Which is absolutely the exception, rather than the rule, from all the threads I've digested in this place. In light of this, I think such a comment needs to be backed up with a mention that this is a rare occurance, lest you give people the idea that it will be six weeks. Already in this thread someone has mentioned eight months... Neo is over a year... etc.
It sounds to me like you are bashing a vendor that you have never bought an item from and have no personal experience on which to draw. Well, so and so said that he has been waiting over a year, etc. etc.
Lee has sold a bunch of hats over the years. I see pics of gearheads wearing them at summits all the time. Not everyone has a complaint about Lee. Having said that, I think people have made enough posts about Lee that someone reading this forum can make an informed decision as to wether they want to do business with this vendor or not. I just don't like someone jumping on the bandwagon to help bash someone. I must admit that if it was my business, I would do things differently.
With all due respect, there is nothing too profound about the hat you just described - it sounds like a 'nice' hat. And particularly in light of what Fedora is now offering, it becomes even less profund. Further, Fedora is actually on e-mail, on the Web, answers often within 24 hours and is completely accountable for what he's doing, what his delays are, etc. With Lee, you have no idea what's going on. People mutter about being at gun shows, or not being tech savvy. Well... so what? Others suggest calling direct; people like Neolithic have done just that, for no result, even a year on.
Rob, name another Indy fedora that has beaver content, including any hat offered by Fedora, that costs $145 or less? (Bufflehead patiently humming the Jeopardy theme)
Agree. But I think there's also a case for the friendly neighbour who sticks their head over the fence sometimes and says, "Hey neighbour, I know you like that Chevy, but did you know that Ford are releasing a higher specc'd car, that looks better, and has no wait time?"
If you are referring to Fedora's 100% beaver, it costs $225 not $145 like the Keppler. Neither of Fedora's offerings in this price range have any beaver content and therefore are not "higher specc'd".
Informed decisions are smart decisions. I get the feeling that some of the oomph behind your e-mail is that you have a Keppler and feel inclined to 'defend' it to some degree. I'm not bound by such a thing, so perhaps it's easier for me to call a spade a spade in this situation; I don't know.
I have ordered a couple of items from Lee. They have come right on time and I have no complaints. The only thing that I can go by is how I was treated.
Yes, I have a Keppler as well as hats from other vendors. I also have a Herbert Johnson, but I don't have some undeniable urge to defend HJ right now. Maybe you can send some of my oomph in a totally different direction.
Yes, you can call a spade anything that you want to, but it still seems like you have never seen a Keppler fedora. You make it sound like I am the head of Keppler's customer service department. No thanks, I'm not looking for a job.
I don't mind someone posting that they have had a bad experience with a vendor. I think that it is good for the rest of us to be aware of the situation and it helps us be informed in making our purchases. It just seems to me that some people like to bash Lee on the forum and they have never had a business dealing with the man. That doesn't seem right to me. If he takes someone's money and doesn't deliver the product in over a year, that's not right either.
All of the information about vendors and products here are very helpful. But in the end, we all know that it is buyer beware. Everyone should look at all of the infromation and make an informed decision. Let's just try to be fair.
*DISCLAIMER* I have compared the Keppler fedora to each of the offerings from Adventurebilt hats during the course of this post. Having never seen any hats from Fedora, I still feel that they will be of the highest quality. I have posted several times that I want a 100% beaver hat from Fedora in both brown and grey. I think that when I receive my Indy brown 100% beaver fedora from Fedora, it will assume the lofty position of my favorite hat in my collection.
)
Thanks
Just look at my fellow countryman, Neolithic, who is still waiting on Keppler from 
)