Club Obi Wan

Hi everyone!

Just a quick 'hello'. I joined COW last year, but have been rather busy moving from the UK to Canada (hi to all my fellow Canadians!) and never got round to introducing myself.

I have two Akubra Feds - a well-worn brown one and a "for best" grey one. I've reblocked the brown fed, but the liner could do with replacing, and possibly the sweat band too.

It's -20 degC in Calgary right now! It's so cold the breath freezes in your nostrils. I'm going to test drive my beloved brown Fed in the snow tomorrow - it's withstood the heat of the Canary Islands, the rain of England, and now it's going to get the snow of Calgary!

I'm considering getting a Fed Deluxe - does anyone own both, and if so, would you recommend having both, or would just the basic Fed be OK?

Best regards,
Eaton

Welcome to Canada!

There are a few of us Canucks around here, including at least 2 in Calgary.

You'll enjoy yourself here!

Cheers
Craig

Welcome, Eaton! Glad you made it 'cross the pond okay!

I cannot speak personally about the Akubra Fed Deluxe, but I used to have a Standard Federation which I wore in all kinds of weather. The hat held up very well, though it did begin to taper after a while. Keep in mind, though, that I also wore it in several heavy downpours, as well as a couple snow storms. If you treat it with a proper water repllent, then that should help stay off the taper a bit. My beaver AdventureBilts, however, have held up VERY nicely. After a year of solid wear, I finally sent mine back for a reblock and it looks good as new. Whereas my Akubra had noticeable taper five or six months in, my AdventureBilt only gained a small bit of taper within the year. Either way, the Akubra is still a great hat and is meant to be worn in all kinds of weather. Though I am a professed AdventureBilt fan now, my Akubra served me proud.

bink

I should have fully read your post before my first reply, as I can tell you exactly how a Fed fares in the snow!

Fantastically ! I've had one for years now, and I've worn it all year 'round (all world 'round, for that matter ). It will hold up to the worst weather that Canada can throw at it (I grew up about 7 hours north of Thunder Bay--WAY north--so I know some of the worst Canadian weather. But if you don't like it, wait 10 minutes. It'll change)

The only thing is: Ears. I no longer wear my fed in the winter if it's windy, not because it'll blow away but because the windchill literally freezes my ears off. Unless you get some ear covers, i'd not reccomend it, especially in Calgary (the windchill there can be REALLY bad)! However, there are options for keeping the ears covered too.

Cheers
Craig

What, you mean your ears aren't big enough to just tuck up into your hat?

Ear mittons?

Regards! Michaelson

Maybe I should buy an Indywig, bink, and comb it down over my ears

Cheers
Craig

One IndyWig (tm) comin' right up!

Welcome to both COW and to Cowtown!

The other Calgarians here are CrazyLegsMurphy and "Lash" Dittmer, who are low-key lurkers, and there is one other fella here from Calgary, though I've never met him (and can't remember his handle).

By the way, it's only minus 15 here in Calgary right now. I wear my Adventurebilt til about minus 30, then the Soviet fur hat replaces it briefly.

PM me, we'll chat further. I'm going to put on a mini Summit here on the May long weekend, by the way.

Eaton, welcome to Club Obi Wan!

A move from the UK, eh? Just out of curiousity, which part of the UK are you from?

Farnham54 wrote:The only thing is: Ears. I no longer wear my fed in the winter if it's windy, not because it'll blow away but because the windchill literally freezes my ears off. Unless you get some ear covers, i'd not reccomend it, especially in Calgary (the windchill there can be REALLY bad)! However, there are options for keeping the ears covered too.

Cheers
Craig

Craig, you're absolutely right, as I found out today (speaks with hot water bottle taped to each ear). However, I think I might have hit upon a solution - tomorrow I'm gonna try wrapping my scarf round my lugs before I place Fed on noggin. Ha Ha! - let the four winds blow!

Regards,
Eaton

Canyon wrote:which part of the UK are you from?

From sunny old Devon (bet it's not -15 degrees there right now!)

Regards,
Frank

Eaton wrote:
Craig, you're absolutely right, as I found out today (speaks with hot water bottle taped to each ear). However, I think I might have hit upon a solution - tomorrow I'm gonna try wrapping my scarf round my lugs before I place Fed on noggin. Ha Ha! - let the four winds blow!

Regards,
Eaton

Wont you need to cut out eyeholes? Zorro style.

Welcome to the board

Ken

Nice of the temperature to drop 10 degrees when the sun goes down, isn't it? If I see another guy in a scarf and fedora, I'll be sure to nod at ya at least.

Welcome to COW.

How'd do you like the weather in Calgary today, Eaton? Plus 10. Not too shabby for Xmas week.