New Era Cap Buying Guide: Silhouettes, Fitted vs. Adjustable, Rewards, Shipping and Returns

New Era has made baseball caps since the 1930s and has been Major League Baseball's exclusive on-field cap supplier since 1993. Its own store, neweracap.com, sells team caps for MLB, the NFL and the NBA, plus collaborations and seasonal collections. The catalog is huge, and the product names, a string of numbers like 59FIFTY, 9FORTY and 9TWENTY, are confusing if you do not already know them. This guide explains what those names mean, how to pick between fitted and adjustable caps, and the rewards, shipping and return rules that apply when you order from New Era directly.

All details come from New Era's own pages, read on October 31, 2026. Policies can change, so confirm them at checkout.

A short history

New Era's history page says German immigrant Ehrhardt Koch founded the company in 1920 to make fashion caps. His son Harold moved the business into baseball, and the first New Era professional baseball cap was made in 1934 for the Cleveland Indians. Harold designed the fitted 59FIFTY in 1954, and the company's plant in Derby, New York, became its exclusive producer. New Era later added the NFL sideline cap in 2012 and the NBA on-court cap in 2016. The company says that made it the only brand to hold exclusive on-field, sideline and on-court headwear rights for all three major US leagues at the same time.

The main silhouettes, explained

New Era uses "silhouette" for the shape of a cap: the height of the crown, how structured it is, the curve of the visor and how it closes. Its silhouette guides describe each family like this.

59FIFTY (fitted). New Era calls this its flagship and "the originator of the true fitted." It has no strap. You buy it in an exact hat size, so it fits closely and looks clean from the back. Within the family there are variations, including a low-profile version with a contoured crown that sits lower on the head, and five-panel styles with a pinched, seamless front that leaves room for larger logos.

9FIFTY (snapback). The guide describes it as a classic snapback that copies the shape of the 59FIFTY: a structured crown, a flat visor you can shape yourself and an adjustable back. If you like the fitted look but do not know your size, this is the closest alternative.

9FORTY (adjustable, curved). A structured build with a pre-curved visor and an adjustable fit meant for everyday wear. It has six panels, medium depth and a shorter, slightly curved visor. New Era also offers A-Frame versions, which it describes as five-panel, pinched, low-profile caps with a medium depth.

9TWENTY (adjustable, unstructured). New Era calls this its "well-worn, comfortable cap that sits low on your head." It is the relaxed, dad-hat style, with no rigid front.

9SEVENTY (stretch snapback). A newer, more technical adjustable cap. The guide mentions technical fabrics, a structured but streamlined fit and a snapback closure with extra stretch.

Fitted or adjustable: how to choose

The choice comes down to fit and how you plan to wear the cap.

• Pick a 59FIFTY if you know your hat size and want the classic on-field look. These are the caps MLB players wear in games, and they tend to cost the most. In New Era's Milwaukee Brewers championship collection, for example, the 59FIFTY fitted styles were $52.99, against $34.99 for the 9TWENTY.
• Pick a 9FIFTY or 9SEVENTY for a structured, flat-ish look without committing to a size.
• Pick a 9FORTY if you want a structured cap with a curved brim that works for most heads and most outfits.
• Pick a 9TWENTY for comfort and a softer, lived-in look, or if you are buying a gift and do not know the person's size.

Sizing matters more than usual with New Era. The store does not offer exchanges: to change a size, you return the original and place a new order. If you are unsure, an adjustable cap removes the risk.

New Era Rewards

New Era runs a free points program on its US site. According to its rewards page:

• Earning: 1 point per $1 spent, plus 25 points for joining, with bonus points for shares, app orders and your birthday.
• Redeeming: 1,000 points are worth $50 off at checkout, which works out to 200 points for every $10 of discount.
• Referrals: you and a friend each get 200 points when the friend places a first order of $60 or more.

Members also move up tiers based on how much they spend. The first tier, with entry and birthday bonuses, an annual gift and free shipping on all orders, starts at $150 spent. Higher tiers at $275, $500 and $1,000 add more bonus points, double points days, early access, exclusive discounts and, at the top level, exclusive products.

Our take: joining is free and the point value is easy to understand. The free-shipping perk at the first tier is the one that saves the most for occasional buyers, because standard shipping otherwise costs $8 under $100.

Shipping costs and timing

Expect a wait before your cap even leaves the warehouse. New Era's policy puts order processing at 3–5 business days, with no weekend dispatch, and then hands parcels to FedEx or UPS. A tracking number may not show any movement for up to 48 hours.

Because processing comes first, the cheapest option can add up to two or three weeks door to door. If a cap is meant as a gift for a fixed date, either order early or pay for a faster tier.

Returns, refunds and what cannot come back

New Era's refund policy, last updated July 15, 2026, gives you 30 days from purchase to start a return. Items must be in the condition you received them, unworn, unwashed and new, with all original tags, stickers and any special components included. Online orders are returned through New Era's return portal with a prepaid FedEx label; purchases from New Era stores must go back to a store.

Some products cannot be returned at all, including sale items, gift cards, custom or special-order pieces and items bought at pop-up events. The policy also bars returns of products linked to a team, championship or other time-sensitive event when the reason is the event's outcome, rather than a defect or an order error. Caps bought from other retailers have to go back to the store they came from.

For online returns, New Era says refunds are issued within 10 business days of the item reaching its warehouse and post to the original payment method within 2–3 business days. Gift returns get store credit, which expires after 365 days. New Era does not offer price adjustments, so if a cap goes on sale after you buy it, you cannot claim the difference.

For questions, the policy lists questions@neweracap.com.

Before you order: a checklist

1. Choose the silhouette first, then the team or design. A cap you like the look of but find uncomfortable will not get worn.
2. Measure your head for fitteds, or choose an adjustable style for gifts.
3. Join New Era Rewards before checkout so the order earns points.
4. Check whether the item is on sale. Sale items cannot be returned.
5. Allow for processing time on top of the shipping estimate.
6. Keep your order email and start any return within 30 days.

The bottom line

New Era's naming looks complicated, but it is consistent: the 59FIFTY is the fitted classic, the 9FIFTY and 9SEVENTY are snapbacks, the 9FORTY is the everyday adjustable cap, and the 9TWENTY is the soft, relaxed one. Pick the shape first, use the free rewards program, and be careful with sale and championship items, which come with tighter return rules. For New Era's latest release, see our report on the Milwaukee Brewers 2026 World Series Champions hats.

Editorial disclosure

SurfGirl may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site. It does not affect what we write. This guide is based on New Era's published information, not on our own purchases or fittings.

References

1. Silhouette Guide: 59FIFTY. New Era. https://www.neweracap.com/pages/silhouette-guide-59fifty
2. Silhouette Guide: 9FIFTY. New Era. https://www.neweracap.com/pages/silhouette-guide-9fifty
3. Silhouette Guide: 9FORTY. New Era. https://www.neweracap.com/pages/silhouette-guide-9forty
4. Silhouette Guide: 9SEVENTY. New Era. https://www.neweracap.com/pages/silhouette-guide-9seventy
5. Silhouette Guide: 9TWENTY. New Era. https://www.neweracap.com/pages/silhouette-guide-9twenty
6. Milwaukee Brewers collection (browser check). New Era. https://www.neweracap.com/collections/milwaukee-brewers
7. Our History. New Era. https://www.neweracap.com/pages/about-us
8. New Era Rewards. New Era. https://www.neweracap.com/pages/rewards
9. Shipping Policy. New Era. https://www.neweracap.com/policies/shipping-policy
10. Return and Refund Policy. New Era. https://www.neweracap.com/policies/refund-policy