The flannel shirt could probably be considered the unofficial uniform of Blister, and really, it’s still currently the unofficial uniform of most people who like to spend time outdoors.
But with so many options out there, it’s not always easy to sort through them all. So Luke Koppa (LK), Kristin Sinnott (KS), Nicole Riehl (NR) and I (JE) have listed here a few of our favorites, and of course, explained why.
Patagonia Men’s Long-Sleeved Fjord Flannel Shirt
(LK) — size Medium
We’ve talked about the Fjord Flannel before, and we’re including it again since it’s still one of our all-around favorites. The fabric is a versatile weight that’s definitely on the heavier side for shirts, but not so much that it feels like a jacket — we will still happily wear the Fjord Flannel beyond the winter season.
Patagonia calls the fit of the Fjord Flannel “relaxed,” and I’d say that’s accurate. At 5’8”, 155 lbs, the Medium fits me fairly loosely, but not so much that it looks sloppy (for reference, I wear a Medium in pretty much everything). The fabric is soft (though it loses just a bit of that super-soft feel after several washes), and I’ve found the construction to be very durable. After 5+ years and hundreds of days, I haven’t had any issues apart from a burn from a campfire, something that was due to my own negligence, and that was easily fixed with a small patch and some stitching.
(JE) — size Medium
I am still happily wearing and frequently reaching for my Fjord Flannel, and given that I guess I don’t wash my clothes as often as Luke (Luke, you have time to wash clothes??), I just try not to spill ketchup or coffee on my stuff, and I haven’t noticed mine getting less soft. And for the record, at 5’10”, ~175 lbs, the size Medium fits me well, and a Large would be too roomy.
Topo Designs Men’s Field Shirt
(LK) — size Medium
Topo’s Field Shirt is a departure from their traditionally very-slim fitblock, and fits fairly similarly to the Patagonia Fjord Flannel, though it’s a bit shorter and a touch slimmer through the torso. The Field Shirt’s fabric is lighter than the Fjord Flannel and extremely soft, and has remained soft throughout several washes. Extra-large buttons and a chest pocket with a headphone / pen port are nice touches, and combine with the fabric and fit to make for a comfortable and sharp-looking flannel.
Topo Designs Men’s Mountain Shirt
(JE) — size Large
I want to jump in here and say a word about the Topo Design Mountain Shirt — which is, as Luke notes, one of Topo Design’s trim-fitting 100% cotton flannels, and it’s made in the USA. I’ve now had it for over a year (mine is white & black checkered), and when I first got it, I liked the fit, but the fabric felt pretty stiff, so I found myself reaching for it less frequently than the softer Patagonia Fjord Flannel (see above). But as I grabbed the Mountain Shirt from time to time, the shirt kept breaking in, and it feels like it’s getting softer and softer. And given that I find most flannels to be overly boxy for my 5’10, ~175 lb frame, I am now reaching for it more and more.
Note: I have the Mountain Shirt in a size Large, and it is still a bit more trim-fitting than all of the other shirts I note here (which are all size Medium).
Toad&Co Men’s Kennicott Shirt Jac
(LK) — size Medium
This one definitely blurs the lines between a shirt and a jacket, but either way, it’s a great-looking piece that is very warm. The fabric is a recycled wool / polyester blend that is thick and cozy, though it does have the slight itchiness of wool when worn directly on skin. I personally don’t mind the feel of the fabric, and am happy wearing the Kennicott either on its own or as an overshirt. Despite working as an outer layer, the fit is a bit slimmer than the Topo Designs Field Shirt and Patagonia Fjord Flannel. The Kennicott is the warmest option here, and is what I reach for when the temperatures get below ~50°F but I don’t feel like grabbing my more techy insulators.
Kavu Women’s Billie Jean Shirt
(KS) — size Medium
A soft, relaxed shirttail-fit shirt with contrasting elbow patches — everything you could want in a good flannel. (And only $55!) The shirt does shrink some in the wash (even when air dried) but as it runs a little large, the shrinkage isn’t a deal breaker (for me).
Toad&Co Women’s Jacquette Overshirt
(NR) — size Extra Small
Made from 60% recycled cotton & 40% recycled polyester, I love the Jacquette Overshirt as a jacket / overshirt (this really isn’t a next-to-skin piece), and I wear it all the time. I’m 5’5”, ~118 lbs, and the Jacquette (in a size XS) is still quite large on me (it is roomier, and longer than I need), but I don’t mind the large fit, and I can easily get heavier layers beneath it. It’s a great flannel jacket that’s suitable for 4-season use (cooler evenings in the summer).
Mons Royale Men’s Jackson Flannel Shirt
(JE) — size Medium
This is definitely the longest size-Medium flannel I own, so if you have a longer torso and / or longer arms and need a longer shirt (or just like a longer shirt), the Jackson Flannel will work out a lot better for you than the Patagonia Fjord Flannel (above) or the Stio Junction Flannel (below) when we’re comparing all these shirts in the same size.
The other thing that makes the Jackson Flannel stand out is that its fabric is a blend of 60% merino / 40% cotton, and (perhaps unsurprisingly) it feels the least like a traditional cotton flannel — the Jackson Flannel feels less soft and supple than the other shirts here, and feels a bit more like a dress shirt — and it probably has the “dressiest” look of the shirts here.
Mons Royale describes the Jackson Flannel as having a “relaxed fit in a longer length,” and that’s fairly spot on, though I would not describe the chest (in a size Medium) as particularly roomy — it seems comparable to or slightly more trim than the Topo Design Mountain Shirt, but then is a bit less tapered through the torso than the Mountain Shirt.
Long and short: if you like the sound of a longer flannel that looks a bit less casual than a traditional flannel, check this one out.
Stio Men’s Junction Flannel Shirt
(JE) — size Medium
The previous version of the Men’s Junction Flannel was — and still is — a favorite of mine, but Stio gave the Junction an “updated fit,” so I wanted to see what they’d done to one of my go-to flannels. The good news (as far as I’m concerned, at least) is that any differences are quite subtle. So if you liked the fit of the previous Junction Flannel, you’ll like this one, too. The new Junction feels just a bit roomier through the chest, and maybe just a bit longer (though not as long as the Mons Royale Jackson Flannel or the Topo Design Mountain Shirt), and I appreciate the little bit of extra room in the newest version of the Junction.
This is a 100% cotton, brushed flannel that features a custom yarn-dye plaid. Stio calls this their “Regular Fit / medium cut — roomier than Trim but designed with athletic performance and comfort in mind,” and I think that sums it up pretty nicely. Great shirt.