Red Rock Mayfly Trucker Hat

Wing up, river below, sun behind it all.

An illustrated sunburst badge of a mayfly over a red rock gorge, a rainbow trout in its wing, for days on the water.

A mayfly spreads its tall wing over a red rock gorge, with a rainbow trout glimpsed through the wing and a river winding below. It is coloured in ochre and cream rays, burnt sienna cliffs, a turquoise river and a slate blue body.

Mayfly with a tall pale teal wing
Rainbow trout seen through the wing
Turquoise river through burnt sienna cliffs
Cream sun rays on warm ochre
Ten-colour sunburst badge

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 mayfly stands tall with one big pale teal wing raised like a sail. Through it you catch a rainbow trout, rose stripe and dark spots, swimming in the light. Below, a turquoise river bends between burnt sienna cliffs, and cream rays burst out from behind everything.

Wear it on a desert tailwater, a morning drive to the put-in, or a slow evening at camp. People see the long tails and the stripe of the trout first, then notice the river tucked underneath.

Pale teal on the wing is the layer to get right. Lay it in thin, light passes so the cliffs and the trout still read through it, then add the charcoal veins last.

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: ochre, cream, burnt sienna, rust red, turquoise, sage green, pale teal, rose pink, slate blue, charcoal

Details

Subject: mayfly
Style: illustrated sunburst badge

Make it yourself

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

AdvancedAbout 5 hours at the bench, plus curing11 layersYou'll need an airbrush, a cap jig and 10 colours

The palette

Ochre
Cream
Burnt sienna
Rust red
Turquoise
Sage green
Pale teal
Rose pink
Slate blue
Charcoal

The layers

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

Sun field
Rays
Cliffs
Cliff shadow
River
Banks
Wing
Trout
Mayfly body
Line work
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

Ochre
2 parts yellow, 1 part brown, a drop of black
Cream
White with a drop of yellow and the smallest touch of brown
Burnt sienna
Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
Rust red
2 parts orange, 1 part brown, a drop of red
Turquoise
1 part blue, 1 part green, 2 parts white; a drop of yellow if it looks too cold
Sage green
2 parts green, 1 part white, a drop of black to dull it
Pale teal
2 parts blue, 1 part green, a touch of white to lift it
Rose pink
1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
Slate blue
White with blue and a touch of black, about 4 : 1 : ½
Charcoal
1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue

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 · Sun field — 0.5 mm · 25–30 PSI
ochre — a warm round ground behind the whole scene, deepening toward the edges
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Ochre — 2 parts yellow, 1 part brown, a drop of black
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 · Rays — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
cream — sunburst rays fanning out from behind the insect
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.
3 · Cliffs — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
burnt sienna — stepped canyon walls and mesas on both sides of the gorge
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Burnt sienna — Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
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 · Cliff shadow — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
rust red — shaded faces and ledges on the rock walls
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Rust red — 2 parts orange, 1 part brown, a drop of red
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 · River — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
turquoise — a winding river cutting through the gorge floor
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Turquoise — 1 part blue, 1 part green, 2 parts white; a drop of yellow if it looks too cold
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 · Banks — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
sage green — scrub along the riverbanks and the near foreground
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Sage green — 2 parts green, 1 part white, a drop of black to dull 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.
7 · Wing — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
pale teal — the large upright mayfly wing, kept thin so the scene shows through
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Pale 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.
8 · Trout — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
rose pink — the side stripe of a rainbow trout seen through the wing, over a sage green back
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Rose pink — 1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
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.
9 · Mayfly body — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
slate blue — segmented abdomen, thorax, head, legs and long tails
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Slate blue — White with blue and a touch of black, about 4 : 1 : ½
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.
10 · Line work — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
charcoal — wing veins, body segment lines, trout spots and eyes
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.
11 · Highlights — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
cream — glints on the body segments, legs and the river bends
Mask None: freehand, with a shield card held against any hard edge.
Colour Cream — White with a drop of yellow and the smallest touch of brown
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 round badge outline and spray ochre as the base field. Starting point: 20 PSI, 0.5 mm needle, about 15 cm away, building colour in light coats.
Cut a ray mask and fan cream rays out from the centre. Try 18 PSI, 0.4 mm needle, 10–12 cm, feathering the tips so they fade into the ochre.
Mask the cliff silhouettes and spray burnt sienna for the gorge walls. Start near 20 PSI, 0.4 mm needle, 10 cm.
Shift the same mask slightly and add rust red on the shaded faces and ledges. Around 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 6–8 cm for crisp shadow edges.
Mask the river channel and lay turquoise along the bends. Begin at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 6–8 cm.
Spray sage green freehand-style through a loose bank mask along the riverbanks and foreground. Try 18 PSI, 0.4 mm needle, 10 cm.
Mask the wing shape and mist pale teal in two or three thin passes so the scene stays visible. Starting point: 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 12 cm.
Mask the trout inside the wing. Spray a sage green back, then a rose pink side stripe at about 12 PSI, 0.2–0.3 mm needle, 5 cm.
Mask the mayfly body, legs and tails and spray slate blue. Start at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 6 cm, keeping the tails as single clean strokes.
Use a fine detail mask for charcoal line work: wing veins, body segments, trout spots and eyes. Around 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 3–5 cm.
Finish with cream highlights on body segments, leg joints and river bends. Try 10–12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 3–4 cm. All settings above are starting points; test on scrap first.
Let the paint cure for at least 24 hours at room temperature, away from dust and direct sun.
Seal with two light coats of a clear, flexible fabric-safe topcoat, letting each dry fully before the next.

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

Flooding the pale teal wing hides the trout. Use low pressure and several misted passes instead of one heavy coat.
Lifting masks too soon smears the line work. Wait until each layer is dry to the touch.
Rays that end in hard lines look stiff. Pull back and feather the tips from a greater distance.
Sealing before full cure can cloud the colours. Give it a full day before the topcoat.

Tips

Spray the wing slowly and stop early; it is easier to add a pass than to win back the trout underneath.
Keep cliff shadows on one side only so the sun from the rays feels consistent.
Run a quick test on scrap fabric for each colour before it touches the piece.
Cut the tails and legs as their own mask so they stay thin and even.

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 — 11 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