Baseball caps will have a new feel

[98navigator]

New Era will stop making caps out of wool because they absorb sweat:

 

Major League Baseball has made a material change in an iconic item of sports apparel — the baseball cap.

 

MLB and its Buffalo-based manufacturer, New Era Cap Company, say the new caps — making their debut opening day — look just like their predecessors. The samples certainly do.

 

But replacing the traditional wool is a polyester fabric that MLB and New Era say is designed to "wick" away sweat and evaporate it, resist shrinkage and fading and reduce odor and glare.

 

They will also cost a little more.

 

New Era says the caps, expected to be available in stores and online March 30, will have a suggested retail price of $32 compared with $29 for the previous caps.

 

USAToday

Edited February 20, 2007 by 98navigator

[Abe Frohman]

That price is kinda crazy. The wool hats suck though, so we'll see... Edited February 20, 2007 by Abe Frohman

[98navigator]

Did they mention that they will cost no less than $30 too? BS.

 

LOL, yeah, I was just adding that to my post. Count on $32.

[Abe Frohman]

Heh, when I finished my post, I saw you edited yours - so in turn I just edited mine. Interesting on the caps....

[Roast]

Thank God. I dont know how many cubs hats i've had become discolored, smelly, and nasty thanks to wearing them while working outside in the summer. Washing them really never helped much.

[treebird]

Thank God. I dont know how many cubs hats i've had become discolored, smelly, and nasty thanks to wearing them while working outside in the summer. Washing them really never helped much.

 

you wear $30 wool baseball caps outside in the summer? must be nice to be mr moneybags

[dougdescenzo]

Finally MLB is listening to George Costanza.

[Brian]

Finally MLB is listening to George Costanza.

 

ahh I was just going to post about Costanza but didn't he switch to Cotton?

[oldstyle81]

thank god i read this thread because i was goign to buy a new home and road cap before the season started.

 

i really hope they come out with the st patricks day cap like this also

 

i also hope that the sizes will be a truer fit, i could go to a store and find 3 different size hats that fit the same.

 

the price dosent bother me, especially since you can find them cheaper

Edited February 20, 2007 by oldstyle81

[oldstyle81]

Thank God. I dont know how many cubs hats i've had become discolored, smelly, and nasty thanks to wearing them while working outside in the summer. Washing them really never helped much.

 

im surprised it still fit, once my hats got wet they shrunk like crazy

[soccer10k]

Finally MLB is listening to George Costanza.

 

ahh I was just going to post about Costanza but didn't he switch to Cotton?

 

Correct sir.

[XZero771679666304]

Somewhere Steve Kline is openly weeping.

[cl smooth]

I dont know how many cubs hats i've had become discolored, smelly, and nasty thanks to wearing them while working outside in the summer.

 

but that's what makes a baseball cap a baseball cap! until last summer, i hadn't washed my cubs hat for close to 6 years! my girlfriend finally got tired of my hat(s) smelling like a jockey strap, so i threw it in the washing machine and 3 washes later, the smell was gone! sweat marks are still there, so i look at them as like rings on a tree stump...tells me how long i've had the cap. the sweat would help me break in a baseball cap...an hour's worth of mowing the lawn would give the hat enough sweat to form to my head and always have that "snug" fit that would last a lifetime!

[davecubsfan]

I actually like the wool and won't buy a cotton baseball cap ever. This is gonna take some time to get used to on my part :(

[J.R.]

What the hell?

[uppercase_D]

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--mlb-newcap0220feb20,0,948732.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

[seanimal]

The new caps will retail at about $32, up from the current $29, DeWaal said.

 

Typical.

[sweetpeteman]

http://www.northsidebaseball.com/PremiumForum/viewtopic.php?t=38539

 

viewtopic.php?t=38539

[crazycooter]

I have been lurking on here for a while, but this subject has moved me to post. Here goes:

 

I have a big head. I am a 7 5/8 or 7 3/4 depending on the hat. Furthermore, those low-profile pieces of crap don't look right on me no matter the size. Thus, the classic MLB Authentic 5950 is virtually the only hat that I can wear consistently that looks and feels right on my giant melon. I love baseball caps. So, I have purchased several 5950s over the years.

 

Today is the beginning of the realization of the nameless fear that has haunted my dreams lo these many years: the MLB Authentic caps are changing. I see this as the first step toward MLB making the on-field head covers the same low-profile style that you see every "normal" headed college kid sporting these days. Us large-gorded individuals (can you hear me Lou?) will be forced to retreat into the world of throwbacks. Excuse me while I go puke.

[CuseCubFan69]

I have been lurking on here for a while, but this subject has moved me to post. Here goes:

 

I have a big head. I am a 7 5/8 or 7 3/4 depending on the hat. Furthermore, those low-profile pieces of crap don't look right on me no matter the size. Thus, the classic MLB Authentic 5950 is virtually the only hat that I can wear consistently that looks and feels right on my giant melon. I love baseball caps. So, I have purchased several 5950s over the years.

 

Today is the beginning of the realization of the nameless fear that has haunted my dreams lo these many years: the MLB Authentic caps are changing. I see this as the first step toward MLB making the on-field head covers the same low-profile style that you see every "normal" headed college kid sporting these days. Us large-gorded individuals (can you hear me Lou?) will be forced to retreat into the world of throwbacks. Excuse me while I go puke.

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

I'm sure they'll have different types to match the different wants/needs of the buying public. These things always go in phases anyways.

[BCVM22]

I have been lurking on here for a while, but this subject has moved me to post. Here goes:

 

I have a big head. I am a 7 5/8 or 7 3/4 depending on the hat. Furthermore, those low-profile pieces of crap don't look right on me no matter the size. Thus, the classic MLB Authentic 5950 is virtually the only hat that I can wear consistently that looks and feels right on my giant melon. I love baseball caps. So, I have purchased several 5950s over the years.

 

Today is the beginning of the realization of the nameless fear that has haunted my dreams lo these many years: the MLB Authentic caps are changing. I see this as the first step toward MLB making the on-field head covers the same low-profile style that you see every "normal" headed college kid sporting these days. Us large-gorded individuals (can you hear me Lou?) will be forced to retreat into the world of throwbacks. Excuse me while I go puke.

 

Uh... what?

 

If you read the article referenced or any other piece on the new hats, you'll notice they say that the hats are structurally identical to the current authentic hats, and the only difference is that they're made of the synthetic material instead of wool, and they have black underbills. They'll still be New Era 59FIFTY hats (a fine hat, I might add; I have 2) and so they'll still have the structure and headspace you like.

 

I'm not positive, but I do believe this is the first major change to the on-field game hat since they changed the forehead bands inside the hats from leather to cloth back in the 1970s. If they only change the hats once every 30 years, you should be covered until 2037 or so.

[crazycooter]

I have been lurking on here for a while, but this subject has moved me to post. Here goes:

 

I have a big head. I am a 7 5/8 or 7 3/4 depending on the hat. Furthermore, those low-profile pieces of crap don't look right on me no matter the size. Thus, the classic MLB Authentic 5950 is virtually the only hat that I can wear consistently that looks and feels right on my giant melon. I love baseball caps. So, I have purchased several 5950s over the years.

 

Today is the beginning of the realization of the nameless fear that has haunted my dreams lo these many years: the MLB Authentic caps are changing. I see this as the first step toward MLB making the on-field head covers the same low-profile style that you see every "normal" headed college kid sporting these days. Us large-gorded individuals (can you hear me Lou?) will be forced to retreat into the world of throwbacks. Excuse me while I go puke.

 

Uh... what?

 

If you read the article referenced or any other piece on the new hats, you'll notice they say that the hats are structurally identical to the current authentic hats, and the only difference is that they're made of the synthetic material instead of wool, and they have black underbills. They'll still be New Era 59FIFTY hats (a fine hat, I might add; I have 2) and so they'll still have the structure and headspace you like.

 

I'm not positive, but I do believe this is the first major change to the on-field game hat since they changed the forehead bands inside the hats from leather to cloth back in the 1970s. If they only change the hats once every 30 years, you should be covered until 2037 or so.

 

Like I said, I view this as a first step toward change in structure. They are keeping the high-profile design for now, but don't let that fool you. MLB has clearly shown a preference for change over the last few years with vented helmets, "cool base" jerseys, and myriad changes to the BP gear.

 

They didn't even think about making changes for marketing purposes until the late '90s because up until then what the players wore was largely irrelevant to the business side of things. In the last 10 - 15 years merchandising dollars have skyrocketed. Its now a big enough source of cash that it is significant to MLB. As such, they are starting to exploit it as a marketing/revenue tool rather than simply viewing it as equipment.

 

Since the fashion trend on the street clearly favors the low-profile design, I see it as merely a matter of time until MLB moves in that direction to capitalize on the trend. I don't blame them, but it sucks for those of us that like the hats the way they are.

[goonys evil twin]

What is this "low-profile" and "high-profile" talk? I'm not up on hat fashion.

[crazycooter]

What is this "low-profile" and "high-profile" talk? I'm not up on hat fashion.

Basically, low-profile hugs your head, even in the front. Its the style you see a lot of kids wearing. They usually look beat-up and faded. If you see a kid wearing an Abercrombie and Fitch hat, its low-profile. That's all they sell.

 

High-profile has a structured crown that normally rises above the head in the front. That's the kind the major league-ers wear. I will see if I can post pictures of a couple of examples.

 

LOW PROFILE

http://images.hatworld.com/product/5/04387/1_640.jpg

 

HIGH PROFILE

http://images.hatworld.com/product/5/20062909/1_640.jpg

[Garwilly]

Low

http://images.hatworld.com/product/5/04387/1_640.jpg

 

 

 

High

http://images.hatworld.com/product/5/20060272/1_640.jpg