A bunch of options you can wear beyond the ballpark.
By Evan Malachosky and Jacorey Moon 100% Cotton Six Panel 3d Embroidery Baseball Cap
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No matter where you live, the baseball cap is a smart accessory for everyday sun protection. While the style hasn’t changed that much in recent years, more brands are now offering the staple style in warm-weather appropriate fabrics. Keep an eye out for breathable linen and washed-out cotton — they’ll keep your head both cool and shaded through the dog days.
Even if you have a favorite cap already, these seasonably appropriate options are well worth adding to your headwear rotation. They don’t don the logo of distant or deserted sports franchises, nor a company kind enough to gift you branded garb.
These features subtly render them both more casual and more appropriate for places beyond the ballpark. Invest in one that won’t lose its shape after a few wears. The style certainly isn’t going anywhere —the wildest innovations have been this ambitious bill — so stock up on ones you’ll own forever. Worst case scenario they become a sought-after vintage piece with a storied past life.
Unflattering details like embroidered logos, weird tags or odd fits altogether aren’t always easy to avoid. In fact, you’d need to see most of these hats firsthand to know whether there’s a logo at the rear, a leather strap or a nylon one or extra fabric on top. Luckily we have, and we’ll point out potential problems as they arise.
With consistent hat-wearing comes a serious issue: hat hair. You know, when you slip out of that warm hat and your hair goes every which way, or, on the contrary, it looks like you combed it straight down with super glue? There’s a fix, I promise, that isn’t just wetting your hair in your work’s bathroom or the restroom in the rear of the restaurant.
Try the Everyday Tonic by Fellow, a chain-of-barbershops-in-big-cities-turned-grooming-brand. It’s alcohol-, paraben-, and sulfate-free — vegan-friendly as well, meaning it wasn’t tested on animals — and it comes with a nice, all-natural barbershop-like scent; fresh and clean like Barbicide but more botanical (like ocean air, almost).
Wide front panels make the Proof Rover Hat look rather unstructured once on, but that’s not a bad thing. A relaxed hat is easier to wear right away. It’s tonal all over except for the strap, which is black nylon.
The New York Yankees cap is one of the most iconic hats. This version has an adjustable buckle closure at the back and a curved brim for the perfect amount of sun-blocking.
For those who need a little coverage when running, Ciele’s GOCap is built for high performance. It uses a lightweight, fast-drying COOLmatic fabric for an option that’ll keep your head breezy while you’re busy. The brim, front panel and back of the hat help to deliver UPF 40+ protection.
The North Face’s Horizon Hat is a lightweight, durable and adjustable cap with a classic fit, meaning it doesn’t fit too tight. The Horizon Hat also comes with the brand’s FastDry-Pro moisture-wicking material.
This one isn’t made from your usual corduroy. Instead, it’s a cotton-linen mix woven into a durable weave called Bedford Cord. It’s textured but not too thick. There’s a green underbill and the rear strap is made from leather and antiqued silver.
Best Waxed Canvas Baseball Cap
This one is a whole hell of a lot like Proof’s Rover cap, but it’s made with sturdy, water-resistant waxed canvas instead. That gives it an interesting feel and plenty of character over time. It’s all-black all over.
Best Baseball Cap for Running
Specifically designed for running, Lululemon’s Fast and Free Running Hat keeps your head dry and cool thanks to Swift fabric. The brand’s Swift fabric is lightweight, moisture-wicking and quick-drying. Also, you could use this hat during a late-night run due to its reflective embellishments.
Soft suede canvas makes this logo-less lid super comfortable year-round. It comes in two colors, Maple (seen here) and Natural (a light khaki) and has an adjustable leather strap with silver hardware.
Coors Banquet is definitely better than Coors Light. It’s even got better merch. This old, farmy-looking logo makes for a great addition to this blue cord cap. It has an adjustable blue snap buckle back to boot.
If you fancy baseball caps with that washed, broken-in look, grab this one from L.L. Bean, made with 100% cotton. It can easily go from the golf course to a football game tailgate while not losing any of its relaxed, vintage-inspired vibes.
Mack Weldon’s Airflex Hat can handle anything you need to do, whether it’s running a 5k or running errands. It comes with a mesh sweatband and laser-cut ventilation holes to improve air circulation. Also, it’s quick-drying, making it a great option for all of your wet and wild adventures.
Material: 55% hemp, 27% recycled polyester, 18% organic cotton
The Tin Shed Hat from Patagonia has a six-panel design, and the brim is made with 100% recycled fishing nets. It also has a lightweight internal headband for moisture-wicking and softness to help fight that clammy, wet hair feeling while sweating.
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