Review: A hat from I'm Rick James Bricks
Posted by FlagsNZ,
A few weeks ago Huw asked me to review a baseball styled hat supplied by I'm Rick James Bricks.
I think this was because the I'm Rick James Bricks store is based across the Tasman Sea in Victoria, Australia.
I know there are people out there who will never mix third-party brick systems with their LEGO. This hat is not for you. However, there are others who will be excited about these hats.
Read on as I review this interesting hat.
The Hat
The baseball style hat has two areas where LEGO can be attached. A curved panel and a flat visor. The curved panel measures 18x8 studs while the visor is 25 studs wide and 16 studs deep.
Both studded sections can be removed. The felt has Brick Brick embossed into it.
The hat is manufactured by Brick Brick Gear. Their logo is embroidered into the side.
The two baseplates can be easily removed for cleaning.
Two Velcro strips attach the panel to the hat while the visor is held in place by the groove gripping the hat.
Building potential
I decided to undertake some market research by loaning the hat to the daughter of a friend. I was interested to see how this hat would appeal to youngsters. Nadia is nearly six years old and loved the hat from first sight.
Here is one of Nadia's designs. There was a whole story behind the design. Nadia explained that there were two worlds on the hat: snow world and sunny world. The different flower colours indicate which world is which.
Later, Nadia changed the hat design to include her name. It took a few attempts for her to manage to fit her name into the available space.
Nadia's father, Pieter, added a Pirates set to the hat. Here is 6260 Shipwreck Island constructed using the hat as a baseplate. The blue of the hat depicts the sky and sea.
Any LEGO set with about 100 parts could easily be displayed in a similar way.
Building constraints
I used the hat last week at the opening launch of All Blocks LUG being set up in Auckland.
The most significant challenge for building on the hat occurs when attempting to build anything on the curved panel.
The curve of the panel made it difficult to attach anything wider than three studs. To overcome this, I segmented my depiction of Rangitoto Island and used some overlaps to make the build work.
Colour match
The hats comes in seven colours.
- Grey,
- Royal Blue (pictured),
- Black,
- Red,
- Navy Blue,
- Pink, and
- White
Here is the blue hat alongside a LEGO 32x32 Bright Blue baseplate. The colours match really well.
Hat sizes
Nadia really loved the hat and I sensed that it would be unfair not to give her the hat for her wonderful work. I contacted Rick James to see if he could send through another hat for Nadia.
This time the hat was coloured pink and youth sized. She has it on the second pin of the plastic closure. There is about 3cm (1 inch) of expansion so the youth size could suit small adults.
The curved panel and visor have the same dimensions for both hat sizes.
Nadia really captures the hat bug here: her hat matches her T-shirt.
Overall opinion
The plastic studded sections of these hats should be considered as a simple baseplate that enables people to add a LEGO diorama to their clothing. There is the same expected level of clutch-power that holds pieces onto the hat.
Imagine a grey hat that is modified into a Classic Space moon-base or a red hat displaying a Speed Champions race track. As shown above, a blue or pink hat can be used as the base for a range of themes.
Once you have purchased a complete hat you have the option to purchase separate front plates and brims in different colours.
It would be easy to include an interesting and simple design to one of these hats as part of any uniform worn at a LEGO show.
I believe that this hat has two target markets:
- Adults who often display their LEGO at shows, and
- Children
I'm Rick James Bricks
I'm Rick James Bricks is a toy store based in Victoria, Australia that sells several brick related products. Check out their range of:
- Brickarms
- Citizen Brick
- LEGO (Orders within Australia only)
- Light My Bricks
Shop for your Brick Brick Hat
You can buy the Brick Hats from the following website links:
Australia/New Zealand |USA | UK/Europe
Thanks to I'm Rick James Bricks for providing the two hats for this review. The review is an expression of my own opinions.
39 likes
18 comments on this article
I thought that you were gonna pretend to be the hat when the title said 'I 'm Rick James' brick hat.
It is a confusing brand name.
The hat isn't something I'd wear but I know people who would wear one.
^ I agree. Title changed
That 21129 Mushroom Island depiction on the website is hilarious.
Thanks for the introduction to this store. It's useful to have a place that sells all the third-party stuff. It is just me, though, or do they sell Light My Bricks sets for less than actual Light My Bricks?
Great review and article!
It's a pity they don't do deliveries outside Aussie - some really good pricing on some of those sets! As for the hats themselves ... I'm undecided. The fanboy side of me is keen but the sensible, grown-up, responsible, staid and introverted side of me (73.8%) thinks I'd look a complete and utter doofus. Maybe one for indoor wear only, I think....
This instantly reminded me of the Key and Peele sketch "Dueling hats"
Ridiculous and impractical.
Bonkers. But a fun bonkers. Sort of thing will.i.am might love!
Block-n-Roll unfortunately there are contractual agreements that prohibit shipping LEGO branded items outside the trading market, but I'm sure Rick will be able to send you as many hats as you can wear!
Brickarms works through partners to sell his products in the US so check to see if this bonker hat can be acquired. It's a fun accesory that I see myself wearing to an AFOL convention.
Oh cool, an Australian shop, didn't expect to see that advertised here! The Facebook page has been popping up in my feed on and off for the last month. While I probably won't buy the hat I definitely would like to check the store out some time after I finish my final exams (AHHHHH). Always happy to support a small business over the chain stores :)
The brand name comes from a sketch on Chappelle's Show. Dave Chappelle plays an early 80s version of Rick James. He slaps people and yells "I'm Rick James, bitch!" The real Rich James than says that "cocaine is a hell of a drug" as a way of explaining his behavior.
Anyway interesting product. I can't say that it appeals to me. First and for most I don't like flat brim hats. Second, it's not true Lego. That said it's still a great review and thank you bring this my attention.
awwww no shipping to europe? im also a basecap collertor....wearing basecaps since im 3 or 4 years old....just the same amount of time im colleting lego.....i HAVE to get one....
@Torfmangel - Click on the Europe link. Then you will be able to buy one.
@LusiferSam - My Name is actually Rick James
@Thebrickdoctor - Look forward to seeing you soon!
@Lordmoral - Click on the USA link. Then you will be able to buy one.
@Block-n-Roll - @OuterRimTradingCo is correct. We are not allowed to ship LEGO to NZ.
What is the shipping to New Zealand on one of those hats?
@Pizzareno $5 AUD
Neat little concept. I'm still laughing at 'I'm Rick James Bricks.'
I actually picked one of these up at BricksCascade last year. The hat itself isn't my favorite style, but I liked the idea of displaying something along the bill, akin to a brick badge. This reminds me that I should really come up with a design for mine.
Cool