The Other Way to "Shrink" Your Baseball Caps

A very simple step for tightening your baseball cap, when the cap is too big and other shrinking techniques (like my other shrinking video) cannot get your cap any smaller.
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[@THATG0MEZ]

Been using this tactic for a few of my old 5/8 caps and it has made a difference. It's revived some of my old caps since I wear 1/2 now. Thanks for this and keep up the great work!

[@dreinthe616]

Thanks... it is cool to hear that it's saved some caps for you!

[@markforever1]

Your videos are outstanding. Love my 5950's, but often have to adjust either larger or smaller. Thanks for posting and for your professionalism.

[@dreinthe616]

Excellent, Mark, thank you for the great comments!

[@axtonheath8170]

dunno if anyone cares but if you guys are stoned like me atm you can stream all the new series on Instaflixxer. Been watching with my brother during the lockdown :)

[@juliolondon312]

@Axton Heath Definitely, I have been watching on Instaflixxer for since november myself :)

[@basilsubh9608]

Mate you're a legend! I'm in between sizes and this little trick has fixed that problem for me. Thanks a million!!

[@dreinthe616]

Thanks - glad it helped you out - that's what I like to hear!

[@travmasters4231]

Another great video brother, ur like my go 2 guy & 1 I refer people 2 for any kind of hat care or suggestions or anything like that, u keep it honest, professional & every thing in prospective, I appreciate it, thanx 4 taking time out of ur day 2 do wut u do 4 the hat community on youtube !

[@4ArchieLee]

Slick tip my friend I finally get a chance to wear my NJ Devils white fitted

[@CommJimGordon]

I couldn't find any mole(foam) at my local store so I went with the mole(skin). I cut it into 1" wide strips and just went around the whole inside of the hat under the headband just as you did. My hat fits great now.

[@dreinthe616]

Cool, glad it worked well for you, thanks for the comments!

[@howardgreen9718]

Another great video I have a 54cm head and always find my caps become loose especially after a haircut

[@ftwelvis]

what size do you wear?

[@howardgreen9718]

@@ftwelvis my favourite cap is the 39thirty and I take a s/m

[@derstrassencalligraph7534]

Did you try XS/S? If yes, did it fit?

[@howardgreen9718]

@@derstrassencalligraph7534 I have never come across that size in new era 🎩

[@xatasteofchaosx1457]

Damn this tip did the Trick! I wear a 6 7/8 and bought the very last Midnight Blackout Notre Dame 59fifty LP hat. They only had one size 7 in stock so I bought it. It was a little too loose and I did not want to use water/steam and heat on this hat. The mole skin from Walgreens is thinner but comes with 3 sheets and I use 3 thin strip layers on the back and 1 thin strip on the front all under the band. This worked like magic! You cant even tell. Thanks!!!!

[@dreinthe616]

That is outstanding, great to hear... thanks for the detail in your comments as well, glad it worked perfectly for your cap!

[@emjay5854]

useful tip 👌

[@ludlowbuckley5373]

This method definitely worked like a charm. Thanks! 👊🏾

[@dreinthe616]

Sure thing man, good to hear!

[@BigTrip23]

Your the man. I have long thick hair. Unfortunately I'm stuck in-between a 7/34-7/78. 7/34 is a bit too tight and we'll the 7/78 is just too big. Tried your shrinking method and the molefoam and it worked like a charm. Saved 5 of my limited edition New Era 59Fifty caps 🙏🏾

[@dreinthe616]

That is great news, and the main reason I started doing this... thanks for the praise, and I'm glad I could help out!

[@10.11.9]

Once again, tip o' the hat for the tips on the fitted hats. 😎 Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. 🦃🦆

[@dreinthe616]

Thanks, man - you as well... I appreciate your viewership and feedback

[@travmasters4231]

Hey brother I have a friend who showed me another good method for hat sizing is same method u demonstrate here but instead of the foot things just get a cotton ball , unravel it and kinda align it with the inner sweat band on the left and right sides if u need to shrink it up more do the same thing only do it on the front and back with wut u already got on the sides

[@dreinthe616]

Yep - that seems that it wold work fine as well, and won’t hurt the cap - thanks

[@nmjhd1234]

I have read of using dollar store shoe insoles.

[@JordanIsHipHop]

Glad I watched this before wasting money and time on foam inserts from Amazon. 🙏🏼

[@californiawynn8464]

I use folded napkins when the hat is a tad larger than whats advertised....

[@yocesarr1370]

I use paper😂😂

[@shaikhkhalil8171]

Thanks for the idea

[@dreinthe616]

Sure thing, hope it works for you, thanks.

[@gagakrimangrc3780]

Could you make a video on how to bend the bill of the cap? Thank you!

[@dreinthe616]

Sure, I can add that to the list... one section of my video on Stretching and Shaping shows how I do it - check out kzbin.info/www/bejne/bn-Qdn9jp9Kaf8U And remember it will relax a bit either by hand work or time.

[@boofert.washington2499]

Finess

[@kennethgranger7150]

I just got a fitted cap 7 1/4 and it fit a bit to big i usually get 7 1/8 but it’s tight on my head will this method work for me?

[@dreinthe616]

Yes, should work for you, give it a shot.

[@projectjer11]

nice video bro!

[@piperdk8849]

Great idea! Until now i used sanitary napkins for that 😉 .... i cut out the adhesive stripes and put it under the sweatband. good side effect ... the sweat is absorbed. greetings from Germany

[@dreinthe616]

Ha, that's a good technique too! Thanks

[@matt7191]

Solid fucking tip. Although I cut like 6 or 7 strips of that stuff and pit it in the hats in order to feel a difference but still this tip is the tip of the century

[@briangonzalez1775]

Thanks awesome 👌🏼👌🏼but one quick question the hat doesn’t stretch after a while ?

[@dreinthe616]

No, not in my experience... it seems that most caps for me tend to shrink slightly over time with normal wear and use (especially if sweating in them). This technique does not create any stretching in the cap. Thanks!

[@brentmarkham9855]

I just picked up a Cleveland Indians MLB On Field Made In USA cap World Series 2016 patch in a 7 1/8 online. I typically wear a 7, however the older USA made caps have always been a bit snug on head, so hoping the 7 1/8 will work, never wore this size ever. If to lose, now I have a fix to be able to wear a cap I’ve wanted for a long time. 👍 Thoughts?

[@dreinthe616]

Sounds like it might work out ok, although even with USA caps there was still lots of variation in sizes from cap to cap. I'm normally a 7-1/2 but have several 7-3/8 M-USA that I was able to stretch and make work. But yes, thanks for the comment and I hope you don't have to apply the fix!

[@denniss1044]

Looks like a great alternative to my usual process utilizing folded paper towels. Thanks for the valuable tip ! One question: can the strips be used by putting them inside the labels that are sowed both top and bottom ? In other words, using the molefoam strips without utilizing the adhesive, just stuffing them in ?

[@dreinthe616]

Yes, but actually I've updated some of my advice on this - the thicker molefoam is harder to find these days, so I've switched to felt weatherstrip. See this video for how I use it to manage cap size after I get a close haircut - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKuXkqd8jpiAb6c - thanks

[@denniss1044]

I had a hard time finding the thicker stuff,it was located under "thick moleskin padding" in a CVS.

[@dreinthe616]

@@denniss1044 Cool, good to hear you can still find it in some spots

[@denniss1044]

Followup : the moleskin padding I found and that you recommended worked perfectly. And, the cushioning those pieces provide is awesome, very comfortable.

[@andrescabrera7453]

Hey 👋🏽 I’m wondering if there’s a way to fix loose or rattling buttons on the cap?

[@dreinthe616]

I've never had to try anything because I don't think I've had that problem with a baseball cap - at least not bad enough to want to fix it. Sorry I can't offer any suggestions.

[@StrawHat27]

Hey Doug what would you recommend to do for the sides of my cap. It’s a 7-1/2 and the overall fit is good but the sides poke out quite bit.

[@dreinthe616]

If the sides are poking out, then you’ve probably got an “oval” or “long oval” head shape, and most cap makers use a perfect circle for measurement. To me it sounds like you may have one size too large, and I would recommend either 1) adding some sizing foam like shown in this video under the rear sweatband area, and the front if you like, and that would hopefully draw the sides in, or 2) invest in a Hat Jack, start thinking about buying sizes that are just a little tighter, then open them up by the techniques I show in a couple videos that you can find at my channel... Stretching and Shaping or Customizing a Hat Jack.

[@whynot9073]

I love your videos so much your the reason I collect hats but mayby you could add more edits or something to make it more engaging

[@dreinthe616]

Cool, thanks for the praise... and I would say if you looked at my channel videos by date, I have gotten more concise in presentation and editing as the years have passed. And although I may not add anything else like sound or film FX anytime soon, I appreciate the suggestion.

[@whynot9073]

@@dreinthe616 cool I agree

[@samuelhorner6200]

Are there other materials/common household items you would recommend

[@dreinthe616]

I can't think of too many other candidates... open cell foam with an adhesive back sometimes appears as 'weatherstrip' on rolls at hardware stores, that is pretty close to the hat-sizing foam sold online. Thanks for the question.

[@noob.168]

Fold a sheet of paper towel and put it under the sweatband as he did with the molefoam

[@doncarrera601]

Regular old tissue or paper towel does the trick just the same

[@nickstrong1589]

What bout a new era 59/50 mlb all star hat they wear on the field. Same as the batting practice/ spring training hats. Bc it’s not the normal wool hat, it’s a mesh material? Need to shrink it

[@dreinthe616]

The plastic mesh does not respond well to heat for shrinking. Best to follow this video and put some foam inside the sweatband to make it a better fit. Hope that helps, thanks.

[@drewsterk5294]

Can you put these on the front inner portion of the hat instead of theback?

[@dreinthe616]

Yes, although that can sometimes create a little more pressure on the forehead, thanks.

[@alextrejo3331]

I have a 7 1/4 I am a 7 1/8 ,the only things that are big is the sides of the back , will it work on only the sides if I do the sides only ?

[@dreinthe616]

I'd still put the layers along the back because it will draw the sides tighter. You can cut long strips of the material and put one strip on top of another... I just did three strips on a 7-5/8 cap to get a better fit toward my normal 7-1/2. Don't forget you can also pre-treat it with a little heat shrinking like I show here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2iyZKl7q8efeKM

[@benjikickz]

Awesome video, just wish you would show before and after shots wearing the hat with and without the padding..

[@dreinthe616]

The nice thing about this technique is that there is no real visible difference. The hat will pretty much look the same on the outside, even if you've gotten the sweatband more snug around your head. Thanks

[@MrMCLovin767]

I’m a 7 1/8. Will a 7 3/8 fit by using a dryer and this method?

[@dreinthe616]

No, in my experience that is too far to go - I don’t think you’ll be happy with the result, thanks

[@FahadKImtiaz]

Should I only put 1 on the back or should I put one back and on the front ?

[@dreinthe616]

Your choice, see what works best... I avoid the front because of the extra pressure point it might create, but you can experiment.

[@luekrative2713]

Would foam tape work (the same tape for mounting/ door seals) as well?

[@dreinthe616]

Generally, yes - but I'd look for the low-density "open cell" foam that's usually dark gray or black. The main reason I go for the molefoam is that it is already meant for close contact with skin.

[@WinnerDee]

My hat fits perfect but on both sides right next the brim there’s a little gap i can fit my finger in, how do i close it

[@dreinthe616]

This will sound like a strange answer, but it could be the shape of your head - I have what's called a "long oval" head shape, which is why I always use a hat jack to shape my caps (see this video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bn3TfI2HmJeHeac ). Also, it makes a big difference if you are curving your visor or not (see this video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2GwnJ5-ha9rrLc). Anyway, hope those help, but go to my channel for other videos if you like, thanks.

[@WinnerDee]

@@dreinthe616 My hat looks exactly like yours in that video apart from the gaps on the side of the brim are slightly bigger which is what i’m trying to close

[@dreinthe616]

@@WinnerDee Yes, it's mostly a geometry problem, and the two links I sent contain the ways that I control it - either curve the visor a bit more to bring those areas in, or steam it while it's on a narrow hat jack so that the heat can help hold a more narrow shape. It's either that or you could go a size down and make it tighter, but I'm guessing it's a comfortable fit right now.

[@angelzepeda295]

Hey bro if I put the foam thing in the front of the hat would that look weird

[@dreinthe616]

It will probably look fine, I'd go ahead and try it there. The only thing I thought was that it might put a little more pressure on your forehead, but you may not notice that - good luck

[@gabusmaximus]

I just ordered a discontinued Ebbets hat I’ve been hunting for for like 3 years. I found it on eBay at 7 3/4, but I wear 7 3/8. I bought it, along with some resizing tape from amazon. What do you think my chances are?! I really hope it works.

[@dreinthe616]

I went 1/8 size up with Ebbets and it was fine. Yours is a 3-size jump and seems a little far to go, but you might be ok with a full perimeter of foam insert.

[@gabusmaximus]

dre in the 616 , thanks for the response. The more I read about it last night, the more I was coming to a similar conclusion. I’ll see what I can do for now, and wait for Ebbets to circle back around

[@metroid496]

Hey Doug, do you think there's a way that the prolight new era caps can get shrink a little?

[@dreinthe616]

You know, I've never actually tried, but it seems like a material with very little shrink possible - since it's designed to cope with heat and moisture already.

[@metroid496]

@@dreinthe616 aw man that sucks tbh. I have an Indians spring training cap that is 7 3/4 but it fits huge and its such a shame that I can't really use it often. I usually wear a 7 5/8 and rarely a 7 1/2

[@cledugay2596]

Hey sir my size is 7 5/8 but my wife brought me 7 3/4, will this methods work?thank you

[@dreinthe616]

Yes, I think this could work out well for you - I'd give it a shot, thanks

[@cledugay2596]

dre in the 616 thanks its done and its work thank you

[@joeymendez9082]

Would a 7 3/8 fit me at a 7 1/8 with a set of these?

[@joeymendez9082]

Great video btw!

[@dreinthe616]

Unfortunately you'd probably have to add a lot of pieces to take up that much space, it might end up looking pretty strange, thanks.

[@joeymendez9082]

@@dreinthe616 Makes sense! I appreciate the quick response!

[@MrMestizoSoS]

Who were the main baseball cap manufacturers during the 1990s?

[@boofert.washington2499]

I'm curious, as well. Those things were indestructible.

[@brianwardenful]

Starter was big back then

[@AlmostLakai94]

@@boofert.washington2499 super late but maybe 47 brand? I heard that was the case and they just weren't allowed to use their branding

[@jasonmorales6123]

Do you have to use hot water?

[@jasonmorales6123]

Oops wrong video lol