About CowboyHardHat.net

CowboyHardHat.net has published information about cowboy-style hard hats since 2009. Today it covers cowboy hard hats, standard hard hats, their accessories and the rules that decide where each one is allowed.

Where it started

From one salesman's idea to a jobsite staple

The site began with the story of the western hard hat, first built in a Bakersfield, California garage in the 1990s by a machine-tool salesman who was tired of swapping his straw hat for a dome-shaped hard hat every time he walked onto a job site.

That hat became a standard sight on ranches, oil and gas leases and construction crews. Read the full history.

What we write about

Four kinds of guides

Ratings

How ANSI Z89.1 works and what OSHA requires.

Care

Fit, cleaning, inspection and replacement.

Site rules

Which hard hat styles different job sites accept.

Product guides

The rating, fit and price of every pick.

Meet the author

Wade Callahan

Wade Callahan writes the guides on CowboyHardHat.net, covering cowboy hard hats and head protection for ranch, oilfield and construction work. Every guide is built from the ANSI Z89.1 standard, OSHA regulations and manufacturer documentation, and updated when they change.

How we review · Read the guides

How we work

Sources, method and money

Primary sources. Guides are written from the ANSI standard, OSHA regulations and manufacturer documentation, and updated when those change.
A published method. Product picks follow the criteria on our How we review page.
Clear about money. The site earns through affiliate links and advertising, explained on our affiliate disclosure page. Advertisers and retailers do not choose what we cover.

Spotted a mistake or have a question?

Corrections and questions are welcome.