How important is a hat to a professional bull rider? Just ask Matt Triplett, the 24-year-old Montanan currently in fourth in the PBR world standings. The first year he made it to the finals in Las Vegas, all he had with him was a straw hat, and it was officially felt season—a faux pas in line with white after Labor Day.

“I just felt like I was the oddball, out of place. I had to get my felt hat,” Triplett says. So he put in an emergency order, and got his new hat just in time. “It turned my finals around.”

IN THE RING Hats used to be part of the standard uniform, but there are fewer and fewer of them in the ring these days, as helmets offer some protection from concussions, facial fractures and lacerations. Older riders have been grandfathered in—most of the PBR’s top five still wear hats—but guys who turned 18 after October 15, 2012 are required to wear helmets during competition. As Triplett reminds, if you’re out with a concussion, you’re not making any cash.

MATERIAL “There are certain seasons for hats.” Straw for the summer, felt for cooler weather. While there’s no hard rule on switching, when it’s time, you know. And you don’t want to be the guy in the wrong one.

BRAND Triplett wears American Hats or Resistols, which he says are popular with bull riders. “I have to go with the cowboy look.”

BRIM Bull riders opt for curved.

CROWN The segment above the brim comes in various heights and shapes, creased or uncreased. And there are many variations on the creases or indentations, each affecting the overall style.

BAND Even tough cowboys like a little flourish.

COST Triplett says he’ll drop anywhere from $800 to $1,000 on a good hat. And when you’re spending that much, you treat a hat well.

THE BIG RULE Never touch another man’s hat. “You don’t see many people trying to grab them off our heads, because that’ll be a battle if someone tries to touch my hat,” Triplett says. “It’s not like a baseball cap you can go buy for $30. It’s disrespectful.”