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. 

Working Out 

The perfect athletic hat for your workout session is one that allows you to move freely, fits comfortably, has moisture-wicking features, and protects you from the sun and the elements. Custom hats for working out in a gym or outdoors need to be made from proper breathable material. Avoid all worst-case scenarios with a custom hat from CapBeast. If you enjoy working out in a gym or you are a fitness coach, you can get custom hats for personal trainers, like the Ultrafiber Airmesh Hat - Flexfit, with back and side panels to give you ease of movement while doing intense workouts without straining your head. 

Performance Hats for Running

Running hats are designed to optimize high-performance activities and with moisture-wicking features, they can help you get the best of your run without stopping every few minutes to wipe off sweat from getting into your eyes. Wool, cotton, or other breathable materials are used in making running hats as they provide the best comfort. A custom Adidas hat like the 100% brushed cotton twill Core Performance Relaxed Cap is an ideal choice for running. For superior quality polyester, you can opt for the New Era Perforated Performance Hat with a structured bill/visor to protect your eyes from the sun. You can create your own custom running hat designed with your own logo or custom text from CapBeast.

What About Golf?

While there are several great options for golf hats, baseball hats remain a popular option because they offer all the benefits required by golfers. That being said, we’re seeing a lot of innovation in materials and design. The perfect golf hats have the right weight, amount of ventilation and comfortable fit without getting in the way of your swing, like this Adidas Performance Cap with an open-arch design at the back. Performance Cap | Adidas

You should also look out for hats that fit comfortably without losing structure, like the FlexFit Cotton Blend Cap. 

CapBeast can help you transform any of these hats into the perfect custom golf hat to compliment your game. When picking a golf hat, it is important that you look out for options that offer a comfortable fit with moisture-wicking materials and adjustable straps. 

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. 

The right athletic headwear can be the game-changer for your performance as an athlete. By choosing the right hat, you can get better results on the field, the links and at the gym. CapBeast can help you get the right custom hats inscribed with your club/personal text and logo. 

In Conclusion

As a personal trainer, fitness enthusiast, or athlete, you need a great athletic hat for running or working out. Check out the options we’ve highlighted here and create your own custom athletic hats at CapBeast.  Whether it’s a single custom hat for you or a bulk order for your team, CapBeast has you covered.