Baseball caps are an integral part of skateboard culture, but how is it that a cap associated with one sport – baseball – become adopted by skateboarders?
Skateboarding is said to have started in the early 1950s by Californian surfers who wanted something to do when there were flat waves.
Skateboarding is more than just a sport, it is a culture and the clothes help define that culture. The distinctive clothing style of skateboarders was developed in the ‘70s and is largely unchanged. The style is loose-fitting clothes, with hoodies, shorts, low-slung jeans and baseball style hats often worn backwards.
In the 1980s a number of skateboarding films were made that popularised the sport. Perhaps the most influential was the 1986 cult film Thrashin’, that featured famous skaters such as Tony Alva and Tony Hawk. Most of the skateboarders in the movie wore crash helmets, which were worn for health and safety reasons but did not offer much in the way of fashion.
Skateboarders demanded more stylish headwear. The problem with most hats is that they do not stay on the head when skateboarding at speed or performing tricks. The answer for skateboarders was the baseball cap which fits well, is comfortable to wear, looks stylish – and stays on the head. Most professional skateboarders such as Lance Mountain and Nyjah Huston wear baseball hats except when performing particularly dangerous stunts, when they wear helmets.
Skateboarders love Flexfit baseball caps that provide protection from the sun, and stay on the head when performing stunts or racing.
