Unique Caps – Five Plus One

Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.


I’ve never been much of a hat guy, but as a transplant from the rainy Pacific Northwest to the much sunnier East Coast I have had to work to change this. While there are a ton of great options today we’re specifically looking at unique, ballcap-centric caps. So pull up a chair, look at some hats, and start planning your next sunny outing.

1) Der Sammler: Tackle Cap Combination Natural

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Der Sammler‘s Tackle Cap might look like a simple paneled cap, but it’s far from it. Designed with no rear strap but instead integrated elastic this cap has a totally different silhouette. This vintage-inspired cap is made in Japan from 100% cotton and features ventilation holes, a contrasting brim, and multiple sizes.

Available for $125 from Clutch Cafe.

2) Found Feather: Awning Cap (Packable) Yoryu Black

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If you’re looking for a cap that offers sufficient neck protection without a 360° brim then you might be interested in Found Feather‘s Awning Cap. This breathable, Japanese-crafted cap features a removable drape for total neck sunlight protection but it also converts into a small bag when the neck protection isn’t necessary. It’s finished with an elastic back and mesh lining to ensure comfort even in the heat.

Available for $138 from Lost & Found.

3) Bradley Mountain: Baseball Cap

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Bradley Mountain‘s Baseball cap might be just that — a baseball cap — but its use of waxed canvas material while maintaining a palatable price point truly sets it apart. This cap is finished with a leather strap that helps complete the vintage look and feel, and is available in five fantastic colorways.

Available for $48 from Bradley Mountain.

4) Naked & Famous Classic Cap Japan Heritage Indigo

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Made in Japan, this Naked & Famous cap is peak performance. It’s a classic 5-panel silhouette, with ventilation holes on the sides and an adjustable strap. Nothing crazy — no big logos or anything — just a super wearable shape that lets that slubby Japanese denim do all the talking. It’s hard to find caps that will develop a legit strong patina over time, but this will fade, crock, and evolve as the years go by, resulting in a hat unique to you and your lifestyle.

As well as the sexy selvedge detail on the adjustable strap, Naked & Famous hit this with some tonal kanji embroidery on the side which will become more visible as the denim fades into a gradient of lighter indigo shades with wear and exposure to the elements.

Available from Cultizm for $107.

5) Beams Plus: Trucker Cap Mesh Beige

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Again, there is nothing inherently unique about the Trucker Cap but Beams Plus‘ interpretation is just unique enough to really isolate it from the competition. While this six-panel cap does, in fact, utilize six panels the pattern is completely nontraditional. Plus, the addition of three mesh panels where you might not expect them creates a truly unique, yet functional, cap.

Available for $105 from Lost & Found.

Plus One – Heimat: Sailing Cap Military Green

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I looked at several hundred caps before putting this list together, and while there are truly a ton of standouts I had to tip my hat to Heimat and their Sailing Cap.

Honestly, for the most part, this is an unassuming six-panel cap. But the use of two eyelets and a simple piece of cord to adjust sizing is just brilliant. I don’t know about you, but as the owner of an unfortunately large head, the back strap is always what breaks on my caps. The easy-to-replace cord makes this cap as functional as it is attractive (and that’s to say very).

Available for $56 from Clutch Cafe.