It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been loitering in a microbrewery, hovering in a coffee shop, browsing a natural wine bar, or queuing at an aggressively overpriced sandwich counter – you’ve seen them. Arc’teryx Toque Beanies. They’re absolutely everywhere, and have been for quite some time, quietly stapled to the heads of people who’ve made beer, coffee, and wine both worse and more expensive than they ever needed to be.
Thanks to the cultural dominance of the Arc’teryx toque, you’d be forgiven for thinking no other brand on earth has ever attempted a foldless beanie. But, that’s nonsense. Plenty of outdoor labels – and plenty of non-outdoor ones too – make foldless beanies that are just as good as the infamous Arc’teryx version, with the added bonus of not coming preloaded with batch-brew allegiances or small-dog ownership.
Here’s ten of our favourite toque-style beanies, that aren’t Arc’teryx…
PS: We still don’t even know what toque means.
Everything about Montbell is wholesome, and that ethos is perfectly embodied by this lovely knitted watch cap. Blue, orange, and white have quite literally never looked this good together.
Stussy & Mountain Hardwear Dome Beanie
Mountain Hardwear & Stüssy remains one of the greatest ongoing streetwear–outdoor collaborations, and the headwear steals the show every single time. Oh yeah – and for that reason, these are sold out. Doesn’t make them any less nice, though.
We’ll give you three guesses what the pattern on this 66ºNorth beanie is – Wrong, wrong. Obviously not. It’s actually a map of Iceland. Seems obvious now, doesn’t it?
Minor Planet is one of our favourite lesser-known outdoor brands, and this ski hat is a perfect example of why. Great colours, a super-wide fit, and loads of wild patterns. Trippy, cosy, and cool all at the same time.
The people who wear this Mammut beanie don’t know – or care – what natural wine, craft beer, or speciality coffee is. All they’re bothered about is whether it’ll help them stick the crux move on their V16 project. These are for hardcore outdoor people only.
thisisneverthat SP-Logo No Cuff Beanie
Beautifully minimal thisisneverthat beanie in one of the most aesthetically pleasing colour combos of all time – beef and broccoli.
In case you didn’t know, Klättermusen means “Climbing Mouse,” and the brand’s logo pays tribute, appearing as a slice of triangle-shaped cheese – which just so happens to be the pattern on this beanie. Nice, isn’t it?
Another sold-out item, but this Ostraya x Western Hydrodynamic Research beanie was far too good not to include. We wish you the best of luck in tracking one down.
Rab has been making toque-style headwear long before it was cool – and they’ll almost certainly still be making them once the trend fades. This blue version is our pick from their impressive roster.
Closing out the list with this great effort from our pals at Peak Performance, constructed from a double-layer knit, which they assure us provides excellent insulation and comfort.
