Background and stylings

If you are looking to do an autumn hike, or spend some time on the outdoor gun range, this is the shirt for you. This shirt isn’t your veteran dad’s shirt that he wore while serving. Kitanica took old-school and made it fresh. No self-respecting individual should be without a smart looking performance shirt or jacket. This shirt is distinctive, stylish and versatile. From general day-to-day wear, and I dare say even night-out wear, this shirt is it.  It can be paired with a dope tee, and you get coolness. I remember seeing this shirt for the first time on their website, and I thought, ‘Yeah man! I want that!”

As outlayer protection goes, you need protection from the elements (like wind and rain). Firstly, layering clothing is important because it keeps you warm and dry from the inside and the outside. A good outer layer is something you should stow in your bag when the weather changes. Knowing how to layer, in addition to what clothing you should layer, is important for keeping you warm and dry.

Now, I’ve known about Kitanica for a long time, but I never really looked at their products up close. I’m grateful to the company for sending me the Overshirt to try out. The representative allowed me to choose anything that I wanted from their stable of offerings. I chose the Overshirt, and I’m glad that I did. It looked great on the website, and I liked it even better once I put it on. The package that it comes in is presented very nicely. Kitanica folded the shirt neatly and wrapped it nicely in clear, plastic wrap; they added some cool swag too.

The shirt is offered in Khaki and Black colors, and those retail for $189.00-$209.00. Sale prices are as low as $159.00. I chose the Woodland camo. Woodland is priced at $209.00. The U.S. Woodland is a camouflage pattern first issued to the United States Armed Forces in 1981. Woodland camo first saw use in the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada where it is widely employed by the members of the United States Marine Corps, while some Army units were also seen using it. The m81 camo was seen in the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama, codenamed “Operation Just Cause.”

I wore this pattern in my issued uniform when I was in the Marine Corps. I never stopped being in love with it. The four color, high contrast disruptive pattern with irregular markings in green, brown, sand and black make it noteworthy; it’s never gone out of style and it has been copied by everyone with and without a sense of style. Different environments and conditions call for different camouflage. Woodland still remains the camo pattern of choice in the jungle among many military units. This shirt is still perfect for hunting, fishing, camping, military personal use, and more. Note, generally the heavier and a stiffer material is at first is because of the material’s higher thread count. Lighter materials tend to tear easily due to containing fewer fibers. I like the sturdiness of the material.

Fit

The shirt comes in sizes from Small to XXXL. The sleeve length seemed too long when I tried it on, but once I buttoned the sleeves, I had zero complaints. The sleeves don’t feel loose nor do they bunch up. You know you have a good fit when you can let your arms to hang loosely at your sides, and look at yourself in a mirror to see where the hem of the sleeves fall. The hem should hit right where your thumb and index finger meet so it covers your wrist completely and the bottom 1/4 of your hand. This length will help to ensure that your hands stay warm. The bigger you go, the easier it is to layer clothing under your jacket; pair this Overshirt with a light thermal or hoodie in the colder months. 

Materials and construction

The shirt utilizes a drop shoulder and double layer full yoke. A yoke is the area under the collar, that drapes over the shoulder. It holds the shirt’s backing over the body and behaves as a hanger to the body. It gives crisp lines to the shirt’s backside. With a good yoke, you don’t get a pinched look to your shirt, which can make it look cheap and you don’t get as much mobility. The shirt has a tailored appearance, and doesn’t just hang off the body. Kitanica used a double layer, so the shape has correct fabric weight to drape over the body; therefore there isn’t any wrinkling. The pleated back adds mobility. Tighter, more frequent stitches usually make for a stronger seam. On the other hand, loose stitches placed far apart can make a seam weaker and more prone to splitting. Collared shirts that are built to last often include something called a “back yoke” between the shoulders. This is essentially an extra panel of material that strengthens the back of the shirt and reinforces the area against pulling and rubbing.

Usage 

The shoulders on the shirt are awesome; roomy and flexible which is necessary as a practical garment which is designed to permit freedom of movement and accommodate a wide range of body shapes. The articulated, contoured sleeves and expandable shoulder pleats provide a full range of motion. You can easily raise your arms above your head, shrug your shoulders, and cross your arms in front of you without issue. Get strapped with your rifle, and head out the door.

The shirt has four pockets; two are pleated chest pockets, with angled, Velcro^® closures. There are also two bicep pockets, with zippered closures. A pen holder is on the left side, with a 3” loop patch on the right side. The shirt uses 30 Ligne buttons. Shirt buttons usually go from 7 Ligne to 40 Ligne; this is the diameter of the button. The elbows are reinforced. double layer shoulders and elbows.  The zippered bicep pockets have pen tubes (left) and Velcro^® patch (right). All pockets are ergonomically angled for easy access. The Overshirt is made in U.S.A.

Double needle top-stitching is used to make the shirt. A double needle is another way of using a basic sewing machine to create a more professional finish. It is made entirely of heavy weight 6.5 Oz. Nyco ripstop fabric. Clothing that is built to last should be designed in a way to minimize the chance of snags or splits. This is a quality garment mean to last and look good. Glue is a cheap and fast way to connect panels of fabric or leather, which is why its favored over sewing by clothing manufacturers looking to cut costs and increase production. Everything here is sewn.

This Overshirt has stand out style but you should always want your outdoor journey to be enjoyable, not just cool. Mind you, there are many materials today that can outperform the material used for the Overshirt. Modern performance jackets or shirts deliver some good advances in materials and treatments but there is something simply cool about wearing blue jeans and woodland camo while hunting or being at the range. At every single Green Ops Inc shooting class there will be at least 1-2 students wearing woodland camo. In the end, highly effective products use advanced digital technologies and innovative materials and designs to make you feel comfortable and unrestricted. I think the Overshirt does a good job blocking wind, while providing a decent amount of mobility and comfort. Give this company and their products a try. I think you’ll like this shirt.

FEATURES

• 4 pockets 2 pleated chest pockets, angled, Velcro^® closure.
• 2 bicep pockets, zippered closure. Pen holder on left side, 3” loop patch right side.
• Banded collar
• Button-down front. 30 Ligne buttons
• Drop shoulder, double layer full yoke
• Reinforced elbow
• Double needle top-stitching
• Pleated back for mobility
• No. 8 Coil YKK® zipper