Find the Perfect Fit for Your Team: The Ultimate Guide to Reversible Jerseys
Whether you’re on home turf or the visiting team, home and away jerseys can be a great way to make your team’s colours stand out. Many teams in more competitive leagues opt for two jerseys: a home and away set to be clearly identifiable. But for others (like beer league teams), reversible hockey jerseys are a popular choice because of their cost-effectiveness and versatility.
An example of a reversible jersey
Are custom sublimated reversible jerseys the right fit for your team? In this article, we’ll break down what a reversible jersey is; how they differ from “normal” custom hockey jerseys; and their pros and cons.
If you’re ready to explore some custom options, check out our Hockey Jersey Customizer to see what’s possible.
Examples of products we've created for hockey teams across Canada and the United States
What are reversible jerseys?
Example of a Reversible Jersey
A reversible jersey is a home-and-away dual jersey packed into one garment. On one side, you have your home colours, and on the other, your away colours. When you’re playing an away game, just flip the jersey inside out and it’s a whole new colour set. You get it.
Reversible jerseys have a two-layer sublimated design, with extra fabric to ensure each side’s design doesn't bleed over to the other side.
They are created using a process called sublimation, which you can learn more about here. The fabric and print quality of a reversible jersey is the same as a single-sided custom jersey.
There are some great benefits to reversible options, but they come with some minor drawbacks, too. Let’s start with the pros.
The Pros of Reversible Jerseys
A Brief Overview:
- Cost-effective: they’re 25 to 30% cheaper than a two-jersey home-and-away set
- Practical: one jersey is easier to keep track of than two
- Versatile and convenient: it’s easier to switch colours if the need arises
Reversible Jerseys are Cheaper
You typically save 25-30% on reversible hockey jerseys compared to getting home and away sets.
Let’s say you were going to order two jerseys, you’d be paying less if you bought one reversible jersey instead. This can add up to a lot of savings when you’re buying jerseys for a whole team.
Icemen reversible jerseys
Reversible Jerseys are Easy to Pack
Example of a screen printed hockey jersey
Another benefit that comes with custom reversible jerseys is that they’re easier to carry and pack and less likely to get lost.
Having only one jersey to think about makes life simpler when trying to get your hockey gear out the door before a game.
Reversible Jerseys are Convenient
Lastly, the convenience of being able to quickly switch your jersey inside out if your opponents coincidentally match your team’s colours is a major advantage.
If you’re on board with the idea of a reversible jersey, head over to this page to learn more about sublimated jerseys. We’ll get started with a quote for your jersey set.
"The Blonde Bombshells" reversible jerseys
The Cons of Reversible Jerseys
A Brief Overview:
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- There’s no option for a pro style collar
- A small tag will be visible on one side (but is removeable)
- They’re slightly thicker than regular sublimated jerseys
- They might wear a little faster
Less Stitching and No Option for Pro Style Lace Collar
Pro style collar (left) vs reversible collar (right)
Because the jerseys can be cheaper, your reversible jersey won’t have shoulder panels, which typically give the jersey a little extra room for shoulder pads.
Because reversible jerseys are more cost-effective, they don’t have shoulder panels, which typically gives the jersey a little extra room for shoulder pads.
As well, a reversible jersey doesn’t come with the option for a pro style collar, which is laced.
The Tag Might Be Visible On One Side
Because there’s no “inside” of the reversible jersey, the sizing tag will be visible on one side of the jersey. This isn’t a huge deal considering it’s only about 3” x 1”.
You also have the option to remove the tag, but the only caveat is that if your team owns the jerseys rather than the players themselves, it may be difficult to pass jerseys out without tags that identify the sizes.
Here’s an example below of a tag on one side of the jersey.
Example of a sizing tag
A Couple Last Things...
These jerseys are also a bit thicker because of their two layer design, which means that for those of us who aren’t as fit as pro players (or nearly as fit), games might get a little extra sweaty and fatiguing. The only other downside to reversible jerseys is that they wear a little faster because one side is always in contact with the velcro on your gear.
Here's an Infographic to Summarize
While it may sound like we’re not huge fans of reversible jerseys, all the aforementioned “cons” are just small inconveniences that you won’t notice when you’re on the ice.
Think reversible hockey jerseys are the right fit for your team?
Start designing your custom jersey now with our Hockey Jersey Customizer (no account required), or use our Instant Pricing Tool to get a free quote (no strings attached).
If you’re local to Kitchener-Waterloo, stop by our showroom to take a look at our reversible jersey options in person.