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A mock-up magazine used by Valve to announce the addition of hats to Team Fortress 2

Hats

Hats, or headwear, are items that can be equipped in the head slot of the loadout screen. Valve introduced the first set of nine hats with the Sniper vs. Spy Update on May 21, 2009 Patch, with one hat for each class. The nine hats introduced were the Batter's Helmet, Soldier's Stash, Pyro's Beanie, Demoman's Fro, Football Helmet, Mining Light, Prussian Pickelhaube, Trophy Belt, and Fancy Fedora. Several updates have since added additional hats, including those designed by members of the Team Fortress 2 community through the Steam Workshop or the former contribution page on the TF2 Official Website.

There are currently a total of 380 hats (excluding the 306 Miscellaneous items). 105 can be obtained in Vintage quality, 13 can be obtained in Strange quality, 133 can be obtained in Genuine quality (see item quality distribution), and 342 of the hats can be painted 29 colors using different varieties of Paint Cans.

While most hats can be obtained through crafting, the item drop system, or bought from the Mann Co. Store, some hats are only available to players via other means. Multiple hats can only be obtained by completing in-game achievements. Other hats have been added as promotions for various Steam games and events in the Steam Store. While it is possible to obtain most of these hats via trading with other players, there is no option to buy these hats from the Mann Co. Store (aside from those released with Total War: SHOGUN 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and the QUAKECON Pack). Only players with the premium account type can receive hats randomly through the item drop system.