Seahawks New Era hats: the silhouettes, decoded
“Seahawks New Era hat” is the most-searched brand term in the whole hats category, and most of that traffic is people trying to work out what the numbers mean. Short version: they are the names of cap shapes, and once you know which shape you like, every Seahawks graphic New Era makes is available in it.
Why New Era
New Era holds the NFL’s on-field headwear license. That is why the cap on the sideline, the cap at the draft, and the cap the Seahawks put on after Super Bowl LX are all New Era. Every other brand you see on Seahawks hats, ’47 above all, is licensed for fan merchandise but is not worn by the team. If matching what the players wear is the point, it is New Era or nothing.
The silhouettes
| Name | What it is | Closure | Brim |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59FIFTY | The original fitted. Fully structured crown, flat visor | None, sized | Flat |
| 9FIFTY | Same crown as the 59FIFTY with an open back | Snapback | Flat |
| 39THIRTY | Structured, slightly lower crown, stretch band | Stretch fit, S/M to L/XL | Curved |
| 9FORTY | Structured but lower profile, the everyday cap | Adjustable strap or clasp | Curved |
| 9SEVENTY | Structured, stretch band plus a snap | Stretch-snap | Curved |
| 9TWENTY | Unstructured, soft six-panel, the dad hat | Adjustable strap | Curved |
Two others show up in Seahawks listings: the 9FIFTY A-Frame, a higher, squarer-fronted version of the snapback used for the NFC Championship locker room cap, and the Low Profile 59FIFTY, the fitted with a shallower crown for people who find the standard 59FIFTY sits too high.
Which one for what
- You want the cap the players wear. Sideline caps are 39THIRTY (coaches, curved brim) and 9FIFTY or 59FIFTY (players, flat brim), depending on the season’s line. The draft cap is a 59FIFTY.
- You know your hat size and want a flat brim. 59FIFTY. It holds its shape for years and it is the shape that collectors mean when they say “New Era.”
- Flat brim without a size. 9FIFTY. Identical crown, snap closure.
- Curved brim, snug. 39THIRTY. The stretch band means it stays put in the wind at the top of the 300 level.
- Curved brim, relaxed. 9FORTY, or the 9TWENTY if you want it soft and low.
The fitted guide goes deeper on the 59FIFTY and the snapback guide on the 9FIFTY.
Sizing the 59FIFTY
The fitted is the only New Era cap that needs a size, and a wrong size is the most common reason a New Era hat gets returned. Measure with a soft tape around the head, just above the ears and across the middle of the forehead, and use the table. Hat size is circumference in inches divided by pi, so a 22-inch head is a 7.
| Head (in) | Head (cm) | 59FIFTY size |
|---|---|---|
| 21 5/8 | 55 | 6 7/8 |
| 22 | 55.8 | 7 |
| 22 3/8 | 56.8 | 7 1/8 |
| 22 3/4 | 57.7 | 7 1/4 |
| 23 1/8 | 58.7 | 7 3/8 |
| 23 1/2 | 59.6 | 7 1/2 |
| 23 7/8 | 60.6 | 7 5/8 |
| 24 1/4 | 61.5 | 7 3/4 |
| 24 5/8 | 62.5 | 7 7/8 |
| 25 | 63.5 | 8 |
Between sizes, size up. A 59FIFTY does not stretch; a slightly loose one is wearable and a tight one is not. The 39THIRTY’s S/M covers roughly 6 3/4 to 7 1/4, M/L 7 1/4 to 7 5/8, L/XL 7 5/8 to 8.
Reading a New Era listing
Licensed New Era Seahawks caps carry the New Era flag embroidered on the left side and an NFL shield on the back or the underbrim. The listing title will name the silhouette. “New Era Seahawks hat” with no silhouette named is usually a marketplace seller who does not know what they have; buy from a retailer that does.
Where to buy
- Lids, the largest New Era stockist, with the full silhouette range and most colorways.
- NFL Shop, for the current sideline and draft caps first.
- Seahawks Pro Shop, the team store.
- New Era sells direct at neweracap.com, where the Seahawks range includes exclusives the retailers do not carry.
More hat guides
- All Seahawks hats
- Seahawks beanies: which knit hat for a December game
- Seahawks fitted hats: the two that matter and how to size them
- Seahawks snapback hats: flat brim, curved brim, and what the closure changes
- Seahawks Super Bowl champions hat: which one the players wore, and which one to buy
- Vintage and throwback Seahawks hats: what 'retro' actually means
Questions
What do the New Era numbers mean?
They are silhouette names, not sizes. 59FIFTY is the fitted, 9FIFTY the snapback, 39THIRTY the stretch fit, 9FORTY the adjustable, 9SEVENTY the stretch-snap, 9TWENTY the unstructured dad hat. The same Seahawks graphic is usually available in several of them.
Is New Era the official Seahawks hat?
New Era is the NFL's official on-field headwear partner, so the caps worn on the sideline, at the draft and in the locker room after a title are New Era. Other brands like '47 are licensed for fan headwear but are not on the field.
What size 59FIFTY should I buy?
Measure your head circumference just above the ears and eyebrows and divide by 3.14. A 22-inch head is a size 7; 22 3/4 is 7 1/4; 23 1/2 is 7 1/2. Between sizes, go up.