The Akubra Colly

Review of the Akubra Colly Hat

Akubra Colly catalogue shot

The Akubra Colly is a made to order model of a traditional Australian stockman hat, and it is big: large 4 inch brim and 5 inch plus crown. The crown has straight sides with very little taper which I prefer and plenty of room (I find the smaller crowns such as the Stockman don't quite have enough height). It has air vents and comes unlined in rabbit fur. I prefer unlined hats with vents these days as it keeps your head cooler. The rabbit fur itself is a bit coarse and a bit hairy and I wonder if this is because Akubra now imports its furs from outside of Australia: my older Akubra seems to have a much better quality rabbit fur. That's a small point of course; and anyway its going to get worn and dirty: it's not a dress hat (mate) it's a bloody Akubra.

I bought mine in the green hue of santone fawn, which I really like, but it also comes in regency fawn which is a brown and in sand which is a beige colour.

My Akubra after some customisation

This is a very comfortable hat and I ordered my correct size and the hat hasn't shrunk (too much) and it remains comfortable. I have customised the shape slightly to how I like it with  a tigher pinch crease and flared sides.

I really like the hat and this model may well become my signature hat. I would recommended it but would say that you need a certain self confidence to wear this big brash Australian cowboy hat. If you feel self consciousness wearing hats maybe a more conservative model such as the Stockman or Cattleman would be more your thing. 

UPDATE
OK...so I have had my Colly for three years or so and it has worn in nice, and it has shrunk at bit and tapered, but I still love it so much that I bought another in Regency Fawn which is a nice colour, probably my prefered colour as it is more of a brown colour.
Here are some more pics. I think the Santone Fawn one, my original hat,  is less well made than my new hat, somehow, it always seemed to have a brim that had that downward shape, so much so that I curled the brim sides cowboy style. Obviously the older hat has a tighter pinch from wearing it so much. The new hat is made much better, but you know, you get a made to order hand made hat for a factory price its damn good value for money. Akubra make great hats, I wear the old Colly hat for my adventures in the woods and doing BBQ's and the new one for work. Job done. I just need a light coloured one for summer!