There's a bit of confusion here and I feel the need to defend Kitsbow a bit. I own an Icon (disclaimer: I did not buy it) and they're definitely pricey - very, very pricey - but let's not confuse cost with value. I've had it since November 2019, have worn it 2-3 days/week since then (October through April and even in Spring and Summer around campfires), have only had to wash it a few times, and it still looks great. It's comfortable, warm, the snaps work as well as the day I got it, and it works as a sneaky low-key dress shirt or for chopping wood or doing other outdoorsy things. I don't ride in it much because I don't want to get mud on it and have to wash it too often, but when I have worn it as a mid-layer on cold days or outer layer on cool and dry days, it's great. If I commuted by bike I'd have worn it a ton.
It's still a ton of money. Lots of people are concerned about where their clothing is made, for good reason, but a lot of people don't want to pay what it costs to wear quality clothes made locally. No, I'm not saying your only option is a 259 dollar shirt, but there's a lot more material cost involved in a Pendleton wool shirt handmade one at a time in South Carolina than there is in a poly blend shirt made offshore. You can't have it both ways.
@xtopher I followed that link and Pendleton shirts range from 239 to 309 CAD. And even at 309, the list of features is short - Kitsbow is in good company there.
@LWK the Kitsbow Icon is 'made to order' and costs 259 USD, which sadly translates to about 330 or so. Upwards of 400? Was that including ludicrous duty or something?
March 31, 2022, 4:52 p.m. - Pete Roggeman
There's a bit of confusion here and I feel the need to defend Kitsbow a bit. I own an Icon (disclaimer: I did not buy it) and they're definitely pricey - very, very pricey - but let's not confuse cost with value. I've had it since November 2019, have worn it 2-3 days/week since then (October through April and even in Spring and Summer around campfires), have only had to wash it a few times, and it still looks great. It's comfortable, warm, the snaps work as well as the day I got it, and it works as a sneaky low-key dress shirt or for chopping wood or doing other outdoorsy things. I don't ride in it much because I don't want to get mud on it and have to wash it too often, but when I have worn it as a mid-layer on cold days or outer layer on cool and dry days, it's great. If I commuted by bike I'd have worn it a ton. It's still a ton of money. Lots of people are concerned about where their clothing is made, for good reason, but a lot of people don't want to pay what it costs to wear quality clothes made locally. No, I'm not saying your only option is a 259 dollar shirt, but there's a lot more material cost involved in a Pendleton wool shirt handmade one at a time in South Carolina than there is in a poly blend shirt made offshore. You can't have it both ways. @xtopher I followed that link and Pendleton shirts range from 239 to 309 CAD. And even at 309, the list of features is short - Kitsbow is in good company there. @LWK the Kitsbow Icon is 'made to order' and costs 259 USD, which sadly translates to about 330 or so. Upwards of 400? Was that including ludicrous duty or something?