The Akubras with an open crown, such as the Aussie Slouch Hat, allow you to put your own personal bash or crease in the crown. A hat maker would use steam to make the shape permanent but steam may also shrink the felt. The better way for those who are not hat makers is to put in a preliminary shape, then when the hat is damp from the rain adjust it to the desired final shape and let it dry. This not only avoids shrinkage problems, but also lets you try out the preliminary shape and change it if needed.

For the Slouch, we prefer the traditional Australian Army choice of a center crease, a dent on the top from front to rear. The dent is usually best made the same height in the front as in the rear. A common addition to this bash is a pair of small dents at the sides near the front.

Materials and Technical information:

Fur Felt
The prime factors in the quality of fur felt are the quality of the fur used and how tightly it is worked together in the felting process.The basic fur in a felt hat is the under-fur of rabbits, and the quality of this fur is a prime factor in the quality of the hat produced. Fur from wild rabbits gives the best quality. Akubra not only uses more wild rabbit fur in their hats than any other hat company, but also a better fur, as they cut their own fur from the skins, keeping control of quality of the hats from start to finish.

The quality of the felt in American hats is often designated by a number of X’s, an arbitrary value differing between manufacturers. Akubra does not use X’s. They produce four felt qualities. Their standard quality, with a world-wide reputation for durability, is offered in two finishes, the Imperial Quality, used in most of the standard hats we offer, and the Superfine, used in the Slouch hat. The Sydney is made from a lighter weight felt, using a finer fur, with a finish similar to the Imperial Quality. Their premium quality, developed recently for the Heritage Collection, is very much in the Akubra tradition, a stronger, more dense felt for even greater durability, which also allows a finer pouncing for a superb finish. Pliofelt is the new pliable fur felt used in Akubra’s crushable Lifestyle collection

Reeded Leather Sweatbands
The leather sweatband inside the hat is the only part which touches the head and hence is the key to a comfortable hat. Good leathers are breathable, soft and absorbent. In the best hats the leathers are "reeded" in order to conform better to the head. A reed, once a thin piece of rattan, but now commonly a plastic fibre, is encased in an impervious ribbon of oiled silk or synthetic material, and attached to the bottom of the leather. The ribbon helps to keep perspiration from staining the body of the hat. The reeded leather sweatbands used by Akubra are made of the finest roan sheepskin, specially tanned to ensure comfort.

About Akubra Hats
Australians needed hard wearing hats with wider brims than the usual European brims, to protect them from the sun and rain. Akubra soon became known for the durability and comfort of their felt hats, and recognized throughout the world for the Australian styling with a flair that reflects the independent, confident, and sometimes adventurous spirit of the dinkum Australian.

Akubra Hats® have been Australia's quality hats since the early 1900's, ever since Arthur P. Stewart set up to make a hat to meet the needs of this bustling new colony. Australians in the earlier days, much like the Americans of the West, needed better hats than the usual, and, like the Americans, they had to make them for themselves. Akubra hats stood the test of life on the cattle stations and droving routes. Akubra hats still stand the test, not only in Australia, but throughout the world. We have been bringing Akubra hats to the United States since 1965, at prices other brand names cannot match, in a quality they envy.

Akubra is the only major hat company making fur felt hats from start to finish, beginning with the raw skins through all the processes of preparing the fur, forming the hood, dyeing, blocking and pouncing the hat to the final trimming. Their control of the entire process allows them to produce an exceptional quality of fur felt. The quality of Akubra's felt is attested to by the fact that they have no need for the colored powders used by many manufacturers to even out the color and hide flaws in the felt. The reputation of Akubra hats is built on the long lasting quality of their fur felt and the comfort of their reeded leather sweat bands.

Akubra is an owner-operated company with an up-to-date plant, and a long term dedication to quality. Some of the distinctive features of Akubra hats are described below

How to measure your hat size:

Get a soft tape measure or a long strip of strong paper and place it around your head in the position you wear your hat. The tape should be level, in the center of your forehead and about one quarter of an inch above the top of your ears. View size chart here