The best baseball caps to sport this summer, from Patagonia to Stüssy

It’s impossible not to like Patagonia, what with the stylish outdoorsy garb and ruthless commitment to lessening its impact on the environment. The brand makes some pretty nice baseball caps too, like this one, which comes in a selection of colours, including this a lovely shade of house brick, and bears the Californian label’s instantly recognisable Fitzroy logo patch to the front. You can’t go wrong with this one.

The humble cap has long been a fixture of Norse Projects’ biannual collections. In the early days, it was a five-panel cap bearing a small rectangular label that served as the Danish brand’s hero headwear piece, but in recent years, it’s been superseded by this simple twill sports cap. In true Norse Projects fashion, the design is clean and understated, but with a strong emphasis on quality. Each one is made in the USA and features tonal Norse Projects embroidery on the back, and a small white “N” to the front. Colours vary from season to season and we love this summery pastel-yellow version for SS21.

There aren’t many bona fide classics when it comes to baseball caps, but Polo Ralph Lauren’s trademark twill cap is one of them. It boasts a clean design with a canvas strap and buckle to the back, and the iconic polo-player logo to the front – simple but effective. It’s also relatively inexpensive, as far as designer baseball caps go, so if you’re in the market for a versatile cap from a brand with clout but don’t want to drain your bank account, this is definitely the way to go.

Californian label Battenwear takes inspiration from vintage outdoor gear and beach culture, while infusing its designs with a distinctly Japanese flavour courtesy of designer and founder Shinya Hasegawa. Caps are one of the brand’s calling cards, and this season there are some seriously eye-catching options. Take this green and blue number for example. It’s cut from traditional Indonesian ikat fabric which is pre-dyed to create interesting patterns, and has the added bonus of being supremely light and breathable for the summer months. It’s made in the USA too, which means peace of mind when it comes to quality.

At a shade under £15, it’s hard to fault this basic five-panel cap from Uniqlo. In fact, we’ve seen similar plain hats going for upwards of £50 from so-called premium labels, and the quality is largely indistinguishable. The five-panel design offers a change of pace if you’re used to traditional six-panel baseball caps and the nylon strap and clip system at the back makes it easy to achieve the perfect fit.

Playing with different textures is a great way to add a bit of depth to your looks, and a baseball cap can be the perfect vehicle for doing so. This navy option from Nike won’t break the bank, but it will give even the most pedestrian of outfits a subtle focal point and looks great when teamed up with other textured fabrics. We love the throwback Nike branding too – a subtle nod to the 1990’s and a nice finishing touch.

Ciele makes headwear for style-savvy runners, but you don’t have to have a Strava Premium subscription in order to enjoy the benefits of these lightweight caps. This one is made from a quick-drying, recycled fabric and even offers UPF +40 protection from the sun. All of this makes it ideal for grinding out PBs on hot summer days, but equally well suited to sitting around in a beer garden all afternoon. Take your pick.

The baseball cap may have its roots in sport, but it’s since been adopted as a cornerstone of the streetwear world. With that in mind, Stüssy is arguably the original streetwear brand, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to learn that caps are one of its staples. In bright white cotton canvas, with iconic script branding to the front, this one is perfect for deflecting the summer sun and actually wouldn’t look out of place on the golf course if you fancy jotting some cool points down on your score card too.

Suede baseball caps were everywhere back when menswear was still obsessed with understated luxury above all else. That subgenre of men’s style has since died down a bit, but we’re keen to keep this upscale take on the classic cap alive. We say suede, but this one is actually “suedette”, which is another word for faux suede. But don’t let that deter you, it’s every bit as convincing as the real thing, the only difference being that it won’t be completely ruined if the heavens decide to open.