Best Brand

[Indiana Valentine]

I was just wondering what everybody's opinion on which brand of hatmaker makes the BEST Raiders style Indy hat out there. Please send me some feedback... Thanks

[Mola Ram]

Welcome to cow. Do a search. there is plenty of information on this around.

[Band Director Jones]

Dorfman Pacific

[Mola Ram]

[gwyddion]

Although which brand makes the best Raiders hat is really subjective, most people here, including myself, would probably say AB (including ABD ofcourse). Or the Magnoli/AB/HJ, or the Penman.

This does not mean I think the other hats aren't good hats, just that IMO those are the ones that spring to mind with this question.

I own none of these hats but I'm waiting on my AB Henry.

If you don't have too much to spend, I would say that judging by pictures the Fed IV is also a good hat for a Raiders hat.

Regards, Geert

[eazybox]

Magnoli HJ for accuracy; AB or AB Deluxe for ruggedness. More great options now than ever, though.

Jack

[Chewbacca Jones]

You seem new, so it's not your fault. All these old crabby guys... don't mind them.

Let me put it this way; That question is constantly debated here. It's also a very broad question. You need to define what "best" means to you. Start by deciding what's more important to you - the look, the durability, or the authenticity?

[Band Director Jones]

You seem new, so it's not your fault. All these old crabby guys... don't mind them.

I'm not an old crabby guy, I just felt like hazing someone. Now get off my lawn and turn down that music!

[okayletsrock]

with AB its gonna be awhile (year or more) cuz its just that good, but if you want a hat now, FED IV, JPD, Christy's.

[WalkingEye]

You seem new, so it's not your fault. All these old crabby guys... don't mind them.

I'm not an old crabby guy, I just felt like hazing someone. Now get off my lawn and turn down that music!

be careful not to throw your frizbee into BDJ's yard... i don't think he's inclined to give it back.

[Chewbacca Jones]

I'm not an old crabby guy, I just felt like hazing someone. Now get off my lawn and turn down that music!

Yes, Mr. Jones. (ya old fart)

[Indiana Valentine]

Thanks guy's. I appreciate all the feedback...Even from those crabby ol' guys. lol And btw I am not as stupid as to beleive that Dorkman, I mean Dorfman Pacific is the best.

[okayletsrock]

Thanks guy's. I appreciate all the feedback...Even from those crabby ol' guys. lol And btw I am not as stupid as to beleive that Dorkman, I mean Dorfman Pacific is the best.

u look just like the kid who played indy in raiders the adaptation

[WalkingEye]

hey valentine, your avatar is way too big...... you have to shrink it.


as per the admins: "AVATARS are not to be larger then 100x100 pixels and a file size of 10kb.
(Gif files are best used for this.) "

[DR Ulloa]

Lets see if I can break down a comprehensive list of hats. Here is what are considered to be the best offerings:

Akubra Federation - A rugged hat for just over $100. Its made of rabbit fur but the Australian Hare used to make the felt is extremely durable. Many swear by it.

Christy's Adventurer - This is considered by some to be the closest you can get to the original Raiders hat without actually going with a Herbert Johnson, and even then, it depends on who you get it from. At $99, the Christy's is a great hat. It is not as durable as the Federation that we can tell as of yet, but is defintaley is more screen accurate than the Federation.

Herbert Johnson - The original Raiders hat. You have a number of possible sources to get these from but your best bet is either Todd's Costumes or, my choice, Magnoli Clothiers. The Magnoli/HJ is blocked and assembled by Steve Delk of Adventurebilt making it the ultimate Raiders hat. The price is around $300.

Keppler Fedora - This is a blended fur hat, having a mix of both beaver and rabbit, making it a more durable hat than the previous offerings. It is a semi-custom hat, meaning Lee Keppler gets his hats half made and he assembles the rest of it. Check with Lee about the price, but the last listed price was $140.

Camptown Hats - Ken offers three different hats, the 1936, 1945 and 1957. The '36 and '45 are technically the same hat, only one is brown and the other grey. They are both blends. The '57 uses Steve Delk's old Raiders block and is a 50/50 beaver blend. All three are semi-custom hats. The hats range from $175 to $210, but don't quoute me on that.

The Adventurebilt Henry - This may be the monster of all factory hats. The Henry is the baby of Marc Kitter of Adventurebilt Deluxe. It is a 20% beaver blend hat. The ribbon and sweatband are hand sewn, and much attention is given to detail. At about $250, the Henry is worth every penny.

The following are custom hatters. These options are the very best. The hatter will work with you to deliver a hat this is handmade especially for you.

Jimmy Pierce Designs - Jimmy makes a great hat and has a variety of felts to choose from. Whether you want Cury or Winchester rabbit fur or pure beaver, Jimmy will make you a hat that you will be proud of wearing any time. And with a price range from $120 - $375, JPD caters to everyone looking for a hat.

Penman Hat Co. - This is the newest hatter on COW. John offers only pure beaver felt but a variety of colors to chose from. At $275, with a COW member discounted price of $250, this the most affordable handmade beaver hat.

Adventurebilt Hat Co. - This is the real deal. Steve and Marc (Adventurebilt Deluxe) made all the hats for Kingdom of The Crystal Skull. These hats are simply the best you can get for your money. It is widely accepted that AB is the best. Steve uses a tespecial technique to "kill" the fur, making it finer and more resiliant. Steve uses pure beaver felt and charges $400. There is a long wait time but believe me, the price and wait are well worth it.

Adventurebilt Deluxe - The European half of Adventurebilt, Marc, along with Steve, made the hats for Indy IV. Marc uses the same blocks and techniques as Steve but uses only the finest materials available. This is like the Rolls Royce of fedoras. At about $600, this is the grand daddy of them all.

These are the big contenders. Now you just have to decided which one is best for you. Only you can decide that.

Dave

[BendingOak]

I was just wondering what everybody's opinion on which brand of hatmaker makes the BEST Raiders style Indy hat out there. Please send me some feedback... Thanks


It's a good ? in my eyes. I never understood why there was more than one meaning of the word best.

Thats an easy ? to answer. There is a very good reason both Steve Delk and Marc Kitter have a year wait. They make the best Indy hat raiders to CS.

-They have the right block shape
-They have that vintage ribbon of the Raiders hat ( and now CS)
-They have the highest of quality materials
-They make their hats by hand using golden era tools and blocks
-They have a very high standard for their work.
-They have a great attention for details

One more thing to add. No one else has all the pieces of the puzzle to this hat than the Adventurebilt Hat Company.

Hands down Adventurebilt Hat Company is the very BEST.


Thanks guys for setting the bar high.

[TheMechanic]

Get a hat from Bending Oak (Penman Hats) before he has a year wait! I have a feeling John's hats will be moving right up that list as soon as more of them get out there.

[ichnob]

Don't forget that Penman Hats gives a $25 discount to COW members.

[Mulceber]

Adventurebilt Hat Co. - This is the real deal. Steve and Marc (Adventurebilt Deluxe) made all the hats for Kingdom of The Crystal Skull. These hats are simply the best you can get for your money. It is widely accepted that AB is the best. Steve uses pure beaver felt and charges $400. There is a long wait time but believe me, the price and wait are well worth it.

You forgot to mention that they have the best Raiders block in the business and that while their KCS hat is great, they also make an absolutely phenomenal Raiders hat. :junior: -M

[darthbish]

I think it depends on your definition of "best"..
For price and quality, I really don't believe that you can look past an Akubra Fed IV

[DR Ulloa]

Adventurebilt Hat Co. - This is the real deal. Steve and Marc (Adventurebilt Deluxe) made all the hats for Kingdom of The Crystal Skull. These hats are simply the best you can get for your money. It is widely accepted that AB is the best. Steve uses pure beaver felt and charges $400. There is a long wait time but believe me, the price and wait are well worth it.

You forgot to mention that they have the best Raiders block in the business and that while their KCS hat is great, they also make an absolutely phenomenal Raiders hat. :junior: -M

Thanks for adding that. Sometimes I forget newer folks don't know these things. Oh, and Valentine, look at the Federation and beyond it...you don't want to be so near-sided.

Dave

[DR Ulloa]

Get a hat from Bending Oak (Penman Hats) before he has a year wait! I have a feeling John's hats will be moving right up that list as soon as more of them get out there.

Considering the only person to actually have a Penman in hand is G and how many people are already recommending it, me included, I would say that Oak's wait time is going to begin to climb pretty fast. I'll probably be getting another from him in the near future to avoid that wait time.

Dave

[Mitch LaRue]

DR Ulloa,
Just wanted to say that was a great and really helpful post (the "comprehensive list") you contibuted further back on this thread.

Something like that was long overdue from somebody who'd been here long enough to know what they were talking about.

Thank you, good Doctor!

(I wish something like that had been laid out so plainly for me to see when I first started prowling these boards - that is - assuming they weren't and NOT that they were, but I just couldn't find it.)

Would you have any problem with any one of us saving a copy of that little list of yours so that when some future newbie asks the same question - which will inevitably happen, like, within the week - that we re-post your list? (With the proper "From the Desk of DR Ulloa" intro credit, of course)...

I think it would be a big help... and after all, you took the time to write it down that plainly. Why not share the info again and again?
(Not to mention all the follow-up debate it would inspire. Y'know, the "Pay no attention to that list! For MY money, you BEST deal would actually be..." etc, etc)

MLR

[DR Ulloa]

I'm glad you found it helpful Mitch. I don't mind anyone using what I wrote...as long as I am credited . I think the easiest way of putting that at the diposal of the new members is to make it a sticky. Like I said before, though, "best" is a subjective term and the question of "What is the best Indy hat?" can only be answered by the person buying the hat. My money, though, is on AB and AB Deluxe. Lets see how the Penman fares, but I have a feeling is will do better than well.

Dave

[Indiana Valentine]

Yes Dr Ulloa that list was extrememly helpful. Props to the man!!!!!

[G8RBYTE]

Get a hat from Bending Oak (Penman Hats) before he has a year wait! I have a feeling John's hats will be moving right up that list as soon as more of them get out there.

My sentiments exactly - Listen to TheMechanic and get a hat from BendingOak!

Check out his outstanding work on these threads:

viewtopic.php?t=32027&postdays=0&postor ... &start=200

viewtopic.php?t=33249

[Johnny Fedora]

DR Ulloa, your list is spot on except for the placement of the Mags'/AB Herbert Johnson. I would have placed that particular hat in with the custom hats. The reason for this is that unlike the Christy's Adventurer, or even Todd's HJ, the Mags HJ is custom built from the hat body on up by Steve to the specifications of the customer. That makes this a high end custom hat above the standards of SAB or even Todd.

And, oh yeah...

-They have the right block shape
-They have that vintage ribbon of the Raiders hat ( and now CS)
-They have the highest of quality materials
-They make their hats by hand using golden era tools and blocks
-They have a very high standard for their work.
-They have a great attention for details

'Oak, the same statement (every word) can be made about the Mags'/AB HJ and one other hatter I know on that list. Hint. Hear that folks? Get your hats now!

Johnny

[BendingOak]

I can hardly read your last sentence.


The only reason I said that about the Mag/HJ is that the felt is not even close to what the Ab or ABD.

[Johnny Fedora]

True, however...the work that Steve puts in to the rabbit felt (which I won't go into here), before he even starts to build up the hat, satisfies the statment "They have the highest of quality materials". Although it's rabbit (and it's a rabbit hat we're discussing), by the time Steve's done with it, it's the best rabbit felt one can put on their head. Without question.

Johnny

p.s. I said, "...and one other hatter I know on that list. Hint. Hear that folks? Get your hats now!"

[Texan Scott]

I just received my Fed IV today, and for the budget conscious, it is hard to beat. During this round of orders, it was ordered last but delivered first...all the way from AUS. Their delivery window of 10-14 days, to US mid-continent, is outstanding, and in my opinion, and oft overlooked credential.

Great post Dr. U......

[DR Ulloa]

DR Ulloa, your list is spot on except for the placement of the Mags'/AB Herbert Johnson. I would have placed that particular hat in with the custom hats. The reason for this is that unlike the Christy's Adventurer, or even Todd's HJ, the Mags HJ is custom built from the hat body on up by Steve to the specifications of the customer. That makes this a high end custom hat above the standards of SAB or even Todd.

And, oh yeah...

-They have the right block shape
-They have that vintage ribbon of the Raiders hat ( and now CS)
-They have the highest of quality materials
-They make their hats by hand using golden era tools and blocks
-They have a very high standard for their work.
-They have a great attention for details

'Oak, the same statement (every word) can be made about the Mags'/AB HJ and one other hatter I know on that list. Hint. Hear that folks? Get your hats now!

Johnny

Very true. It does recieve more attention that the ones I placed it with, but it is not a 100% handmade custom hat. All the parts come from HJ first, which is why I didn't put it among AB and Penman, though the work that goes into it is certainly top notch. Steve does not dissapoint.

Dave

[Johnny Fedora]

I'm sorry dude, I hear you, but if you'll indulge me for a second...
The parts do ship from HJ and in that your right, but thse parts are in the form of individual parts of a hat that is then built by a hatter. This is no diffrent than Steve recieving parts for Adventurebilts hats from his suppliers, except that these parts are shipped from England (except for the vintage ribbon that Steve and Marc and : source from somewhere mysterious and Steve uses on the HJ as well as the AB ) as opposed to using the seperate suppliers that Steve and Mark use for Adventurebilt. The steps taken to build an Mags HJ are exactly the same as the steps taken to make an Adventurebilt (save one, an AB only step, done to age the felt). Steve recieves a rabbit HJ Poet hat body with nothing done to it, just as he recieves an AB beaver hat body and builds the hat from scratch, and he does the exact same thing to the HJ. If these were somehow prefab hats that Steve simply ran over a block like Todd I would say you were right without question. But, it takes just as much work for Steve to make an HJ as it does for him to make an AB, therefore it merrits the same recognition as the AB with the caviot that it is rabbit as opposed to beaver. Someone once noted that the only diffrence between a Magnoli Herbert Johnson and an Adventurebilt was one was rabbit and one was beaver. As far as the construction is concerned this is true, and a testament to the pedagree of the Mags HJ, which is truly a 100% handmade custom hat.

Johnny

[DR Ulloa]

You are right. It is a pretty much custom made hat. But I don't know about the time Steve puts into them. I remember reading that he only spends a fraction of the time used for ABs on the HJs. Not to say he doesnt put any love into the hat...it just takes less time.

Dave

[BendingOak]

I'm sorry dude, I hear you, but if you'll indulge me for a second...
The parts do ship from HJ and in that your right, but thse parts are in the form of individual parts of a hat that is then built by a hatter. This is no diffrent than Steve recieving parts for Adventurebilts hats from his suppliers, except that these parts are shipped from England (except for the vintage ribbon that Steve and Marc and : source from somewhere mysterious and Steve uses on the HJ as well as the AB ) as opposed to using the seperate suppliers that Steve and Mark use for Adventurebilt. The steps taken to build an Mags HJ are exactly the same as the steps taken to make an Adventurebilt (save one, an AB only step, done to age the felt). Steve recieves a rabbit HJ Poet hat body with nothing done to it, just as he recieves an AB beaver hat body and builds the hat from scratch, and he does the exact same thing to the HJ. If these were somehow prefab hats that Steve simply ran over a block like Todd I would say you were right without question. But, it takes just as much work for Steve to make an HJ as it does for him to make an AB, therefore it merrits the same recognition as the AB with the caviot that it is rabbit as opposed to beaver. Someone once noted that the only diffrence between a Magnoli Herbert Johnson and an Adventurebilt was one was rabbit and one was beaver. As far as the construction is concerned this is true, and a testament to the pedagree of the Mags HJ, which is truly a 100% handmade custom hat.

Johnny

John is right, the HJ/Mag built by Steve is way above the other Hj. because Steve does make them the same way he does the AB. The down side to the Hj is the rabbit felt but then again Steve does something to the felt to make it more stable that I know only Steve and Marc know how to do in the Indy world.
It is the only hand made HJ out there. If I would get myself another HJ and I had others ( and brother I hated them). I would only get one from Steve. I know before Steve hangs up his hat for sure, I have to get a couple more hats from him this is one of them.

[darthbish]

Hmmmmmmm??

[gwyddion]

I think he is refering to what they call 'killing the felt"

Regards, Geert

[darthbish]

True, however...the work that Steve puts in to the rabbit felt (which I won't go into here), before he even starts to build up the hat, satisfies the statment "They have the highest of quality materials". Although it's rabbit (and it's a rabbit hat we're discussing), by the time Steve's done with it, it's the best rabbit felt one can put on their head. Without question. .

why??
wot's he do???

[BendingOak]

I wish I knew.

[darthbish]

how do you mean....

"make it more stable"??

Is it thicker...stiffer...tougher...what??

[gwyddion]

How come I reacted to a post that was posted a minute after mine?

[gwyddion]

how do you mean....

"make it more stable"??

Is it thicker...stiffer...tougher...what??

From what I've heard this "killing the felt" makes the felt more resistant to shrinkage and taper.

Regards, Geert

[BendingOak]

how do you mean....

"make it more stable"??

Is it thicker...stiffer...tougher...what??

From what I've heard this "killing the felt" makes the felt more resistant to shrinkage and taper.

Regards, Geert

you are correct.

[GCR]

I thought the artificial aging process (killing the felt) was an "AB exclusive" and wasn't done on the Magnoli HJ's? :

I was just wondering what everybody's opinion on which brand of hatmaker makes the BEST Raiders style Indy hat out there. Please send me some feedback... Thanks

As far as the original question goes, my own personal favorite for a good "Raiders" style fedora is Marc Kitter of AB Deluxe. The ABD might not be for everybody, but for me it ended an 18+ year quest for the perfect Indy fedora. If you're in the US, the price is tough to take with exchange rates the way they are these days, but the service and product are second to none.

I will also say I like what I've seen so far from Penman Hats. Based on the kind of work Oak puts into his hats and the type of materials he's using, the current prices are an absolute steal. I'd give them some serious consideration while the prices and wait times are still low.

-GCR

[Travelsonic]

I got my Peters Bros. fedora yesterday, Temple of Doom style.

Recommend it [company] I do. Great hat for the price.

[darthbish]

here's a very comprehensive look at how an Akubra is made.
http://www.akubra.com.au/creation.html
I'm assuming that they make everything from scratch, as opposed to others that would buy the felt pre-made.

[Hedji]

This thread has been very helpful to me as a newbie also... I think maybe the sticky thread "Fedora FAQs and Links" could use some updating with some of the information here....


My question: If I am deciding between a Christy's Adventurer and a FedIV or Fed Deluxe, which should I choose? :

[BendingOak]

Go with the fed.

[Hedji]

Why the fed? And is the Fed Deluxe worth the extra $$$ over the Fed IV?

[Michaelson]

Well, actually, it's the blend of felt that give the Fed line an edge over the others in terms of outdoor durability. Feds are made with a blend of domestic rabbit and jackrabbit fur, and it tends to be much more weather resistant than a standard domestic rabbit felt.

Taking nothing away from the Christie, but that's just the 'way' of the material.

The Fed Deluxe is a slightly higher grade felt, and has a nicer pounced finish. Both Feds are great hats, but the Deluxe is the top of the Akubra line in material and finish.

Oh, and the standard and Deluxe are both considered 'Fed IV's', as the number only refers to the iteration of the Fed line. This is the fourth version of the hat to come down the pipeline since it was created.

Regards! Michaelson

[Hedji]

Sounds like the Fed is built a bit stronger. Do either the Christy's or the Fed seem to have an advantage in terms of capturing the screen accurate "Look"?