Breakaway Chin Strap

Chin straps, known in cattle country as stampede strings, ensure against loss of your hat in wind or brush.

Akubra's Breakaway Chin Strap is ideal when your adventures take you on horseback through brush or under low hanging branches. The Breakaway Chin Strap works well in wind too, and fits all the Akubra hats we offer -- Akubra hats with and without chin strap hooks. 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.

If you are purchasing a Breakaway Chin Strap and Akubra hat, one of our own Panama hats or Lizard Head Hat at the same time and would like us to attach the Chin Strap to the hat, please request that service in the Special Instructions box during Check Out. We are happy to do so.

The Stampede Strings we offer work well with all our Akubras, our Panama Hats and our Lizard Head Hat.

In the early 1960's when we started importing Akubras to the US, all Akubras had chin strap hooks. Akubra gradually dropped the chin strap hooks and is no longer manufacturing hats with chin strap hooks (apart from the Slouch). Our Stampede String works well with Akubras without or with chin strap hooks. If you own a hat with chin strap hooks, or are purchasing the #1601 Aussie Slouch, you may prefer our Chin Strap.

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.

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