Yea I said it. There are absolutely no practical reasons to use any hat other than the 1st Recon Beret. This is easily the single best headgear on the game and not only that but its leagues ahead of anything else. Most hats either give +1PER or nothing at all. There are a few rare-ish ones that give +5 to something like Barter, Explosives, etc but they still dont compete with a +5% crit chance.

+5% crit is HUGE in this game. Please add some headgear with better stats so that ill want to use something other than the 1st Recon Beret on every character ill ever make.

I like the Pre-War Hat because it gives off a nice Rat-Pack 50s Vibe

Who said Fashion Choices ever have to be based on Practicality?

As long as I am Styling, I am good.

Doesn't the hat also cause Legion hostility? I find lots of uses for rad resistance, charisma bonus, and DT, personally.

Just nerf the 1st recon beret. +2% critical chance makes it useful but not overpowered.

Or make it so the +5% critical chance is added after weapon multipliers, not before. Also nerf sniper rifles. 5x critical chance is ridiculous, max for any weapon should be 2.5x (like lucky, the gun is named lucky but it's not as lucky as every single sniper rifle ever made?).

I understand the aesthetics side but stats wise there is no choice.. nothing is better than the 1st Recon Beret.

Not for me at least.

I am a fan of the Suave Gambler Hat myself when just wandering about in town or staying in relatively safe areas. But, I will admit, it doesn't have the badass factor with Authority Glasses that the 1st Recon Beret has. I believe that my intimidating looks cause enemies to tremble in fear.

It does not cause the legion to be hostile.

Yeah, but...
Reinforced Mark2 Combat Armor helm gives +5 DT.
And those magazines (The Police one) will add +10 crit chance on my guy!
Plus, the Roving Trader Hat is of course invaluable - biggest problem is remembering to put it on.
Anyway, the 1st Recon Beret doesn't just fall out of the sky - you must take Boone on, as a companion (at risk of stating the obvious).
I always go back to get Boone at the very end, and tell him 'it's time'.
He and I fight with our Berets on - while ED-E holds both our Power Armor helms.
They do make a fuss about the Beret with special comments everywhere you go, though...
So you're correct - it is a very special hat.
I just like the way that it never takes any damage, heheh...
http://www.theengineeringguild.co.uk/ new mod allows you to actually join the NCR and work your way up!
You could therefore become a real 1st Recon Sniper, and wear their complete kit and armor.
Regards

You do not need Boone as a companion to get the hat. He gives it to you for "one for my baby" and then takes it back. . .but he doesn't - its still in your inventory.

Really?
I didn't recall the exact logistics of it...
Whatever; anyway it's a great hat - but there are alternatives,
L8R

OP has obviously not found the greatest hat in all of FNV - the Party Hat.

I used to carry around just a random hat and clothes for walking around, thats one use

The hat he gives you at the start of the quest doesn't have the critical chance.

I agree 100%! I also think they don't have enough clothing with bonuses...

I was tempted to use the First Recon Hat for the crit chance bonus but I just look too damn good in my ball cap with glasses. I'm on my second playthrough now and it's still the hat for me.

I've gotten really tired of looking at that beret. Been using the Remnant helmet for the looks instead.

lol you seem to make a lot of misinformed posts on these forums

I agree with the OP that the best hat/helmet in the game should not be a beret !

She wore a raspberry beret...the kind you can find in a second store...

A unique combat helmet or PA piece should have covered that bill.
Even a cool cowboy hat option.

I don't use it myself anymore..but still.

I agree, the 1st recon beret and the roving trader hat are the only decent headgear I have found, still only 40 hours in on my first play through though so maybe there are still some to find...

I think the blatant copying of all the not so good clothing and armour from Fallout 3 is down right lazy

don't forget some hats give faction.

and others just look good, there are several varieties of cowboy hat I wear rather than a helm.

I would have thought they'd texture the beret green when they made it the best hat in the game.

a +5% critical chance will do squat when your buying something, so a roving traders hat is the way to go. a +5% critical chance will do squat when your convincing someone, surely the beret isnt the only useful hat in the game.

ps: im already an enemy of the legion, so the beret doesnt do anything new.

What hats give faction? I didn't think any did.

Hell yeah.