I Went from $18 Hats to $49 Premium Caps: Here's What Changed

I used to think buying a hat was straightforward—just pick a color and a logo. I assumed all baseball caps were essentially the same, and as long as the visor blocked the sun, it was good enough.

I couldn't have been more wrong. A cheap hat feels uncomfortable and falls apart quickly, while a high-quality one fits your head perfectly. It feels soft yet sturdy, and it actually makes you feel good when you wear it.

This is my journey from cheap caps to the premium Solid Letter Embroidery Baseball Hat. I’ve broken down exactly what changes at each price point.

• Better Fit: The cap sits comfortably on your head instead of floating above it.
• Better Fabric: The canvas lasts for years, not just months.
• Better Look: The embroidery is deep and clean, not thin and poorly stitched.

Stage 1: The Cheap Phase ($15 - $25)

My first cap cost $18, and I bought it quickly because it was inexpensive. It was a classic white canvas baseball hat, but the quality was terrible.

It looked decent for the first week or so, but then it went downhill fast. Here’s what you typically get for under $25:

• Thin Material: The fabric was thin cotton instead of thick canvas. It felt like paper and wrinkled almost immediately.
• Floppy Crown: The front of the hat, known as the crown, had no structure. It was floppy and made my head look oddly flat.
• Cheap Adjustment: The back adjuster was made of cheap plastic, and the snaps broke after just a few adjustments.
• Color Fade: Because it was cheap cotton, the white color turned dingy and yellow quickly, even without heavy washing.

I usually ended up throwing these hats away after about a month because they looked so worn out. They never made it through a full summer.

Verdict: Don’t waste your money on hats this cheap. You’re essentially throwing away $18 every few weeks, and they offer no real value.

Stage 2: The Mid-Range Phase ($30 - $40)

After learning my lesson, I decided to upgrade. I went for a $35 hat next, which promised better materials and a better fit. It was an improvement, but it still missed the mark in some ways.

I thought this new canvas baseball hat would solve all my problems. It did fix a few things: