Crate Club: Five reasons to always have a hat

Take a look at pictures from any time in the history of warfare and what do you see? Troops with guns, uniforms and hats or helmets of some kind. While the kevlar and ballistic helmet has replaced the uniform three corner hat for general issue you can still find troops in beanies and ball caps. Special Ops guys, in particular, seem to have a real love for ball caps and beanies. Why not? They are comfortable, versatile, and damn handy.

Here are five reasons you should always have a hat.

Beat The Weather

First and foremost one of the primary reasons to ever have a hat is to beat the weather. Doesn’t matter if its cold or hot is you are a member of Crate Club. We have options for both the hot and cold weather. Our basic trucker hat is perfect for summer wear, especially when outfitted with the No Sweat Hat Liner we included in our crates. When it’s hot the trucker hat keeps sweat out of your eyes and helps keep you cool. It keeps sweat in place but is vented to allow air movement.

Our latest piece of headgear is the Crate Club watch cap/beanie. Watch caps have been part of the commando’s attire since WW2. These caps are still issued and used around the world. You want to stay warm when living in the day to day world. Our subdued gray beanie not only looks good but is completely functional.

Change Your Appearance on the Fly

One of the benefits of any kind of hat is the ability to change your appearance on the fly. The addition of a hat in your pocket, car, or bag gives you the ability to instantly change your appearance and blend into a crowd. For the urban environment, SERE kit the addition of a hat is a must have to disappear into crowds when folks with ill intentions are looking for you. A hat is a small piece of nondescript gear that allows you to partially conceal your face, your hair, and other descriptors. With the right hat and the right angle surveillance cameras are even defeatable.

Protects you From the Elements

The rain and the sun can be punishing in an outdoor situation. From operating overseas to surviving a disaster and to just going for a jog the elements are always a threat. A little something on your head protects you and keeps you sharp. Our trucker hat keeps the sun and rain out of your eyes and allows you to maintain your view and vision. Good luck aiming down your sights when the sun is always in your eyes.

You Can Turn it Into a Weapon

With gear you can get from a pharmacy or a big box store you can turn a hat into a discrete and brutal weapon. Remember the 100 Deadly Skills improvised sap?

A beanie can replace the bandana as the core material in the sap.

Place the weight in the middle, wind it up and you got a sap. Add a zip tie and you’ve made it even better.

A few cheap Derby razors attached to the brim of your hat gives you a tool to slice into an enemy quickly and rather brutally. Put on on the brim with super glue, tape, or whatever you have and you have a solid little weapon for drawing blood.

Use It to Hide Small Items

Hats are perfect for small caches and to hide small items on your person without most people looking.

The built-in sweatband of our hat will fit a handcuff key, an SD card, and other small items.

The beanie has the same capability with its upturned roll.

Hats and Headwear

Having some form of headwear on you can give you a great tool for a variety of situations. It’s a simple thing to carry, discrete and ultimately invaluable to keep at least near you. Members of Crate Club now have both summer and winter options for keeping shade or staying warm.