Letter P, Police, and Skull Patches: Morale Patch Styles Compared
By Maxpedition – MAXPEDITION | Published: 2026-10-31
Category: Comparisons
Compare Letter P, Police, and Hi Relief Skull PVC morale patches by size, layout space, and message to see which design fits your bag, vest, or jacket.
Quick answer
Choose the Letter P patch when you want a small, low-commitment marker for a compact loop field; choose the Police patch when a wide, readable identifier suits your bag or vest; choose the Hi Relief Skull patch when you want a compact 3D statement piece. All three are PVC rubber with a hook back and an included loop sheet.
Size changes where the patch can live
The most practical difference between these three designs is footprint. The Police patch measures 4 by 2 inches, so it needs a wide, fairly open loop panel to sit flat. The Hi Relief Skull is 1.7 by 2 inches, close to square, and the Letter P is just 0.84 by 1.18 inches, small enough for narrow strips or secondary panels where a full-width patch would overhang.
That matters because morale patches work best when the hook backing fully contacts loop fabric. A patch that hangs over an edge can peel, snag, or leave exposed hook teeth. Measure your panel before ordering rather than assuming a standard size will fit.
Message and visibility are separate decisions
The Police patch reads as an identifier at a distance because of its width and bold subject. The Letter P is more of a personal mark or initial, and its small size keeps it subtle. The Hi Relief Skull is a stylized 3D design that draws attention through relief and artwork rather than lettering.
None of these patches is inherently more professional or more durable than the others; the catalog lists the same PVC rubber construction and the same included loop field sheet for all three. The real choice is how much space you want the patch to occupy and how legible you want the message to be.
The included loop sheet is the feature buyers overlook
Each patch ships with an additional loop field lined sheet. That sheet lets you sew a loop panel onto clothing that lacks one, or cover the hook back when the patch is off your gear so it does not grab other fabric in a bag or drawer.
If you plan to move a patch between a backpack, a jacket, and a range bag, keep the loop sheet with the patch. It is a small accessory that protects both the hook and the surfaces it touches.
Trade-offs by patch style
- Letter P: small footprint, limited visual impact: At 0.84 by 1.18 inches, the Letter P fits narrow loop fields and keeps a low profile, but it will not read as an identifier from across a room. Choose it for a personal mark, a secondary panel, or a child's jacket where a large patch would dominate. Measure the narrowest loop strip you plan to use before ordering.
- Police: wide readability, larger mounting requirement: The 4 by 2 inch Police patch gives its subject room to be recognized at a distance, which suits a backpack front panel or a vest. The trade-off is that it needs a loop area at least 4 inches wide; on smaller panels it will overhang and may peel. Check that your panel is at least as wide as the patch, not just tall enough.
- Hi Relief Skull: compact 3D artwork, not a text identifier: The 1.7 by 2 inch Hi Relief Skull uses PVC relief for a dimensional look in a compact near-square format. It stands out as artwork, but it does not spell out a name or role the way the Police patch does. Choose it when visual style matters more than literal legibility. Decide whether you want the patch to be read as a word or seen as a design.
Product facts at a glance
- Hi Relief Skull Morale Patch: 3D PVC rubber patch measuring 1.7 by 2 inches, with an included loop field lined sheet. The near-square footprint fits compact loop panels, and the loop sheet lets you sew a mounting point onto clothing or protect the hook back in storage.
Hi Relief Skull Morale Patch - Letter P Morale Patch: PVC rubber patch measuring 0.84 by 1.18 inches, with an included loop field lined sheet. Its tiny size suits narrow loop strips or secondary panels where larger patches would overhang.
Letter P Morale Patch - Police Morale Patch: PVC rubber patch measuring 4 by 2 inches, with an included loop field lined sheet. The wide format gives the Police design room to read clearly, but it requires a loop panel at least that wide to sit flat.
Which patch fits your gear
Best for
- A narrow loop strip or small secondary panel that cannot take a wide patch (Letter P)
- A backpack or vest front panel where a bold, readable identifier is the goal (Police)
- A compact loop field where you want dimensional artwork rather than lettering (Hi Relief Skull)
Not for
- Anyone who needs the patch to be legible from a distance (Letter P)
- A loop panel narrower than 4 inches, where the patch would overhang (Police)
- A buyer who wants a text-based name or role marker (Hi Relief Skull)
