As discussed in another thread, I favor an Akubra Australian military slouch hat converted to a “safari” hat.
I convert it by removing the hardware that allows you to pin one brim up (why wear a brimmed hat if you’re going to pin one side up?).
Then I order the real military puggaree from Lawrance Ordnance https://www.lawranceordnance.com/, and complete the image. I discard the cheesy green puggaree that comes with the hat. Apparently the hats shipped to the US are in the configuration ordered by the Haitian military, and that’s why you don’t get the genuine Australian 7-pleat pug with it to begin with. I also remove the chin strap since it’s barely adjustable and a nuisance.
I always was a fan of the Tarzan/Jungle/Safari movies of yesteryear, and this seems as close as I can get to the “reel” thing.
I did some research, and a lot of the photos I found of big game hunters in Africa of the last 150 years or so seem to show the person wearing that era’s equivalent of the Australian slouch hat! So I feel I’ve “nailed” the authenticity on this.
For those that don’t know, Akubras are made in Australia and distributed through Aussie Slouch Hat by Akubra, The Australian Military Hat : David Morgan
The slouch hat comes with an open crown, so I always pay them the extra twenty bucks to put a bash on it.
Akubras are built to last. If you’re looking for a hat that is “dressy” and meant to be worn to dinner or something, then Akubra probably isn’t for you. But if you’re out in the sticks and need a hat that can be dropped, blown off, rained on, and dropped in a volcano, then Akubra is a tough hat that can withstand a lot of abuse.
It’s a little dark in the pic, but the hat is an olive green (British Khaki) with a greenish-tan khaki puggaree that can easily be removed if necessary.
What hat are you wearing?
