Standing watch
Lookouts wore it for hours of standing still in wind and spray. Standing still in the cold is still what it's for.
The ++ Watch Cap · Defender 2026
Bought it as a gift. Kept it.
That's what Cara did. The ++ Watch Cap is based on the knit cap US Navy sailors wore standing watch in the 1940s, rebuilt warmer with a fleece-lined, double-layered ear band. Made in Ukraine.
Pick their colour
$68One size · 4 colours
4.9 from 44 watch cap reviews
- Navy watch cap heritage
- Fleece-lined ear band
- Made in Ukraine
Real customer review
4.9 · 44 reviews
“I bought this for my son but loved it so much I kept it for myself!! Looks amazing!”
Cara ✓ Verified buyer
++ Watch Cap
++ Watch Cap
US Navy sailors stand watch on open decks in a knit wool cap. The shape becomes a classic.
Where it comes from
Built on the Navy's watch cap.
A watch cap is named for the job: hours standing watch on an exposed deck, at night, through North Atlantic winters. The knit cap was US Navy cold-weather kit for decades, and the wartime version of the 1940s is the shape every watch cap since has copied. Ours keeps that shape and builds it warmer.
Navy kit
Wool knit caps were part of US Navy cold-weather gear by the First World War. The wartime cap is the classic: rib knit, fold-up cuff, snug fit.
Our upgrade
We kept the rib knit and the cuff, then added a soft fleece lining and a double-layered ear band, so the ears are covered twice.
Made in Ukraine
Knit from 35% wool, 30% angora, 30% cotton and 5% elastane. Made in Ukraine by Saint Javelin.
The story you get to tell
Read the label.
Every detail on it means something. When they open it and ask "what does that mean?", here's your answer.
- 1Special Textile Operation
SPECIAL TEXTILE OPERATIONWhat we call making gear in Ukraine while the war goes on.
- 216 February 2022
AD-16-02-2022The day Christian printed the first 100 Saint Javelin stickers to raise money for Ukraine. They sold over 10,000 and raised over $1M.
- 3Kyiv
50°27'00 N 30°31'24 EThe coordinates of Ukraine's capital.
- 4The "++"
++ WATCH CAPUkrainian military slang for "got it". As in: cold ears? ++.
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“The best knit cap
I've ever owned.”
Spencer · ✓ Verified buyer
++ Watch Cap
++ Watch Cap
Real customer review
4.9 · 44 reviews
“My new favorite hat!!! Super warm and comfortable!! In fact, my wife and kids keep borrowing it!!”
Nathan Bellows ✓ Verified buyer
++ Watch Cap
++ Watch Cap
4.9 · 44 watch cap reviews
The ++ Watch Cap
Fleece-insulated. Based on the US Navy watch cap.
$68
- Fleece-lined, double-layered ear band
- Wool, angora and cotton knit
- Keeps its shape all winter
- One size, stretch knit
- Woven label with a story
- Made in Ukraine
ColourMidnight Black
Not sure? Match the jacket they wear most. Black and Charcoal go with everything; Army Green and Coyote suit outdoor kit.
How manyOne size fits most
Make it a kitOptional
✓ Secure checkout
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★★★★★ “Great hat. Bought for partner and she is very happy with it.”Matt Butler · ++ Watch Cap
Why it's the one they'll wear
Built for standing still in real cold.
01 · The ear band
Ears covered twice.
The cuff is double-layered and lined with soft fleece, so the band over the ears is the warmest part of the cap and the softest against skin.
Fleece liningDouble-layered cuff
“It has a soft fleecy lining around the headband which feels great on the skin.”
Kit · ++ Watch Cap
02 · The knit
Keeps its shape.
A fully-fashioned rib knit of wool, angora and cotton with a little elastane. It stretches to fit and springs back, instead of sagging and riding up by February.
Fully-fashioned rib knit95% natural fibres
“I wear a 7 1/4 hat and there's enough stretch to easily to fit a larger size, yet it retains it's original shape.”
LL · ++ Watch Cap
03 · Proven in the cold
Approved in Minnesota.
Thick enough for the walk, the dock and the long wait at the bus stop. Soft enough to wear all day without the itch.
Wool + angora + cottonZero itch
“I live in Minnesota, USA and know what makes a winter hat a winner of a hat. This one fits the bill.”
Katherine · ++ Watch Cap
Why not just a regular beanie?
++ Watch Cap
The ++ Watch Cap vs. the gas-station beanie
++ Watch CapRegular beanie
The knit
Wool, angora and cotton
Usually thin acrylic
Over the ears
Double layer, fleece-lined
One thin layer
Against the skin
Soft fleece, zero itch
Scratchy knit
By February
Keeps its shape
Stretched out, riding up
The story
Navy heritage, a label worth reading
None
Pick their colourOne size · 4 colours · made in Ukraine
5-star reviews
What they say after a winter in it.
Real, unedited reviews of the ++ Watch Cap. Every one lives on Judge.me, matched to a real order.
4.9
44 reviews
44 reviews
As seen inThe New York TimesBBCNBC NewsThe Washington Post
Who's behind it
From a sticker to winter gear.
- 2022The sticker
On 16 February 2022, Christian printed 100 stickers of a saint holding a Javelin to raise money for Ukraine. They sold over 10,000 and raised over $1M.
- 2022Soldiers' feedback
We built winter gear for Ukrainian soldiers. What they told us became the Defender Collection.
- 2026Made in Ukraine
We work with manufacturers across Ukraine. The ++ Watch Cap is one of them, and it's the date on its label.
Before you buy
Straight answers.
What size should I get?
It's one size, in a stretch knit. One reviewer with a 7 1/4 hat size says there's room to spare and it still keeps its shape.
Which colour should I pick for a gift?
Match the jacket they wear most. Midnight Black and Charcoal go with anything; Army Green and Coyote suit outdoor and hunting kit.
Is it lined?
Yes. A soft fleece lining sits inside the double-layered cuff, against the forehead and ears.
Is it itchy?
The part that touches skin is fleece. Reviewers call it "thick, soft and warm, and with zero itch."
What's it made of?
35% wool, 30% angora, 30% cotton and 5% elastane, with a 100% polyester fleece lining.
Is it really based on a Navy cap?
It's based on the classic knit watch cap worn by US Navy sailors and soldiers, the same rib knit and fold-up cuff, built warmer with a fleece lining and a double-layered ear band. We're not affiliated with the US Navy.
Where is it made?
In Ukraine.
The Defender Collection 2026
Tough gear, for tough people.
The Navy's watch cap, rebuilt warmer and made in Ukraine. The gift they'll actually wear.
Get the ++ Watch Cap
