Looking for a fedora for a large head

IndySith

New member
Anyone know where I could buy a decent quality fedora for a large head? I recently bought a size 60cm fedora and it barely sits on the crown of my head. It fits so tightly that it hurts. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
Measure your head and order from Hatsdirect or Penman hats or whomever telling them your size. Often they have instructions as to the best way to do this on their ordering page.:hat:
 

Goodeknight

New member
IndySith said:
I recently bought a size 60cm fedora and it barely sits on the crown of my head. It fits so tightly that it hurts.

Holy moly, that's a honkin' noggin'.

Mickiana is right, but a Penman is going to be expensive. Anything custom made is going to be expensive. Are you willing to spend about $300 or more?

An XL hat off the rack doesn't work for you? I know Dorfman Pacific hats are frowned upon here, but they make an XXL. Not sure of the dimensions, though. Their cheap $32 one looks like crap, but I personally don't mind the felt one for $72. Not screen accurate but a good looking hat.
 

IndySith

New member
I found out I'm a size 62cm. I've tried the DP XL hats off the rack, but they just don't look close enough to the real deal for me. One day I will save up for a nice Penman, but for now my budget is tight at $150, not a buck over. I was considering one of these:

Federation IV
Christy's Adventurer
Dan Morgan's Adventurer

Any thoughts?

goodeknight said:
Holy moly, that's a honkin' noggin'.

Mickiana is right, but a Penman is going to be expensive. Anything custom made is going to be expensive. Are you willing to spend about $300 or more?

An XL hat off the rack doesn't work for you? I know Dorfman Pacific hats are frowned upon here, but they make an XXL. Not sure of the dimensions, though. Their cheap $32 one looks like crap, but I personally don't mind the felt one for $72. Not screen accurate but a good looking hat.
 
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davidraphael

New member
Yeah, I'd go Fed IV.

In fact, I did...

I bought the dark brown one only this morning! Can't wait for it.

The best place to get one is here: http://hatsdirect.com
You can get a size 62 delivered to your door for US$158


You can also go for an Adventurebilt, but one will set you back a pretty penny... (minimum of $300) And their customs are more than double that!
 
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Goodeknight

New member
Well, IndySith, you said not a buck over $150. How about 8 bucks over? (I'm betting you'll go for it.)

Mickiana, are those stuff hats, or can you shape them a bit? Does it sit on your head like a rock? I like my DP, but it's not that comfortable. One of my most comfortable fedoras is a very screen in-accurate Orvis crushable hat. Being crushable, it's really soft.

Is the inside band cloth or that plastic-ey pleather?
 

davidraphael

New member
You HAVE to shape them - they come open crown, which is how hats came pre-war - so you have to shape the hat the way you want it.

They're not hard; they're made out of rabbit felt fur, as all real fedoras are. You can pull and push them any which way you want...

Here's how the hat arrives:
aapostfed4oi2.jpg


And you create your own bash, thus:
fed4del-heritagefawn-large.jpg
 
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IndySith

New member
You bet correctly goodeknight! I'm really leaning on the Federation IV Standard hat. Its got tons of good reviews regarding its durability, and I do plan on wearing it outdoors and in the rain (I live in Florida where it rains quite a bit, especially in the summer.)

goodeknight said:
Well, IndySith, you said not a buck over $150. How about 8 bucks over? (I'm betting you'll go for it.)

Mickiana, are those stuff hats, or can you shape them a bit? Does it sit on your head like a rock? I like my DP, but it's not that comfortable. One of my most comfortable fedoras is a very screen in-accurate Orvis crushable hat. Being crushable, it's really soft.

Is the inside band cloth or that plastic-ey pleather?
 

IndySith

New member
Thanks davidraphael. At first thought I was kind of worried about shaping my own hat, but after seeing a couple tutorials on youtube it doesn't look hard at all. Plus I can give it the Last Crusade look that I want.

davidraphael said:
You HAVE to shape them - they come open crown, which is how hats came pre-war - so you have to shape the hat the way you want it.

They're not hard; they're made out of rabbit felt fur, as all real fedoras are. You can pull and push them any which way you want...

Here's how the hat arrives:
aapostfed4oi2.jpg


And you create your own bash, thus:
fed4del-heritagefawn-large.jpg
 

emtiem

Well-known member
I bought a Fed IV but got the size too big and can't send it back now. With the tape in it sort of fits but I think it looks a bit big for me. Not sure whether to get another and ebay the first or make do.
 

davidraphael

New member
Post a pic of you wearing it - let's have a look and we can tell you if it looks too big or not.

Don't forget that they're supposed to be quite big. 1920s-40s crowns were higher and brims were wider....

btw - what size is it? And what size are you normally?
I'm normally a good 58 but rounded up and went for a 59 because, apparently, there is some chance of shrinkage.
I got this advice over from the folks at the fedoralounge.
Hopefully, it will be prove to be correct!
 
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Mickiana

Well-known member
I went for size 59 also in an Akubra Federation Deluxe and in a Penman Raiders. Both were a bit loose (the Penman still is) but time, sweat and exposure will shrink them back to a snug fit. The snugness of the fit also varies for me as to whether I have my head fully shaved or grow some hair. The Akubra is a more solid feeling hat, a bit stiffer but still nicely malleable, while the Penman is softer and very bashable and is also a better darker colour and more screen accurate form.
 

Dr. Wolfwood

New member
62 here as well and Akubra Federation IV Deluxe was my choice (twice - I got it in a couple of colours).

Excellent hat and takes the occasional rain without losing its form - and actually gets better with it.
 

davidraphael

New member
My Fed IV arrived last week. Truly great hat. Very highly recommended.

SIZE: I'm normally a size 58 (7 1/4 US), but went for 59 (7 3/8 US) at the recommendation of the people at hats-direct. The hat is shipped with padding foam which will take the hat down a size. With this slotted behind the sweatband it fits perfectly.

Now I will wait until the hat (or rather the sweatband) naturally shrinks of its own accord, which I am told will be approximately 2 months. When it has shrunk a little and the hat has shaped itself to my head I will remove the foam padding.

SHAPING: Bashing/creasing this hat is incredibly easy - the felt is very pliable. It took just a couple of minutes, even for a novice like me.

If you you have any doubts, ignore them and order this great hat!
 
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bobbeecher

New member
Big heads like the Fed IV

I wear a size 8 -- that's a 64! The Fed IV is made in my size. Easy to order, too. It arrived a while back and it was very easy to put the "Indy Bash" in it. For large noggins like mine, Akubra also makes a few other styles up to size 8. I will probably be ordering from them again.
 

mikieson

New member
davidraphael said:
My Fed IV arrived last week. Truly great hat. Very highly recommended.

SIZE: I'm normally a size 58 (7 1/4 US), but went for 59 (7 3/8 US) at the recommendation of the people at hats-direct. The hat is shipped with padding foam which will take the hat down a size. With this slotted behind the sweatband it fits perfectly.

Now I will wait until the hat (or rather the sweatband) naturally shrinks of its own accord, which I am told will be approximately 2 months. When it has shrunk a little and the hat has shaped itself to my head I will remove the foam padding.

SHAPING: Bashing/creasing this hat is incredibly easy - the felt is very pliable. It took just a couple of minutes, even for a novice like me.

If you you have any doubts, ignore them and order this great hat!
So felt is easy to shape? I have a wool fedora and had some time..steaming it over a pot of water and all..looking for something more screen accurate for sure..I need a xl or xxl hat..like 61-62cm..big head here..:D
 

mikieson

New member
Just got my Fed IV a couple days ago..I love it. The only thing I dont like is its NOT INDY BROWN..its darrrrk..Thats all I dont like. I gave mine a KOTCS look..
 
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