Two years ago, I officially became a hat person. For years, I believed hats just weren’t for me, until I tried on a stunning, wide-brimmed Eric Javits floppy hat. It was a revelation! I envisioned wearing it on every vacation, but even though it was designed to be rollable, it never seemed to arrive quite as perfectly shaped as when I packed it. Considering it was a $200+ investment, protecting my cherished hat became a priority.
That’s when I realized a Travel Hat Box was missing from my luggage essentials. Never again will I make that mistake. These incredibly useful accessories are designed to safeguard delicate hat brims, preventing bends and misshaping, whether you’re traveling with a casual baseball cap or a sophisticated fedora.
To help you protect your prized headwear, we’ve researched the best travel-friendly hat boxes for all hat styles and sizes. We considered features like comfortable carrying straps, spacious interiors, and stylish designs to bring you the top options on the market.
Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: Brixton Fedora Travel Case at Villagehatshop.com
- Best Hardside: Mark & Graham Montauk Raffia Hat Box at Markandgraham.com
- Best Softside: Samplife Hat Box at Amazon
- Best Style: Steamline The Illustrator Hatbox Deluxe at Steamlineluggage.com
- Best Leather: Freya Leather Travel Hat Box at Thefreyabrand.com
- Best Expandable: Bagsbee Dynamic Hat Box at Amazon
- Best for Multiple Hats: Kushon Oversized Hat Storage Box at Amazon
- Best Compact: Atzi Hats Fedora Carrier at Amazon
- Best for Wide-brim Hats: Calpak Large Hat Box at Calpaktravel.com
- Best for Baseball Caps: New Era Cap Carrier at Amazon
Best Overall
Brixton Fedora Travel Case
Why We Love It: This travel hat case is stylish, well-designed, and more budget-friendly compared to similar high-quality options.
What to Consider: It’s designed as “one size fits most,” so hats with brims wider than 4.38 inches might not fit comfortably.
Like other premium hardside bags featured here, the Brixton Fedora Travel Case is subtly stylish, robust, and built to last. However, its combination of smart features and a more accessible price point compared to others (which can range from $200 to $500) makes it our top overall pick.
Beyond its top handle, it includes a removable, adjustable, and wider carrying strap. This thoughtful design minimizes shoulder strain when carrying a heavier load.
The interior, lined with printed satin, features both a large cinched pocket and a smaller zippered pocket, enhancing its functionality for travel and storage beyond just hat protection. We also appreciate the small feet on the base, allowing the case to stand upright and avoid dirty floors. The elegant herringbone design, available in cream or charcoal gray, ensures it remains as pristine as the day you bought it.
The Details: 16.25 x 15.5 x 7 inches | Ethylene vinyl acetate | Capacity: Up to two hats
Best Hardside
Mark & Graham Montauk Raffia Hat Box
Why We Love It: Mark & Graham’s signature personalization option lets you add a unique touch with a monogram for just $12 extra.
What to Consider: Despite its generous dimensions, it’s designed to hold only one large hat.
Inspired by the Hamptons’ chic coastal vibe, this hardshell hat carrier is a beachy-elegant accessory perfect for a yacht trip or a glamorous day at the beach.
The bohemian woven raffia exterior is striking, accented by bright white leather details and gold-tone hardware. Inside, the zippered case features a polyester twill lining with two pockets for smaller accessories. A top handle and detachable strap provide versatile carrying options, and the foil-debossed monogram option is a delightful personalized feature not commonly offered by competitors.
The Details: 18 x 16.5 x 6 inches | Woven raffia, polyester, polyurethane leather | Capacity: Up to one hat
Best Softside
Samplife Hat Box
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Samplife-Hat-Box-298132f970434824b6e442cdfbdd2e26.jpg)
Why We Love It: This versatile hat storage box accommodates various hat styles, from floppy sun hats to fedoras and baseball caps.
What to Consider: The felt fabric might wrinkle easily if folded or stored away.
This soft yet sturdy felt carrying case includes a helpful transparent side panel, making it easy to see the contents if you stack multiple cases. It can hold several hats, depending on their size, and features both top and side carrying handles, secure zippers, and interior bottom straps to keep hats in place.
When fully packed, it stands just over 10 inches tall, but it compresses to approximately 1.2 inches when not in use, simplifying storage. While the felt may wrinkle when folded, it can be easily ironed.
The Details: 16.5 x 16.5 x 10.5 inches | 1 pound | Felt | Capacity: Up to five hats, depending on size
Best Style
Steamline The Illustrator Hatbox Deluxe
Why We Love It: This stunning stylish hat box, with a touch of whimsy, can also store sunglasses and adds a vintage flair to your travel ensemble.
What to Consider: It’s one of the more expensive options available.
There’s an undeniable allure to classic steamer trunks, the quintessential luggage choice for sophisticated travelers in the golden age of air travel when dressing elegantly for flights was the norm.
While dressing up for flights might be less common today, this travel hat box evokes that same sense of style and nostalgia. We especially admire The Illustrator model, featuring a wrapped Japanese pasco fiberboard exterior, a striking artist-designed print lining, and elegant cream trim.
Removable top-grain leather shoulder straps, a carry handle, precision clasps, and a suitcase attachment strap complete the features of this piece, destined to become a treasured heirloom.
The Details: 17.75 x 16.5 x 6.75 inches | Leather and Japanese pasco fiberboard | Capacity: Up to three hats
Best Leather
Freya Leather Travel Hat Box
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Freya-Leather-Travel-Hat-Box-528342fdedcf48a09f775b8a1e75657c.jpg)
Why We Love It: This luxurious leather hat box offers an impressive range of carrying options, including shoulder, crossbody, a grab handle, and a luggage trolley sleeve.
What to Consider: It can only accommodate up to two hats.
Though a splurge, this beautiful case features a soft, pebbled leather exterior in a rich brown shade. The vintage-inspired shape is spacious enough to hold two large hats – and possibly more, depending on their size and style.
Beyond its attractive design, we especially appreciate that it’s a TSA-approved carry-on size, allowing you to store it in the overhead bin and avoid the risk of damage from checked baggage. It also offers multiple carrying methods: a wristlet strap, a detachable crossbody strap, and a trolley sleeve to securely attach it to your rolling suitcase handle.
The Details: 16.9 x 18.5 x 7 inches | Leather | Capacity: Up to two hats
Best Expandable
Bagsbee Dynamic Hat Box
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Bagsbee-Dynamic-Hat-Box-95be4343a2ed4ef381cfa9827d487a65.jpg)
Why We Love It: This expandable hat box features unique removable stabilizing rods and adjustable height, a feature uncommon in most travel hat cases.
What to Consider: While it has two handles, it does not include a carrying strap for shoulder or crossbody wear.
Featuring interior stabilizing rods that keep the case expanded and upright, the Bagsbee Dynamic Hat Box effectively protects hat shapes, even during turbulent travel. It can accommodate large hats with brims up to 16 inches wide. Features include leather handles, robust zippers, a strap to secure it to a rolling suitcase handle, and interior elastic straps to keep hats in place.
The case is constructed from durable, moisture-wicking polyester. The rods can be removed to collapse the case to a smaller size or completely flat for storage when not needed.
The Details: 16 x 16 x 8 inches | 1.3 pounds | Polyester blend | Capacity: Up to four hats
Best for Multiple Hats
Kushon Oversized Hat Storage Box
Why We Love It: With room for up to 15 hats, this oversized hat storage box is ideal for both travel and long-term hat storage.
What to Consider: Like other felt cases, it can wrinkle easily and might require ironing to remove creases.
Whether you’re packing floppy hats, cowboy hats, top hats, wool hats, baseball caps, wide-brim hats, or other large hat styles, this case can hold them all, and then some. It impressively fits up to 15 hats within its spacious interior.
The thick and sturdy felt exterior features a tall, clear side panel to easily view contents. It also includes a detachable and adjustable shoulder strap and three carry handles (two side handles and one top handle). Its bucket-style size is so versatile that it can be repurposed to store items from towels and blankets to stuffed animals and clothing – even used as a laundry hamper.
The Details: 19 x 19 x 17 inches | 1.39 pounds | Felt | Capacity: Up to 15 hats
Best Compact
Atzi Hats Fedora Carrier
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Atzi-Hats-Fedora-Carrier-41571e13a9ed4704ae40d2e2281bce45.jpg)
Why We Love It: This compact hat carrier is lightweight and slim, thanks to its EVA foam construction and discreet zippers.
What to Consider: While it fits many popular hat styles, brims wider than three inches, such as those on extra-large sun hats, will not fit.
This slim case is constructed from 100% crush-proof EVA-spandex foam. Despite its lean profile, it can hold up to three regular hats or two standard-size fedoras – or any hats with brims less than 3 inches wide. It’s suitable for bowler hats, straw hats, Panama hats, boater hats, and more.
We particularly appreciate the features packed into this case. It’s lightweight, waterproof, scratch-resistant, and includes hidden zipper seams, two carrying straps, an insert to prevent hats from shifting, a plush interior lining, multiple trim color choices, and four carrying options. It can even fit inside most large suitcases and has an elastic strap to attach it to a luggage handle.
The Details: 15 x 13 x 6.5 inches | EVA foam | Capacity: Up to three hats
Best for Wide-brim Hats
Calpak Large Hat Box
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/calpak-trnk-large-hat-box-492579f5845a45079fa4d245f0ed263a.jpg)
Why We Love It: It’s exceptionally spacious and can accommodate hats up to 18.5 inches in diameter, perfect for large brim hats.
What to Consider: Designed for large hats, this wide brim hat box might be bulky to carry for extended periods.
This is the travel hat box I wish I had when I started traveling with my oversized floppy hat. It’s stylish, sleek, and large enough for hats up to 18.5 inches, including sun hats like mine, as well as wide-brim fedoras and Panama hats.
I especially appreciate the water-resistant exterior with a subtle texture for a refined finish. It’s available in neutral shades like almond (light brown), espresso (dark brown), and black, and is so elegant, it could even double as a regular piece of weekend luggage. A removable strap adds to its versatility.
The Details: 19 x 20 x 8.5 inches | 6.7 pounds | Polycarbonate | Capacity: One large hat
Best for Baseball Caps
New Era Cap Carrier
Why We Love It: This high-value baseball cap carrier can hold multiple caps at a reasonable price.
What to Consider: It’s designed for standard-size baseball caps; larger sizes may not fit.
You can pack up to six baseball caps in this cool carrier without worrying about damaging their perfectly shaped flat brims. The bag itself is made from soft, durable EVA foam and features sturdy zippers, along with ventilation holes to prevent any trapped odors inside.
The bag is compact enough to fit inside your suitcase or carry-on and easy to grab with its top handle. You can also use the handle to hang it in your hotel room or closet at home.
The Details: 9.45 x 5.51 x 11.81 inches | EVA foam | Capacity: Up to six hats
Tips for Buying Travel Hat Boxes
Determine the best size and shape
When choosing a hat travel box, first consider the types, sizes, number, and shapes of hats you own or intend to buy. Selecting a box that best suits your specific hat collection is crucial.
For instance, think about how many hats you typically pack and choose a case with sufficient capacity. Also, measure your largest hats, especially those with wide brims, to ensure they will fit comfortably inside your chosen hat box for travel.
Consider how you prefer to carry your hat carrier: Will it be packed inside checked luggage, or carried on? For carry-on convenience, look for cases with adjustable or removable shoulder straps, in addition to top carry handles, offering versatile transport options. These factors will guide you to the ideal travel hat box for your needs.
Choose the proper material
The material of your travel hat box is also a key consideration, as it directly affects hat protection. If you have a delicate fedora crown or a baseball cap with a precisely flat brim, opt for a hard case to prevent crushing. A floppy hat might be adequately protected in a softside case, which is often more versatile for general storage as well.
However, hardside cases tend to be heavier, and larger ones might need to be checked as luggage.
For particularly delicate headwear, consider features like padding or water resistance to ensure damage-free travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
How many hats can I realistically fit into one hat box?
While a hat box might claim to hold five to 15 hats, the actual capacity can vary based on hat size, bulkiness, and stackability. Oversized or awkwardly shaped hats might not fit as neatly as advertised.
To be sure, measure your hats before purchasing to confirm they will fit, and look for retailers with flexible return policies, allowing you to test the fit at home with your hat collection.
-
Are hat boxes considered a personal item on flights?
This depends on the airline and the hat box dimensions. Like any carry-on or personal item, a travel hat box must meet the airline’s size restrictions. Typically, a personal item should fit under the seat in front of you. Larger hat boxes, especially those designed for wide-brim hats, might exceed these personal item dimensions.
Airlines might classify larger hat boxes as overhead carry-ons or require them to be checked. Check your airline’s cabin luggage policy and measure your hat box to avoid any surprises at the gate.
Why Trust Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure contributor Emily Hochberg, a seasoned travel and lifestyle writer and editor, frequently travels with her family and is experienced in packing for everyone, including their hats. She regularly tests luggage and travel gear and conducted thorough research on numerous travel hat boxes and cases to identify the best options for all types of hats.
Edited by Jasmine Grant, a Senior Editor at Travel + Leisure specializing in luggage and travel accessories with over a decade of experience in lifestyle and travel media.
Updated by Asia London Palomba, a trilingual Italian writer from Rome based in Boston, focusing on food, travel, and history.
