Club Obi Wan

Which is the toughest hat out there aside from the AB, as we all are in agreement that it's the very best?

So aside from an AB which hat can handle the roughest treatment?

The Akubra's are a hearty bunch. And the Peter Bros Custom (nicknamed "Bulletproof") can also stand up to a ton of punishment.

Those are the two with the longest track record in my personal experience, so I'd vote that way as well. My Camptown 'twins' are holding their own, and I didn't have my Keppler long enough to even form a decent opinion.

Regards! Michaelson

Well, toughness is important to me. So if the Camptowns are as tough as they say, then I'm glad I got one.

I say akubra. PB bleed to much.

The old felt was reported to do that at times (mine never did), but the new felt is the same as AB.

So, it only goes to reason that if a new PB bleeds now, so will your AB's.

No one has reported an AB bleeding, so it must be correct to assume the new PB's won't either.

Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:So, it only goes to reason that if a new PB bleeds now, so will your AB's.

I love reasoning problems. "If... she... weighs... the same as a duck,... she's made of wood" I think Michaelson is a witch.

These are pretty tough. Definitely NOT AB's.

I got better..... 8-[

Regards! Michaelson

http://www.coloradokayak.com/Store/Helm ... 8Ta38Nbxj0

It's a fair cop.

My vote goes for Akubra. The one pictured below has been exposed to torrential down pours, snow storms, desert sun, crushed under the hoof of a horse, carried around by my dog, having a 2x4 crack me on the skull, and me falling asleep and using it as a pillow . Its never been reblocked (yet) and still has a ton of life in it.

Michaelson wrote:The old felt was reported to do that at times (mine never did), but the new felt is the same as AB.

So, it only goes to reason that if a new PB bleeds now, so will your AB's.

No one has reported an AB bleeding, so it must be correct to assume the new PB's won't either.

Regards! Michaelson

is it the exact same felt? Or from the same company?

From what I've been told, yes to both questions.

Regards! Michaelson

Let's have more opinions here! And on tough fedoras not cowboy hats...Give me a story about your federation, camptown, magnoli, etc.

How they handled a rainstorm, snow, mud...I know there must be some really great stories out there.

Please share!

Well, in all honesty, I am new to this. Now I can't say that my one hat is the toughest on the planet or anything, but my Beaver Brand hat, bashed Bogart style is a tough hat. I have worn it in downpours and not a trace of taper to the crown. This is potential good news for your Keppler; they are Beaver Brand.

Now I did spray it with Scout Rain Proofer. Lots!! And word of warning, If you spray that stuff on your hat, do it outside! The fumes can knock you out.

My Gray Akubra, on order, Brown C-Town and Sand color AB are all on the way. As a rule, I wear my hats to work and park a fair distance from the office. Worn the Beaver Brand as an umbrella and so far it has held up well in city acid-rain. The C-Town will be used in harsh conditions too: I am a National Park Volunteer.

Give me a year, and I can report on the toughness of each.

I would love to be able to volunteer like that. You are going to have some wonderful stories to tell. Good luck with the incoming hats, they all sound so nice and of course don't forget the pics!

After some more experience I'd like to get a Federation, but for right now I'm hesitant to try a bash until I learn more. I do hear the Feds. and Camptowns are built to last.

I have rather a few stories involving bears, no pics though. Hard to hold the camera and the pepper spray at the same time.........

Here are some pics of my fedora. I don't want to mislead anyone here, this is a Beaverbrand hat, but it is not a Keppler. It is one I modified from a cowboy hat that had been sitting on display at a western outfitter's store for over 30 years. It was so ugly no one would buy it, but I saw the possibilities so I took it. But, you wanted to see a tough hat, here is one!

This first pic is from the summer before last; at the time the picture was taken, it was 102 degrees. It kept the sun off me, and endured alot of mud, sand, water, heat, and sweat!



Here's one from later that same summer. It served as a good shield in that water fight. It was working so well that they swarmed me and tried to take it off. I had kids hanging off the brim of my hat like christmas tree ornaments. It survived.

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And here's one from just this past winter. It was snowing so hard I had to shake the hat of once in a while because it was piling up deep.




And a recent pic to show how it looks after it all. Just a few pics to show you what it goes through on a daily basis. I don't seem to have any pics of it covered in sawdust, being fished out of the river, trampled on by the kids, serving as a pillow on a bowhunting trip. You get the idea.



Weston

Weston,

Great hat, stories, and pictures! That hat is one tough customer, and it still looks good. It's really over 30 years old?

Matt

Weston, that's a hat to kill for. I would feel utmost pride to have something like that. Congratulations. It's almost as good as having an oldschool HJ Raiders.

Now that's abuse. Gives me hope for my Keppler which is Beaver Brand. I have sat on my Keppler already and kneaded it like his video, been out in the rain and it looks amazing. No worse for the abuse so far...

We'll see in 6 months time as I can be rough on hats.

Weston, I think that's the best-looking fedora I've seen in my life! Awesome!

your hat looks great weston, or fantastic to be correct. i want one like that too!


CJ

I vote for Akubra as a very tough hat, always ready for something special

BoilermakerJones wrote:It's really over 30 years old?

Matt

Yes Matt, it is every bit of 30 yrs old and beyond. It was made in the mid 70's, not exactly sure which year. It had been on display at the New York store in Walla Walla, WA forever. I bought it in 1998.

Max, it looks like they're getting ready to bury you! Great picture!

Thanks everyone!

Weston

Indiana Max,

I think you are supposed to take the gear off BEFORE you distress it!

Matt