At the end of last month, it was reported that Carhartt was using the FORCE to make some of their clothing. As is the case with many feats of Jedi awesomeness, the results are impressive. Such is the case with these two new shirts from Carhartt.
Firstly, we’ll start with the shirt that many think they are familiar with, the Henley. The FORCE Cotton Short-Sleeve Henley from Carhartt is not exactly what you think it is. Yes, it’s a short-sleeve T-shirt with a three button placket, like all Henleys, however, this one is special. Without making a big, obvious fuss, Carhartt has slipped a little polyester into their plaited jersey knit in order to make it so the shirt is not only comfortable, but comfortable across a wide range of temperatures and work conditions. The addition of polyester to the fabric also makes it so the fabric is resistant to stains and odors, and it helps wick sweat away, too. After spending a bunch of time in and with this shirt, I can attest that all that they claim is true. This shirt is warm when it needs to be and cool when it’s warm out which makes it perfect for layering or merely wearing to the jobsite, or anywhere for that matter.
Next up is the Long-Sleeve Quarter Zip T-Shirt (LSQZTS, for short). Now, I must confess that when I first saw this thing, I thought I wasn’t going to like it. Instead of the cotton/poly blend of which the Henley is comprised, the LSQZTS is 100% polyester. I happen to own a vintage Jackson Morisawa designed Iolani Executive shirt (look closely at my Examiner pic and you can see it) that is made out of 100% poly, and let me tell you, polyester has changed a lot in 50 years. Instead of stiff and stifling, Carhartt has figured out a way to make polyester soft and liberating. As soon as I put it on, I knew my mind had been changed. This shirt is comfortable beyond description. It is equal parts light and airy, and warm and cozy. I don’t exactly know how Carhartt does it, but they are definitely doing it. And one more thing: After a couple days of wearing this shirt I spilled bacon grease on it. After pretreating it once and washing it twice there isn’t so much as a hint of the stain that would normally ruin a normal shirt.
If you want to get either or any of these outstanding FORCE shirts for yourself, you can do so by clicking through to the Carhartt website or you can take a little trip to visit one of these fine Bay Area Carhartt retailers:
Halmar Apparel
1111 University Avenue
Berkeley CA
Haight Street Work Clothes
631 Haight Street
SF CA
Cole Fox Hardware
70 Fourth Street
SF CA
***Full disclosure: These shorts were provided at no cost for the purpose of testing/reviewing, to think otherwise would be unrealistic.
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