Mourning Cow Boy Hats. Bear with me, this isn't trivial.

[LeftInTX]

7. The Texas Rangers have been wearing cowboy hats forever, but they seem to have

gotten outlandish recently..

Maybe they want them super big to make themselves look super tall or something

The DPS Troopers also wear them, but they aren't as crazy looking. State Troopers are basically the same as state troopers in any state. I have no idea why the Rangers wear those awful 20 gallon hats.

I can see the troopers because they're out in the sun and the hats act as visors. For the Rangers it's all about cosplay.

The Texas Ranger Division is the primary criminal investigative branch of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Examples of investigations can include:

Murder, robbery, sexual assault, burglary, theft and fraud
bank fraud
theft by credit card and computer generated counterfeit checks
misuse of criminal history information
misconduct and corruption of public officials
threats against the governor and other state and federal officials
missing persons, parental abductions, questionable deaths and unidentified bodies

Activities of the Texas Ranger Division consist primarily of conducting criminal and special investigations, apprehending wanted felons, suppressing major disturbances, protection of life and property, and rendering assistance to local law enforcement officials in suppressing crime and violence. https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/texas-rangers/ranger-responsibilities

I know it's not easy to get into the Rangers.
If they're such an elite group, why do they wear those gawd awful hats??

They also have a history of racial violence.