# What kind of hat is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841 "2011-11-13T22:57:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/1 "2011-11-13T22:57:47Z")
Today at Sam’s Club I saw an old man with an exceptional green hat. As soon as I saw it, I knew I needed to find one like it for myself. I approached the man and asked him about it. He told me it was the only one like it that he had ever seen in his life, and that he doubted I would be able to find a similar one. He said he couldn’t remember who gave it to him - it was a long time ago - but that he thought the hat may have been a US Green Beret “dress cap.” If this is the case, I wouldn’t really want to wear it; I think something like that you have to earn the right to wear. But is this in fact the case? I looked up “green beret dress cap” and I sure didn’t see any hats like this one. At first I thought it might have been a Civil War era cap or a reproduction of one, but on further inspection, it didn’t really look that much like one (not tapered, different kind of band, different color). The guy let me take a photo of the hat; [here](http://postimage.org/image/olahbd3h5/) it is. Does anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/2 "2011-11-13T23:04:06Z")
It resembles a bit an [Einheitsfeldmütze](http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Einheitsfeldmutze&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi), which was a hat worn by the German Army in WWII. . ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/3 "2011-11-13T23:56:40Z")
Or similar to another German hat, the stormtrooper coffee can kepi. But it’s not a green beret dress cap. That has always been a (clean) green beret. The cap in the photo looks like a belted version of [this cover](http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/uploads//post-214-1175700007.jpg) that some of us remember from our 1960’s GI Joe. This hat was never Army issue: some CO’s would decide they liked it, and everyone in the command would have to buy one at the PX. (that was never uncommon in the old days. Those yellow neckerchieves worn by the frontier cavalry were also non-regulation private purchase) ---
**Author:** ![PB\_J](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@PB\_J](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PB_J)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/4 "2011-11-14T00:54:23Z")
Google “military fatigue cap” or “military ranger cap” and you will find very similar caps. Maybe not with the buckle. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/5 "2011-11-14T01:02:46Z")
It looks military “ish” in style but I’m really thinking it looks more like an northern woods outdoorsman’s cap. Possibly even a fishing hat where the belt in front can be used for fly fishing tackle. What was the material felt or suede or something else? ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/6 "2011-11-14T01:05:00Z")
> [@PB\_J](#): > > Google “military fatigue cap” or “military ranger cap” and you will find very similar caps. Maybe not with the buckle. Kind of; all the fatigue caps I saw are noticeably less rigid in design and have softer looking lines. This old guy’s cap was very stiff-looking and seemed to be made out of a thick, sturdy material. The bill also doesn’t have a series of concentric stitched lines. And the little belt and buckle is integral to the design of the hat, rather than being something simply thrown over a standard hat. Again, this hat may have other hats that look _kind of_ like it. But lots of hats look kind of alike. In terms of the details, it was pretty distinctive. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/7 "2011-11-14T01:36:42Z")
Huh. I play Team Fortress 2 and I haven’t even seen that type of hat before. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/8 "2011-11-14T01:53:06Z")
😕 ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/9 "2011-11-14T01:55:42Z")
Reminds me of my great-uncle’s hat from the early 60s, although it was old then. He lived near Rhinelander, Wisconsin, in the north woods. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/10 "2011-11-14T02:00:59Z")
Perhaps he got it from a leprechaun? ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/11 "2011-11-14T02:55:25Z")
It’s an old hunting cap. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/12 "2011-11-14T02:57:09Z")
> [@Tarwater](#): > > It’s an old hunting cap. I’m pretty sure this is correct and the material looks like wool felt. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/13 "2011-11-14T03:08:21Z")
Does anyone know where I could get one like it? ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/14 "2011-11-14T03:19:44Z")
> [@Tarwater](#): > > It’s an old hunting cap. I’ll second or third this. I have a stash of old photos of my dad’s uncles hunting and fishing and recognize this hat as being very very similar to one in the photos. Sadly, it’s about 30 years to late to ask where the hat came from or what it’s called. ---
**Author:** ![ShallowEnd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@ShallowEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShallowEnd)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/15 "2011-11-14T03:55:46Z")
I see that hat as suede or the like on my monitor. I did image search and then the words Norwester hunting cap any of these [to](http://www.kohls.com/upgrade/webstore/product_page.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524892827138&pfx=pfx_shopcompare&cid=shopping2&mr:referralID=e5212835-0e73-11e1-9aae-001b2166c62d) [your](http://shop.ccs.com/product/model:169917/sku:64-04147/matix-norwester-hunting-cap-mens/all-black/black/?cm=accessories.guys.hats_%26_beanies&supercat=Accessories) [liking](http://www.windrosenorth.com/product/display.htp?&id=769&&location=&cat=23&apparel=)? ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/16 "2011-11-14T04:37:35Z")
Of those linked, the first is the closest to what I want, but it’s still not there. On no other hat have I seen the combination of a flat top, an overall rigid cylindrical shape, a straight bill, and the belt buckle perfectly centered in front. And that elegant looking band, tapered in the middle and flaring out to the sides. That hat, to me, is the ultimate hat. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/17 "2011-11-14T04:43:28Z")
Since it appears to be a vintage hat, you might try [The Fedora Lounge](http://www.thefedoralounge.com/forumdisplay.php?3-Hats). They’re pretty knowledgeable there about vintage fashion. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/18 "2011-11-14T04:49:13Z")
Just buy a Stormy Kromer from L.L. Bean and put a buckle on it. Easy. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/19 "2011-11-14T04:56:32Z")
Assuming the geezer in the photo is the hat’s current owner, I’m pretty confident you could overpower him. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841/20 "2011-11-14T08:11:54Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > Huh. I play Team Fortress 2 and I haven’t even seen that type of hat before. I just wanted to acknowledge the secret awesomeness of this post. 🆒 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-hat-is-this/602841.md?page=2)