Beyond the everyday benefit of adding a final touch to your outfit or covering up a bad hair day, athletic hats serve a functional purpose. Athletes, particularly in baseball, may need to shield their eyes from the sun and focus on the game while protecting their heads from the sun’s harsh rays. The baseball hat serves this purpose to perfection as it fits the player’s head perfectly and is soft enough not to be an intrusion to their abilities. Athletic hats are designed to optimize the individual’s performance, making them different from your average snapback. 

History of Athletic Hats 

The history of performance headwear goes way back to a time when straw was used in the making of baseball hats. By 1860, a variation of the yachting cap was adopted as the standard headwear for baseball, although the design was not structured as performance headwear. By 1940, manufacturers introduced latex rubber as the stiffening material, creating what is now known as the structure of the baseball hat. 

Materials and Design

These days, the most popular fabrics used in performance and athletic headwear are wool and cotton/polyester blends.  Wool and easy-wash fabrics like cotton and cotton-blends are favored by baseball hat manufacturers and wearers because of the comfortable fit and breathability these materials offer. Athletic hats are designed with a matching top button, where the fabric sections meet, and cut-out eyelets or holes in the fabric for ventilation. The visors or bills, which help shield the wearer’s eyes from the sun are stiffened with buckram material or an inserted plastic, depending on the manufacturer. 

From running to working out, performance headwear serves to keep your eyes shielded from the sun and keep your head cool from the harsh rays. Embroidered hats are also used as part of uniforms for summer sporting activities like golf, rowing, hiking, cycling, and tennis. 

Design tips for choosing athletic headwear 

Athletic hats and performance headwear are important to keep up with an active lifestyle. Beyond being part of the uniform for certain sporting activities, well-designed athletic headwear can serve performance benefits. When it comes to picking the right athletic headwear, there are some design standards that must be met to fit the description of a perfect athletic hat. 

• Breathable Material 

The material used in making the hat has to fit into the categories of easy-wash, light, and durable. Materials like cotton, polyester and poly/cotton blends are great choices to look out for.. 

• Comfortable Fit

Comfort is one of the most important things needed in a good athletic hat. For high-intensity activities like running, working out or baseball, the perfect athletic hat has to have a comfortable fit in order to provide the shielding and moisture-wicking benefits without affecting the wearer’s activity. Adjustable hats with straps or snaps at the back ensure proper fit, while our range of fitted athletic hats are great as well. 

• Ventilation and Moisture-wicking 

While running or working out, sweat can get in the way and be a distraction. With the right athletic hat, you won’t have to deal with that as the fabric will provide ventilation and wick moisture away from your forehead.