Michaelson wrote:That would be kind of an apples and oranges comparison, wouldn't it?
The Fed is a factory produced hat, where the HJ is a custom 'bespoke' hat. Not sure what would be gained there.
My understanding, if I have read through the discussions on this forum correctly over the years, is that the original Raiders hat was an off-the-shelf HJ Poet that was hand-trimmed and shaped after purchase. (Please correct me if I am mistaken.) I am also under the understanding that the Akubra Fed IV was designed with input from senior COW members to replicate as closely as possible the hat seen onscreen. (Again, please correct me if I am mistaken.)
While having a "bespoke" hat that looks "just like the movie hat" straight out of the box might be important to some people, others of us, or perhaps it's just me alone, kind of like the idea of owning an off-the-shelf hat that looks as accurate as is reasonably possible, then allowing it to become an "Indy hat" through hand-shaping and real-world wear. Certainly a higher-grade felt custom hat would stand up to considerable real world wear, but my experience with Akubra hats suggests that their rabbit fur felt is plenty capable of withstanding a lot of use and abuse.
The apples and oranges analogy is accurate in that, described in words, it's not particularly easy to effectively describe the differences in appearance between an apple and an orange, beyond color. And even then, some oranges are green, as are some apples. Oranges are "more round," but how do you describe the shape of an apple, other than "apple shaped," unless you want to get in to some pretty complex mathematical description that is almost as complicated as describing the subtle differences between versions of the Indy hat?
For similar reasons, I, for one, would find it helpful to actually see a side-by-side comparison of the new HJ, which some seem to think is the most screen accurate bespoke Indy hat to date (although others have their personal favorites), with the Fed IV or Fed IV Deluxe, which is often recommended as the most screen accurate mass-produced Indy hat.
Some people like oranges. Some people prefer apples. Which looks better, an orange or an apple? Which Indy hat looks better, or more screen accurate, a factory hat like the Fed, or a "bespoke" hat that is made to resemble a factory hat that's been through the wringer? (Yes, kids, the phrase is "through the wringer," not "ringer." Back in the day the old washing machines had... nah, never mind.)
While I appreciate the photos of the HJ compared to other custom or bespoke hats, that's definitely comparing oranges to oranges, and the differences, to my undiscerning eye, are quite minute (although I must say that I looked at the photos without first reading the captions, and the HJ was the one that stood out to me as looking "the best"). Some years ago, when I got my first Fed IV, the moment I pulled it out of the box the appearance, setting quality aside, was worlds beyond the "authentic" Dorfman Pacific I (and some of you guys) started with. I would like to see if the difference in appearance between a "great" bespoke hat and a "very good" mass produced factory hat is similarly dramatic, or are we getting in to minimally incremental improvements territory?
What's to be gained? A greater appreciation for bespoke hats. A better understanding of the differences between good mass-produced hats and good custom hats. Or, potentially, a realization that a reasonably priced and readily available factory produced hat might not be all that different in external appearances from a much more expensive custom hat.
That's why I'm hoping for comparison photos between the Fed IV and the HJ.