Standard or long oval

[slowdevil]

It's been years since I've posted. Hi, all.

When you have a long oval head, do you think it's better to get a long oval fedora, or get a standard shape and try to stretch it and shape it to your head?

I have a long oval Adventurebilt that Steve made for me years ago, and it's quite good, but recently I was giving it a little squeeze on the sides or pushing the front and back out and noticing how the swoop in the brim becomes more pronounced. It's very cool. I wonder if taming a regular hat into my head shape is possible. Could I run into problems, is it even worth the effort... especially if I'm spending a big chunk of change on a nice hat.

[Castor Dioscuri]

Easiest thing to do would be to try on a standard shape and compare what you think of the fit. Even if a standard looks better, if it doesn't fit comfortably, you probably won't like wearing it.

If you live near a hat shop, that would be a great place to start, otherwise just order a couple lids off Amazon, try them on, and return them afterwards. I mean, that's obviously not a perfect solution, but it's a start.

Food for thought though, it is possible that your AB isn't in the same shape it was when Steve made it. Depending on use, and conditions when worn, it might be an entirely different shape now. Maybe even more fitted to your head on the sides, and more gappy in the front and back.

[teneas]

I have both. More often than not the ones made for me as long oval feel and fit better. Makes me love the hat all the more. Round heads are weird by the way lol

[slowdevil]

Food for thought though, it is possible that your AB isn't in the same shape it was when Steve made it. Depending on use, and conditions when worn, it might be an entirely different shape now. Maybe even more fitted to your head on the sides, and more gappy in the front and back.

The AB was always a pretty good and comfortable fit. If anything, it feels like it may have shrunk just enough over the years to be an even better fit.

Before that hat, and before Steve schooled me on long oval, I had a couple different standard-shaped hats that WERE too tight front to back and had gaps on the sides. They weren't very pliable felts, though. Kinda thick, and one was very rigid with stiffener like a cowboy hat.

I wonder if a rabbit HJ would be malleable enough to comfortably reshape to my head.

[Castor Dioscuri]

The rabbits I have from HJ are all very soft with alot of give, definitely not western weight. If anything, the sweatband would be the only thing with any resistance, but if the hat's the same size (just different shape), I doubt that should matter...?

With that said though, if you didn't like how a standard AB fit on you, you very likely might have the same issues with a HJ. There's a possibility a standard HJ might fit better on you than an AB since it's a different block, and since the shape of people's heads can and do change somewhat over the years, but without trying it on, it's so hard to say.

If I were in your shoes, I'd take the plunge, otherwise you'll always wonder "What if...?" However, I guess it just really depends on how risk-tolerant you are . Arguably, if you do decide to go with a standard, you could always have it reblocked later by HJ to a long oval if you don't like how it fits, but that would just take a while, and might be somewhat expensive depending on where you live. Still, cheaper than being stuck with a hat you don't like.

[Indiana Jeff]

...ones made for me as long oval feel and fit better. Makes me love the hat all the more.

Personally if I had a long oval head and I have the option, I would get a long oval hat. That's the benefit of going custom, get what fits you best.

The brim swoop is generally achieved with "the turn." And having a long oval head requires less turn to get the desired effect.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff