The Best and Most Comfortable Flannel Shirts for Men

It’s hard to get manlier than a flannel shirt—the wardrobe of lumberjacks, construction workers, and outdoorsmen. They are long-sleeved, brushed cotton, usually plaid, button-up garments chock-full of masculinity. And with the right assortment of fabric weights, you can have a flannel as your go-to shirt throughout most of the year and feel more comfortable than most anyone else you walk past. Sure, you’ve already got your favourite and most stylish hoodies, but let’s talk some flannel. 

Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind when you’re shopping for the right flannel. 

Climate

Depending on where you live, temperature variability will impact the sort of flannel you want to buy. If you live in a place with four defined seasons, having a heavy-duty flannel for the winter will keep you toasty, while some lighter-weight options would be ideal for those months when the breezes are a little warmer. You may even want to look at a flannel option that combines a shirt’s comfort with a jacket’s insulation. Some industrious shirtmakers are now adding product lines with quilted lining and even a hood to help take the bite out of winter. 

Occupation

As we mentioned above, the men of the forest and the construction site are the guys most people think of when it comes to using flannel as part of an everyday wardrobe, and there’s a good reason for that. Flannel shirts are made strong, and the brushed cotton allows the garment to trap air and preserve warmth. However, with modern textile mills creating a more comprehensive range of weight options, flannel is becoming more common in the boardroom than ever before. And once you get used to the comfort of a flannel shirt, it’s going to be hard to wear anything else. Just be sure to look for more tapered cuts that tuck in without bunching, and blend well with a blazer. Depending on your office, you may want to stick to the single color options or at least stay away from the bold plaids.

Form and Style

In the mid-1990s, rock musicians made the humble flannel shirt something of a cultural icon. They took a modest working garment and showed that it had so much more potential. Today, flannel shirt makers are building on that revolution. The flannel shirt is now available as heavyweight winter gear, lightweight hiking attire, and brilliantly styled, form-cut business wear. Of course, as men today lead lives of diverse hobbies and ambitions, having a range of flannel in the wardrobe from any given situation might be your best option. 

It’s hard to get manlier than a flannel shirt—the wardrobe of lumberjacks, construction workers, and outdoorsmen. They are long-sleeved, brushed cotton, usually plaid, button-up garments chock-full of masculinity. And with the right assortment of fabric weights, you can have a flannel as your go-to shirt throughout most of the year and feel more comfortable than most anyone else you walk past. 

Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind when you’re shopping for the right flannel. 

Climate

Depending on where you live, temperature variability will impact the sort of flannel you want to buy. If you live in a place with four defined seasons, having a heavy-duty flannel for the winter will keep you toasty, while some lighter-weight options would be ideal for those months when the breezes are a little warmer. You may even want to look at a flannel option that combines a shirt’s comfort with a jacket’s insulation. Some industrious shirtmakers are now adding product lines with quilted lining and even a hood to help take the bite out of winter. 

Occupation

As we mentioned above, the men of the forest and the construction site are the guys most people think of when it comes to using flannel as part of an everyday wardrobe, and there’s a good reason for that. Flannel shirts are made strong, and the brushed cotton allows the garment to trap air and preserve warmth. However, with modern textile mills creating a more comprehensive range of weight options, flannel is becoming more common in the boardroom than ever before. And once you get used to the comfort of a flannel shirt, it’s going to be hard to wear anything else. Just be sure to look for more tapered cuts that tuck in without bunching, and blend well with a blazer. Depending on your office, you may want to stick to the single color options or at least stay away from the bold plaids.

Form and Style

In the mid-1990s, rock musicians made the humble flannel shirt something of a cultural icon. They took a modest working garment and showed that it had so much more potential. Today, flannel shirt makers are building on that revolution. The flannel shirt is now available as heavyweight winter gear, lightweight hiking attire, and brilliantly styled, form-cut business wear. Of course, as men today lead lives of diverse hobbies and ambitions, having a range of flannel in the wardrobe from any given situation might be your best option. 

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1. Everlane – The Brushed Flannel Shirt

One-color brushed flannel with two button-up pockets on the chest totally qualifies as hipster-cool. Although, that doesn’t mean you have to be a hipster to pull this off. We’re merely suggesting that if you wanted to grow out a badass beard, get yourself an undercut, and a couple of tattoos, you’d look right at home in this shirt. The great thing about hipster style going mainstream is that this flannel also works for backcountry men, weekend BBQ men, or silicone valley boardroom men. And it’s ridiculously comfortable.

2. Fjallraven Singi Heavy Regular Fit Flannel Shirt

This Swedish brand has had a massive impact on helping the Lumber-sexual look go mainstream. And this heavy flannel is just the sort of thing you need if you want to wander out on a snowy afternoon and chop wood for the evening fire in a seductive-sort-of-way. Of course, you could also wear it without any plans of being alluring. The extra weight is perfect for adding warmth, and the regular cut allows you to tuck a base layer underneath on those frigid mornings. The double, buttoned chest pockets are also great for tucking glasses, shopping lists, or left empty as a prominent deep-woods design aesthetic.

3. Pendleton Men’s Long Sleeve Classic Fit Board Wool Shirt

These guys have been making blankets and flannel shirts for six generations now, and if there’s one thing they know how to do, it’s to generate warmth. With its straight-cut style, this shirt works perfectly as an untucked top layer and allows you lots of space to stick a t-shirt underneath to help with layering up or down on a long hike. The two chest pockets are flap-over and bias-cut, with the capacity to tuck any number of odds and sods you might need handy.

4. Patagonia Lightweight Fjord Flannel Shirt

This is going to be your favorite adventure shirt. It’s made from organic cotton with a twill weave, and it’s got a single chest pocket that’s perfectly sized for your passport. The lightweight flannel is brilliant for trekking about Machu Pichu or keeping you comfortable on a stuffy trans-Atlantic flight. All of which means you aren’t going to want to travel in anything else.

5. Filson – Scout Shirt

Being a lightweight cotton twill flannel, you don’t have to pack this one away as the seasons change. This is what you call a four-seasons flannel. Its comfort, warmth, and breathability make it just the thing to have handy on a cool summer evening at the lake, as well as under a parka during a backcountry snowshoe. You never feel constrained in this flannel with its specially designed pleated shoulders. A full range of motion is always doable.

6. Patagonia – Men’s Long-Sleeved Fjord Flannel Shirt

When Patagonia releases a Fjord Flannel, you know it’s the sort of shirt that can go through pretty much anything and keep you comfortable. This one, made using heavyweight 6.5-ounce organic cotton flannel, is designed to be worn 300 days a year. Although, maybe keep in handy in case of a summer cold snap. Available in a bold, colorful selection of yarn dyes that will never go out of style. Which is important, as this is the sort of flannel shirt that will last you a lifetime.

7. Wrangler men’s Authentics Long Sleeve Quilt Lined Flannel

If you’re looking for something a little heavier for those cold mornings while the truck’s warming up, the folks at Wrangler have you covered. This hardcore flannel does double duty as a top shirt and a light jacket, and the hood is there just in case the temperature takes a surprise dip down, and you’re caught without a hat. Plus, it looks sort of cool. The Diamondback quilted polyester padding might be a touch too much for the warmer days, but it’ll ensure you stay comfortable and warm when you need it most.

8. L.L. Bean – Men’s Scotch Plaid Flannel Shirt, Slightly Fitted

There is a sort of guy who lives and breaths flannel. In the winter, they keep warm in a heavy weave cotton flannel, and in the summer, it’s a lightweight plaid number that breathes and keeps you cool. When they have to do business casual, they toss a blazer over the flannel and practically start an office trend. For those men, they can never have too many scotch plaid shirts in the closet. Tailored to fit and made tough, this incredible offering from L.L. Bean is equally at home out on the trails, at the job site, in the office, or lounging with the family.

9. Taylor Stitch – The Yosemite Shirt in Navy

This is precisely the sort of shirt you wear if you’re Earnest Hemmingway or Teddy Roosevelt. A man who is up for an adventure and ready for whatever comes his way but never too proud to admit you like the finer things. Made from a sturdy 9-oz flannel chamois, the Yosemite Shirt is incredibly soft to the touch and comes equipped with the no-nonsense features you’ve come to expect. Two flap chest pockets, a California-style collar, and a shorter cut (perfect for wearing untucked) make the Yosemite a relaxed everyday shirt that will take whatever you throw at it.

10. Dakine Men’s Reid Tech Flannel Shirt

This is proof that the flannel shirt is an evolving garment. Often with flannel, people think warm, lumberjack, working man, sturdy, but the Raid Tech Flannel is pure sophisticated style. Starting with the fabric, this shirt is made with Stretch dyed yarn 278GSM long sleeve flannel, meaning it has a little give to it, so it moves with you. The evolution doesn’t stop there, though. This shirt contains Polygiene Odor Control Technology to help ensure that you don’t need to worry even if your deodorant fails. Oh, and it’s also water-repellant!

11. Pendleton Men’s Long Sleeve Super Soft Burnside Flannel Shirt

Pendleton’s has been owned by the same family for the last six generations, which means they’ve had time to perfect the flannel shirt and pass on that know-how. And as soon as you put one on, you won’t need any further convincing. They actually started out making blankets and transferred that knowledge of cozy-making onto producing shirts, and the world is a better place because of it. This particular garment is a brushed cotton flannel that goes effortlessly in the washing machine. It has two oversize chest pockets that make a handy place to stick a notepad, passport, or whatever item you need to have at the ready. And it has a relaxed feel spread collar that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a brilliant shirt.

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