The best way to pack a hat for travel is to wear it. The second best is to stuff the crown with soft clothes and place it where nothing heavy can land on it. Everything else, from carriers to clips to steaming out creases, is a backup plan for when those two moves don’t work.

We’ve been shipping caps, beanies and bucket hats out of Philadelphia since 2006, and we’ve carried our own through plenty of airports, van tours and skate trips. Here is how to get a hat from your closet to your destination looking like it never left the shelf.

TL;DR

• Wear your hat through the airport whenever you can. It’s the only method that guarantees zero creases.
• Packing it? Stuff the crown with socks or tees, then place the hat at the top of your bag, never under shoes or a laptop.
• Hats are allowed in carry-on and checked bags. TSA may still ask you to take yours off at the checkpoint.
• Match the method to the hat: structured caps need support, soft beanies and packable bucket hats can be folded or rolled.
• Unpack it first when you arrive. A hat that sits compressed for days keeps the memory of it.

Table of Contents

• Start by sorting your hats
• Wear it: the move nobody wants to hear
• How to pack a structured cap in a suitcase
• Packing soft hats, beanies and bucket hats
• Match the method to the hat
• Hat carriers and hard cases: when they’re worth it
• Arrive and recover
• What to wear with a hat on a travel day
• Our perspective: a hat is gear, not an accessory
• Shop the drop, then pack it right
• FAQ
• Sources

Start by sorting your hats

Not every hat travels the same way. Before you pick a method, figure out which of three groups yours falls into.

Structured hats. Fitted caps and stiff-crown snapbacks with a firm front panel. The crown holds its shape because of buckram or foam, and that same stiffness means it can crack or cave when pressed. These need support and space.

Unstructured and soft hats. Dad hats, washed-cotton caps, bucket hats and beanies. They have no rigid front, so they forgive a lot. You can fold, roll or flatten them, and they usually bounce back.

Brimmed or woven hats. Fedoras, straw hats and wide-brim sun hats. Straw and felt can crack along a fold line. Treat them as the most fragile items you own unless they’re sold as packable.

The fabric matters as much as the cut. Travel + Leisure’s guide to packable sun hats points to technical fabrics such as polyester and nylon as the ones built to be crushed and recover, compared with rigid traditional materials. If a hat doesn’t say “packable” and is made of stiff straw or felt, plan to wear it or give it a real case.

Wear it: the move nobody wants to hear

The most common misconception about hat travel is that you have to fold it to save space. You don’t. A hat on your head takes up zero luggage room, takes no pressure from other items and gets no creases.

That works especially well for baseball caps, bucket hats and beanies, which look natural on a travel day. If you’re moving between climates, say a cold Philly morning and a hot afternoon on the coast, the hat also does a job: it keeps the sun off or the cold out.

There are two small catches:

1. Security. TSA says hats are permitted in both carry-on and checked bags, and that you can typically keep one on through standard screening. But officers have final discretion at the checkpoint, so be ready to pull it off and drop it in a bin. Don’t argue the point. Take it off, put it in the bin, put it back on.
2. Sleep. Wearing a structured cap on a red-eye is a good way to bend the brim against a window or seat. Take it off, then hold it or clip it somewhere safe.

Use the outside of your bag

If you want to keep a hat accessible without wearing it, clip it to the outside of your luggage or backpack. A good hat clip or band keeps it ready for the destination and saves interior space. Just pick one that is durable. A cheap clip fails in a crowded terminal, and then your hat is on the floor of Gate B12.

This works best with a backpack where the hat sits against the back panel or a side strap. If you already use straps to carry a board, we wrote about where strap placement goes wrong, and the same logic applies: keep the weight close to your body and keep gear from swinging into doors and people.

How to pack a structured cap in a suitcase

This is the routine we use for fitted and snapback caps. It takes two minutes.

1. Fill the crown. Stuff it firmly with socks, underwear, a scarf or a rolled tee. An empty crown is the number one reason caps arrive caved in. Your clothes become the internal support form, so you don’t need to buy anything.
2. Keep the brim flat or gently curved as it is. Don’t bend it to fit. A brim that has been curved over years of wear should be left alone, because forcing it flat or tight can set a new crease.
3. Place it at the top of the bag. Lay the cap near the lid, crown up, with soft clothes around it. Heavy things like shoes, toiletry kits and chargers go at the bottom or in a separate compartment.
4. Use the brim as a divider if you carry several. Nesting caps one inside another crushes the inner crown. Stack them with stuffing in each, or lay them out in a row.
5. Close the bag without forcing it. If you have to sit on the suitcase to close it, the hat is the first casualty. Take something out.

Carry-on beats checked

Hats are allowed in both, but a carry-on is safer for anything you care about. Checked luggage gets stacked, dropped and squeezed under other bags. In your carry-on, you control where the hat sits.

On the plane, the rules favor you too. Carry-on items can go in the overhead bin, and a hat can sit on top of heavier bags as long as the bin closes without force and nothing falls out when it’s opened, per this overview of 14 CFR §121.589 and airline limits. Airlines set their own size and number limits, usually one bag plus one personal item, so check yours before you plan to carry three hats on top of a duffel. Putting the hat in the seat pocket or under the seat in front of you also works if you’re not pressed for space.

Packing soft hats, beanies and bucket hats

Soft hats are easy, but they still benefit from a bit of thought.

• Beanies: fold once or stuff them inside your shoes or a jacket pocket. They’re the best use of dead space.
• Bucket hats: flatten them or fold the brim up into the crown, then place them flat against the wall of your bag. If the fabric is thick, turn it into a ring and slide it around the inside edge of a suitcase.
• Dad hats and washed caps: you can flatten the brim slightly for a short trip, but keep the crown supported with clothes. Don’t leave it folded for days.
• Packable sun hats: these are made for rolling or folding. Follow the maker’s care tag. Some can be rolled, some folded in half, and some should only be flattened.

If you’re packing for cold weather, our guide to skate caps, beanies and wristbands worth a spot in your bag covers what to keep in rotation. For heavier layers, warm clothing that holds up gives you the pieces worth the bag space.

Match the method to the hat

Hat carriers and hard cases: when they’re worth it

If you’re traveling with more than two or three hats, or you own a collectible you can’t replace, a carrier makes sense. Hard-shell hat carriers keep the crown from caving and the brim from bending. Some are built for golf trips and come with extras like tee storage. This comparison of structured and unstructured golf hats walks through which style holds its shape and which packs down for a carry-on, and the logic carries over to any cap.

When you choose a carrier, check three things:

1. Does it fit your carry-on? A carrier that has to be checked defeats the purpose.
2. How many hats does it hold? Standard sizes hold several, but only if your caps have a standard brim.
3. Does it sit flat in your bag, or do you have to carry it separately? If it counts as your personal item, you’re sacrificing something else.

You don’t need a carrier for a weekend trip. A well-stuffed crown near the top of your bag does the job for one or two hats.

Arrive and recover

Treat your hat like a priority item. Unpack it as soon as you get to the hotel or the house. A hat that has been compressed for a few hours is very different from one that’s been squeezed for days.

If it looks tired:

1. Let it rest crown-down on a flat surface overnight. Many good hats recover their shape on their own.
2. Use steam on stubborn creases. A handheld steamer held a few inches away relaxes the fibers and lets the fabric go back to its original form. Never press a hot iron directly onto a printed or embroidered panel.
3. Reshape by hand. Press the crown out from the inside, curve the brim over your hand or a rolled towel and let it set.

Skip hair dryers on direct heat, which can warp foam and glue. If a brim won’t hold, it’s usually the board inside, and that isn’t a travel problem anymore.

What to wear with a hat on a travel day

A hat is a styling piece as much as protection. If it’s on your head the whole trip, it should work with the rest of the outfit. We keep the travel kit simple: a hoodie that handles a cold gate and a warm plane, a tee underneath, relaxed pants, and a cap that goes with all of it. Our piece on making streetwear outfits work every day breaks down how to build around a few staples, and the streetwear accessories guide shows where a hat fits.

If you’re traveling for a trip where you want to look put together, a good approach to dressing for the airport and a night out is to choose a small kit of pieces that all work together, so a hat on your head is part of the plan rather than an afterthought. Wearing a hat also lets you avoid giving it up space in a weekend bag.

And don’t forget the hoodie. A hoodie you care about needs the same kind of attention as a hat does. Here’s how we store hoodies so they last.

Our perspective: a hat is gear, not an accessory

We came up in skate culture, where a hat is something you wear every day until it’s soft, faded and shaped to your head. Nobody in a skate park babies a cap. But a new cap from a limited drop is a different story, because when a run is gone, it’s gone. We don’t restock limited runs, which is why we pack ours carefully.

Here’s how we handle it. We wear the hat on the way there. We stuff it with socks when we pack. We put it on top of the bag, never at the bottom. And when we get there, it comes out first, not last. That’s it. We don’t buy special gear for it, and you don’t need to either.

The one thing we’d push on: stop folding things to feel efficient. A crushed crown is a permanent loss. A few extra inches of bag space is a temporary one. Choose the temporary one every time.

If you want a cap built to take a beating and still look right, take a look at our green ball cap.

— Brooks

Shop the drop, then pack it right

HRDLF is independent, Philadelphia-based and rooted in skate culture since 2006. Our limited drops include hoodies, tees, hats and bags, and we don’t restock them. If you’re planning a trip and want a cap that travels with you, check what’s live in our shop. Subscribers and members of the Inner Circle get community benefits tied to our drops, so you hear about releases before you’d otherwise find out.

FAQ

Can I bring a hat on a plane?

Yes. TSA guidance says hats are permitted in both carry-on and checked luggage. At the checkpoint you can usually keep a hat on, but officers have the final say and may ask you to remove it and put it in a bin. You can also wear it on board or stow it in the overhead bin.

What is the best way to travel with a baseball cap?

Wear it. If that’s not practical, stuff the crown with soft clothes and place it near the top of your carry-on, crown up, with nothing heavy on top. Keep the brim in its existing curve rather than bending it to fit. Unpack it as soon as you arrive.

Should I fold my hat to save space?

Only if it’s a soft hat or one labeled packable. Structured caps and straw or felt hats can crack or lose their shape when folded. For those, use your clothes to fill the crown and give the hat a protected spot in the bag, or wear it.

How do I fix a crushed hat after a trip?

Let the hat rest crown-down on a flat surface overnight, since many hats recover on their own. For stubborn creases, use a handheld steamer from a few inches away and reshape the crown and brim by hand. Avoid direct heat on prints, patches and foam.

Can I clip a hat to the outside of my bag?

Yes, if the clip is sturdy and the hat is secured so it can’t swing loose. It saves interior space and keeps the hat within reach. Avoid it with hats you can’t replace, since a lost clip means a lost hat.

Sources

• TSA travel tips: hats and checkpoint screening
• Carry-on baggage rules and overhead bin stowage
• Travel + Leisure: best packable sun hats

Recommended

• Skate Caps, Beanies and Wristbands Worth a Bag – Caps, Beanies and Wristbands: The Skate Accessories That Earn Their Place in Your Bag Guide

FROM THE COLLECTION

HRDLF Camo Trucker Hat

$35

Limited run. No restocks.

— available at hrdlf.com