Types of Caps for Men: The Complete Glossary

Baseball Cap

The default reference point for every other style on this list — a six-panel structured crown, a curved brim, and either a snap, buckle, or fitted band at the back. When someone says “cap” with no other qualifier in India, this is what they mean, and most budget and brand-logo caps on Amazon fall into this category regardless of what else they’re labelled.

Snapback

A flat-brimmed variant of the baseball cap with a plastic snap closure at the back, usually with a higher, boxier crown than a curved-brim baseball cap. Popularised by hip-hop and streetwear culture in the 2000s–2010s, it remains the default “logo cap” style for streetwear brands like Urban Monkey.

Fitted Cap

Built without any adjustable closure at all — the band is sewn to a single, precise size, which keeps the back panel clean and the silhouette lower-profile than a snapback. Sold by exact size (e.g., 7 1/8) rather than “free size,” which is also why it’s the style most likely to fit wrong if you order without checking your head circumference first.

Trucker Cap

Identifiable by its mesh back panels and foam-lined front, originally handed out free by feed and trucking companies in the US in the 1970s. The mesh makes it the most breathable style on this list, at the cost of a slightly bulkier front profile than a plain baseball cap.

Dad Hat

An unstructured, low-profile baseball cap with a soft, uncurved (or lightly curved) brim and a worn-in, slightly slouchy look even when new. The name comes from its deliberately un-athletic, understated styling compared to a structured six-panel cap.

Bandana Cap / Patka

A skull-cap style made from a single stretchy piece of fabric (cotton, spandex, or a bandana print) rather than a paneled crown — no brim, worn close to the head. In India this overlaps with the durag/patka category, often worn under a helmet or as standalone headwear.

Monkey Cap

A distinct India-specific winter style — a knit, balaclava-style cap that covers the head, ears, and often the neck, leaving only the face exposed. Despite the name overlap, this has nothing to do with the streetwear brand Urban Monkey — the two are unrelated and worth keeping straight when you’re searching.

Flat Cap / Newsboy Cap

A rounded, structured cap with a small brim at the front only, traditionally made from wool or tweed — the style most associated with classic British menswear rather than sport or streetwear. Less common in mainstream Indian cap shopping, but shows up in formal or vintage-styled outfits.

Quick Reference

Which Type Should You Wear?

Further Reading

For a head-to-head on the four most commonly confused styles, our dad hat vs snapback vs trucker vs fitted guide goes deeper on crown structure and fabric. If you already own a few of these, our guide to washing a cap without ruining its shape covers upkeep for every type on this list.