Trucker Hats [A Rad Guide, With Everything You Need To Know]

When it comes to trucker hats, there are a ton of options. You’ll look great skateboarding in a trucker cap, and we took a deep dive into all the information you might need to buy one.

3 best trucker hats

What Are Trucker Hats?

Trucker hats are technically baseball caps. However, they differ in the design and material.

While similar to a baseball hat, a trucker hat will have a foam upper (with two panels), and a plastic mesh back. High quality baseball hats will be all wool, for example, to illustrate the difference.

Trucker hats originated at rural farm stores, and were also called ‘feed caps’, or ‘gimme hats’. That’s because these stores often plastered their logo on top of the hat, and then gave them away to customers buying livestock feed.

Sometime in the early 2000s, trucker hats became very popular, with even Ashton Kutcher and Pharrell wearing them on a regular basis. After that, they fell out of style, but are now back.

The whole appeal of the trucker hat, is that they’re ugly - so they are worn ironically. Before the trucker hat, actual truckers wore mechanic caps, you likely know them as the old timey milk man hats.

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In the 1950s, the greasers actually took to wearing the mechanic caps - which never made much sense, but nonetheless, it happened. Sometime in the 1970s, the five piece trucker hat became commonplace instead, with truckers usually acquiring the hats at - you guessed it - truck stops.

Mountain Dew and John Deere were two of the biggest advertisers at this point, but many companies jumped on the bandwagon. While the trucker hat is very similar in design to a baseball hat, there are some key differences.

For starters, a trucker hat will have a foam upper, with plastic mesh. A baseball cap, however, will usually be wool, or cotton.

Additionally, a baseball cap will not have a breathable plastic mesh back (usually), and they will also not have a huge, billboard-like design on the front - like trucker hats do. The irony of wearing trucker hats by celebrities, has been sort of lost.

Lots of metal and country bands now wear trucker hats - not ironically, though. They wear them (usually) to symbolize an allegiance with blue collar works, as the wealth gap continues to increase.

Why Do They Call Truckers Hats?

Originally, these hats were given away by rural stores. If you needed to buy chicken feed, for example, you might get a free trucker hat from the store when you bought your chicken food.

Over time, many truckers wore these hats (and hardly anyone else) - leading to the now-common name. In the early 2000s, these hats (against all odds) became popular with celebrities.

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What Makes A Trucker Hat A Trucker Hat?

The design, mostly. A foam upper with two panels, and a mesh cap will define the classic trucker hat look - while wool hats are something entirely different (usually baseball caps).

Are Trucker Hats In Style 2020?

It’s safe to say that no matter what the year, trucker hats never truly go out of style. They have a billboard on the front, and a regular cap in the back - making their ugliness the appeal of wearing the hat.

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Did Ashton Kutcher Get Rid Of All His Trucker Hats?

This is an important question, because Kutcher became known for wearing trucker hats constantly, in the early 2000s. The New York Times even claimed he wore 5 different trucker hats in just one episode of Punk’d - his MTV prank show.

Therefore, it may sadden some readers to know that Kutcher has apparently gotten rid of all of his trucker hats. While it has been over a decade since Kutcher was wearing them regularly, it still saddened us to learn of this fact.

What Is The Best Trucker Hat Brand?

We don’t think there is one trucker hat brand that’s best. Instead, we think there are a variety of brands that make high quality hats.

You can opt for many different brands, but as long as they are well reviewed, and the hat is made from strong materials - you should be fine. We prefer darker colored hats, but to each their own.

What Colors Are Popular For Trucker Hats?

Dark colors are popular for trucker hats. They will go with most anything, especially a neutral color hat (like gray).

White hats look cool, but will show dirt easily. Ultimately, it comes down to what you prefer - girls may like pink trucker hats, while guys may always stick with navy, black, or gray.

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How Do You Wear A Trucker Hat?

Trucker hats are usually not worn tightly on the head (though they can be). Instead, they are often worn high on your head, in a relaxed manner.

What Is The Difference Between A Trucker Hat And A Baseball Cap?

One of the main differences, is the construction. A baseball hat will not usually be foam and plastic mesh, but instead be wool, or something similar.

What Are Trucker Hats Made Of?

This will vary depending on what brand you buy, and how much you spend. Usually foam and plastic mesh are what make up a trucker hat, though some brands will vary.

Are Trucker Hats For Women?

Trucker hats are unisex, as anyone can wear them. You don’t have to be a trucker, participate in a particular sport, or wear certain clothes - which is part of why we love trucker hats.

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How Do You Pronounce The Word "Trucker"?

This is an easy one. Start by sounding out “truh”, and then add “ker” - and you’ll have the exact right sound.

Alternatively, say “truck” and then add “er”. It’s a pretty easy word to pronounce, even if English is your second language.

10 Best Trucker Hats

1. Carhartt Men's Rugged Professional Cap

Carhartt is really popular these days (especially on social media), and this trucker hat shows exactly why. It’s minimalist but still stylish, and it’s well constructed but still affordable.

If you care about luxury brand names, this made not be the right choice for you, but for everyone else - this is a great pick. Easily our top choice, and highly recommended.

2. YP Classics Retro Trucker Cap

These snapback trucker hats are very affordable, and come in a wide variety of colors. They’re also backed by a ton of five star reviews, so you can buy with confidence.

Many reviewers have also noted that if you have a big head, this hat will still work perfectly. If you want a reliable, long lasting trucker cap - make it this one.

3. Ultrafun 10 Pack Trucker Hat

If you need trucker hats in bulk, this is a great choice. With a cost of only about a cup of coffee per hat, this is a great way to save money.

If you want to add your logo, you can do that on your own - do it in bulk, and you’ll save a ton of cash. While you can get fancier trucker hats, these are a perfect choice for anyone who wants a simple design.

4. Goorin Bros. Trucker Hat

With a metric ton of five star reviews, this is yet another great trucker cap. It’s well constructed, and will last forever.

We loved how it felt on our heads, and the bill is very crisp. If you want a high quality trucker hat, this is a perfect choice.

5. Marmot Men's Retro Trucker Hat

Marmot has been around forever, and always makes high quality outdoor gear. This hat is no exception.

It’s very solid, and looks stylish with any outfit. No matter what you’re looking to pair with this hat, it will likely work.

6. Naicissism Animal Farm Mesh Trucker Hat

If you love animals, this is the perfect line of hats for you. They all have clever pictures and sayings, plus they’re very affordable, with great reviews.

We had never heard of this brand before we tested this hat, but it did very well for us. Whether you want something minimalist, stylish, or just affordable - this cap will fit the bill.

7. Billabong Women's California Love Trucker Hat

Billabong is one of the most famous surf companies in the world, and they always have stylish gear. This awesome California trucker hat is no exception.

It’s also backed by a ton of great reviews, and is priced very fairly. We loved wearing this just about anywhere we went, and you can be a man or woman and still look stylish in this cap.

8. Chok.Lids Everyday Premium Washed Trucker Hat

If you like the faded look, or just like ripped jeans - this is a perfect hat for you. It looks worn in right from the get go, and it will fit with any outfit.

It’s also backed by lots of five star reviews, and we loved wearing it - even on errands. Whether you want to look rugged, or just fit in at a bar - this is a perfect choice.

9. Joe's USA Koloa Surf Mesh Trucker Hat

You don’t have to be a skateboarder to enjoy a great trucker hat. This surfer mesh hat is perfect, and looks super sleek.

It’s also very affordable, and will work perfectly for anyone who wants to look rad all the time. We like the white on white best, color wise, but there are tons of different options to choose from. 🏄‍♂️

10. Roxy Women's Trucker Hat

Roxy is a great surf company, and this stylish hat shows exactly why. It’s also backed by a ton of great reviews, which will leave you feeling confident about making a purchase.

Whether you want this as a gift for someone, or as a gift for yourself - it’s absolutely perfect. We highly recommend it, especially for any rad girls you know. 👸

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Other Factors To Consider

If you want a cool, retro look - trucker hats are a perfect option to consider. You could go with beanies, or a snapback - those are best sellers too.

However, we love the classic look of men’s trucker hats for headwear - whether you go with a camo look, an Adidas model, or a Richardson cap. A mesh snapback might be trendy new arrivals, but baseball caps and tucker hats have withstood the test of time.

Brands like Billabong, Hurley, Salty Crew, New Era, The North Face, and others all have great caps. However, we love mesh trucker hats, especially ones with flat bills. Custom trucker hats and snapback trucker hats also provide unique looks.

Some hats will be unstructured, meaning they don’t have support behind the two front panels. There are also lots of varieties of hats - like cotton blends, foam trucker hats, foam fronts to hats, snapback trucker caps, hats with stiff visors, and brands like FlexFit (actually the US distributor for Yupoong).

Color combinations like black/white will help you keep a low profile, but there are also logo trucker hats. If you get gift cards in USD, you’ll also be pleased to learn that trucker hats are unisex.

You can also wear a back cap - meaning your hat will be on backwards, not forwards - resulting in a cooler look. The USA is also very big into manufacturing trucker hats, as well as tees to go with them - unlike many other products.

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The Bottom Line On Trucker Hats

There you have it - all you wanted to know about trucker hats. We took a very deep dive into the topic, and were surprised by some of the answers.

No matter where you fall, in terms of what you like to wear, a trucker hat can go with almost anything. If you like skateboarding, you’ll also always look stylish in a trucker hat.

Don’t just get a trucker hat though - make sure you have a full skate outfit to wear to the skatepark. And if you liked this article, be sure to check out some of our other comprehensive guides.