Club Obi Wan

I really like the AB hat and vote for it. I think it's the best hat around.
However, right now I really cannot afford the price and the wait.

So I'd like to ask you guys which you consider to be the second best hat? In terms of screen accuracy ONLY and not price durability quality and other factors.

Please help.

I've read that the Akubra fed is a good hat and there isn't much of a wait.

Buy a JPD... Jimmy pierces work is fantastic! (and priced right!)

I have a Akubra Federation Deluxe, and I think this is leastwise the second best Indy hat. I love this hat, it´s colour, it´s felt and it´s form. Nice price, nice hat, that´s my vote :!: :!:

I also think the Akubra Federation Deluxe is a great Indy hat. Looks, cost, quick delivery, and durability are all in the Akubra's favor. If total screen accuracy is your goal you'll probably want to have the bow redone to look more like the HJ-style bow because the Akubra bow doesn't quite match the film hat.

Based on the pics and reviews I've seen of the Jimmy Pierce hat I don't think you would go wrong there either, but I can't comment from actually owning one. Yet.

I also have a Akruba Fed regular... It is also a great hat - the color is a bit off and the bow is not screen acurate, but it is a great hat!

The JPD looks accurate- good bow, great bashing (or open crown if you like...) and custom made.

Coronado

The best indy hat ever is the HJ ! again, i told this before , i've seen a screenused hat and have it in hand and the felt color is still the same !

all the other hats i got where too greenish or too chocolate brown !
and i have a lot !

the best raiders hat will be a reblock HJ

Doc is right that someone like yourself, Platon, would want an HJ since it is the screen used hat. However, the price of the new HJ's are fairly close to an AB which is a MUCH, MUCH better quality hat all around.
If I were you I'd start looking hard for a used HJ with a decent crown height. Then you can most likely get a deal on the original hat. Then since Fedora is blocking non-AB's again I'd highly recommend sending it to him for a reblock on that beautiful block he has. He can probably remove some of the stiffner you'll be likely to encounter as well.

So long as you have a tall enough crown to take that block then I'd say you'll be a happy camper.

Still, if you're impatient like myself I'd look into the Fed. Do some homework in the archives and see which Fed will work best for you. There are color issues with some of them so be careful what you choose. Just read up on it. It's all there.

Platon, have you ever seen an AB in person?

No agent5, I have not. I have seen some close up photos and I understand that it is a very high quality and design hat.

In the photo below from doc riviere's collection



I observe that the 3 hats in the back look almost the same. If they were not named I would be unable to identity them. The 2 hats HJ in the front look as if they have a tapered crown.

I like how the Fed deluxe looks in that pci and would be very satisfied if that pic is close to the real thing.

Your comments will be appreciated.

yes, the HJ on the right is tappered, i first shaped it as ToD then raiders but it doesnt work that way ! the one on left is pretty straight, as it can appear in some raiders scene. The AB is great quality, i think too great for an indy hat, it is beaver but the indy is rabbit and it is too much chocolate color

screen accuracy only....the HJ of course. regardless of how the company has gone downhill over the years, you can still get a bang on TOD or LC hat out of todd's shop. now to make the current HJ into a raiders hat.....thats the tough part.

If not AB, my vote goes to the Jimmy Pierce Designs Indy fedora (It's a custom hat but with a fairly quick turnaround time) or the Akubra Fed Deluxe. I think the JPD might have the edge in terms of price and screen-accuracy (the Akubra bow is NOT screen-accurate right out of the box, plus the block-shape apparently varies depending on size, though the 7 3/8ths block that was used on mine sure looked Raiders enough) while the Akubra has the edge in terms of durability, (for now) as this is the only major unknown on the JPD (this offering is too new for adequate reviews and field trials, I guess)

I own the Fed Deluxe, and with the right shape, bash and a little work on the bow (or a complete ribbon change) it looks pretty dang good, in my opinion. But the JPDs I've seen recently have looked mighty mighty fine as well, I'll be sure and post pics and a good review when I get mine. Good luck on your hat search, PLATON!

-GCR

Ok now the million dollar question.

Which hat has taller crown? The JPD or the Fed Akubra?

On the JPD you can choose. How tall do you want?

I want AB tall. How tall is the AB?

I believe it is 5 1/2 but you can choose 5 3/4 also.

i dont understand why you want the hat with the taller crown PLATON ?? look closly at raiders and you' ll see the crown is not so tall as lot of people think

yeah, if you have a normally shapped face (ie. not tall and thin) go with the 5 1/2 inch open height crown. On me, a 5 3/4th looked like a stovepipe hat. I have a 5 1/2 coming from JPD.

Jimmy Pierce can make it either way, with oval shape, brim size, and other specifics customizable. He will also bash it for you in any particular style. He is well versed in the different Indy styles...raven bar, SOC, etc. and will do a turn if you want it.

He has some pics in the vendor section and on his site... or look at Tone's thread on JPD. it has good pics. I believe it's a JPD on his avitar

The Akruba is great as well... I have a fedreg. the color is just slightly weird. Not shocking or anything, just slightly grey. And you have to bash it yourself (which is fun, but could be frustrating!)

My vote in the 100$ range is JPD. You can't go wrong with his work.

Trust me...

Coronado

coronado3 wrote:He is well versed in the different Indy styles...raven bar, SOC, etc. and will do a turn if you want it.
Coronado

He SHOULD be well versed. He was one of the very FIRST professional hatmakers we ever had that CREATED our hats, and studied the videos frame by frame to understand what we wanted. I believe he's figured it out by now. He ain't no 'new kid on the block' in our hobby by any stretch of the imagination.

Regards! Michaelson

I have not seen, or worn one of Jimmy's hats, that is, his Indy Cury felted hat, so I certainly cannot comment, and him being another Indy custom hatter, forbids me from judging detail by detail. What I have seen of them in pics looks darn good to me. And Jimmy learned the trade from PB.

But, I have seen and owned the rest. And the Akubra Federation and Deluxe Fed have always been my fav for rabbit felted hats. I like them because I know that Australian rabbit fur is the best fur to use, because it is wild rabbit, and not farmed. And used to be the choice of many hatmakers when they could get it. The other thing that I like about the Akubra brand, is it is a very old company, still in business with the original machines, and it has history. This means little to most folks, but to others like me, it is a huge plus. But what I like the most about Akubra is one of their hats saved me from a nasty head cut, when I was hit in the head by a huge recieivng bay door that had been blown off its tracks by a tornado. I fell 8 feet once the door hit my head. If the Federation had not been on my head, there would have been much more damage. Oh, the hat was unscathed!! I walked away with a egg sized knot. Fedora

I don't think you can get a better endorsement than that! The Akruba saved his life! OUCH!!!

Coronado

Yeah, Fedora you should be doing endorsements for the company after that. That sure proves the Akubra's certainly are tough.

Personally, I'm pleased that Steve decided against further exploration on this method of 'pre-distressing' felt.

Actually, that story HAS been circulated in the Akubra circles, though I'm sure after all this time it's been diluted, names changed, as well as locations in the retelling.

Regards! Michaelson

Platon, I have a JPD on the way (and it should be here soon). I'll give it a thorough review next to my AB when it arrives (if you can wait that long). From what I've seen and read here, it's probably the most accurate and best quality for the price range. Still, I love the standard Federation, even if the color is... well... you know. I still wear my first Fed more than any other hat, even though it is stained, worn, and far from my best bash. It's not even an Indy bash (Oh, the Horror!).
Chewie

Tone,
I didn't bash the AB myself (I wanted one by the master). But I did hand bash the AB I sold, so I have the experience. Anyway, I'll do a multi-hat comparison, since I have an AB, a Keppler, the old Fed, and a brand new Fed that I never got around to bashing! And yes, I asked for my JP to be open crowned! I don't know what his turn-around time is at this point, but expect to have it this month. :
Chewie

I recieved my new JPD raiders styled fed today... It is fantastic! It looks exactly like the photos posted on JPD's site...

I also have a reg fed from Akruba - Wow! the JPD is hands down a closer reproduction to the untapered Raiders hat.

THe new JPD is of Jimmy's new specs with the 5 1/2 crown (my first one had the 5 3/4) Now my Akruba looks too tall and tapered (and green!)- I guess I will rebash it into the Bridge TOD style! Who had the recipe for bleaching the reg fed?

I got my order in with JPD during his holiday special of $100, but you can still get these lids for $115 with the curry rabbit body. $125 with the deluxe felt.

Coronado

pics pics pics my friend!!!! i love seeing JP's work!

i've pm'd JP this week to see if he wants to try reproducing the TOD village hat.....the one everyone hates

he relayed that he's gonna watch TOD today to see what he can come up with.

post pics soon coronado....we're dying here!!!

I think Tone , Bleached his akubra.

I have my new JPD, and I am working on a review of it that compares it with all of my other "Indy hats" as promised. If the weather is OK tomorrow, I should have decent pics. I'll start a new thread for this.

For the review, Should I include measurements of all the hats, or are we all good on that stuff?

Oh, and in case Jimmy is looking... don't worry, I like the hat.
Chewie

If there was a standard Issue Kit for new members, an Akubra Federation would be in it.

If there was a standard Issue Kit for new members, an Akubra Federation would be in it.

THAT'S a good one, Fisk! True dat!

don't get me wrong... i really love the look and the feel of my Akruba as well - It is going to be my fly fishing hat - so it is going to get wet and dirty, but that is what Indy was all about anyway!

I'll probably keep the JPD clean and nice - at least until I get comfortable wearing it...Then, who knows!

Coronado