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Red Dead Redemption 2offers plenty of customization options for Arthur Morgan. Fitting for a western, there are several categories ofgreat hatsto seek out. Some you buy, some you steal, some you craft, and there are special ones that you can findhidden in the wild. While most hats are either for personal taste or to keep Arthur’s head warm,Rocktar Gameshide away a gameplay mechanic in one of these hats – a mining helmet named the Miner’s Hat.
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Getting this hat early on can completely replace an item from your weapon wheel… so long as you know how to hide it away in your saddle.
Seek Out Beryl’s Dream
Make your way over to Big Valley to start your hunt for the hat. It’s in the area of the Trapper,across the way from the Pagan Ritual, and close to theLegendary Buckanda dinosaur bone. Follow the dotted line on the map to findBeryl’s Dream, an abandoned mine. The mine is tucked away in the cliffside, but once you make your way up the trail, it will be easy to spot.
Walk inside the mine for a short bit to see that it’s fully caved off. To your direct left will be aplungerfor thedynamitealready in the rocks.
The dynamite will explode, allowing you passage deeper into the mine. Go ahead and check your map if you’d like once you squeeze through – like all caves in the game, you will be given a map of the cave’s layout.
It’s a small cave, and there are no dangers inside, so this will take you no time at all. You’ll want to follow the path that leads to the weapon icon becauseright beside the hat you are looking for is a wide-bladed knife in the back of a corpse.The compendium will reveal this is the site of a murder that has been covered up. Take the knife as a new melee weapon if you’d like, and the Miner’s Hat will be right near the head of the corpse.
Once Arthur puts the helmet on, you’ll notice it still works and will turn itself on. Lighting up the wall just in front of you. This is what makes the Miner’s Hat stand out from every other hat in the game.Not only will it automatically turn on when wearing it inside a cave, but it will also turn on if wearing it at night, without ever needing to hit a button on your keyboard or controller.There are a few things to keep in mind with the shortcomings of the hat, let alone the best use of it.
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Store The Miner’s Hat On Your Horse
There’s no reason to wear the hat at all times – not only would this limit your customization, but your gang members willactively mock you for wearing it. They do this with the goofier hat options, and the Miner’s Hat definitely counts, so if you don’t wish to be ridiculed by the likes ofRed Dead Redemptionalumni Abigail Marston, you’ll want to store it away. Like all hats, you may store it on your horse.You can only have three hats on your horse, so do whatever you want for the other two.After you’ve done this, whenever you are riding your saddled horse, you can put on any selected hat.
This means quickly grabbing the Miner’s Hat during the night or if you know you’re about to enter a cave.
How Useful Is The Miner’s Hat?
Truth be told, because the light is coming from Arthur’s forehead, it willonly focus wherever he is directly looking. This is no issue in a cave, where the light will bounce off the walls as intended, but outside at night, it’s less helpful than you may like. Considering that limitation, it may sound silly to bother putting it on your horse for quick access, especially since Arthur carries a lantern in his weapon wheel. However, the lantern has a limitation that the Miner’s Hat does not.
The lantern is in your weapon wheel as a melee weapon, which means if you are holding the lantern, you cannot also hold a gun. Judge for yourself if you need extra light in caves or during the night, and if you do, know that there are only two lanterns and the Miner’s Hat as options.Bearing both in mind, the Hat allows Arthur to carry a weapon while wearing it.
If you’re hunting in a cave, at night, or would just like both a light source and easy weapon access whenthe Night Folk might be near, your best option is to go in wearing the hat. If you choose the lantern, you will have to select your gun from the weapon wheel and wait for Arthur to put the lantern away. Annoying if just hunting bats, and deadly if dealing with the Night Folk.
It is admittedly situational. Some players will find the hat irreplaceable, while others will never use it twice. Either way, it’s a fun little secret with its gameplay gimmick.
