Varsity Headwear Review and Brand Overview

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Updated on 12/10/2024

Varsity Headwear came onto my radar while looking for a higher quality/label-less baseball-style cap I could wear on more casual days.  At the time, the only options were the Ralph Lauren or Lacoste “dad” caps that never seemed to have a good fit, or very large brimmed actual baseball hats.  None of these options came logo-less either.  Additionally, I was always annoyed no one was making wool or cashmere hats for the Winter.  Varsity Headwear solved all my problems by offering a well proportioned cap, in a variety of materials, with no obvious logos on the front.  As a current owner of their wool, linen, and technical hats, they make the perfect hat for a variety of seasons/situations.

History

Varsity Headwear was founded by brothers Alex and Seb in Norway.  From the beginning their mission was focusing on perfecting the fit, feel and fabrics for a premium hat.  They have grown from a single store in Norway in 2013, to being sold in large American department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman.

Notes

I haven’t been able to find a company yet that can offer the level of materials, shape and pricing of Varsity Headwear.  These hats are much more expensive than a normal hat, but with how often I wear mine, I consider them a good investment.  I’ve worn each of them over 100 times and none of them are showing any signs of wear.  A much better “price to # of wears” ratio than a $100 sweater you might wear 5 times a year.

What to Buy

A linen hat during the Spring / Summer and a Wool hat for Fall / Winter is the ideal situation.  You can also purchase one of their technical hats for any situation that involves sweat such as working out, yard work, hiking etc.

Linen Series – $98

For Spring/Summer the linen hat is the go-to pick.  Linen fibers are hollow and naturally move air and moisture, making it a perfect fabric for warmer climates.  The linen is sourced from the Piemonte region of northern Italy and woven into a basket-weave composition which results in a beautiful color and shine.

Update on 12/20/2024 – I’ve now owned their Oxford Blue linen hat for +4 years, and it is starting to show some decent fading, but I honestly don’t mind as it gives a “worn in” look without looking shabby in a similar way to how Nantucket Reds chinos come into their own once they’re worn enough times to fade a bit.  The blue Varsity Headwear uses is pretty bold, so a bit of fading after 4 years of beach/daily wear during the Spring/Summer is okay in my book.

Wool Series – $100

For Fall/Winter the wool hat provides a great texture and added warmth.  Wool’s natural water-repellency and ability to insulate in both cold climates makes it a perfect Fall/Winter fabric choice.  Varsity Headwear’s flannelling technique allows the virgin wool to retain its shape while remaining extra soft.

Cashmere Series – $220

If you have the extra disposable income then you can opt for the Cashmere version, which is softer than the Wool.  Obviously paying double is a lot more, but that’s about the same percent price increase as going from a wool to cashmere sweater and at least if you wear a hat most days, you get a lot more bang for you buck buying a $220 cashmere hat than a cashmere sweater you might wear once a week at best.

Update on 12/20/2024 – I’ve owned the Grey cashmere cap now for +4 years, and it has held up immaculately.

Alcantara Series – $140

A 3rd option for Fall/Winter is Varsity Headwear’s Alcantara hat.  Alcantara is an artificial suede developed in the 1970s and used extensively in the car industry as an alternative to leather because of its increased durability and lightness.  I generally steer clear of fabrics made from “non-natural” materials, but for a hat I’m willing to take the trade off between non-natural and increased durability.  If you want a brown hat I think this is the way to go over the wool or cashmere caps, and it does have the “soft” look natural suede has.  I just purchased the brown Alcantara hat in October, 2024, so I’ll be keeping track of its durability over time.  The one other minor benefit I like is the brim being a tiny bit thinner than the wool and cashmere caps, which I assume is just because the cloth itself is thinner, but it creates a slightly sharper look that I enjoy.

Athletic Sport Series – $90

This is a great alternative to the standard gym/hiking/outdoors hat.  Low key and made of a durable synthetic material, I’ve worn the Dark Grey version 4-5 days a week to the gym for +2 years without any long-term damage, and I expect it to last another 2 years at least.  $90 is a lot of invest in a “workout” hat, but I’ve already worn mine over 400 times, and expect at least 800 – 1,000 wears eventually, and you can’t get much better cost per wear than that.

Update on 12/20/2024 – I’ve owned the grey Athletic Sport for +4 years and I’d say it’s at about 90% of new looking.  Given that it’s my gym hat, bad weather hat, I don’t really care about it, and have worn it at least 500 times now, that’s pretty solid.

Overall I think Varsity Headwear is the only company who has filled the niche of a premium hat/cap with no ostentatious logos, quality materials, a great design and a reasonable price.  You can buy a Varsity Headwear hat directly from Norway on their website or the department store below:

Varsity Headwear

Bergdorf Goodman

Let us know if you have any thoughts, questions or comments below!