If you wear a hat, you’ll know how frustrating it is when you’re clamping buckle breaks due to poor quality, or extended use.
That’s why today I’m going to take you through my favorite clamping buckles for any hat. I’ll give you some top recommendations—including which ones to buy—and then I’ll assess the best buckles for different types of hats so you can make an informed decision.
Before we jump into the best clamping buckles though, we need to get a grasp of what one actually is, so we know what to look out for.
What Is A Hat Buckle?
A hat buckle, put simply, is a device that fastens the straps on a hat. It can take many different forms though and is generally made from either plastic or metal.
Typically made from two parts, the hat buckle usually works by folding one side over to seal the two flaps in place, and secure the hat on your head. Without the buckle, it would be quite a challenge to keep any kind of hat on your head, so they’re definitely useful.
The best hat buckles have to look great (of course), and be sturdy enough to not buckle under pressure (pardon the pun).
The 5 Best Buckles For Any Hat
With buckles, less is often more. What you want to look for is a high-quality product, even if it comes at the expense of all the frills.
Look out for metal as the base material, since this is the best way to ensure it will withstand the test of time.
| Rank | Type of Buckle | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Metal Square Ring Buckles | Classic hat buckle |
| 2. | Square Roller Buckles and D Ring Buckles | Very durable |
| 3. | Multi-Purpose Roller Buckles | Unique look |
| 4. | Plastic Buckles | Most affordable |
| 5. | Metal Sliding Tri-Glide Buckles | Highest quality |
1. Metal Square Ring Buckles
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Simple, yet solid, these alloy metal hat buckles are a great option for any hat.
Since they’re composed of a mix of metals, you can expect them to last as long as you need them too, without worrying about them suffering wear and tear, or breaking.
Coming in an extremely affordable package with 50 buckles, this product is an excellent value purchase since you can use the other buckles for bags, belts or shoes.
Some people even enjoy using them to make DIY crafts, so this one-time purchase could end up lasting a very long time indeed.
2. Square Roller Buckles and D Ring Buckles
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A slightly different take on the standard hat buckle – like the previous product – this product by COOHC contains both square roller and D ring buckles.
With this packet, you will receive 20 of each type of buckle.
Both are made from solid steel and are chrome plated to boot. As you would expect, this makes them a fantastic choice due to their durability.
Again, these buckles can be used for a variety of items, and what makes them particularly stand out is there different appearance. If you decide to go with this product, you will be almost certainly be delighted with the quality.
3. Multi-Purpose Roller Buckles
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This product from Swpeet contains 50 stylish multi-purpose roller buckles, with a silver finish.
Made from metal that resembles high-quality silver, these buckles offer a different look for your hats and can act as cool accessories.
This 50 piece pack is great since it comes with a variety of sizes. From 13mm to 32mm, you will definitely find the right size buckle for your hat.
Perfect for hats, luggage, and belts, these sturdy buckles are guaranteed to last you a long time. Plus, they’re very affordable at the price point, so you’ve really got nothing to lose!
4. Plastic Buckles
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If you’re after bulk and convenience, then Tugaizi’s plastic buckle 20 pack could be just what you need.
20 side release plastic buckles come accompanied with webbing straps and slide adaptors with this product.
The slide adaptors are particularly interesting as far as hat buckles are concerned. It means you can mix it up with your buckles and change out the style whenever you want.
Being made out of plastic, as you already know, these hat buckles provide a basic but classic look for your cap. As well as being incredibly easy to use and adjust.
This kit could prove to have other uses too, should you decide to use them for luggage, your backpack, or your latest craft project. Yet the best part of this kit is without a doubt the highly reasonable price.
5. Metal Sliding Tri-Glide Buckles
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The last to feature on this list of the best hat buckles is this 20 pack from LEORX.
Made from iron, these ones will give you that nice silver-looking finish while also providing the sturdiness that’ll endure a long time.
The quality design and robust nature of these tri-glide buckles are bound to be the last ones you have to buy. These buckles can be used for hats of course, but also everything from sports equipment to belts and backpacks.
The Best Types Of Buckles For Any Type Of Hat
Baseball Cap
Baseball cap buckles are traditionally made with a clamping mechanism that holds the straps of the hat in place, unlike the ones we looked at earlier.
A popular material for baseball cap buckles is brass, as it is of course highly durable, but also lends a unique aesthetic touch to the cap.
You can also use snap buckles for baseball caps. These work in a similar way but resemble more closely the simple buckles like the ones listed earlier. These snap buckles allow for plenty of adjustment with regards to length, meaning you have more customization with your cap.
They also come in all shapes and sizes, which leaves you with plenty of opportunities to add some character to your cap.
Snapback
With snapbacks, you have a few options. First, you could go for one of the metal, more traditional buckles that we’ve already looked at for sturdiness.
If you prefer something a little easier, and definitely a lot cheaper, you can go for the quick-release plastic alternative. What’s more, you can use plastic buckles for bags and luggage purposes too, should you so desire. Not to mention the endless number of crafts you can use them for.
Golf Cap
For golf caps, you can follow similar guidelines to the baseball caps. As in, snap buckles or standard buckles.
However, there are a few slightly more adventurous alternatives, if you’re interested in standing out.
First, you have prong buckles. These ones work with a small movable prong in the middle and are arguably more attractive than other types of buckles. Unlikely to budge, these buckles are built to last, and shouldn’t need replacing for a long time.
Or, you could go for the good old-fashioned clamping buckles. These ones are among the most common, and it’s easy to see why. Nothing will be able to separate the straps due to the strong clamp-like hold the buckle has on them.
How To Install A Hat Buckle
Installing a hat buckle is super easy to do. Whatever the type of buckle, it shouldn‘t prove too challenging a task.
In order to install a plastic fasten hat buckle correctly, you’ll need to thread the strap through the slits to secure it to the hat.
- You do this simply by bringing the strap towards you through the slit closest to the buckle, and then loop it back down and through the slit furthest from the buckle.
It’s as easy as that, so there’s really no excuse not to install your own plastic hat buckle.
If you bought both the hat buckle and the strap from scratch, then it’s fairly simple to attach them too. I’ll take you through it now.
- So, the first thing you’ll want to do is take your plastic side release buckle, and if there’s a non-adjustable side, then thread your strap through that hole.
- Then comes the slightly tricky part. You’re going to need some sewing knew-how to sew this strap into place.
- Next, take the other part of the strap and insert it into the adjustable side of the buckle from the bottom up. Insert it into the rear slot first, then feed it through the slot on the edge.
However, if you have one of the metal two-slit slide buckles, then the process is a little more complicated, but still very doable.
- For this one, you’ll first want to place your buckle on a table. Make sure the side with the ridges on is facing towards you. Then, take your strap and slide it through one slit, going over the bridge in the middle.
- Thread the strap through, then it’s simply a case of wrapping the strap around the hat where it should connect, then re-threading the strap into the buckle going in the other direction this time.
- Make sure you go over and under this time though. That should do the trick.
So now you know how to install your own buckle, and this guide will also prove useful if you want to attach a buckle to a bag or something else.
How To Make Your Own Hat Buckle
Now that we’ve seen some of the best options when it comes to buying a hat buckle, I want to show you how you can make your own hat buckle with some rudimentary sewing and a touch of crafting know-how.
The buckle we’re going to try to make is the plastic curved buckles that we looked at earlier. The kind that you often see on backpacks, luggage and of course, hats.
So the requirements for this DIY craft are:
- a plain cap (this will make the buckle stand out more) of any color with a Velcro strap,
- one of the adjustable buckles (which can be either plastic or metal if you prefer),
- some scissors,
- a basic sewing kit,
- and some pins.
I could explain it to you myself, but I think you’ll enjoy this video more!
Related Questions
How do you fix a hat adjuster?
So now that we know everything there is to know about hat buckles and how to install them, let’s briefly look at how you can fix your hat adjuster.
The hat adjuster is a common feature of baseball caps, so if you’ve got one that needs fixing, here’s how to do it.
- If your hat adjuster is a strip of fabric with a metal clamping buckle, then your best bet is to first find some replacement fabric of the same color.
- Then, using some scissors, remove the old worn strap and lay the new one into place. Of course, cut the new fabric to an adequate size before you do this.
- Then get your thread and needle out, and sew the new strap to the hat at the seams.
- Either keep the old buckle or if you feel like it’s time for a change anyway, you can remove this too. Then, just replace it with one of the buckles we looked at earlier, and install it using the guide above.
- If you just have small tears in the fabric or plastic hat adjuster, then you might just want to use a hot glue gun. Squeezing small amounts, you can patch up damaged areas easily enough.
