NOGNS · Performance Headwear
NOGNS Performance Headwear.
Built for the work. Refined for everything after.
NOGNS is a premium performance headwear brand from Carlsbad, California — breathable, secure, direct-embroidered caps designed for training, travel, court sports, and daily wear.
Start with the performance hats guide, compare breathable hats, or see why every NOGNS mark is built as direct embroidery.
The palette
Nine colors. One standard.
The complete Brand V2 palette — Black, Hot Pink, Electric Blue, Kelly Green, Bright Red, Neon Orange, Nardo Grey, White, Sand. Same embroidered hexagonal N. Same build.
Founder story
Made after one too many hats lost their shape.
NOGNS began in Carlsbad, California with a simple frustration — performance hats that came out of the wash warped, softened, or peeling. Founder Heath Squier wanted one cap that could handle sweat, sun, and repeat wear, then wash clean without losing its shape.
A founder-operator with 26 years building consumer brands, and a pickleball player at heart, Heath started NOGNS to build a premium performance hat at an attainable price — developed toward comfort at the brow, breathable construction, and durable direct embroidery.
The decoration
Embroidered to endure.
Every NOGNS mark is stitched directly into the cap with colorfast polyester thread — front hexagonal N and lowercase wordmark, small hex N at the wearer-left panel, and lowercase NOGNS above the rear opening. No molded badge. No rubber, silicone, or TPU. No glued applique or heat transfer.
- 01
Direct thread, no plastic component
Individually laid stitches sink into the shell — no separate substrate to peel, crack, or yellow.
- 02
Clean interior backing
The reverse of every embroidery is trimmed and covered so nothing rides against your forehead.
- 03
Colorfast polyester
Selected to hold pigment through repeated wash cycles and long sun exposure.
Inside the band
Comfort, engineered.
The part you feel first is the part we build last — a sewn three-layer sweatband designed to move moisture, hold shape, and disappear against the skin.
Final construction under supplier and sample qualification.
- 01
Soft moisture-managing face
The layer against skin. Selected for a low-friction hand feel and quick moisture pickup.
- 02
2–3 mm quick-recovery spacer
A resilient mid-layer that cushions the brow line and springs back after compression.
- 03
Wash-stable backing
Anchors the band to the shell without adding bulk at the seam.
- 04
Trimmed and covered interior
Every edge finished so no exposed stitching rides against your forehead.
Built from the band out
The part you feel first is the part we obsess over.
A sewn three-layer interior — never glued — with a low-friction face against the skin, a moisture-managing core, and a wash-stable backing anchored cleanly to the shell. Every embroidery backing is trimmed and covered so nothing rides against your forehead.
Sewn three-layer band
Never glued. Never bonded.
Soft low-friction face
Selected for a quiet feel against the brow.
Moisture-managing core
A resilient mid-layer that cushions and moves sweat away from skin.
2–3 mm quick-recovery spacer
Target dimension pending final supplier documentation.
Odor-resistant material target
We are testing an odor-resistant treatment; not a completed claim.
Wash-durability screening in development
Crown, brim, and band rebound are all part of ongoing preproduction development.
Construction targets, not verified outcomes. Odor-resistance and wash-durability claims publish only after final sample approval.
The standard we're building toward
Wash durability program.
Every NOGNS cap is designed for repeat wash cycles. We are developing a multi-cycle wash-durability screening protocol — pending final sample approval — that every colorway will pass before it ships.
- Shape recovery of the crown and brim
- Stitch integrity across every embroidery
- No dye bleed or halo around marks
- Sweatband compression and rebound
- Closure function and micro-adjust hold
- Overall finish under repeat cycles
This is the internal standard we are developing toward. Certified care instructions publish only after final sample approval.
Sweat control
Sewn moisture-managing sweatband
Airflow
Laser-cut side perforation
Shape retention
Structured crown
Embroidered marks
Colorfast polyester thread
Built around real movement
First rep to last light.
Built for the morning session, the interval on the bridge, the pickup match after work, and the walk home in the dark. Every hat in every frame carries the embroidered NOGNS mark.
The Carlsbad standard
A build standard we develop toward.
Designed in Carlsbad, California. The brief is simple: a hat that disappears during the match and is developed to recover its shape after qualified care — pending final sample approval.
The system
Three silhouettes. One standard of build.
Sold out
Performance Cap
APEX Hydro Performance Cap
$39.99
Sold out
Lifestyle Cap
FORM Studio Cap
$39.99
Sold out
Performance Cap
PACE Air Ultralight Cap
$39.99
Training · Trail
APEX Hydro
Structured five-panel build with laser-perforated side ventilation. Made for heat, wind, and long output.
Shop APEX HydroRunning · Road
PACE Air
Low-profile crown with extensive laser-cut perforation and an adjustable rear closure. Race day and every day after.
Shop PACE AirDaily · Studio
FORM Studio
Refined low-profile crown with a clean visor and considered interior. From gym floor to café to city walk.
Shop FORM StudioFit
A true fit is the whole point.
APEX Hydro comes in two structured sizes. PACE Air and FORM Studio use a low-profile adjustable closure. Measure once, wear for years.
S/M
54–57
cm
cm
Adj.
54–62
cm
Care · interim guidance
Hand-rinse. Reshape. Air dry.
Machine washing is not yet approved as a verified claim. Pending final sample approval of our wash-durability screening, we recommend a cool hand rinse with mild detergent, reshape by hand, and air dry away from direct sun and heat.
- · Do not tumble dry, bleach, iron, or dry-clean.
- · Full certified care publishes after final sample approval.
Frequently asked
Answers about NOGNS.
What NOGNS is, how it's built, and where to find the rest — read the NOGNS brand page, the NOGNS founder story, the technology overview, or browse the nine-color range.
- · NOGNS is premium performance headwear, founded in Carlsbad, California.
- · Every cap is engineered from the sweatband out — breathable, secure, direct-embroidered.
- · Nine approved colorways across three silhouettes: APEX Hydro, PACE Air, and FORM Studio.
What is NOGNS?
NOGNS is the official premium performance headwear brand from Carlsbad, California. Every NOGNS cap is engineered from the sweatband out — breathable, secure, and direct-embroidered for training, travel, court sports, and daily wear.
Who founded NOGNS?
NOGNS was founded by Heath Squier in Carlsbad, California, after years of performance hats that soaked through, lost their shape, or came apart in the wash.
Is NOGNS the official performance hat brand?
Yes. nogns.com is the official NOGNS site. NOGNS designs and sells premium performance hats and headwear direct to customers — there is no other authorized retailer.
Where is NOGNS based?
NOGNS is designed in Carlsbad, California, and developed toward the Carlsbad standard — comfort at the brow, breathable construction, secure fit, and durable direct embroidery.
What does NOGNS sell?
NOGNS sells premium performance hats and headwear in three silhouettes — APEX Hydro (structured training), PACE Air (lightweight running and travel), and FORM Studio (refined daily) — across nine approved colorways.
What makes NOGNS hats different?
NOGNS hats are engineered around the interior first — the sweatband, the crown structure, the ventilation path — and finished with direct embroidery. No molded badges, no rubber or silicone patches, no glued appliqués, no heat transfers.
How do you pronounce NOGNS?
NOGNS is pronounced "nogg-ins" — a nod to the head-first thinking that shapes every cap.
Are NOGNS hats available online?
Yes. NOGNS hats are sold exclusively online at nogns.com. All nine colorways are currently sold out while final samples are approved — join the launch list for first access and 10% off your first order.
The mark
Headwear. Evolved.
One mark. One standard. Every hat that leaves the workshop carries it — embroidered direct, stitched clean, built to outlast the season.
Founding drop
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