The first people that wore back-to-front caps, were baseball players who were positioned behind the batter. When protective face masks were introduced, cap visors got in the way, so baseball players turned theirs around.
Today, there are three main reasons to wear a baseball type cap back-to-front
The first reason is one of style. Many people believe that it looks better to wear a cap back to front. For some, this represents rebellion and going against the norm. Several celebrities have been pictured wearing a cap back-to-front, and people love copying them.
The second reason is more practical. On hot days, an uncovered neck can easily get sunburnt at the back. Turning the cap around so that the visor is at the back, provides shade for the neck to protect it from the harsh rays of the sun.
Thirdly, skateboarders and snowboarders believe that the cap visor slows them down. Turned backward, the cap has a more aerodynamic shape that is said to make the board go faster. There is research to back this up, a team in Australia observed runners with both forward and back-to-front visors. They found that the runners with visors at the back ran 20% faster. The researchers noted that visor headwear without crowns were lighter than full caps and this can make a difference to running speed.
Whatever your reason for wearing your Flexfit cap back-to-front, you can be sure that it is a style that will live on through the decades.
