Tactical T-Shirts and Shirts
Tactical T-Shirts and Shirts: How to Choose Your Base Layer
Tactical T-shirts and shirts spend the longest time in contact with your body. They are worn under body armor, a chest rig or a jacket, and on their own: on missions, during training and every day. So start your choice not with color, but with what will be worn on top: a plate carrier, a loose jacket or nothing at all. This determines the cut, the fabric and the details you will actually need.
The most versatile foundation is everyday T-shirts and polos. Cotton and stretch jersey feel pleasant against the skin and are comfortable for daily wear. Synthetic CoolMax and CoolPass dry faster and wick moisture away better, so they are chosen for hot weather and prolonged exertion. Polos with hook-and-loop panels on the chest and sleeves have room for patches and look neater on duty or on watch. For the gym there are compression T-shirts and rash guards. A solid-color military T-shirt in olive, coyote or camouflage goes easily with any trousers, while a Ukrainian Armed Forces T-shirt with an emblem or a trident suits an everyday look.
Combat shirts and UBACS are designed to be worn under body armor. Their torso is made of lightweight knit or mesh fabric: it lets air through and does not bunch up under the plates. The sleeves are sewn from durable ripstop in camouflage, because they are the part visible from under the gear. Pay attention to the high zip collar, sleeve pockets, elbow pad pockets and hook-and-loop cuffs. This kind of tactical shirt comes with short sleeves for warm weather and long sleeves for the transitional season. Fleece UBACS serve as an insulating layer in cool weather.
Field combat shirts are built differently. This is a military shirt made of a single dense fabric, worn over a T-shirt as an outer layer. The straight cut leaves room to move, and the fabric protects your arms and body from branches, sun and wind. Under a plate carrier, a field shirt is warmer than a UBACS, so it is more often worn on missions without armor, at the training ground or when hunting.
When choosing, start from your gear. Take a UBACS and a compression T-shirt for under body armor snug to the body, so the fabric does not bunch up or chafe. Choose an everyday T-shirt or polo in your usual size, and a field shirt with some room for a T-shirt or thin sweater underneath. Before ordering, check the size chart of the specific item, because some manufacturers list letter sizes while others use numeric ones. Pick the color to match your trousers and gear: olive, coyote and Multicam combine most easily with each other.