Being a native, or current citizen, of the Southeastern region of the United States causes you to care deeply about preparing yourself for the extreme heat and humidity that comes around during the dog days of Summer. Why do we care so much? Because heat strokes are real and no one wants to be on the recieving end of an uppercut from the sun. And when the sun gets high in the sky, ready to do his worst, you need to be ready–put on your armor if you will–because the last thing you want to do is “monkey” in the heat.

The dreaded “monkey on the back” term is usually reserved for a bad moment or situation that won’t seem to loosen its depressing grip off someones life and thus can only be “removed” by the rectification of said issue.  Well, where I’m from the suffocating and sticky combination of heat and humid air an be enough to choke the life out of you and as such proper precautions should be taken to effectively beat the heat.

There are many ways to prevent yourself from “monkeying” out in the Summer sun but given the scope of this website I’ve decided to focus my energy on the overlooked aspect of rocking the right kind of fitted hat. As fellow fitted enthusiasts you should all already be familiar with the “which hat should I wear” internal conversation that is a part of your daily get-ready-to-leave-the-house ritual: brushed my teeth (check), got my keys (check), got my wallet (check), now which hat should I wear…?

Excuse me as I paraphrase the words of C & C Factory, but choosing your hat of the day is definitely one of those “things that make you go hmmmm.”

If you live somewhere in which the temperature and heat index seem to be in a constant battle to see which one of them can be king of the hill, consider putting down your old faithful and putting on a Major League On-Field Authentic cap. These caps weren’t constructed with keeping the common man cool, no doubt, but if it’s good enough for your favorite Big Leaguer then believe me it’s good enough for you.

One of the most important aspects of official MLB On-Field caps is that they are NOT constructed of 100% wool as wool is one of the monkey’s most trusted allies in his relentless search for unsuspecting prey. Instead, these caps are made of a polyester fabric blend enhanced with a moisture management system that wicks away sweat from your skin and transfers it to the fabric, keeping your head relatively cool compared to the rest of your body. Not to mention they come equipped with black under visors to help you deal with the glare of the sunlight.

On the hottest days you’ll find me opting for my Atlanta Brands authentic on-field cap over anything else in my closet because the only monkeys I want to come in contact with are at the zoo. What about you?

[Pictured in this post is a Tampa Bay Rays "2010 On-Field All Star" Fitted Cap by New Era. Available now at shopMLB.com]

KJ runs H1GHER LEARNING, a website dedicated to the proper documentation of Southern streetwear culture. If you like to lurk, then follow him on Twitter too.