Just received my Fed IV regular. This is my first hat ever, but wow is it beautiful. The color is so rich. But anyway, it was a bit too big out of the box, and I applied the roll of foam. I think it is now a bit too small, although I'm not really sure since I'm not really sure how tight is too tight. It sits on my head and I'm pretty sure it won't come off in a large wind...
If I do decide it is now too small with the foam, or if it shrinks some over time, how do I go about removing some of the foam? I've searched the boards, but I haven't found this probably too-obvious answer.
Do you, well, shave it off to make it thinner? Do you cut pieces of it off? If so, from which area of the hat? Do I need thinner foam?
iam in the same situation . my hat was just a little bit to big out of the box so i applied all of the foam tape inside the leather band or inside of it now fits rather snugs but i was wondering how tight was too tight?. i have ared mark on my forehead when i take it off so is that just to tight? it feels cumfy but after a while it gets a bit uncomfortable lol but im not planning on wearing it for hours on end
With the foam sizing tape, I hope that you didn't put all of it on. You only need to part of it. The first day I had my Fed IV, I only put enough tape to go inside the back of the sweat band. I only needed a piece that was a little more than half the size of the normal pieces they give you.
Over a week later, the hat started getting more snug on my head, so I just pulled the foam tape out, slowly. No harm done, and the hat fits very well now.
I don't like the foam. My Fed fit fine front to back but was loose on the sides.
I folded up strips of paper towel and put them under the sweat on both sides.
If and when the hat shrinks a bit I'll take them out.
I'd like to suggest another homemade alternative to the foam tape: bubble wrap.
I cut a small strip of bubble wrap for my DP (which is my placeholder hat until my Fed IV arrives this week) and inserted it in the back of the sweatband. Works like a charm and is easily removable.
\S/
Last edited by Superman on Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
It sounds like many of us experienced the same thing when we first received our Fed IV's. Initially mine was loose enough to slip over the tops of my ears, but I'd read the numerous threads on this forum about the Fed IV before I made my purchase, so I knew to expect this. I tucked one of the pieces of foam tape (without removing the paper from the adhesive) under the headband just to see how much it would affect the fit. It snugged right up, but I didn't like the way the foam tape distorted the headband so I removed it. After wearing it a few days the hat began to snug up on it's own, and after a week it's now (what I consider to be) a perfect fit.
Between the quality of the Fed IV, the price, and the service I received from Hats Direct, I'd say I chose wisely. But I readily admit I couldn't have done it without the wealth of information available through Club Obi Wan. I can't think of another forum that offers such detailed information about any given subject.
I just got my first Fed IV today and had exactly the same thing, thought i got it a size too big when i first put it on but i put the foam in under the sweatband and now it feels fine, i used the whole amount but am going to take some out now or try one of the other methods, great hat though!
I had the same problem with my Fed IV. Right out of the box the hat was too big, but even using half the foam tape made it too tight. I just took some newspaper, folded it into a 5 inch strip, and stuck under the sweatband in the back. A little over a month later, it fit fine without it.
Has anyone had a Keppler? Do the sweatbands shrink up in the same manner? If anything my hat seems to be sitting lower than when I first received it, but that may be because I haven't used any sizing tape yet.
I put some foam tape in my Keppler but the sweat has not shrunk. I guess that is a testament to the quality of Lee's hats. It fits quite nicely with the foam and the distortion to the sweat doesn't bother me as it is on my head all the time anyway.
DR Ulloa wrote:I put some foam tape in my Keppler but the sweat has not shrunk. I guess that is a testament to the quality of Lee's hats. It fits quite nicely with the foam and the distortion to the sweat doesn't bother me as it is on my head all the time anyway.
Dave
Well that's disconcerting. I've always been a 7 1/8 in ROTC and all that, but I guess these feds fit differently because I've got the dent riding on the top of my head. From what I understand the dent should never touch your head.
I had the same problem when I recieved my Federation a year ago. It was a bit too big so I put all of the sizing tape in it (without removing the paper covering the adhesive). Then it was a little too snug so I put enough tape in to just fill half of the sweatband and then it fit perfectly.
I'm not sure why some people are recommending paper towels, etc. The sizing foam seems to work great in my opinion. But then again I just might not have run into the same problems with my hat size as some of you guys. I dunno....
iv just taken out the foam tape and put my hat back on and it isnt loose anymore?! lol that was fast! 
