The graveyard of broken dreams is littered, yes littered, with the failed ideas of those who have dared to mess with the pure form of America's headgear, the baseball cap. And yet, Notch has ventured forth into this landscape and emerged the victor.
Notch makes some damn nice caps, with a twist: in the brim there is – wait for it – a notch on each side. The notch is there so you can pull your brim down to a usable level in bright sun and not interfere with your big-ass wrap-around sunglasses. Yes, we know you have them. You're probably wearing them right now. Indoors. Under artificial light, that's how hard you are.
The Notch is most definitely not a gimmick. The notch itself works as advertised with sport shades. Beyond that, it's a very high-quality hat, and available in a wide range of colors and patterns. There's even an operator hat with velcro for your morale patches. The mesh on the back is not nylon, it's a soft fabric with just a bit of stretch in it. The brim is pre-curved exactly right, in our (not very) humble opinion.
And the Kryptek pattern… what can we say? Love it. This particular photo is Highlander, a beige base with green highlights that works across a broad array of terrain, with a combination of irregular geometry and gradient fades. If you're in the market for a new dome, do not pass go until you check out Notch. Sized appropriately, but of course.