FAQs

Top Ten things we’d like you to know about Megadeluxe Caps.

1. How this cap customization works: You pick a patch, and a cap. We sew those two up in-house and ship to you in around a week. 
2. Shipping out dates and information can be found here.  
3. Communicating with our customers via text is one of the best business decisions we’ve ever made.
4. If you have a patch you’d like sewn onto a cap, we do offer sewing service.
5. Regarding sold out patches, there's no way to predict when, or if, a particular patch will show up again.
6. We carry Flexfit, Yupoong, Richardson, New Era caps. 
7. We’re a family-run business. But don’t let that fool you – we’re scrappy as all get out. 
8. Visit our Oakland, California store. It's everything you ever wished for. 
9. Caps get old. Swap out your Megadeluxe cap for new one. 
10. Here's a few reasons why buying a custom cap from us might be one of the best things you’ve ever done for your handsome head. 

Now, onto our FAQs. This could take awhile, so pack a lunch.

How's does this whole build-your-own custom cap thing work? 
Three easy steps to building your own custom cap:
1)
Pick a patch and add it to your cart.
2) Pick a cap and add it to your cart. (We don't sell patches alone).
3) We then expertly sew your patch and cap together in-house. 


Hold the train, I can get one of your vintage patches sewn any cap you carry?

Yes, you get to build your own custom cap with a little expert sewing help from us. Our formula: You: pick a patch and a cap. We: sew & ship.  

How much does one of your caps cost?
We have caps that start at $25, and rare 100% Vintage Truckers that have sold for over $200. However, the majority of our custom caps fall into the $39 – $49 price range — before shipping cost. For our custom caps, we base our pricing on the rarity of an individual vintage patch and the degree of difficulty in sewing it onto a baseball cap. And of course the cost of the blank cap we sew it on. 

Can I get you guys to do a custom patch design?
Sorry, no. We just collect and sell vintage patches. We do have our own Megadeluxe patches that we produce and sell. However at this time we don’t produce custom patches for customers. 

 

What blank caps do you carry?
We carry Flexfit, Yupoong, Richardson, New Era, and ‘47 Brand caps. Some of the most well-known and best made ball caps in the hat universe.  

Why did you stop carrying Carhartt caps?
Our cap suppliers have never carried Carhartt caps. We've always had to rely on retail outlets. As of 2023 it's become too costly Carhartt caps. We'll revisit selling Carhartt caps once we see an easier path to stock them again. In the meantime, if you find one out there and would like us to sew a patch on it - we do provide sewing service.

What's the difference between a Flexfit and Yupoong cap?
Flexfit caps are woven with spandex for an elastic fit. The vast majority of Flexfits caps have a patented elastic interior head band, while Yupoong hats are snapbacks, or adjustable with no elastic head band. Now here's the confusing part: Flexfit is the U.S. distributor for Yupoong hats. 

I want to place an order with two different caps and patches. How to I indicate which ones go with each other?
As you're checking out there's a notes field where you can do that. No worries if you miss doing that – we'll follow up and text you. 

I've been told that my head is the size of a small planet with its own gravitational pull...do you have a cap large enough for me? 
Here's what we've told anyone who's asked a sizing question: There's no substitute for trying on a cap in person. Never buy a cap style you haven't tried on before...chances are you'll just be disappointed. If you haven't worn one of our well-known cap brands before, we recommend that you try one on at your local sporting goods or cap store. We carry three of the most popular cap brands around: Flexfit, New Era and Richardson. If you find a good fit, take a photo of the cap (inside and out) and send it to us. Our cap scientists should be able to figure out the make and model from there. 

Never purchase a cap brand you haven't tried on before – you're just asking for trouble.

What happens if I receive a custom cap and it doesn't fit me and I want to replace it?
Stuff like this happens – we get it. If this isn't a New Era cap, we'll give you a one-time pass. Mail it back to us and we'll switch it out. But to prevent this in the first place please remember our sizing rule: never purchase a cap brand or style you haven't tried on before. You're just asking for trouble.  

Now, if this happens a second time or with a New Era cap...
Mail it back and we'll put your patch on another cap for 50% off the cost of the blank cap alone (i.e.; $20 blank cap would be $10 with 50% off). To prevent this from happening in the first place: if you haven't worn one of our cap brands before, we highly recommend that you try one on at your local sporting goods store. We carry three of the most popular cap brands around: Flexfit, New Era and Richardson. 

What happens if I receive a custom cap and it doesn't fit me and I just want to return the cap and get a refund?
Because the blank cap itself is no longer usable and needs to be thrown away, we can only give store credit minus 50% off the cost of the blank cap alone (i.e.; $20 blank cap would be $10 with 50% off). As we've mentioned before, it's a good idea to try on a cap from a hat store before you buy one from us. 

You messed up on my order. What do I do? 
First, sorry about that - we're human. Second, we're going to treat you like royalty for our screwup. Contact us here, and watch us work like bandits to remedy this. 

Can you put me on a waiting list for a vintage patch? 
Keeping a waitlist would be a full-time job on top of a full-time job. Because of this, we no longer put folks on a waiting list.

Invest in Dale Earnhardt Sr. vintage patches, they're not making them anymore.
- Mark Twain

A patch I really want is sold out. When will you restock it? 
Unlike new patches, there's no way to predict future vintage finds. Mark Twain said it best, "Invest in vintage patches, they're not making them anymore." (MT was actually talking about land, but this logic easily applies to vintage patches and fruitcakes). However we're always on the hunt for the next amazing vintage find. We're patch pirates after all. 

 

 

Where do you find all of your vintage patches?
We've been collecting vintage patches for decades. We scour online auction sites, flea markets, garage sales, and ex-dictators estate sales for mint condition patches. We like buying in big lots. 

I have a few vintage patches of my own that I'd like to get store credit for. Is that something you do?
Depending on the patch we might be interested in doing a store credit for them. You can contact us here.

I remember when you could buy a patch for a few dollars twenty years ago.
No kidding, we feel the same way when it comes to prices for patches. Have you ever watched Antiques Roadshow? Makes you want to have a time machine parked in the garage. For our vintage patches we base most, but not all, of our pricing on comparable historical data from different online vintage sources including auction sites. Other times pricing is based on our extensive knowledge of vintage patches. We also spend a lot of time prepping our vintage patches to be sewn properly onto our caps. We only wish we could slap those bad boys right onto a cap. 


Do you really sew all of your patches onto caps in-house? 

Yes we do. When we first started out, we sewed all of our patches onto caps by hand. After a few hundred orders, and countless blisters, we purchased an industrial sewing machine that we had customized to our specifications. We hate to brag, but our sewing expertise is what sets us apart and allows us to have cap customization as a big part of our business. 

What's your Cap Swap Program about?
We offer a lifetime Cap Swap Program – unheard of in the cap industry. We believe a well-made patch should last a lifetime. That's why if you ever want to replace your cap, send it back to us and we'll transfer you vintage patch onto a new cap. Visit this page for more details. 

So why go to all the trouble of machine sewing vintage patches onto caps? Because it’s simply the best way to secure a patch onto a ball cap. A well-sewn patch will last twenty years or more. The cap will give out before the patch ever does. Sure, you could glue down a patch in half the time but it’s never going to be able to stay secure or make a design “pop-off” a cap. Machine sewing stretches and secures a patch to the point where it hugs the contours of a cap. Gluing down a patch on a cap can never achieve this unique dimensionality and lasting power.

How is buying a cap here different from buying a cap from a traditional boxstore?
Besides being longtime collectors of vintage patches, we're also cap customizers. We let you choose the exact vintage patch and cap combination you want, and then we custom sew your chosen patch and cap together here in California. We carefully select each and everyone of our vintage patches. We've been collecting for years, and we only buy mint-condition vintage patches that are around twenty years-old.  Plus, boxstores are where evil clowns hang out during union breaks – or so we've been told.  


Why are your caps more expensive than boxstore caps?

Because we only use organically-grown space-age polymers? Seriously, we feel our prices are fair for what we offer: authentic vintage patches on quality caps – sewn-to-order here in California. Besides being so unique and well-made, mint-condition vintage patches are many times more expensive than new patches. In fact, modern patches can be had for less than a dollar per patch when ordered in large quantities. And labor? Most caps are not made or assembled in the USA. Makes one wonder why big boxstores don't sell their caps for less.

How hard can it be, you're just sewing a patch onto cap?
Sorry to keep going on about this – but, sewing a patch onto a cap is a craft that's developed by spending countless hours of being really mediocre at sewing patches onto a cap. Not only is this about sewing technique and the proper equipment – it's about the process of properly prepping vintage patches for sewing onto a cap. When thinking back on it, Wes believes it took around a thousand caps before he thought he could be decent at this. He says he still learns something new about sewing every week. So, how hard can it be to sew a patch onto cap? Not so hard now – just took a few thousand caps is all. 

Every custom cap is signed by the person who sewed it up?
Yep. We take pride in our work, and for us a signature seals the deal. 

Signature

Wes inspects every custom cap?
No custom cap leaves our shop without Wes first giving it the green light. He still sews up a few caps every week. 

Payment types that you accept?
We accept all major credit cards, PayPal and Amazon, Apple, and Google Pay.

Do you offer a warranty on your custom caps?
We offer a twenty-year warranty on our patch-to-cap sewing. If a patch comes off your cap, we’ll sew it back on at no charge. 

How often do you stock fresh vintage patches?
We usually get fresh vintage patches every week. Always on the hunt for the best and most interesting patch designs. What can we say: we’re hardcore vintage patch pickers. 

What kind of vintage patches do you all specialize in?
Wes personally selects the following patches: aviation, cars, trucks, sports & outdoors, motorcycles, motorsports, farm & feed, industrial and adult beverages. Wes comes from a graphic design background so he also collects vintage patches based on the look of an individual patch. 

Who runs Megadeluxe?
Megadeluxe was founded by Wes Garcia: longtime vintage patch picker and ninja stitcher. Wes selects and inspects every single vintage patch onto a cap here at Megadeluxe. Still sews a bit as well. Learn more about his story here. Our secret spicy sauce: Stephanie Garcia. An ecommerce expert who has worked with several Fortune 50 companies. Happens to be happily married to Wes. (Or, so she says). 

Where is Megadeluxe headquartered?
Megadeluxe is based in a secret underground complex in California.

What's the best way to clean a patch and cap?
Find someone else to do it? To clean a patch, gently brush with a toothbrush and soapy water. For the cap itself, use soapy water (just a drop or two of soap with a cup of water) and a clean sponge. To rinse off soapy water, use a spray bottle filled with regular tap water. Lightly spray cap down and pat dry with a microfiber cloth. Repeat as necessary until soap is gone. Air dry on a rack overnight until fully dry.

Will your caps make me even more handsome?
Yes, it's beyond a scientific fact: our caps will make you even more handsome than you already are. (Don't you just love science?)

I'm looking for a certain English league full-contact badminton vintage patch from the 1920's, do you happen to have one? 
Sorry, no. Wes only collects the 1930's vintage variety of that now outlawed blood sport.

The End. Don't know how you survived, but we're so glad you made it.