Hincapie Sportswear Equipe Cycling Cap

The Hincapie Equipe Cap is a lightweight nylon version of the classic cotton cycling casquette and it also differs from the norm in that instead of being sewn together in the more common three-panel construction the Equipe Cycling Cap is made from four panels that are darted and gathered centrally at the crown.

Made from a from a rip-stop nylon instead of your typical cotton the Hincapie cap is considerably lighter and thinner than a cotton cap making it easier to fit under a helmet, if that's your style. The RipStop material is windproof and water resistant so as well as not getting overloaded and weighed down with sweat on hot days it offers a certain amount of wind and rain protection during less clement weather. Win Win. Win capie. It also looks quite stylish and will do for some time as the sublimated graphics won't wash out or fade like those on a cotton cap.

The cap comes in just the one size like most cycling caps, and that's where it goes wrong, because one size doesn't fit all. The Hincapie Equipe Cap sits high on the head, which isn't such a problem in itself but it has an insufficient circumference that makes it too tight on anything bigger than a medium head. On this slightly-larger-than-medium sized test skull the Hincapie cap was too small, uncomfortably small. It took about fifteen minutes before the cap became impossible to wear thanks to the tension headache it caused, a situation not helped by the 'durable bill insert' of the peak which is incredibly firm and the sharp pointy ends dig in to the temples quite painfully.

Verdict

There's a lot to like about the Hincapie Equipe Cycling Cap. For starters it's made by George Hincapie's clothing company, who doesn't love Big Goerge? Yeah, well I do. Hincapie Sportswear is run by his aunt and uncle in Colombia so it's not some faceless corporation trading on a name but a real family affair and you'd hope that all George's cycling experience would make some great kit. Maybe it does, but not in the case of this cycling cap. Despite its many lightweight, wicking, wind and water resistant good points its one size is just too small to fit everyone, big headed riders need not apply as anyone with a larger than medium head will find it prohibitively uncomfortable.