IHSH-237-BLK - Ultra Heavy Flannel Crazy Check Western Shirt - Black
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I got my shirt yesterday and I love it. I thought maybe it was going to be a little bit/loose on me, but the fit is dead on. Hopefully it's not going to shrink because this is as close to a perfect-fitting flannel as I've ever worn. I always cold wash my shirts and pull out the sleeves and length while the shirt is damp/before air drying, so I'm guessing shrinkage won't be an issue.
Anyway, this shirt is awesome. Really nice fabric. I've had Flat Head and 3Sixteen shirts that are about this same weight (I think my all-time heaviest shirt was a Flat Head houndstooth flannel from 2013, that thing was beastly) but this definitely has a different vibe to it. The Aspero cotton feels extremely nice and lives up to the hype. I do wish that this was a selvedge fabric like Flat Head uses. In practice I haven't really noticed a difference in feel and aging between my FH shirts (selvedge) and 3Sixteen (non-selvedge), but I like the little details like selvedge inside the placket and at the side gussets.
I'm used to these shirts being sewn with chainstitch construction, so the lock stitching is definitely different (though I'm guessing perhaps more durable, though I've had little issue with shirt chainstitching coming undone.) The thread appears to be polyester since it lacks the slightly puffy look and feel of cotton thread - I'm a huge advocate of cotton thread and prefer it whenever possible, but it's way less noticeable on shirts than jeans or jackets that use large, heavy gauge threads.
Also, I was surprised by the buttons - big, jacket-like snaps rather than the Universal YKK snaps I'm used to on my Flat Head shirts. I've never owned a western shirt with this type of button, which gives the flannel somewhat more of an overshirt vibe, but they seem extremely solid, so I like that. I prefer the traditional YKK style of snap for its aesthetics and feel (plus, they don't rattle.) On the other hand, with these buttons I don't have to worry about stray beard hairs snagging painfully on the top snap, which happens all the time with my Flat Head westerns.
Overall, I would say the construction and hardware gives this shirt a more utilitarian/industrial feel compared to my other flannels that have a more vintage vibe, but I like how it's a little different flavor compared to my other shirts - variety is good. I still consider Flat Head western shirts the golden standard, but given how their current shirts simply don't fit me, these are a great alternative.
Great thing about working in a cold office is that I can start wearing this shirt now! Will try to get some photos later
[Edit] One more observation! I love the pocket placement. On many shirts, I feel the pockets are placed too high. The center of the pocket is roughly at nipple-height, which in my opinion is the perfect positioning
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@Cold:
Anyway, this shirt is awesome. Really nice fabric. I've had Flat Head and 3Sixteen shirts that are about this same weight (I think my all-time heaviest shirt was a Flat Head houndstooth flannel from 2013, that thing was beastly) but this definitely has a different vibe to it. The Aspero cotton feels extremely nice and lives up to the hype. I do wish that this was a selvedge fabric like Flat Head uses. In practice I haven't really noticed a difference in feel and aging between my FH shirts (selvedge) and 3Sixteen (non-selvedge), but I like the little details like selvedge inside the placket and at the side gussets.
I have no experience with Flat Head but I do own several 3sixteen flannels. I don't recall 3sixteen ever doing a heavyweight flannel in the 12oz range, unless i'm missing something. Then again, 3sixteen never publishes the weight of their flannels to my recollection. The only other company that i've seen do heavyweight flannel is UES, and theirs top out at 15oz. But yes, aspero cotton is top tier fabric and part of the appeal for me
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@Cold:
Anyway, this shirt is awesome. Really nice fabric. I've had Flat Head and 3Sixteen shirts that are about this same weight (I think my all-time heaviest shirt was a Flat Head houndstooth flannel from 2013, that thing was beastly) but this definitely has a different vibe to it. The Aspero cotton feels extremely nice and lives up to the hype. I do wish that this was a selvedge fabric like Flat Head uses. In practice I haven't really noticed a difference in feel and aging between my FH shirts (selvedge) and 3Sixteen (non-selvedge), but I like the little details like selvedge inside the placket and at the side gussets.
I have no experience with Flat Head but I do own several 3sixteen flannels. I don't recall 3sixteen ever doing a heavyweight flannel in the 12oz range, unless i'm missing something. Then again, 3sixteen never publishes the weight of their flannels to my recollection. The only other company that i've seen do heavyweight flannel is UES, and theirs top out at 15oz. But yes, aspero cotton is top tier fabric and part of the appeal for me
3sixteen dropped two last year that are pretty beefy but they.still feel lighter than 12oz…my guess is they are probably 10oz.
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I got the red flannel from last fall's 3Sixteen collection and it feels comparable in weight, maybe a little lighter. Hard to say because it has a very uneven texture.
Flat Head has done some flannels that weigh about the same as this UHF, and I'm pretty sure the super heavy houndstooth is even thicker, but I haven't bought a new FH shirt in years and I'm not sure exactly what their fabrics are like these days.
My preference is for medium-weight flannel, but I like these super heavy shirts too
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Just arrived
…One of those things in life that you know you'll love unconditionally
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@Cold:
My preference is for medium-weight flannel, but I like these super heavy shirts too
I love my UHF's but I also like lightweight flannels for Spring/Fall wear. I get warm easily so tend to save my UHF's strictly for freezing temps in the teens or below.
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@Cold:
I got the red flannel from last fall's 3Sixteen collection and it feels comparable in weight, maybe a little lighter. Hard to say because it has a very uneven texture.
Yep those are the 3sixteen ones I was referring to that I think are 10oz. I got the blue one.
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Glad to see the 237 selling like crack. Whoever it is that designs these flannel patterns should get a round of applause (Tom-san perhaps?)
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@doguhanca great fit mate
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Thanks @Max Power
I knew before purchasing that the arm length was going to be slightly longer which is why I gave the shirt a no-spin-wash at 60 degree celsius. I prefer my UHFs slightly shorter in the back than to be seen on my original post. I feel like the post-wash fit is even much much better.
For anybody who's been wondering: There will be a loss in the arm and over all length so be aware of that. If you need the extra shrinkage, definitely go for it. I'm very satisfied and happy with the post-wash fit!
Note: These photos were taken right after the wash, the photos in my original post were taken right after receiving them.
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With thanks to @Graham for helping me out. I'm pretty damn happy with this one…and what is it with the smell of brand new UHFs? Such a manly smell. I love it
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It's The Boss and mastermind himself 8).
Oh for sure. He definitely sketches everything out, I was just curious if the pattern/color combo was something he also develops or if he has someone like Tom-san doing this. Either way, it’s a great colorway [emoji108]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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He designs the fabric, right down to the content, thread size, weave etc. The check patterns I think are mostly his, but the c/w’s have different origins. The green and brown classic checks from last year were mocked up and developed by Alex Padmore after people threw some ideas around on here. Paula came up with the T/G colourway about five years ago.
