# Military Caps Are Round; Police Are Polygonal-Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 20, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808 "2013-05-20T11:55:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/1 "2013-05-20T11:55:13Z")
I prefer the polygonal caps-they look classier. The Polish Army has really cool square cap lids-they seem to be unique. Why does the military stick with the clunky round look? Although the Russian military caps look good-with their “supersized” look! ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/2 "2013-05-20T18:15:25Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I prefer the polygonal caps-they look classier. The Polish Army has really cool square cap lids-they seem to be unique. Why does the military stick with the clunky round look? Although the Russian military caps look good-with their “supersized” look! Do you have any pictures of these different caps? I’m having difficulty visualising what you mean. And personally I always thought the huge Russian _(and from recent news coverage, North Korean)_ hats look rather silly! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/3 "2013-05-20T18:55:51Z")
NYPD hats have 8 points. Some departments follow their style. Most do not. Most departments around here wear road hats. But styles vary. You’ll find Smokey the Bear hats, cowboy hats and baseball hats. You are making a blanket statement that isn’t close to being true. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/4 "2013-05-20T20:03:49Z")
Aren’t the classic round brimmed military hats a Russian invention, originally? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/5 "2013-05-20T20:55:02Z")
if the hat blew off your head a round hat might roll and have to be captured in a foot pursuit. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/6 "2013-05-20T21:25:28Z")
Ah, I understand you now. And I don’t know about America but its certainly not universally true, the local police force…sorry, _service_, uses round hats. They look quite nice as well in my opinion. [http://www.legal-island.com/fs/img/PSNI-Hats.jpg](http://www.legal-island.com/fs/img/PSNI-Hats.jpg) PSNI - Police Service of Northern Ireland ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/7 "2013-05-20T22:19:30Z")
Israeli police caps are round, too, although cops tend to wear them air force-style, with a crease in the middle. [Like this.](http://megafon-news.co.il/asys/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/800px-Israel_police_officers.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/8 "2013-05-20T22:23:51Z")
My city’s police hats are either polygonal with 0 sides or round with a radius of 0. I never get close enough to see. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/9 "2013-05-21T00:05:09Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I prefer the polygonal caps-they look classier. The Polish Army has really cool square cap lids-they seem to be unique. Why does the military stick with the clunky round look? Although the Russian military caps look good-with their “supersized” look! Not all of them are round. [Scroll down](http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/mar/29/triathlete-says-seabee-saved-his-life-after/) to see the traditional blocked hat the Seabees wear (or used to wear). ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/10 "2013-05-21T04:01:41Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Not all of them are round. [Scroll down](http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/mar/29/triathlete-says-seabee-saved-his-life-after/) to see the traditional blocked hat the Seabees wear (or used to wear). Yes. Marines wear that kind of hat also. As to the OT, I think MOST questions about ceremonial\* things concerning military/police uniforms can be answered “Because that’s the tradition.” \*IMO, battle dress or working uniforms are pretty practical, but when you get to dress uniforms, there’s a lot of silly stuff that’s just ceremonial. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/11 "2013-05-21T12:45:59Z")
[![](https://swatmp0.tripod.com/Police/Uniforms/NYPD_hat.jpg) ](https://swatmp0.tripod.com/Police/Uniforms/NYPD_hat.jpg) Here is the NYPD style hat like we used to wear. Outside of NYC and those copying the style most police hats don’t look like that. Most police hats I see look more like this. [![](https://swatmp0.tripod.com/Police/Uniforms/Hangerstown-Hat.jpg) ](https://swatmp0.tripod.com/Police/Uniforms/Hangerstown-Hat.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/12 "2013-05-21T13:01:07Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Aren’t the classic round brimmed military hats a Russian invention, originally? According to Wikipedia it originated in the region, [Russia being first to adopt it officially.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaked_cap) Though from pictures I’ve seenit does look to me like the Russians/North Koreans had a trend towards a bigger brim during the Cold War period, [WW2 period peaked caps were more compact](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zhukov_1945_E010750410-v8.jpg). Maybe it was in order for the officers to be better protected from the elements during those interminable parades and Leader’s speeches 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/13 "2013-05-21T13:30:05Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Yes. Marines wear that kind of hat also. Same sort of hat, different blocking. The Marines block their hats with [this](http://www.seabeecruisebox.com/cover-block--round-uniform-hat-shaper.html), which gives the hat the “jar” look. The Seabees use that plus one of [these](http://www.seabeecruisebox.com/cover-block--octagon-uniform-hat-shaper.html), which gives the top a pronounced octagon shape. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/14 "2013-05-21T13:35:27Z")
NYC cops have octagonal heads, thus the shape of the hat. ---
**Author:** ![Phishin\_CA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@Phishin\_CA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phishin_CA)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/15 "2013-05-22T00:50:15Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Same sort of hat, different blocking. The Marines block their hats with [this](http://www.seabeecruisebox.com/cover-block--round-uniform-hat-shaper.html), which gives the hat the “jar” look. The Seabees use that plus one of [these](http://www.seabeecruisebox.com/cover-block--octagon-uniform-hat-shaper.html), which gives the top a pronounced octagon shape. Chefguy, the marines do not block the top of the cover into a “jar” shape. It is blocked in an octagon using the same tool. The round band is to keep the headband portion from sagging only. We typically would take it a step further and place a plastic panel in the front sections to keep it tight. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/16 "2013-05-22T01:19:48Z")
Speaking of police hats - what was up with the stupid hats worn by the Boston PD in the recent manhunt episodes? They look like collapsing pancakes. Whose dumb idea was that? Side-view: > **[Boston police: 'We're exhausted, but we have a victory here tonight'](https://www.thejournal.ie/watertown-boston-bombings-suspects-captured-obama-877635-Apr2013/)** > > At a hastily arranged press conference, visibly delighted police paid tribute to the work of their colleagues and gave more details about a dramatic showdown in Watertown. Full-frontal: [![](http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2013/04/19/SR_presser_lockdownlifted_419_480x360.jpg) ](http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2013/04/19/SR_presser_lockdownlifted_419_480x360.jpg) I guess it was a State Police thing. I thought Staties got to wear the cool Mountie hats. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-caps-are-round-police-are-polygonal-why/658808/17 "2013-05-22T01:35:51Z")
Moving from IMHO to General Questions.