We get this question from time to time “what are the best caps?”. One of the biggest problems I see with this question is, the “best” caps are always the ones like you like the best. There really is no objective best cap since we all like different things.
With that said, let's break some things down to help you make a better decision. In my opinion, the best thing to do if you’re new to the game is to choose two caps and paint with them until you are very familiar. Do several pieces, tags, throwies, or whatever your thing is until you’re comfortable with all that those caps can do.
For the two caps, I would recommend getting one thin cap and one fat cap. I would say any two will be fine, but a Universal Thin for details and a Pink Dot Fat cap for fills and thick lines are two good ones to try. If you can find New York Fats, I would go with that instead of the Pink Dot, but they’re getting a bit rare. Once you get a feel for those, you might try fatter and thinner versions to see if that fits your style better.
Now let's get a little more detailed on the variety of caps out there. There are lots of thin caps and lots of fat caps available and it can be overwhelming when you see all the choices. Even a veteran coming back in the game might be thrown off by how many options there are.
Most of these caps have a similar spray pattern. If you made a dot on the wall, you’ll likely see a round ring with a sort of dot in the middle. This kind of cap excels at making clean lines. If the dot you make is stronger in the center and fuzzy on the outside (think a stock cap on Rusto), these caps will be harder to get clean lines with. You can get clean, but it’ll take a bit more skill.
Lastly, let's go over some of the novelty type caps. These happen to be my current favorites. The Pocket Cap is meant to mimic the old stock cap spray pattern I just talked about. If you’re looking for a vintage look to your graff, these are a great choice. Most people fill in with the standard fat caps, but lately I’ve been using calligraphy caps (Transversal Fat Cap) for filling and finding that they do a much better job. They’re also excellent for clean color fades.
Another cool novelty cap is the needle cap. They’re great for splattery thin lines. For my current style, these are a lot of fun to outline with since I really like adding a grimy look to my outlines. They’re also great for adding cracks to your pieces. The thin, dirty lines add a unique texture to the piece that is hard to get with any other cap.
Hope this helps you navigate the vast amount of cap options out there. Feel free to hit us up with any questions you might have.
If you want to check out what caps we have on deck, hit the link below.
SPRAY CAPS & ADAPTERS