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The Ballard Classic is what's known as a 'dad hat'. And if you're wondering what distinguishes a dad hat from your standard snapback baseball cap, it's not the wearer's tendency to arrive six hours early at the airport or sneeze like an exploding hyena. In fact, what makes it a dad hat is the unstructured front panel, low crown and generally relaxed fit. This Ballard Classic from KAVU, is, well, a classic ball cap in quick-drying polyester. It's got an understated KAVU logo patch on the front (no flashy branding on a dad hat, thank you very much), with an absorbent sweatband and an adjustment buckle at the back. You don't have to be a dad to wear the Ballard, but it’ll lend you a bit of extra gravitas when you’re nodding at police officers or turning the thermostat down
Now here’s an origin story for you. Back in the early nineties, fishing boat skipper Barry Barr was fed up with wearing cheap trucker caps that got snatched off his head in storms, never to be seen again. He decided to make a super-durable cap that wouldn’t blow off whatever the weather, and he did it by stitching the webbing material from a Teva sandal all the way around the crown. Turned out his ‘Strapcap’ was a hit, and KAVU was born.
From humble beginnings flogging Strapcaps out of the boot of his car in Seattle, Barry’s since expanded to produce a whole array of durable outdoor kit with a laid-back, van-lifer vibe. The KAVU range takes in everything from sling bags to swim shorts, and while they’re serious about producing great gear that’s made to last, they’re also not afraid to have a laugh. Their prints are bold, playful, and in some cases so loud that they’ll take some considerable chutzpah to carry off – but that’s what makes them so much fun.
