Attaching a Breakaway Chin Strap to Your Akubra Hat

Akubra’s clever Breakaway Chin Strap is designed to break away if your hat is snagged while riding. The plastic releases pull apart with any excessive tension. The Breakaway Chin Strap can be attached to any of the Akubra hats we offer, following the steps below. The Breakaway Chin Strap also works with our Panamas (#1648, #1649, #1657 and #1664) Note: The Breakaway Chin Strap does not readily attach to most hats with cloth bands, and is not recommended for other brands such as the Mayser Panama hats.

Step 1.  While wearing the hat, put toothpicks in the place where you want the chinstrap to attach. Use these as markers.

Step 2.  Separate the chinstrap by the breakaway plastic connectors.

Step 3. Remove the cord attached to the wire end as if you were removing a luggage tag.

Step 4.  Turn the wire so that the flat end with the bump is curving outward from the sweatband. Note that the bump is angled. You want the angle to face away from the crown and towards the edge of the brim.

Step 5.  Remove the toothpicks and slide the wire between the sweatband and the felt. Make sure the wire is behind the folded sweatband leather. The wire must be directly between the felt and the sweatband.

Step 6.  Re-attach the short cord. Run the cord through the wire loop as if you’re attaching a luggage tag.

Step 7.  Reconnect the longer end to the breakaway connectors and you’re done!

Please watch this short video by Akubra for further instruction: Attaching A Breakaway Chin Strap