hats. Woo only £50 too!

What is the main difference between fur felt and wool felt? And would the fur felt version be able to take a good battering/crushing?

Thanks again

Fur is simply more durable. It makes for tougher felt and will take a beating much better than any wool hat ever will. If what you want is a hat to shove in a bag and generally beat up, go with fur. Wool will never stand up to that sort of abuse. Wool makes for good dress hats, but not much else. And at that I would still recommed fur, it is a finer material and is superior in every way.

Dave

DanielJones · Post by **DanielJones** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:34 am

The Christy's can be found here at Hornet Hats. Go for the fur felt, you won't be sorry.
http://www.hornetshats.com/f_hatview.ph ... ur%20Felts

Cheers!

Dan

BazzanoJones · Post by **BazzanoJones** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:21 am

First of all ask yourself what you expect by a hat:
1 - If you want a cheap hat which you'll can throw into the garbage when it will be shrink and ruined go for a cheaper wool felt.
2 - If you want an hat that resist for many many years go for a fur felt one.

Post by **Ken** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:35 pm

A well made fedora will survive the abuse you put it through.

I really trashed a Keppler during using it in a movie - it went to the desert, in the dust, in the mud, over waterfalls - the works. The thing looked amazing afterwards. And my subsequently purchased AB seems to be every bit as resiliant.

If you have a hat you want to get dragged behind a truck in, the key is to get a good hat - then it will stand up to that. I think if you get a cheap hat then once you try to abuse it at all it will look the price you paid for it, it wont retain its shape and who knows it might not even survive.

This doesnt mean you need an expensive hat, just a good quality one. The Federations seem to be a good line. You can also check the classifieds section for second hand ones.

Ken

I found my inspiration!

I found my inspiration!

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