Whitewater Cutthroat Trout Trucker Hat

Out of the rapids, into the cold air.

A cutthroat trout leaping a whitewater stream below snowy slate blue peaks, in golden ochre, coral and river teal, for days on the water.

A cutthroat trout clears a rushing mountain stream, with snowy peaks and pines behind it. The fish is golden ochre and coral orange with a crimson red throat slash, over river teal water and snow white foam.

Cutthroat trout mid-leap over whitewater
Crimson red throat slash, spotted gold flank
Snowcapped slate blue peaks behind pines
River teal water breaking around boulders
Eleven colour layers, sky to spray

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 cutthroat trout hangs in the air over a fast river, body curved, fins spread. Crimson red marks its throat. Below it the water breaks white over charcoal boulders, and behind it pines climb toward snowcapped slate blue mountains under a pale sky.

Wear it on the bank, at the boat ramp, or in line for coffee after a long morning. The fish faces forward, so people see the red slash and the spotted gold flank first, then the mountains behind.

Crimson red is the colour to get right. Keep it to a narrow slash under the jaw and a touch on the gill plate, and let the coral orange carry the rest of the warmth.

The water it was painted from

Yellowstone RiverParadise Valley, Montana · MT, WY

River: Yellowstone River, Paradise Valley, Montana
States: MT, WY
Fish: Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Brown trout, Rainbow trout
Water type: Freestone

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: sky blue, slate blue, snow white, pine green, river teal, charcoal, golden ochre, coral orange, crimson red

Details

Subject: cutthroat trout
Style: painterly illustration

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 9 colours

The palette

Sky blue
Slate blue
Snow white
Pine green
River teal
Charcoal
Golden ochre
Coral orange
Crimson red

The layers

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

Sky
Mountains
Snowcaps
Pines
River
Rocks
Trout body
Flank
Throat slash
Spots
Whitewater

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

Sky blue
1 part blue to 4 parts white, a drop of green so it does not drift purple
Slate blue
White with blue and a touch of black, about 4 : 1 : ½
Snow white
Opaque white from the bottle; two thin coats cover better than one thick one
Pine green
2 parts green, 1 part black, a drop of blue to cool it
River teal
2 parts blue, 1 part green, a touch of white to lift it
Charcoal
1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
Golden ochre
2 parts yellow, 1 part brown, a drop of black
Coral orange
1 part red to 2 parts yellow
Crimson red
3 parts red, 1 part blue, a drop of black to deepen it

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 · Sky — 0.5 mm · 25–30 PSI
sky blue — a soft fade across the top, paling toward the peaks
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Sky blue — 1 part blue to 4 parts white, a drop of green so it does not drift purple
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 · Mountains — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
slate blue — a jagged range sitting behind the tree line
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.
3 · Snowcaps — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
snow white — snow on the ridges and summits
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Snow 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 · Pines — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
pine green — dark conifers crowding both banks
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Pine green — 2 parts green, 1 part black, a drop of blue to cool 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 · River — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
river teal — a stream running down and toward the viewer
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.
6 · Rocks — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
charcoal — boulders along the banks and in the current
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.
7 · Trout body — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
golden ochre — the fish arched in mid-air over the water
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Golden ochre — 2 parts yellow, 1 part brown, a drop of black
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 · Flank — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
coral orange — a warm wash along the flank, belly and fins
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Coral orange — 1 part red to 2 parts yellow
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 · Throat slash — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
crimson red — the slash under the jaw and the gill plate
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Crimson red — 3 parts red, 1 part blue, a drop of black to deepen 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.
10 · Spots — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
charcoal — scattered spots thickening toward the tail
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 · Whitewater — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
snow white — foam, spray and riffle lines around the rocks and under the fish
Mask None: freehand, with a shield card held against any hard edge.
Colour Snow 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 full panel outline and spray sky blue as a soft fade from the top edge down. Starting point: 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 15 cm distance.
Lay the mountain mask and spray slate blue for the range, darker at the base. Starting point: 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 10 cm.
Use the snowcap mask and mist snow white along ridges and summits, leaving blue showing in the gullies. Starting point: 18 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 8 cm.
Mask both banks and spray pine green for the conifers, building tree tips with short passes. Starting point: 22 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8 cm.
Lay the river mask and spray river teal, deeper in the middle and lighter toward the edges. Starting point: 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 12 cm.
Use the rock mask and spray charcoal for boulders on the banks and in the current. Starting point: 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8 cm.
Mask the trout silhouette and fill it with golden ochre, a little heavier along the back. Starting point: 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8 cm.
With the trout mask still down, fade coral orange along the flank, belly and fins. Starting point: 18 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 6 cm.
Lay the throat mask and spray crimson red for the slash and gill plate in thin coats. Starting point: 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 5 cm.
Use the spot mask and dot charcoal across the body, denser toward the tail. Starting point: 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 4 cm.
Spray snow white foam and spray around the rocks and under the fish, freehand flicks over the whitewater mask. Starting point: 18 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 6 cm.
Let the paint cure 24 hours, heat-set if your paint calls for it, then mist two light coats of matte sealer. These settings are a starting point; test on scrap first.

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 spots so they blur into blobs. Drop pressure and spray short bursts from close in.
Letting coral orange cover the whole fish. Keep golden ochre showing along the back so the body has depth.
Lifting masks before paint sets, which drags colour. Wait until each coat is dry to the touch.
Sealing too heavily and dulling the whitewater. Use two light coats instead of one wet one.

Tips

Keep the sky fade light near the peaks so the snowcaps read clearly against it.
Spray the river teal in curved passes that follow the current; the water looks like it moves.
Let each layer dry to the touch before laying the next mask to keep edges crisp.
Test the crimson red on scrap first; a little goes a long way on the throat.

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

Two dual-action gravity-feed airbrushes, 0.3 mm$2702
Production airbrush, 0.5 mm, for base fades$951
Twin-piston compressor with tank and two regulators$3291
Production spray booth, two fans$2891
Three cap jigs$1923
Cleaning station, respirator and spare cartridges$1391
Cap heat press for curing$2791
Drying rack, 24 caps$651

Guide

Printed step-by-step guide for this designIncluded1

The creator

John

@john

Tight line, quiet feet, zero slack.

See everything by @john

Remixes

No remixes yet — make your own version.

Where this came from

trucker hat · made September 16, 2026

0 — nothing entered the score yet, at the Derby's published weights, since September 16, 2026. Views are not counted.

cutthroat trout
yellowstone cutthroat
trout
trucker hat
fly fishing
whitewater
mountain river
snowcapped peaks
pines
crimson
river teal

The cap

Trucker

Rope cap

Dad hat

Five-panel camp

Fit

Two finishes

Hand airbrushed

Sublimation printed

The artwork

The water it was painted from

What arrives

Looking after it

Hand airbrushed

Sublimation printed

Details

Airbrush palette

Details

Make it yourself

The palette

The layers

How to mix each colour

Setup

Prep

Layer by layer

1 · Sky — 0.5 mm · 25–30 PSI

2 · Mountains — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI

3 · Snowcaps — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI

4 · Pines — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI

5 · River — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI

6 · Rocks — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI

7 · Trout body — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI

8 · Flank — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI

9 · Throat slash — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI

10 · Spots — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI

11 · Whitewater — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI

Step by step

Cure

Seal

Clean-up

Common mistakes

Tips

Every kit size

Trucker · kit for 1 hat

Trucker · kit for 12 hats

Trucker · kit for 12 × 12 hats

The creator

Remixes

Where this came from