Review: Endura Hummvee Flannel Shirt

With a soft, cotton-like fabric and a classic Buffalo plaid knit paired with bike-friendly features like articulated sleeves and reflective elements, the Endura Hummvee Flannel Shirt had the potential to be an on-bike piece of apparel that easily transitions to post-ride relaxation, but it fails in execution.

Let’s start with that fabric. 

While it does have a soft hand, it has absolutely no stretch whatsoever. The shirt never really felt right to me and it took me a while to realize what was behind that. Yes, the sleeves are ‘articulated’ for reaching out to your handlebars, but if that was not the case, it would feel like you were ripping the sleeves out of the shirt every time you moved.

There is certainly a place in performance cycling clothing for fabric that does not stretch. ASSOS has used a mix of stretch and non-stretch fabrics in some of their pieces very effectively, but I don’t think that was Endura’s intent.

Oh, Snap

I love snaps in an on-bike shirt. They make it easy to open or close the shirt for ventilation, or ultimately remove the shirt altogether. The Endura Hummvee flannel delivers in this feature. That’s a plus, but the metal buttons did feel cold against my skin on cooler days.

Cuffs or Armcuffs?

Most everyone I know rides with some type of smartwatch nowadays. Or at least ‘a’ watch.

The cuffs on this shirt are very tight, leading me to either push my watch far up on my wrist or snapping the cuffs behind my watch. Neither is comfortable.

Then there’s the ‘apres-bike’ feel.

Remember that ‘no stretch’ fabric? When the ride is over, you’re enjoying a post-ride beverage around the fire and you start to heat up a little, you might be inclined to roll up the sleeves on this shirt. It’s not easy. The stiff fabric combined with very short cuff cuts only allows about one ‘roll’ before it gets too tight.

Keep Trying

I urge Endura to keep trying in this category. They are a solid apparel maker and there are certainly a lot of good pieces in their line for any cyclist.

For active flannel shirts, there are certainly good examples already in the market, most notably the Kitsbow Icon.