Clearwater Rainbow Trout Trucker Hat

One ring, then the whole river wakes.

A rainbow trout rising to a dry fly above a clear, stony riverbed, in olive green, rose magenta and slate blue, for days on the water.

A rainbow trout arcs up out of clear water toward a dry fly, with ripple rings spreading over a pebbled riverbed below. It is coloured in olive green, rose magenta and cream over slate blue and river teal water.

Rainbow trout rising to a dry fly
White ripple rings on clear teal water
Rose magenta stripe on an olive back
Pebbled riverbed visible through the water
Trout shadow cast on the stones

The cap

One design, four caps. The front panel is what the paint or the dye sits on, so it changes the hat.

Trucker
The house cap — structured mid profile, foam-and-mesh back, snapback.
Specs
Profile
Mid profile
Build
6-panel · Structured — buckram behind the front
Crown
3½ in (8.9 cm)
Visor
Pre-curved, 2¾ in (7 cm)
Closure
Snapback
Adjusts to
21½–24 in (54.5–61 cm)
Airbrushed on
Natural cotton twill
Sublimated on
White polyester foam
Rope cap
Structured five-panel with a near-flat brim and a cord across it.
Specs
Profile
Mid-high profile
Build
5-panel · Structured
Crown
4 in (10.2 cm)
Visor
Near-flat, 2⅞ in (7.3 cm), contrast rope
Closure
Snapback
Adjusts to
21½–23¾ in (54.5–60.5 cm)
Airbrushed on
Stone cotton twill
Sublimated on
White polyester twill
Dad hat
Soft, low and unstructured — washed cotton with a strap back.
Specs
Profile
Low profile
Build
6-panel · Unstructured — soft front
Crown
3¼ in (8.3 cm)
Visor
Curved, 2¾ in (7 cm)
Closure
Strap back, brass buckle
Adjusts to
21–23½ in (53.5–59.5 cm)
Airbrushed on
Washed khaki cotton
Sublimated on
White polyester twill
Five-panel camp
Flat brim, low crown, packs flat in a vest pocket.
Specs
Profile
Low profile
Build
5-panel · Unstructured
Crown
3¼ in (8.3 cm)
Visor
Flat, 2½ in (6.4 cm)
Closure
Strap back, side-release clip
Adjusts to
21½–23½ in (54.5–59.5 cm)
Airbrushed on
Field olive nylon-cotton
Sublimated on
White polyester

Fit

A cloth tape measure around the crown of a blank cap

Cap	Profile	Crown height	Visor	Adjusts to
Trucker	Mid profile	3½ in (8.9 cm)	Pre-curved, 2¾ in (7 cm)	21½–24 in (54.5–61 cm)
Rope cap	Mid-high profile	4 in (10.2 cm)	Near-flat, 2⅞ in (7.3 cm), contrast rope	21½–23¾ in (54.5–60.5 cm)
Dad hat	Low profile	3¼ in (8.3 cm)	Curved, 2¾ in (7 cm)	21–23½ in (53.5–59.5 cm)
Five-panel camp	Low profile	3¼ in (8.3 cm)	Flat, 2½ in (6.4 cm)	21½–23½ in (54.5–59.5 cm)

One size per cap. Run a tape around your head just above the ears, keeping it level — anything inside the range above will close on it.

Two finishes

The same design, made two ways. Pick one in the panel; the cap and the quantity are yours to choose too.

Hand airbrushed
$85 for one hat, on a trucker
Painted to order — would ship in about 2 weeks
How it is made
How it is made
Sprayed by hand through this design's own stencils, one layer at a time, each left to dry before the next mask goes down.
How it looks
Soft gradients and hand-cut stencil edges. Every cap is a little different.
What it sits on
On a natural cotton twill front.
Durability and care
Water-based paint, heat set and sealed. It takes rain and a season on a boat; spot clean with cool water, never a washing machine.
Sublimation printed
$32 for one hat, on a trucker
Printed to order — would ship in 5–7 business days
How it is made
How it is made
The design is printed in dye onto transfer paper, then pressed with heat so the dye soaks into the polyester fibres.
How it looks
Full colour edge to edge, and identical every time.
What it sits on
On a white polyester foam front — sublimation only takes on white polyester.
Durability and care
The dye is in the fibre, not on it, so it will not crack or peel. Gentle wash, air dry.

The artwork

A rainbow trout bends out of the water, jaw open, chasing a small fly on a taut line. Under it, white rings spread across glassy teal, and you can see every tan pebble on the bottom. The fish's shadow sits on the stones like a second trout.

It wears well on a gravel bar at first light or in line at the fly shop. People notice the rose stripe first, then the rings, then the fly. Most will ask where you were standing.

Ripple rings are the part to get right. Keep them thin and white, a little broken in places, so the water reads as moving rather than drawn. Spray them last, over everything, with a light hand.

What arrives

The hat
A care card
On a hand airbrushed hat, a numbered tag naming the water it was painted from, when the design names one

A cap being spot-cleaned with a soft brush

Looking after it

Hand airbrushed

Spot clean with cool water and a soft brush. Never a washing machine.
Keep it out of a hot car for long stretches — heat-set paint is tough, but a dashboard in July is not a test worth running.
Reshape the brim by hand while damp.

Sublimation printed

Spot clean, or gently hand wash in cool water. No bleach.
Air dry. Do not iron the print.
Reshape the brim by hand while damp.
The dye is in the fibre, so the print will not crack or peel.

Details

Airbrush palette

Colours: slate blue, pebble tan, river teal, charcoal black, olive green, cream, rose magenta, white

Details

Subject: rainbow trout
Style: realistic illustration

Make it yourself

A hat-painting bench with a blank cap, stencils and an airbrush

AdvancedAbout 4½ hours at the bench, plus curing9 layersYou'll need an airbrush, a cap jig and 8 colours

The palette

Slate blue
Pebble tan
River teal
Charcoal black
Olive green
Cream
Rose magenta
White

The layers

9 layers, in this order. Each mask comes off and the paint has to dry before the next one goes down.

Open water
Riverbed
Water tint
Shadows
Trout back
Belly
Rainbow band
Detail
Highlights

The kit's stencil set is cut from these layers; with the cutter (12 hats and up) you cut your own from this design's layer files.

How to mix each colour

Slate blue
White with blue and a touch of black, about 4 : 1 : ½
Pebble tan
3 parts white, 2 parts yellow, 1 part brown
River teal
2 parts blue, 1 part green, a touch of white to lift it
Charcoal black
1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
Olive green
2 parts yellow, 1 part black, a drop of red to warm it
Cream
White with a drop of yellow and the smallest touch of brown
Rose magenta
1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
White
Opaque white from the bottle; two thin coats cover better than one thick one

Setup

Ventilation or a spray booth. Water-based paint still throws a fine mist, and you will be breathing it for hours.
A half-mask respirator rated for paint mists. A dust mask is not one.
A compressor with a moisture trap, set and tested on a card before you start: wet air spits water into the paint.
Reducer and a cleaning pot within reach, so a clog is a ten-second fix instead of a ruined panel.
Spray a test card for every colour before it touches the cap. Colour reads differently wet, dry and on twill.

Prep

Lint-roll the front panel. Every fibre left on it prints as a speck in the paint.
Mask the mesh, any seams you want clean and the whole visor, underside included, with low-tack tape and paper.
Stretch the crown over the cap jig so the front panel is taut and curved the way it will be worn. Spraying a slack panel flat distorts the design when it is worn.
Spray one light coat of transparent base so the colour sits on the fabric instead of soaking into it.

Layer by layer

1 · Open water — 0.5 mm · 25–30 PSI
slate blue — a soft fade across the top that deepens toward the edges
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Slate blue — White with blue and a touch of black, about 4 : 1 : ½
Needle
0.5 mm (a 0.35 mm works, it just takes longer)
Pressure
25–30 PSI
Distance
6–8 in from the panel
Passes
3–4 light passes, building the colour
Dry
10 minutes, or 60–90 seconds with a heat gun on low, before the next mask goes down
Tip Fade wet to dry and never lay one heavy coat: twill wicks paint sideways and the edge blooms.
2 · Riverbed — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
pebble tan — rounded stones scattered through the lower half
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Pebble tan — 3 parts white, 2 parts yellow, 1 part brown
Needle
0.35 mm
Pressure
20–25 PSI
Distance
4–6 in from the panel
Passes
2–3 passes
Dry
10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
3 · Water tint — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
river teal — a clear wash over the stones and between the ripple rings
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour River teal — 2 parts blue, 1 part green, a touch of white to lift it
Needle
0.35 mm
Pressure
20–25 PSI
Distance
4–6 in from the panel
Passes
2–3 passes
Dry
10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
4 · Shadows — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
charcoal black — the trout's shadow on the stones and dark gaps between pebbles
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Charcoal black — 1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
Needle
0.35 mm
Pressure
20–25 PSI
Distance
4–6 in from the panel
Passes
2–3 passes
Dry
10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
5 · Trout back — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
olive green — the back, upper flank and tail of the leaping fish
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Olive green — 2 parts yellow, 1 part black, a drop of red to warm it
Needle
0.3 mm
Pressure
18–22 PSI
Distance
3–4 in from the panel
Passes
2–3 passes per tone, light to dark
Dry
10 minutes between tones
Tip Light tones first: a light colour over a dark one needs many coats, a dark one over a light one needs two.
6 · Belly — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
cream — the lower flank, belly and jaw
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Cream — White with a drop of yellow and the smallest touch of brown
Needle
0.35 mm
Pressure
20–25 PSI
Distance
4–6 in from the panel
Passes
2–3 passes
Dry
10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
7 · Rainbow band — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
rose magenta — the lateral stripe and the gill plate blush
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Rose magenta — 1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
Needle
0.35 mm
Pressure
20–25 PSI
Distance
4–6 in from the panel
Passes
2–3 passes
Dry
10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
8 · Detail — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
charcoal black — spots, eye, fin edges, the leader line and the fly
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Charcoal black — 1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
Needle
0.35 mm
Pressure
20–25 PSI
Distance
4–6 in from the panel
Passes
2–3 passes
Dry
10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
9 · Highlights — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
white — concentric ripple rings, splash droplets and a glint along the line
Mask None: freehand, with a shield card held against any hard edge.
Colour White — Opaque white from the bottle; two thin coats cover better than one thick one
Needle
0.2–0.3 mm
Pressure
12–15 PSI
Distance
1–2 in from the panel
Passes
Freehand, in short controlled strokes
Dry
10 minutes, then check it before you cure
Tip Low pressure, close in and moving: stop the stroke before you release the trigger.

Step by step

Open water: no mask, slate blue at about 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 15–20 cm away, fading from the top edges down. These settings are a starting point; test on scrap first.
Riverbed: mask the upper water with low-tack tape, then pebble tan at 18 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8–10 cm, dabbing rounded stone shapes through the lower half.
Water tint: no mask, a thin river teal wash at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 15 cm, over the stones and open water so they sit under the surface.
Shadows: freehand or a loose fish-shape shield, charcoal black at 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 5–8 cm, laying the trout's shadow and the dark gaps between pebbles.
Trout back: cut the full fish stencil and lift the body area, olive green at 18 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8 cm, heavier along the spine and tail.
Belly: keep the fish stencil on, shield the back, cream at 18 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8 cm, across the lower flank, belly and jaw.
Rainbow band: a stripe mask along the flank, rose magenta at 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 5 cm, softening the edges into olive and cream; add a blush on the gill plate.
Detail: remove masks, charcoal black at 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 2–4 cm, for spots, eye, fin edges, the leader line and the small fly.
Highlights: white at 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 3–5 cm, using a ring template or freehand for the ripple rings, then splash droplets and a glint on the line.
Curing: let the paint dry 24 hours at room temperature, then heat-set with a hair dryer on warm for 3–4 minutes if your paint calls for it.
Sealing: two light coats of a fabric-safe clear sealer from 20 cm, ten minutes apart, then rest overnight.

Cure

Heat set at 300°F / 150°C. Water-based textile paint is not wash-fast until it is heat set.
Cap press: 3–5 minutes with a teflon sheet over the design.
Or heat gun: 2–3 minutes per panel, keeping it moving 2–3 in off the fabric so it does not scorch.
If you have neither, air cure for 72 hours before the cap touches water.

Seal

Two light coats of matte fabric sealer, UV-resistant, from 8–10 in, 15 minutes apart.
Leave it 24 hours before the cap is worn.
Never a gloss sealer on cotton twill: it shines, cracks along the creases and looks like a sticker.

Clean-up

Flush the brush with water, then airbrush cleaner, until it sprays clear.
Strip the needle and wipe it toward the tip, never away from it.
Never soak the brush body overnight.

Common mistakes

Heavy, even ripple rings that look like targets. Lower the pressure, move faster and let some sections fade out.
Muddy stripe from spraying magenta too close over wet olive. Let each layer dry before the next.
Losing the fish against the water. Darken the shadow on the stones so the trout lifts off the background.
Spitting black spots. Thin the paint slightly and clean the needle tip between bursts.

Tips

Build the rose magenta stripe in two or three passes; a soft edge into the olive looks like real scales catching light.
Leave tiny gaps in the white ripple rings. Broken rings read as moving water.
Keep spots small and varied in size, denser on the back and tail, sparse toward the belly.
Spray the teal wash thin over the pebbles so they look submerged, not painted on top.

An airbrush, compressor, moisture trap, six colour bottles and a cleaning pot. — The kit

Every kit size

Trucker · kit for 1 hat

$229

Bought separately $255 · you save $26

Includes Starter airbrush set · Cap jig · and 7 more

Every item in this kit · 9 items

Blanks

Trucker blank, natural cotton twill front$91

Stencils

Pre-cut mylar stencil set for this design — 9 layers$181

Paint & masks

Water-based textile airbrush colour, 2 oz — one per colour in this design$482 oz × 8
Transparent base and reducer, 4 oz$71
Low-tack masking film and ¼ in tape$81
Matte fabric sealer, 4 oz$121

Equipment

Starter airbrush set — 0.3 mm dual-action gravity brush, mini compressor, braided hose$1291
Cap jig — holds the crown taut while you spray$241

Guide

Printed step-by-step guide for this designIncluded1

Trucker · kit for 12 hats

$1,085

$90.42 a hat

Bought separately $1,234 · you save $149

Includes Dual-action gravity-feed airbrush · Quiet compressor with tank and moisture trap · Cap jig and two spare crown forms · Tabletop spray booth with exhaust fan · and 11 more

Every item in this kit · 15 items

Blanks

Trucker blank, natural cotton twill front$7812

Stencils

Desktop stencil cutter, 12 in — the "stencil printer": cuts mylar from this design's layer files$2991
Stencil mylar, 7 mil, 12 × 12 in$2210 sheets
This design's layer files, every layer (SVG)Included1

Paint & masks

Water-based textile airbrush colour, 4 oz — one per colour in this design$1124 oz × 8
Transparent base and reducer, 16 oz$161
Low-tack masking film$181 roll
Matte fabric sealer, 16 oz$281

Equipment

Dual-action gravity-feed airbrush, 0.3 mm$1351
Quiet compressor with tank and moisture trap$1791
Cap jig and two spare crown forms$641
Tabletop spray booth with exhaust fan$1491
Cleaning pot, brushes and a half-mask respirator$991
Heat gun for curing$351

Guide

Printed step-by-step guide for this designIncluded1

Trucker · kit for 12 × 12 hats

$3,165

$21.98 a hat

Bought separately $3,724 · you save $559

Includes Two dual-action gravity-feed airbrushes · Production airbrush · Twin-piston compressor with tank and two regulators · Production spray booth · and 13 more

Every item in this kit · 17 items

Blanks

Trucker blank, natural cotton twill front$756144

Stencils

Stencil cutter-plotter, 24 in — the production "stencil printer"$6491
Stencil mylar, 7 mil, 12 × 12 in$8550 sheets
This design's layer files, every layer (SVG)Included1

Paint & masks

Water-based textile airbrush colour, 32 oz — one per colour in this design$38432 oz × 8
Transparent base and reducer$491 gal
Low-tack masking film$543 rolls
Matte fabric sealer$891 gal

Equipment