Club Obi Wan

Perhaps against my better judgement, I ordered a Federation (again), in size 58 (again), which fits me fine in my Akubra Squatter, and two other Federations I have. I just got it today, and it is fully one size too large (as was the 58 Fed Deluxe I tried recently). It also has a most peculiar shape. Above the ribbon, it is straight-sided. below the ribbon, it bells out quite a bit. The best way to describe it might be to imagine taking a nicely blocked hat, then stretching the bottom of the crown out at least one size, while leaving the upper part of the crown alone. On my first Fed 58, I don't recall this shaping (I don't have it with me, as it is out for reblocking after one of my disastrous attempts at shaping...). On my second Fed 58, a gray one (which has other problems...fuzziness and even "shedding"), I could see a hint of this odd shape, but it was not nearly so pronounced. On the Fed Deluxe 58 that I sent back, I don't recall so much how it was shaped, but do recall it being quite too large, just like this one. SO, I'm giving the Fed ONE LAST SHOT at making a good Indy style hat. I'm sending this one back to give a size 57 a try. I have read that some sizes of the Federation have better blocks than others. The first one I got some time ago was a 59, and too big, but the hat itself looked quite good. I sold it to a forum member with a bigger noggin than mine. I'm hopin' that the 57 block is much nicer than the 58 seems to be.

Anyone else have these problems? Or am I the only one? (usually, I am...) Any good photos of size 57 Federations?

Here's the hat.




I look like I belong in a Danny Kaye movie or something.... The only thing holding the hat up is my ears.

I am bound and determined to get a good Indy hat, and I am seriously liking this color. I'm going to give the Federation one final chance, but if unsuccessful, I'm getting another Squatter or maybe a Bushman from David Morgan and doing an Indy hat from that (I am supremely impressed with the blocked shape of the Squatter). I'll have to find a ribbon somewhere. I have no clue where to get ribbons. Hey, where can I get a Campdraft?

I see the odd block shape... none of mine have that, but they are 59's. The size problem does not shock me. I'm a 60, but the 59's are perfect on me.

Campdraft; If you e-mail hatsdirect, they will tell you how to order one from them. It's not a standard item for their inventory. If you want to deal with somebody else, try http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/
and ignore the bash in the picture. The Campdraft is awesome.

I think I read here that someone got them to measure the inside of the hat before they sent it to make sure it was the right size. Maybe you could ask them to measure the inside of the hat they are going to send you before they mail it out?

I have a Campdraft and a Federation and aside from the ribbon cannot tell them apart. They are the same color, same block and same brim in the same size.The Campdraft has a thin ribbon and a wind trolley. otherwise its the same hat

Indiana Kev wrote:I think I read here that someone got them to measure the inside of the hat before they sent it to make sure it was the right size. Maybe you could ask them to measure the inside of the hat they are going to send you before they mail it out?

That would have been me, Kev.

I'm still surprised folks aren't asking them to do that.

AH well.

Regards! Michaelson

Akubra sizing is odd, to be sure. The Squatter (which is now my all time favorite hat, never far from my side) is a 58, and fits me very well. Just a tiny bit large, but that's perfectly fine. I'll ask them to measure for me and tell me how many inches the replacement 57 is around. I want this to be an Indy hat (well, let's say an "indy-type" hat....no turn or anything), and I think the tawny fawn would make a real good Indy color...at least a whole lot better than the super dark brown of the "mid-brown".

I am really diggin' the Campdraft...wind trolley too (how do those work anyway?). The color is the light beige-ish color, which is cool (I think I'll get one anyway), but not an "Indy color".

I still have some different Akubra options open to me....

The button on the trolley was attached through a button hole, usually on a man's jacket lapel, and if the wind blew it off, the elastic band and button would hold it close enough for the hat to be caught before it got away.

It's more of a decorative item now. They come on the PBBM's from Peters brothers, and when I demonstrated to my wife how a trolley worked by holding the button and dropping the hat to the floor, the elastic snapped completely off the hat, leaving me holding the button and string, and the hat rolling around on the floor.

Needless to say, my wife wasn't impresed.

Regards! Michaelson

That took a notch out of being a "Knower of Things," huh? Problem is, even with wind trolleys, not all suits have a functional button hole in the lapel anymore.

I think the "bell shape" under the ribbon is possibly Raiders accurate, producing this effect. (GCR's Fed D.) I have noticed it on all my Feds and my 2 Bushmen. In my opinion it's caused by stiffening shellac, infused into the brim and the first inch of the crown, swelling the felt. Here's my faveorite Indy hat, an old Bushman. You can actually SEE the inch of whiteish shellac, above the ribbon. I currently prefer the Bushman to the Federation. It's not as tall, but it has less side taper. My next new hat will likely be a brown Bushman from hatsdirect, without eyelets. I have two pre Raiders HJ's that don't seem to have that inch of stiffener at the base of the crown. If anyone has an old or new HJ that has it, I'd like to hear about it.

To refresh memories, and for the newer guys. The Federations run a tad large for a given size. But, once you wear the hat and sweat in it, the sweatband shrinks up to fit perfectly(or at least all 12 of mine did) I always figured this was planned oversizing. I bought a 57 once, due to the sizing issue, and once I sweated in this hat, I could not wear it anymore!! So, I moved back to the 58, and once the hat settles in, it was a great fit. Fedora

This one (like others) is just way too big.

Now, other Akubra hats seem to be sized more "correctly" than the Federation.... My 58 Squatter was considerably smaller than the Fed. It was just ever so slightly large for me when I got it, but now it fits almost perfectly.

That's definately a weird flare, to be sure. I've owned four Federations, two deluxe and two regular, and I've never seen that shape before.

As for the sizing issue, I also can't say I've noticed them running large at all. My first two Feds (regular, then a deluxe) were both 59's, which is what I measure out to almost exactly. After wearing (and sweating in) the deluxe, in addition to the amount of turn I'd put into the hat I really wished it was just a little bigger.

My next hat was a regular gray fed, which I got in size 60. After turning this hat and it snugging up with wear it now fits me perfectly, as does my newest Federation deluxe.

I guess the Akubra's inconsistant sizing is REALLY inconsistant!