I consider a hat with a brim an almost mandatory safety item when on the range. It keeps sun and hot brass off your face and out of your eyes. Ballcaps are the most common type of hat you see on a range due to their proliferation in our everyday lives and because they work. However, since I was a young man playing soccer and even now, my body temperature tends to run fairly hot which makes some hats nearly unbearable to wear in the warmer months. When I set out to find a better ballcap my search lead me to Arc’teryx and the Baller Ass Cap (BAC).
The mesh construction is what drew me immediately to the BAC. 4 of the 6 panels used in the construction of the hat are made from a slightly stretchy mesh material. The mesh lets the hat breath far more than a typical ballcap. The difference in how quickly this hat allows me to shed heat versus an all cotton hat is very noticeable. This hat solved a problem for me. That is what good gear does – it solves problems.
The BAC is also extremely comfortable to wear thanks to the FLEXFIT design. Most of you will likely be familiar already with FLEXFIT hats. They look like fitted ballcaps from the outside but inside they feature a comfortable elastic band that fits the hat to your head.
While the BAC is similar to some off the shelf offerings from FLEXFIT, it isn’t exactly like anything that you can buy from FLEXFIT. Arc’teryx made sure that this had some features that set it apart and made it more shooter oriented. It is available in either black or tan unlike the typical FLEXFIT hats which are more brightly colored. The BAC also lacks a button on the crown which is an important feature for those who wear ear muff style hearing protection on the range.
Finally, the BAC features a patch panel for name tapes or patches. The panel has the Arc’teryx logo embroidered into it in color that matches the hat for a very low profile look. If you dislike garish logos on your gear, you will appreciate this hat.
Arc’teryx has created a near perfect warm weather training hat with the BAC. Now that I have worn one for a while, it is hard to imagine wearing a different hat during a hot summer day on the range. Sure, its just a hat but it also an example of combining the right features to make an everyday object more functional.
You can read more about the Arc’teryx Baller Ass Cap on the Arc’teryx LEAF website. I purchased mine at Grey Group Training.
The Hudson Bay axe is one of the all time great pack axe patterns. This axe would be at home tucked away in a canoe or lashed to the side of your favorite pack. It has some truly premium features like a 24″ American Hickory handle, a forged 5160 head that has been hardened to 50-54 Rockwell, and leather sheath. The head is even hung in the traditional way – a soft wood wedge with a metal cross wedge.
