Cowboy hats
221 at AHM- Crown
- Tall and creased; the cattleman crease is the classic
- Brim
- Wide, curled up at the sides (median 3 3/4 in)
- Best for
- Western wear, ranch work, rodeos and concerts
Types of hats, drawn side by side
By Walt Mercer, felt, fit and care desk
Updated Nov 6, 2026 · Pen name, fact-checked by our team
Short answer
Most hats are told apart by two things: the crown, the part that sits on your head, and the brim. Fedoras and Panamas have a pinched crown and a short to medium brim. Sun, outback and cowboy hats have wider brims for shade. Caps and newsboys have a peak or bill in place of a full brim.
9 hat types
Sun hats
114 at AHM- Crown
- Low and rounded
- Brim
- Wide and often soft, for shade all the way round (median 3 1/2 in)
- Best for
- Beach, garden, pool and hiking
Fedoras
92 at AHM- Crown
- Pinched at the front with a dent down the middle
- Brim
- Short to medium, snapped down at the front (median 2 3/4 in)
- Best for
- City days, dressing up, everyday style
Outback hats
60 at AHM- Crown
- Center dent, often with a chin cord
- Brim
- Medium to wide, flatter than a cowboy hat (median 3 in)
- Best for
- Travel, hiking, wind and rain
Panama hats
12 at AHM- Crown
- Fedora-style crown in woven toquilla straw
- Brim
- Short to medium (median 2 3/4 in)
- Best for
- Summer dress-up and travel
Top hats
49 at AHM- Crown
- Tall, flat-topped cylinder
- Brim
- Narrow and curled (median 2 in)
- Best for
- Weddings, events and costume
Caps
30 at AHM- Crown
- Six-panel dome
- Brim
- A bill at the front only (median 2 3/4 in)
- Best for
- Casual days and sport
Newsboy and ivy caps
28 at AHM- Crown
- Low, slopes forward over a short peak
- Brim
- A short peak only (median 1 7/8 in)
- Best for
- Cool weather and everyday wear
Bucket hats
9 at AHM- Crown
- Soft and rounded
- Brim
- Short and angled down all the way round (median 5 in)
- Best for
- Festivals, fishing and packing in a bag
Side views, to scale
Each drawing uses the median brim and crown height of that type in the store's feed, on the same 7 in head.
Brim width by type, to scale
Brim widths listed in American Hat Makers' product descriptions, Nov 6, 2026. Bars show the middle 80% of the hats that list one.
By the numbers
- In American Hat Makers' feed, the median brim is 5 in on bucket hats, 3 3/4 in on cowboy hats, 3 1/2 in on sun hats, against 1 7/8 in on newsboy and ivy caps.
- Top hats have the highest median price in the range, at $199; bucket hats have the lowest, at $57.
- Cowboy hats are the biggest category, with 221 of 598 hats in stock; sun hats come second with 114.
Source: American Hat Makers product feed via Awin, Nov 6, 2026. Rebuilt when we refresh the feed.