Club Obi Wan

Hi folks
Im Jpevh, Ive been an Indy fan ever since i was a little kid and i always wanted my own Indy style fedora.not to long ago i stumbled across the IndyGear website and saw the range of Fedoras available and the prices so anyway i want to get my first fedora and was wondering what would be a good buy.last month i went to disneyland and saw that they sold Indy fedoras for $45 but they seemed really cheap so i didnt buy one.then i saw the Lee Keppler(Adventure Supply) fedora for $140.so was wondering what do you guys think.what direction should i go in as far as getting a good first fedora.thanks in advance
Jpevh

Well somebody's going to mention it eventually, so I might as well say it now: Adventurebilt would be an excellant choice. The Keppler would be a good choice, however I have heard some questions as to their durability. If you don't feel comfortable spending A LOT of money on a hat, the Akubra Federation would be a good choice as well. :junior: -IJ

Welcome to Club Obi Wan Jpevh!

You can buy a rabbit Adventurebilt for $145.00 dollars.

Read this thread.

EDIT: IndianaJones beat me to it!

Hi and Welcome,

Lee's is a good fed. I also offer the Camptown Hats Model 1936 Fedora, reviews of which you can find on the forum. I am currently offering a special for COW Members of $135.00 shipped plus PayPal fees.

Continue to ask questions though, and happy hunting !

Peace

Ken / JerseyJones

Thanks all for your input.i think ill go with the Keppler fedora.

Well, it depends on the money youhave to spend. All I know is that I am waiting on my first REAL fedora(have a DP) to show up. It is an Akubra Fed. And these turkeys on here already have me figuring out ways to get my wife and parents and anybody else to pitch in and get me an AB for Christmas.

Indiana_Tone wrote:One of the differences you might consider is that for $149.00 you get a fedora that is beaver felt as opposed to rabbit (if felt is a factor for you.)

Actually, the Keppler is a blend of beaver and rabbit.

well to me $140 for a keppler fedora is enough to spend on my first fedora.

Welcome Jpevh, I think the Rabbit AB, is about the same price though. I'ts up to you.

Cryptid~Explorer wrote:Welcome Jpevh, I think the Rabbit AB, is about the same price though. I'ts up to you.

Thanks for the welcome,i dont want to look stupid but what does AB stand for.

you can ask j-weaver about his rabbit adventurebilt . He seems to be very happy with it and looks great.

The AB is:
$250 for pure beaver felt
$175 for Pure rabbit
and the Keppler,which is 6X Beaver fur felt, is $140
what is the difference between beaver and rabbit which would be a better first fedora.

Fedora (Steve), gives a discount to COW members.

The rabbit is $135.00 for COW members. $145.00 with shipping.
The beaver is $225.00 for COW members. $235.00 with shipping.

Indiana Wayne wrote:Fedora (Steve), gives a discount to COW members.

The rabbit is $135.00 for COW members. $145.00 with shipping.
The beaver is $225.00 for COW members. $235.00 with shipping.

how would i go about ordering one with the discount.

Jpevh wrote:how would i go about ordering one with the discount.

I am not sure, but someone here will know.

Go on the member list and look up Fedora-he makes Adventurebilts. Send hima private message and ask him. He is very active in the group. Go for it. I wish I could get one right now. But need to wait.

It is an Akubra Fed. And these turkeys on here already have me figuring out ways to get my wife and parents and anybody else to pitch in and get me an AB for Christmas.

I know what you mean! I haven't even bashed my new Akubra and I already want an AB. Why so many choices?? It sure is fun though.

Wrightknife

how come the ribbon on the AB fedoras looks purple when the sun hits it.

I'm sure I'll dig the Akubra. I've heard great things, especially for the price. I just know that I'll end up getting an AB. Then I'll have two nice ones. Even better!!!

Thats exactly what I am planning Prairie.. I am going to bash the Akubra in the TOD style and get a Raiders AB probably sooner than later.

Wrightknife

Jpevh wrote:how come the ribbon on the AB fedoras looks purple when the sun hits it.

I think it is mostly a combination of sunlight and the camera.

Their has been a lot of good info about the AB posted in the last few days, so just browse through some of the recent topics.

I would check with Fedora about the members discount. I think there might have been a price change recently.

for me its between the Keppler Fedora and the Adventurebilt Fedora.the prices are about the same but the material isnt.the the keppler is 6X beaver and the less costly Adventurebilt is rabbit.so whats the difference between the two.

Jpevh wrote:for me its between the Keppler Fedora and the Adventurebilt Fedora.the prices are about the same but the material isnt.the the keppler is 6X beaver and the less costly Adventurebilt is rabbit.so whats the difference between the two.

Hi Jpevh,

Beaver is traditionally known to have finer finish, shape better and have some natural water resistance than rabbit. IMHO, though, Steve's rabbit is still better than some beaver hats I've seen.

Shamelessly I add that my Camptown Hat is 45-50% (apx) beaver fur and at $135.00 is the cheapest beaver blend lid going till I go back to standard COW pricing of $140.00.

Cheers,
Ken

Jpevh wrote:for me its between the Keppler Fedora and the Adventurebilt Fedora.the prices are about the same but the material isnt.the the keppler is 6X beaver and the less costly Adventurebilt is rabbit.so whats the difference between the two.

Welcome to COW, Jpevh! Beaver fur felt is usually regarded as the top of the line in felt. Rabbit is good, too, but beaver felt is of higher quality and density versus rabbit. Beaver is also more durable over time. Some hats are made of a blend of rabbit and beaver, like the Keppler. The Akubra Federation is a rabbit felt, but it is also a very durable hat, too.

As an AdventureBilt owner, I can tell you that Fedora's 100% beaver hats are some of the best hats quality you'll find anywhere these days. He also has the magic touch in achieving the true Indy look in his hats in the opinion of many here. However, I don't own an AdventureBilt (or "AB") rabbit, so all I can do is attest to the comments made by owners of the AB rabbit.

That all being said, you've taken a very important qualifier and stuck to it: price. How much are you willing to pay for a hat at this point? It's a very important question many overlook in their responses. You said the $140 range is what you have to spend. Sure, the AB rabbit is cheaper, but you can get a rabbit/beaver blend for little more. At this rate, I'd consider Jersey's shameless Camptown rabbit/beaver blend as an option. Sure, you shape the hat, but for some, that's half the fun. I've also read some good reviews of his hat, too.

If you had an unlimited budget, I'd recommend the 100% beaver AdventureBilt, just from personal experience. (I have not owned a Keppler or Camptown yet, so I can't give my own true opinion of them.) Fedora's hats are priced FAR below what most hat makers charge for a full beaver hat and they're better than most, too. However, since you've got your budget set, I'd say it looks like it should be a toss up between the Keppler and the Camptown for you. Good luck!

bink

bink, it's good seeing that you are back. I hope the move went well.

Man this is a hard choice Im going with an AB fedora but which one is the true choice.$235 for the beaver or $145 for the rabbit.I think ill go to a good hat shop in the L.A area that would sell both types of Fedoras.

since this would be my first Fedora,Im for certin going with a Keppler, because of its price and the fact that its made out of 6X Beaver.

JPevh, before you order, ask Lee Keppler how long the wait time is, if that's a factor for you. He may have your size on hand, but if he doesn't he'll have to order it and that could take some time. He's great to deal with though, and I'd suggest calling him as he doesn't do emails much. 619-647-6744

well before i even order a fedora, i want to go try one on and see if its right for me.I know this may seem like a dumb question but does anyone know of a good hat shop in the L.A area that would carry a Raiders style fedora.

hey Lee Keppler is down in the San Diego area and sometimes does gun shows in the LA area. You should ask him if he's gonna be up in your area at a show and he might have one for you try on and buy there.

I Pmd him so hopefully he can help me out.

jpenman wrote:bink, it's good seeing that you are back. I hope the move went well.

Thanks! I'm still on the fringes, but the move was successful. I hope to be poking my head in here more often soon...

Jpevh, it's a good idea to try on a fedora to see if it looks good on you. A good hat is a wise invenstment unless you're not happy with how it looks on you! I will say, however, that an AdventureBilt is different from most any other fedora you'll find in an average hat shop. Keep in mind, though that the 6X Beaver content in the Keppler is not a 100% Beaver content like the AdventureBilt. I say this in case the percentage of beaver content is vital to your decision. As stated, if money is not an option and you're looking for the "perfect" Indy hat, then you can't go wrong with the beaver AB. The Keppler is a good choice for the money, from what I've heard and sounds like the choice for you if you're looking to stay within the $150 range and still want beaver fur content. But don't forget the Camptown, either. If I've heard correctly, it has a heavier beaver content than the Keppler and is about the same price, if not a little cheaper.

Just so I can get things straight, this is what I'm assuming is important to you in a hat:
1. Good Indy fedora
2. High beaver content in the blend or 100% beaver felt
3. Price

Did I get that right?

bink

Bink, it's good to see you back.

Since you're in CA, you might contact Lee and see if he's going to be at a gun show local to you. If so and if he has a hat your size on hand, you might be able to get one in person and meet Lee at the same time. He's a great guy to chat with regarding gear history.

Sounds like a plan,ill give him a call this week.

The Camptown is a 50/50 mix of beaver and rabbit. You can currently pick one up from JerseyJones for $135. Regards! Michaelson

Is there any difference between a Camptown and a Keppler besides the keppler being 5 bucks more.

well besides the Camptown being made of better quality felt... :junior: -IJ

IndianaJones wrote:well besides the Camptown being made of better quality felt... :junior: -IJ

is there a website for the camptown fedoras

No, not yet, you'll need to PM JerseyJones.

could someone post some good pics of a Camptown fedora.

jpenman wrote:Bink, it's good to see you back.

Thanks again, jpenman. I'll probably remain a bit sparce until completly settled in, though. What's more important now, however, is that Jpevh gets himself a good hat! There are many good choices, but it sounds like you're doing the right homework which will lead you to the perfect hat for your needs! Good luck!

bink

These are the only pics of the Camptown I know of.
Camptown

Ken, I hope you don't mind me linking your photo album.

thanks bink,im just trying to weigh all my options so i get the best quality fedora at the best price for me.BTW-Thanks everyone who've been helping me out and giving me good info.

No problem! I just want you to be happy with your buy and to buy wisely, to boot! (Nevermind my personal biases.) By the look of things, I think you'll do just fine.
bink

J_Weaver wrote:These are the only pics of the Camptown I know of.
Camptown

Ken, I hope you don't mind me linking your photo album.

Heck no ! Thanks for helping a fellow out. And jpevh, I PM'd you !

Thanks
Ken / JJ

just to be clear, i haven't givin up on the Keppler as a posibility.

Whoa, you've got blue in your liner! Mine's all white.

Here's my Keppler. I love it!

Ive narrowed it down to the Camptown or the Keppler and after seeing those pics of Indiana_Tone's Keppler im leaning more to the Keppler.but that doesnt mean im going with a Keppler for sure cause ive heard that they take a while to ship, a year i heard from one guy.

it will probably be a month or so before i buy one,cant spare the $140 right now. my hat size is an XL.no i havent called him yet,not much of a phone person, but ill call him way before i put the order in.