Club Obi Wan

Hello everyone! As the title of my thread suggests, I'm looking for information on whether the Fed IV runs true to size from those of you who own and have owned these fedoras. Are they big? Small? Or are they like Baby Bear's bed and just right?

Ive had my fed 4 for a while and the size I asked for fits perfectly. And obviouzly the more you wear one the better it fits as it slowly moulds to individual bumps and lumps of your noggin.

Very happy with mine.

Mine fit fine but have bought other hats from Akubra that were not as well fitting.

That's been my experience, but Akubras generally shrink over time. My Fed IV now fits tighter than other hats of the same size.

But don't all hats shrink a little over time? Isn't that the reason that if you buy a vintage fur hat it may not fit even if the size is your size? More than. Likely the sweatband is drying out and shrinking.

Jeremiah wrote:But don't all hats shrink a little over time?

Is that true?! That explains why the homburg I inherited from my grandpa is too small when I try it on. (If anything his head was larger than mine, but I don't think he wore the hat in years before it came to me.)

And thanks for asking the question anindyjones, I'm about to order a Fed IV as well so it's been on my mind. Incidentally I've also found the staff at Hats Direct very helpful... I even sent them a picture of myself measuring my head to A) make sure I was doing it right, and B) ask for their opinion on fit. (Considering they ship from Australia, I think they're very interested in making sure you end up with a hat that fits, as it's a real pain to process a return/exchange.)

I have not worn my ABL raiders in awhile since my reblock of my AB and my man with no name hat that John made me.


I tried the ABL on the other day and the thing is very tight.

Yes, sweatbands will shrink over time. They are made of leather so as the leather ages it will contract some. Especially if the hat is worn a lot and gets damp with sweat and then dries but true. There's a reason it is called a sweatband.

Most custom hatters will take that into account and cut the sweatband a bit larger when making the hat so that with regular wear it will shrink to the 'proper' size.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Thanks for all the replies guys! I'm between sizes so now I know I'll definitely get the bigger Fed.

Hats Direct website sez that the Fed IV blocks run a little small so they suggest ordering a size up from your normal size.

I typically wear a 58, so I ordered all 3 of my Fed IVs (does that = a Fed 12?) in 59. All are definitely a little big, but with some sweatband padding they fit well. Since I never chanced ordering an actual 58, I can't say whether a 58 would indeed have been too small.

As others have noted, Naomi and Trudi at Hats Direct are very helpful and patient. If you give them an exact measurement or size, they'll go to the trouble of measuring the hats they have in stock to get you the best possible fit. So do feel free to email them with questions before you order.

Why do manufacturers do this. With shoes, hats and other sorts of things. If they run a size or half size large then make it smaller to get the correct size.

It is my understanding that the Fed IV is made using a vintage hat block and that is the reason why it usually runs just a tad small. Old fedoras and all that. I emailed them just a few weeks ago asking about their size 64 and that is the explanation given to me.

Ranger36 wrote:It is my understanding that the Fed IV is made using a vintage hat block and that is the reason why it usually runs just a tad small. Old fedoras and all that. I emailed them just a few weeks ago asking about their size 64 and that is the explanation given to me.

That doesn't make sense at all. They could just tag them correctly.

I heard that from Ron years ago too and always scratched my head. His reason was that the original blocks had shrunk from years of storage and heat.

Ok, understood, wood shrinks, well and good......so re-measure the blocks and mark the hats correctly to coincide with the actual size!

I just didn't understand the method to the madness, but I guess they figure provenance of being made on an original block trumped getting a correct size by guessing.

Uh, ok.

That's why after I learned that information I asking them to measure a hat and match it to MY head size, and ignore their stated size. It eliminated the guesswork. I also shared that info here years ago.

Regard! Michaelson

Even still, their hats are sold in cm sizing so they have to be cutting the sweats to those lengths. A 59 is a 59 is a 59.

You'd think....





Regards,

Indiana Jeff

All I know is that when I asked for the precise measurements of their size 64, they came back with 63.7 cm. A hair small. I guess they round up. When I asked why, the reason they provided was that vintage blocks are smaller. Why they don't remeasure and use that, I have no idea.

Sure all hats shrink over time, but all hats don't use the same quality of leather. Some of my old Stetsons, which are decades old, fit large on me. My Fed, which is a few years old, has shrunken. It began with sizing tape, and now fits tight on my head.

Ranger36 wrote:All I know is that when I asked for the precise measurements of their size 64, they came back with 63.7 cm. A hair small. I guess they round up. When I asked why, the reason they provided was that vintage blocks are smaller. Why they don't remeasure and use that, I have no idea.

That is the dumbest answer given to you of all time. That's just plan lazy.

Ranger36 wrote:When I asked why, the reason they provided was that vintage blocks are smaller.

Maybe that's why I keep thinking I used to be taller . . . back before I became "vintage" . . .

Okayyyyy... so I just got my fed 4, and it does feel quite big. Even with some (but not all) the foam padding in it feels a bit like it's hovering around my head. Can anyone say from experience whether that's normal for a new fed 4, and it will shrink up with time, or should I go for a smaller size?

Thanks,

Jock

I would not go smaller myself.
Man it is so easy to add more foam then to have a hat too tight and even using a hat stretcher or size retainer will (could) mess it up.

Jeremiah wrote:I would not go smaller myself.
Man it is so easy to add more foam then to have a hat too tight and even using a hat stretcher or size retainer will (could) mess it up.

Thanks Jeremiah! I do feel like it looks a little big, but Trudi also mentioned that it will shrink up some, and it will look better once bashed. So I think I will stick with it... worst case scenario I just get some expensive and risky head enlargement surgery.