Arborwear Stocking Hat

The Arborwear stocking hat is a warm knit cap made for cold mornings loading the truck, running the chipper and working the ground. It fits close to the head so it stays put and works under a hood.

A cold-weather staple

Every tree crew has a pile of stocking caps in the truck by November. A good stocking cap keeps your head warm through the coldest part of the morning, when you are loading gear, setting up cones and waiting for the climber to tie in. This one fits close, so it does not ride up when you bend over to drag brush.

Stocking caps have a lot of names: beanie, toque, knit hat. If you have been searching for a stockingcap near me, the one that matters is the one that stays on your head and keeps you warm when you are standing around.

Arborwear designs its gear for tree workers, and the stocking cap reflects that: simple, warm and tough enough to take getting stuffed in a pocket all day. It comes off a tree crew's dashboard more often than any other piece of winter gear.

A good stocking cap should be thick enough to block wind but not so bulky it will not fit in a pocket. It should also hold its shape after months of washing and being stuffed in a coat. This one covers the ears fully, which is where cold mornings hurt most.

Hats and helmets

A knit cap is ground gear. Do not wear a thick stocking cap under a climbing helmet or hard hat unless the helmet maker allows it, since it can change how the helmet fits and protects. For climbing, look for a thin helmet liner designed for your helmet.

On the ground, pull it on during breaks and stash it in a pocket when you start working hard. Pair it with a neck warmer for windy days.

Many climbers take the stocking hat off right before they gear up and leave it clipped to their bag or in the truck. When they come down, it goes right back on to hold heat while they cool off.

Layering tips

You lose heat fast from your head and neck when you are wet and not moving. Combine a stocking cap, neck warmer, heavy hoodie and shell, and you can adjust warmth quickly without changing clothes.

Keep loose clothing away from chippers and running saws. ANSI Z133 and the chipper manufacturer's instructions apply to everything you wear near the infeed.

On wet days, a knit cap under your jacket hood keeps the hood from sitting directly on your head, and you stay warmer when the outer layer gets soaked.

Care

Wash cold and lay flat to dry to keep the knit in shape. Keep a spare in the truck in case one gets soaked.

If the knit starts to pill or stretch out after a few seasons, it still makes a good spare for the glove box.