Dueling Rainbow Trout Trucker Hat

Two fish, one fly, no manners.

A street-art stencil of two rainbow trout leaping at a single fly, in olive drab, rose red and bone white, for days on the river.

Two rainbow trout leap toward the same small fly, jaws wide open, above a burst of dark water. Moss green backs, rose red stripes and bone white spray sit on an olive drab ground.

Two rainbow trout leaping at one fly
Rose red stripes on moss green backs
Charcoal splash with bone white drips
Street-art stencil on olive drab

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

Two rainbow trout come up out of the same splash, nose to nose, both after one tiny fly. Their backs are moss green and freckled with charcoal spots. Rose red runs down each flank. Below them the water breaks into a dark burst, and white drips slide away like the paint never quite dried.

Wear it to the put-in, the fly shop, the tailgate after a long day on the water. People see the two open mouths first, then the fly, then they laugh. It reads from across the parking lot and still has detail up close.

Splatter is the part to get right. Load the bone white sparingly, flick it from close range over the charcoal burst, then let a few drops run on purpose. Too much and the fish drown in it; just enough and the whole thing moves.

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: olive drab, charcoal, bone white, moss green, rose red, pale gold

Details

Subject: rainbow trout
Style: street-art stencil with splatter

Make it yourself

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

IntermediateAbout 4 hours at the bench, plus curing8 layersYou'll need an airbrush, a cap jig and 6 colours

The palette

Olive drab
Charcoal
Bone white
Moss green
Rose red
Pale gold

The layers

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

Ground
Splash shadow
Spray
Backs
Stripe
Flank glow
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

Olive drab
2 parts yellow, 1 part black, a drop of red to warm it
Charcoal
1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
Bone white
Opaque white from the bottle; two thin coats cover better than one thick one
Moss green
2 parts yellow, 1 part green, a drop of black to deaden it
Rose red
1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
Pale gold
3 parts yellow, 1 part brown, a touch of white so it stays opaque

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 · Ground — 0.5 mm · 25–30 PSI
olive drab — the flat field behind the whole scene
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Olive drab — 2 parts yellow, 1 part black, a drop of red to warm it
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 · Splash shadow — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
charcoal — a dark burst of water between and beneath the two fish
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Charcoal — 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.
3 · Spray — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
bone white — splash droplets, pale bellies and thin drips running downward
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Bone white — Opaque white from the bottle; two thin coats cover better than one thick one
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 · Backs — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
moss green — the heads and backs of both trout
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Moss green — 2 parts yellow, 1 part green, a drop of black to deaden 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.
5 · Stripe — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
rose red — the lateral bands, fins, gill plates and open mouths
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Rose red — 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.
6 · Flank glow — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
pale gold — a warm wash along the lower flanks
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Pale gold — 3 parts yellow, 1 part brown, a touch of white so it stays opaque
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 · Detail — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
charcoal — spots, eyes, outlines and the small fly between the jaws
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Charcoal — 1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
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.
8 · Highlights — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
bone white — eye glints, the fly's hackle and the fine leader line
Mask None: freehand, with a shield card held against any hard edge.
Colour Bone 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

Mask the artwork window and spray olive drab across the full field. Starting point: 20 PSI, 0.5 mm needle, 15 cm distance. Let it flash dry for ten minutes.
Lay the splash stencil and fill the dark burst with charcoal at 20 PSI, 0.5 mm needle, 10 cm. Soften the outer edge by lifting the stencil slightly.
For the spray, drop to 12 PSI with a 0.5 mm needle and spatter bone white over the burst from 5 cm. Add the belly shapes through their mask, then tilt the piece and let two or three drips run.
Mask both fish outlines and spray moss green on the heads and backs at 18 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8 cm. Fade toward the belly line.
Place the stripe stencil and lay rose red along the lateral bands, fins, gill plates and mouths at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 6 cm.
Mist pale gold along the lower flanks freehand at 12 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 10 cm, keeping it light so the red stays bright.
Use the detail stencil for spots, eyes, outlines and the fly in charcoal at 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 4 cm.
Finish bone white highlights in the eyes, the fly's hackle and the leader line at 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 3 cm.
All settings are a starting point; test on scrap and adjust for your paint and humidity.
Cure for 24 hours at room temperature, then heat set or seal with a flexible clear topcoat in two light passes.

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

Over-spraying pale gold muddies the rose red. Mist it last and stop early.
Drips that run into the fish look like accidents. Tilt the piece so they fall downward, away from the bodies.
Spots that are all the same size look stamped. Vary them, smaller toward the head.
Lifting stencils before paint flashes smears edges. Wait a few minutes between layers.

Tips

Cut separate stencils for each fish so you can shift them slightly and keep the face-off tight around the fly.
Practise the white spatter on cardboard first; the size of each drop changes fast with pressure.
Keep the leader line as one confident pass. Hesitation leaves blobs.
Let the charcoal burst dry fully before splatter, or the white turns grey.

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

Every kit size

Trucker · kit for 1 hat

$218

Bought separately $243 · you save $25

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 — 8 layers$181

Paint & masks

Water-based textile airbrush colour, 2 oz — one per colour in this design$362 oz × 6
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

$1,061

$88.42 a hat

Bought separately $1,206 · you save $145

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$844 oz × 6
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

$3,083

$21.41 a hat

Bought separately $3,628 · you save $545

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$28832 oz × 6
Transparent base and reducer$491 gal
Low-tack masking film$543 rolls
Matte fabric sealer$891 gal

Equipment