Dad Hats Vs Baseball Caps. The Difference (With Pictures)

Baseball caps are a vast category of caps with various styles. One such style variant is a dad hat. It has received its name from the fact that it was dads who wore such caps most times. When it became a fashion accessory, everyone started wearing it, but the name stuck because of the everyday ring and familiarity with it. It is of common interest that a prospective wearer should be aware of the Dad hats vs Baseball caps difference before they decide on buying the suitable cap. So we have made the much called-for comparison.

The main difference between dad hats vs baseball caps

Dad hats are inherently a style variant of baseball caps. The key difference lies in the nature of the crown, although there are other differences also.

The standard baseball cap has a structured crown that is made of six panels sewn together, and the front two panels stiffened so that the cap retains its shape when not worn.

However, a Dad hat has an unstructured crown. It is soft, comfortable, and, most times, slightly oversized for the wearer’s head. All these features together give it its classic relaxed or laid-back appearance.

What is the specific purpose of each cap?

Dad hat is mostly a casual wear cap worn that makes the wearer look relaxed and laidback. It’s more for stylistic purposes than for any other functionality or utility.

The standard baseball cap is appropriate for baseball games or casual wear. However, as mentioned previously, baseball caps are a vast category and can have multiple purposes, depending upon the cap’s nature. Even so, the most popular variant is the standard baseball cap that is commonly used for sports, casual wear, recreation, or fitness gear.

Although both can be used casually, dad hats are a subset of the baseball caps because they can’t be used for a baseball game.

What is a baseball cap?

A baseball cap can refer to a category of caps or the standard baseball cap. As a category, there can be more than forty styles, and more get added each day as fashion keeps evolving. These variants can have various kinds of closures, crown structures, decorations, profiles, patterns, materials, and many other differentiators. In general, the common features can be a rounded crown and a visor in front. Dad hat is also one of the many variants of the baseball cap. 

General Characteristics of a Baseball Cap

• The baseball cap has a crown made of multiple panels
• Most commonly, the cap has six panels, but some have five or seven panels too
• Baseball caps have a bill or a visor at the front. The visor length and shape can vary, but the visor is a mandatory component of the cap; Further, the standard baseball cap has quite a curved bill
• Baseball caps generally have three profiles that are a measure of crown height; these can be low, medium, high profiles, each having a specific height range
• As baseball cap is a category of caps, the crown can be structured or unstructured; however, the standard baseball cap worn in games have a structured crown for a better fit
• The standard baseball caps fit snugly on the wearer’s head with a few exceptions, such as a dad hat or a high–profile studded cap used in stage performances.

What is a dad hat?

As mentioned previously, a Dad hat is one of the many style variants of a baseball cap. The critical factor that makes it a style variant is its unstructured crown and only slightly curved bill compared to the standard baseball cap worn in baseball games.

The crown is made from softer and comfortable materials, such as cotton or canvas, which makes the cap wearable for long hours.

Another critical feature is that the Dad hat does not have a snap closure and is slightly oversized for the wearer’s head. All these features make it a comfortable hat and give the wearer a relaxed look.

Another interesting fact is that Dad hat is actually a misnomer. It is a cap and not a hat because it has a visor and not a brim; however, sometimes, the colloquial terminology sticks even if it is not logically correct.

General Characteristics of a Dad hat

• Dad cap has an unstructured and slightly oversized crown
• The bill is comparatively less curved, but it is not straight or flat
• The cap is for casual wear and can be worn by anyone, not just dads

Dad Hats Vs Baseball Caps

Comparison Properties	Dad Cap	Baseball Cap
Distinctive Component	It has an unstructured crown that is slightly oversized	Baseball cap as a category can have structured or unstructured crowns, but the standard baseball cap worn in games have a structured and well-fitted crown.
Fit & Stability	Slightly oversized and therefore has a loose fit and relatively lower stability.	The standard baseball cap has a snug fit, maximum possible stability to avoid distractions during a game, but there can be some style variants of the baseball cap category with a looser fit.
Bill Characteristic	Relatively less curved but not straight or flat.	The standard baseball cap has a relatively more curved bill, but there can be some style variants of the baseball cap category with straight or flat bills.
Closure Type	Dad hats don’t have a snap closure.	The standard baseball cap has a snap closure, but there can be other variants of the baseball cap category with different closure types.
Ideal For	Casual wear, unisex, recreational activities	The standard baseball cap has a snug fit, and maximum possible stability, which make it ideal for baseball games. However, it can be worn casually and in recreational activities.
Foldability	Because of the unstructured crown, Dad cap is foldable	The standard baseball cap has a structured crown, so it is not foldable, but some variants of the baseball cap category are foldable.

The Best Baseball cap

The Best Dad hat

Final thoughts

Dad hat is a style variant of the baseball cap category. If you want a relaxed look and can do with an oversized crown, you should pick the Dad hat. However, you will not find the stability that comes from a snap closure and a well-fitted structured crown. You can use the Dad hat for casual-wear recreational activities such as camping and hiking, but it is not a good choice for an intensive ball game. The oversized crown can reduce visibility also.

A standard baseball cap is a perfect choice for a ball game, and that is why it is known as the standard baseball cap. However, there can be many style variants that you will find in the baseball cap category. If you want to kill two birds with one stone, it is best to go with a baseball cap instead of a dad hat. You can wear it to the game and casually or during recreational activities also. The fit is equally comfortable, and it doesn’t affect visibility.

So out of the two, the standard baseball cap is a much more practical choice than a Dad hat, but still, both variants have their own fashion appeal.