Last summer, I was able to connect with Kit Culture, a clothing company out of Huntington Beach, CA. Their style resonated with me, as it was geared primarily for a certain body type – a slimmer profile with items that had stretch capabilities built in. This was a desired combination for active males such as myself, especially those who don’t have a typically slender body, but still like a slimmer cut. We were thrilled to try out a few of their items, and now that they have expanded a bit on their profile, we are excited to delve back into things.
Kit Culture sent us a few items, a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of their casual shorts, to check out.
Impressions: Long Sleeve T (Tung)
Specs (From Website):
- 100% polyester
- anti-microbial, moisture-wicking fabric
- tapered fit on the torso for maximum style, flexibility and comfort
I love this shirt! I received a medium-sized turquoise active fit long sleeve T-shirt, and from the moment I opened the mailing package, I thought it looked great. I’m far from a paragon of fashion sense, but I think this shirt is classy enough that you can wear it as a regular casual top, without looking like you’re on the way to the gym.
Of course, the true test of a tech shirt is how it feels and how it performs when you’re working out. I tested the Kit Culture long sleeve on a recent trip to Lake Tahoe. It was 36 degrees out, partly cloudy, with a windchill of 28 degrees. I wore the Kit Culture shirt with a hoodie over it and ran 5.7 miles. I felt a little bit cold at the very beginning of the run, but I soon warmed up. No doubt the hoodie helped; however, the Kit Culture shirt played a part in keeping me comfortable.* It’s hard to test moisture-wicking in such conditions, but I will say that the shirt felt comfortable throughout the run.
* I’m confident in this assertion because the first time I wore the Kit Culture shirt was as a regular casual top on a short trip down south. At the last minute, I grabbed what I thought was a spare zippered sweatshirt for the return trip from my gym bag, but that turned out to be a spare pair of shorts. Oops. When I returned to PDX in the evening, it was in the low 40s. I had a T-shirt underneath the Kit Culture long sleeve, and I didn’t feel cold.
I tested the Kit Culture shirt a second time on a sunny, mild afternoon back in Portland, when it was in the mid-50s with a gentle breeze. The shirt was light enough that I didn’t feel the need to roll up the sleeves until the last mile or so. Moisture wicking was more than adequate, and it felt comfortable in cold or mild conditions.
In terms of fit and sizing, this shirt runs mostly true. The model on the webpage is listed at 6’1″ and 160 pounds, while wearing a medium. I’m 5’10” and roughly the same build (going by BMI), and the medium fits me perfectly as far as the cut goes. It does run a bit long past my waist, but I actually like that.
Impressions: Stretch Twill Shorts (Matt)
Specs (From Website):
- 95% cotton/5% spandex
- Lightweight & durable twill
- 8 inch inseam
As I mentioned above, I reviewed a few items from Kit Culture last year. The one that really stood out most was the least running-centric of the bunch – their Casual Active Stretch Twill Pant. It fit really nice, with a slimmer profile, yet enough room through the thighs to avoid constriction. The Stretch Twill Shorts seem to be the next step in the evolution of KC’s webstore, as they appear, and feel much the same – a good thing.
They have two colors available – a khaki and a light green sage in their . The fit really nice, and unlike normal kacki shorts – they aren’t constrictive and have the stretch that I loved in their pants. It’s a little thicker than many shorts out there, but not enough to be uncomfortable.
One interesting feature is the false fly. To be honest, in most of my shorts, the first thing to go haywire is my fly. I can’t tell you the number of short I have had to relegate to the back of my drawer because the fly fold started bunching oddly. The 8 inch inseam is a happy medium length for me – not too long and not too short. There are no belt loops, but there is an elastic waste with a drawstring if necessary.
Once again, Kit Culture has met our expectations in their evolving line of clothing.
Company: Kit Culture (Facebook)
Products:
- Long Sleeve T ($29)
- Stretch Twill Shorts ($59)
More about Kit Culture:
It’s no secret that as guys we’re all more active these days, not just in the gym but in our daily lives. Whether that means commuting to work, traveling, hiking with your friends on the weekends or just hanging out, our lifestyles are no longer able to tolerate ill-fitting or poorly made clothes that can’t handle the demands of our active lives. We need apparel that caters to our needs for style, comfort and movement.
We’re not the only brand trying to capture this movement. But we are the only brand doing so that embraces all of the qualities that you demand these days: a fit that takes advantage of the capabilities of advanced fabrics, intelligent design, fair pricing, ethical manufacturing right here in Southern California and a mission to be the brand for guys who aren’t willing to settle for the old way of doing things.
*”More About” information taken from the company’s website. We like to let their own stories speak for themselves, because we review companies that have real personality and passion about what they do.
Thank you to Kit Culture for providing us with samples. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
