Attaching a Stampede String or Chin Strap to Your Akubra Hat

Hold on to your hat!  Chin straps, known in cattle country as stampede strings, ensure against loss of your hat in wind, water or brush. We offer two types of hand braided kangaroo leather chin straps of our own production. Our Stampede String has cotter pins which can be slipped between the sweatband and body of most hats before being spread to hold them in place.   Our Chin Strap has leather tabs for attachment to hats with chin strap hooks like the Akubra Slouch or older production Akubra hats.

Instructions for attaching our  Stampede String and Chin Strap are given below.  We also offer Akubra’s Breakaway Chin Strap for use with Akubra hats. [Please refer to these instructions for attaching the Breakaway Chin Strap.]

If you are purchasing a stampede string and Akubra hat, Panama hat or Lizard Head Hat at the same time and would like us to attach the stampede string to the hat, please request that service in the Special Instructions box during Check Out. We are happy to do so.

Attaching a Stampede String

Please watch our video or follow these steps to attach a Stampede String to your hat.

1.  Our Stampede String has two cotter pins which slide between the sweatband and the hat body for easy attachment to a hat.

2.  Hold the cotter pins tightly together and push them through the stitching where the sweatband meets the body.

3.  Pull the pins completely through the base of the sweatband until the braid is firmly against the sweatband.

4.  Spread the pins outward, as close to horizontal as possible.

5.  Check by tugging on the braid.

Attaching a Chin Strap

Please watch our video or follow these steps to attach a Chin Strap to an Akubra with chin strap hooks.[List Akubras with chin strap hooks]

1. Locate the general position of the chin strap hooks from the grommet on either side.

2. Locate the small opening between the crown and sweatband, indicated here by the Akubra tag.

3. Slip the flat end of the chin strap through the opening.

4. Slip the chin strap onto the chin strap hook.

5. Make sure the chin strap is flat against the crown.

6. Tuck the lining back under the sweatband.

If you prefer our Chin Strap to our Stampede String, the best way to attach a chin strap to a hat without hooks is by sewing small shirt buttons to the inside of the crown about 3/4 to 1-1/4 inches above the brim (making sure the stitching will be hidden by the hat band). A space must be made so the end of the chin strap may be slipped through between the leather sweatband and the crown and then put over the button. In order to make this space the stitching that holds the leather to the crown must first be bar-tacked or oversewn on each side of the space needed.

For more information …
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