Who Makes The Best Tight Neck T-shirts?

We’re going off the reservation and entering the land of the unknown with this reader’s t-shirt question. I’ll be looking to the community to help create the most comprehensive recommendations of the best t-shirts that have a tight neck (high collar).

I’ve gotten the list of high neck t-shirts started, but I need your help so please add your recommendations below in the comments section.

Here’s the original email:

Just wondering if you have any recommendations about high tight neck T-shirts for everyday wear (not undershirts).

My husband is on a mission to find t-shirts to wear that don’t have a loose collar.

I searched your website, but could only find white undershirts. Any info would be so helpful.

Thank you!!!

Mary

Looking For Tight Collar Undershirts?

If you’re looking for tight collar UNDERSHIRTS, check out this article.

Tight Neck T-shirt Example

example of a tight neck 50/50 t-shirt from JERZEES
Tight neck T-shirts from JERZEES

Top 11 Tight Collared T-Shirts

1. Have It Tall Tight Neck T-Shirts

If a longer tight neck t-shirt sounds interesting, look no further than these uber comfortable poly/cotton blend t-shirts from Have It Tall.

  • Colors: White, black, heather charcoal, heather royal, heather read, heather army, heather graphite, heather navy
  • Fabric: 65% Polyester/35% Ring Spun Cotton

Lots of feedback saying these tees have tight necks, so they are definitely worth a try.

Where to buy: haveittall.com

Have It Tall Tight Neck T-shirt
Have it Tall – tight neck t-shirt (white)
Have It Tall tight neck t-shirt. Color: heather charcoal
Have it Tall – heather charcoal tight crew neck

2. Enkalda Heavyweight T-Shirts

Recommend by two visitors, Enkalda makes a 100% heavyweight t-shirt that comes in 12 colors. Sure looks like a t-shirt with a tight collar & a high neck.

Where to buy: Amazon

Enkalda tight collar t-shirt

3. tasc Carrollton Fitness T-Shirt

At 160gsm this fitness t-shirt from task Performance is slightly heavier than a typical undershirt, and a tad lighter than most t-shirts.

  • Fabric: 52% organic cotton / 43% bamboo viscose / 5% elastane
  • Raglan sleeves
  • Colors: 20

Where to buy: tascperformance.com

task fitness t-shirt

4. Jerzees 50/50

Heavyweight 50% cotton, 50% polyester crew neck t-shirt. Recommended by several readers over the years.

Where to buy: Amazon

Jerzees tight neck t-shirt

5. Carhartt K87 Pocket T-Shirt

If you like a pocket t-shirt with longer short sleeves, the Carhartt K87 pocket t-shirt might just be what you’re looking for.

Website: carhartt.com | More Info: Carhartt K87 T-Shirt


6. Dickies Pocket T-Shirt

This t-shirt from Dickies was recommend by another reader who emailed me about the Carhartt pocket t-shirts. He claimed both t-shirts had well-constructed collars that did not sag over time.

Where to buy: Amazon | More Info: Carhartt & Dickies

Dickies pocket crew t-shirt

7. Port and Company 6.1oz. Essential T-Shirt

100% cotton, with shoulder taping. Does not look as tight as other crew neck t-shirts in this list, so keep that in mind.

Where to buy: Amazon

Port & Company crew neck t-shirt

8. Shaka Wear

Received the following information from a reader who purchased some Shaka Wear t-shirts.

The Shakas came in and the neck seems to be slightly larger than the Top Ace. Though maybe they might tighten up after some washes.

Where to buy: Amazon | Website: shakawear.com | More info: See this comment

Shaka Wear Tight Neck Crew T-Shirt

9. Pro5 T-shirts

Getting some mixed information about these tees. Some say they have a tight neck, and others don’t think they’re tight enough. Buyer beware.

Where to buy: Amazon | More Info: The Truth About Pro5 T-Shirts

Pro5 white crew neck t-shirt

10. Jasper Holland Tight Neck T-Shirts With Prints

If your husband is looking for t-shirts to wear every day that are not blank, my pals at Jasper Holland Co make classy t-shirts for men that have a nice tight neckline.

Where to buy: jasperhollandco.com


11. Costco Kirkland

The Costco Kirkland white undershirt is thick and has a high collar. I don’t know if Costco carries any t-shirt products, but if they do, their high-collar design might be the same on the t-shirts.

Update: A member mentioned in the comments that Costco has downgraded their tees to a fabric that is not as heavy as they once were.


Bonus Idea: T-Shirt Blanks

Another idea is to visit a site that sells t-shirt blanks and look through their collection. You might find one or more brands that carry a high neck t-shirt.

Some t-shirt blanks companies sell direct-to-consumer, some don’t. But, if you can find a t-shirt they sell that has a tight collar, then maybe you can track down that same t-shirt on a site like eBay, Amazon, or somewhere else. Alternatively, just contact them directly and see what their minimum order quantity is.


Identifying High Collared Shirts

An easy way to tell if a t-shirt will have a high collar is by measuring the front drop (top of back collar to top of front collar) when the shirt is laying flat facing upward.

Most high collar undershirts I’ve seen have a 2″ – 3″ front drop with a collar opening of no more than 5.5″ at its widest point.

Shaka Wear Tight Neck Crew T-Shirt

So, now that you are armed with that information, you can go to any store with measuring tape and tell in advance whether or not it will have a high collar!


Dye White T-Shirts at Home

One last thing – you can dye white shirts most of the time.

Sometimes the stitching does not take the color because it’s made of polyester or nylon, but the rest of the shirt will be dyed and the contrast still looks good.

So, if you find something you like in white and you want it a different color, just visit your local supermarket and buy some rit dye.

Hope the above information helps your husband find a t-shirt he loves! keep me posted too and let me know what he winds up buying.


Other Tight Neck T-Shirt Suggestions?

To everyone reading this article, if you have any other tight collar t-shirt suggestions, post them in the comments section below.


This article has been updated, re-written, and republished. The original comments below have been maintained for historical purposes.

172 thoughts on “Who Makes The Best Tight Neck T-shirts?”

  1. Hello!
    I am a male who cares about his looks, and I am facing a really hard time finding thight neck t-shirts.
    I am a small guy so I guess it gets even worse with generic designs and I hate the feeling of “messiness” of a loose collar around my neck.
    In addition to this, I unfortunately have a bit high standards, maybe a bit too much but…hey you know, I am going to be who I am right?
    I found this “Cranberry Jeans” T-shirt with a pretty good tight neck but it was the last they had in the shop, so I was sadly able to buy only one. The label says “basic edition” and the model is currently NOT displayed on their website.
    I am willing to post a picture, the measure of the neck is just a littlebit above three inches (I live in italy, so I had to convert this from 8 cm) so it is almost TOP ACE.
    Anyways, if anyone knows where to buy online Cranberry-Jeans please reach out! I contacted them, and hoping for a reply, I will keep you guys posted.
    This web site inspired me, so…what can I say…stay true to your honest quest to find the perfect tight collar confidence boosting perfect fit!

    Reply
  2. All these have large shipping costs to the uk, is there any suggestions that sell in the uk or ship for lower costs? thanks.

    Reply
  3. So I am on a quest as well.
    The ONLY T shirts I can wear are black microfiber.
    I bought ten of them about 20 years ago and they’re sport tek by port authority.
    The material is fairly heavy for microfiber and it fits well on my Large to XL frame.
    The neckline is tight and absolutely perfect.
    I’m a mobile mechanic by trade and these shirts have been incredible but they’re finally breaking down .
    I carry concealed at 5:00 position and I’ve worn a bunch of small hole In my shorts there after abrading on my sidearm and I have to oxyclean them more often to get them to smell better when I wear them…20 years of profuse sweating takes its toll.
    I wear these shorts everywhere and they’re the only shirts I can wear.
    They’re 100% polyester.
    They do not make this material anymore and I can’t find anything similar anywhere.
    I’m tired of ordering shorts online to find out that the microfiber is way too thin and just drapes over
    My body showing every imperfection like a wet t shirt plus the necks are never even as tight as these.
    My shirts have to be microfiber because I sweat too much and cannot wear cotton .
    Yeah it has been frustrating.
    I actually ordered $200 worth of “similar” shirts from the original company I bought the. From and I absolutely hate them and won’t wear them unless colder weather with a jacket.

    Reply
  4. Replay M3466 T-SHIRT is one of the very best tight neck tees from extensive research. I bought like 5 of them and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

    Reply
  5. I really like the jockey tight necks. But the ones I wore did bag out a bit after a while. So!!!! When they did I found a seamstress who charges me $10 a shirt to take them in …with a 2 or 3 inch v shape “tuck“.

    Best thing I ever did!

    Problem solved. Nice thin material so cool all year long. Secret though is to wear the shirt long enough until it really has stretched to the max. Then go see someone and have them taken it just do one as an trial. I’ve got about 10 of them that I’ve modified…love‘em!

    Everyone who sees them!!!! Asks me where I got them. Perfecto!!!!

    Reply
    • heya baker, thanks for stopping by and letting us know! cool idea about having a seamstress taper them in the body.

      so did you get the jockey mock-neck undershirts? like the one listed in this article?

      Reply
      • Hi Tug, Tried the mock turtle but prefer the thinner collar. The ones I’ve been buying from jockey are called “stay cool”.

        I’m a big guy but Large as been fine as they are cut big. Just hung up with them and ordered a 3 pack style #833.They come in black, white/navy.

        Hey guys – remember if you’re going out and none of your collars look tight enough — Simple solution — grab 2 identical tees, then put the 1st one on backwards. Sounds silly, but have done it many times. You won’t get a better tight look that that…a tight neck!!!!

        Has been a passion of mine for many many years. Got so tired searching for “that look” is why I now have my seamstress do her thing. Btw she doesn’t cut any material out. She simply “folds over” a section of an inch or so. Then stiches it down. Works like a charm, without distorting the shape. You may have to call a few “alteration” places before you find one that will do them but well worth the effort!

    • I’m a big guy and, for some reason, t-shirts in 3XL or larger almost always have a very large (and saggy) neck. I found ENKALDA tees about a year ago and have been very happy. T-shirts are made of heavyweight cotton and have strong high necks.

      Reply
  6. Had same experience with Falsa T’s. Love the shirt but grabbed mine at a mini mart 250 miles from here and can’t find one anywhere in Atlanta. Any one know a place in Atlanta that sells Falsa T’s?

    Reply
    • 100% agreed! I bought countless packs of the Kirkland tees and one day I purchased a pack and they were definitely made of a different material and the sizing was noticeably different. I returned them the following week with no questions asked.

      Reply
    • I’ve recently complained to Kirkland about the drop in quality. The shirts made in Honduras are completely not the quality of the shirts from Vietnam. Very disappointed in the sudden change after all these years.

      Reply
      • thanks for the info about the kirkland t-shirts. that’s a good observation about the differences between the t-shirts (undershirts) made in vietnam vs honduras.

        i’ve seen that many times before, so it doesn’t surprise me.

        i can’t yet recommend a close replacement to the high neck t-shirts from kirkland, but check back here every once in a while to see if anyone has identified one.

    • I would 100% agree! Kirkland white t-shirts no longer have a high tight collar. The material is thinner then years past and the color is loose. This should be taken off the list.

      Reply
  7. Hi all, I’ve been following this thread for years and it’s crazy how specific the internet has become to find exactly what I’m looking for!

    So I wanted to give back with another couple of great finds.

    Firstly, I took a flyer on a white gas station shirt, and it is superb.

    Brand is Falsa and the line is “da man.” They fit a bit tight and are somewhat long (pro tip, cut the band at the bottom and it will roll up naturally to the best length.)

    They have not too tight of necks but are perfect and good quality for $5 a pop. I’ve bought several in short and long sleeve.

    Another brand I found is currently being sold at Target for $10-$13 brand “Original Use.” Make sure to get “Regular Fit Short Sleeve Boxy T-Shirt” – the other ones in their collection run oddly long.

    Also, I typically wear a large/XL (42″ chest) and I wear a MEDIUM in these and they fit perfectly. This brand doesn’t look like it would have a good neck online, but they do – albeit, not as “tight” as the Falsa.

    They’re tailored in such a way that it almost feels like wearing a shirt backwards so no drooping neck like some of those thin triblend shirts.

    They can be worn multiple times without needing to be laundered – very high quality, workhorse shirt.

    Also comes in a few cool patterns and colors.

    Happy hunting!

    Reply
    • heya eric, good to hear from you buddy!

      thanks so much for stopping by and telling us about the falsa brand crew neck t-shirt.

      looks like that crew neck t-shirt is offered by this company:
      RN No. 92654
      Legal Business Name: COTTON & ELSE, INC.
      Company Name: COTTON & ELSE, INC.
      Business Type: IMPORTER, MANUFACTURING, WHOLESALER
      website: http://www.cottonandelse.net

      i found some reference information that correlated the falsa brand to cottonnet brand, and it led me back to the company & website above.

      also found a listing on ebay for “cotton net supreme t-shirt”.

      in the photos provided, it shows “u.s.a” on the front of the care label. that may make people assume it’s made in the usa.

      however, the back of the packaging shows that the t-shirt is actually made in pakistan.

      can you confirm the rn# on the back of the falsa t-shirt care label?

      Reply
  8. No offense but this site has been little to no help.

    The best I have found for Crew neck Tshirts is District Made Tri-Blend.

    I love Tri-Blend……tough to find Tri-Blend with a tight collar.

    I bought a bunch, and each color and and each specific shirt may have a different feel….but I have a few that are TIGHT….

    https://www.sanmar.com/p/7462_MilitaryGrnF#?doScrollToGrid=true

    For some reason, I don’t have any PURPLE ones that came tight…..

    For the love of necks, does anyone have a REPUTABLE SITE that sells basic Tri-Blend Tshirts with a tight collar…..a shirt I can wear in the summer with shorts…..

    You’d think a company would specialize in this and make millions….i dont get it…….

    Reply
    • hi scott, no offense taken my friend (:

      personally, i’m not a fan of tight neck t-shirts so i can’t offer any first-hand experience of which crew neck t-shirts have the tightest neck line.

      that said, the hope of publishing this article and asking for feedback/comments from others is to use the power of the crowd to hopefully find a solution.

      i know this type of product has been on one brand’s radar for a while:
      https://undershirtguy.com/activeband-no-sag-collar-t-shirt/

      are you more focused on a collar that fits tight against your neck, or are you moreso concerned about a decent crew neck t-shirt that has a collar that won’t lose shape & sag over time?

      Reply
      • I need a crew neck tight to my neck….has to be tight….if it ain’t tight, I ain’t wearing it unless it’s super comfy then and only then I might use it for sleeping purposes.

        I’ve been looking for over 15 years….I remember a few years stumbling across this website, and it’s great concept, but no one has any solid information.

        This is $1,000,000 Shark Tank idea…..Tri Blend tshirt with a tight neck collar in 25 different colors….not too hard….I’d by 2 of each….50 shirts…..$500 – $750….sold!!!

        Why is this not on the market?!?!?! I find a cool looking shirt, I try it on, but the collar is big enough for a man on roids….I don’t get it….who doesn’t like a tight collar?!?!?!

        I finally posted, in hopes, someone replies with a DIRECT LINK to what I’m looking for….

      • heya scott — thanks for sharing your thoughts (:

        i haven’t heard of any other tight collar crew neck t-shirts than what’s been discussed here on my site in the various articles and comments.

        that said, i’d be shocked if a brand made a tight collar crew neck tri-blend t-shirt that would keep its shape and sell it for $10-$15.

        any quality, long lasting t-shirt is going to cost $5-$8 to make (fully landed cost), unless you’re a massive brand that is making bazillions of them.

        $10-$15 retail wouldn’t leave much room for any company to make any significant money unless it was selling tens of thousands of them on a regular basis.

        if you want to start a t-shirt business, i’d be happy to introduce you to some t-shirt manufacturers who’d gladly help you spend your money (:

      • whatever company that makes a bazillion already, just make their collars tight. Who doesn’t love a nice tight neck collar?!?!?!

        Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, Gildan, whatever….

      • personally speaking, i don’t like or wear tight collar t-shirts — but, that’s just me (:

        this is one of the more popular topics on my site, so i know there’s lots of guys looking for tight collar t-shirts and tight collar undershirts.

        maybe someone from the big brands you mentioned will see this and come out with a tight collar tee.

      • Stafford heavyweight white tees exclusively at Jcpenny thick tight around the neck high quality …trust me.
        Facebook
        Pep Ray

      • I own ProT’s and I like them, but they aren’t really a dress T-shirt for going out. I use them anyway since they do have a tight neck, but a lot of guys want a tight neck so they don’t look like slob who has worn the same shirt for ten years and nobody makes that in quantity or nice colors. I got a gift from Kohls that was an awesome dark emerald shirt with an ultra tight neck and raced down and they had no more. Ugh! I would have bought the whole lot if they had any more.

        I love that emerald shirt, but it’s just one and is now wore out. I won’t even care if I get more than 10 uses of the shirt; heck, even 5 would work. These are date shirts when the weather is nice. Please, somebody, make a nice shirt hat has an ultra tight neck so I look good at my older age. I can’t wear a spandex like shirt because I am older and in shape, but not that kind of shape.

        I want them to advertise it as an ultra tight neck that won’t last forever, but you will look great wearing it. Of course, the tightness can’t last for several years, but that Kohls shirt lasted for 20 uses before the collar finally looked bad. Me and that shirt has some fun times. $20-$30 for a shirt that last 5 dates is well worth it.

        Instead, I have awful shirts that have an extra 2 inches around the neck and look like I have worn them 50 times and it’s getting worse. The necks are getting even larger and larger. It’s crazy. Right now, the slob look is in style and necks are 5″ too big.

      • heya shawn, thanks for stopping by (:

        yeah, lots of guys are looking for good quality tight neck t-shirts, but many don’t want the typical streetwear type of t-shirt, like proT.

        looks like you subscribed to this comment thread, so if anyone comes by and shares their t-shirt find here in the comments, you’ll get an email from my site!

        if you find anything in your tight neck t-shirt quest, be sure come back here and let us know about it!

  9. Just about to order some of these from American Apparel.

    Power Wash Mockneck T-Shirt

    Short Sleeve tee featuring a mock neck on our Power Wash fabric, a lightweight, year round fabric.

    americanapparel.com/en/power-wash-mockneck-t-shirt_rsa24468ws?c=Mauve

    Neck looks nice and tight. Will let everyone know how they work out.

    Reply
    • hey drew, thanks for that find (:

      though, i am a bit curious as to how that t-shirt might work, considering it’s only available in two kinda strange colors?

      most folks here are either looking for white, or more standard colors.

      Reply
      • Thinking the same thing. The only 2 colors offered are mauve & peacock. Really? Seems very strange. I’ll check back, maybe they are out of more conventional colors like white.

  10. So I went out and bought a couple of these shirts – The Pro Club Shirts only comes in packs of three, so I bought a set of those in size XL. I wear a 44-46 size jacket and a size 18 shirt.

    I bought an Pro 5 black shirt in XL and an white in Large, just to compare the sizes. The size XL fit me fine and the size large was a bit tight on the shoulder (all after 1 wash).

    I’d describe the fit as standard – not hipster slim fit, for sure. They are also not great under garments because they are so stout.

    The Pro 5 tag reads “Super Heavy”, and “All U.S Components, Assembled in Mexico” and the Pro Club shirt’s tag reads “Heavyweight” with “Assembled in Mexico and “Fabric Made in USA”. I even picked up a Dickies brand pocket t just for comparisons’ sake.

    The Dickies is definitely cannot be compared to both “Pro” products in terms of fabric thickness, quality and build: I’m not saying it’s a bad shirt, it just doesn’t compare to these others. To be honest – I just can’t tell the difference between the Pro Club and the Pro 5 products – they both are made of thick fabric and have thick tight collars.

    I can honestly recommend both. Also, there must be something going on, because I really struggled to find either brands at any local swap meets / strip malls etc. in Denver – I eventually just went online with the links furnished here.

    Reply
    • In regards to Tha Crusher’s comments.

      Personally I find Pro 5 T-shirts to be cut a little slimmer, especially under the armpits than Pro Club. So I prefer Pro Club.

      My favorite T-shirt however is made by Shaka Wear. It is their “Super Max Heavy Weight T- Shirt.” They are available on e-bay. The seller is ZKUKUZ. The store is called Twin Sports Outlet.

      They sell Pro Club, Pro 5 and Shaka Wear. The Shaka Wear T-Shirts are slightly heavier then the other two, with high tight collars and possibly cut a bit fuller. There are 15 colors available, and are 100% cotton except for their Heather Gray and Charcoal Gray which have 10% polyester. This makes them a bit more stretchy which may be better in such a thick T-shirt (7 oz.)

      These are a bit bulky for an undershirt except maybe a cold day under a roomy wool shirt. They cost about $34 for a 3 pack. You can get all the same color or 3 different colors if you message the seller what you want. You can also get them sold singly for $12.00. Free shipping.

      Heavier yet T-Shirts are available from Goodwear only available at their web sight. These are much more expensive and I find most of their products are exported to Japan where they seem to like these T-shirts.

      They are their Short Sleeve Crew Neck Classic Fit. $32 each. Totally made in USA. For great quality America Made Sweatshirts go to American Giant (made in the San Francisco Bay Area.) Super heavy, great quality hooded sweatshirts and other things.

      Reply
  11. Hi
    I have continued to have problems finding a proper elastic tight neck T shirt also, I do not see why most manufacturers keep putting out the rubbish that they do. I found that Dickeys were good initially, but they lack elastic in the neck, so the necks tight fit only lasted about 5=10 washes , after which they started to get permanently stretched out look on the neck.

    Clive

    Reply
    • heya cb — good to hear from you buddy!

      i have not heard of any specific tight neck t-shirt or undershirt that fully retains it’s shape.

      keep in mind that a collar band with “elastic” (rubber or spandex) will not necessarily hold its shape better over time.

      spandex and rubber both break down over time, so it is possible the collar will still lose its shape — though, it may not loose it shape as quickly as a tight neck t-shirt that has a collar without spandex.

      Reply
  12. I know it’s 3 years later.

    But when I emailed maks they told me that they went out of business! Smh those were hands down the best t-shirts for me.

    They were like Hanes shirts but as thick as a regular t-shirt, along with a decent length on them. No thick fat collar or droopy.

    I’m a toothpick and the neck was tight on me but not smothering tight. They were excellent.

    “Talha USA” tshirts are pretty decent as well but they still don’t have maks beat.

    I found some all white talha so I’ll order them and I might dye a few to black since I can’t find black ones

    smh… maybe I’ll try some jerzee t shirts… regardless of which.

    thanks again for helping find that maks company ! :)

    Reply
  13. Hey,

    I am a really skinny guy. I am 6 foot 2 and weigh about 150 so I have wide shoulders, thin arms, a thin neck. I found ASOS.com’s tall section to be almost perfect because it feels my arms and shoulders great. However the neck is loose and either my front or back is somewhat exposed and just looks odd. Any idea of what shirt hugs a small neck but won
    t be too big in the sleeves and shoulders?

    This is for outerwear btw.

    Reply
    • heya ns — unfortunately, i don’t have any specific suggestions for a t-shirt with a small neck opening, that also would fit well on someone with wide shoulders and thin arms.

      but, i do appreciate you popping by and sharing your feedback about the asos tall t-shirts (:

      keep me posted if you find anything!

      Reply
  14. undershirtstan on my forum said the following:
    “Dickie undershirt with pocket is the best thickest and most snug neck I have ever worn.”

    Reply
  15. For a tight-neck shirt, I like the Zorrel Z100 Dri Balance t-shirts you can find on Amazon.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EXDFRC

    I’m 6′, 157 lbs. Broad shoulders, 31-inch waist. The small was a good-fitting under-shirt.

    The medium was a good-fitting t-shirt. It’s cotton/poly, but feels really nice, and it wears well b/c of the blend.

    The sleeves aren’t too short, which I really like, as some t-shirts have really short sleeves.

    It’s long enough, but not too long. The only thing I wish is that they were a bit more tapered.

    From the front, the shirt looks great, but from the side, it is a *bit* tent-like. No bother. I’m going to have them taken in a smidge.

    They’re only $12 as of this writing. I’ve bought 6.

    Reply
    • heya trevor, good to hear from you and thanks for sharing info about the zorrel z100 dri-balance t-shirts!

      i’ve definitely heard about them before, but have not had the opportunity to try them yet.

      hopefully some other folks will try out the zorrel z100 tees and confirm back on whether or not they think the tees have a tight crew neck collar line (:

      Reply
  16. I’ve got a drawer full of old t-shirts from Earth Creations. They were heavy, high/thick neck band and fit perfectly (not too long in body or sleeve). Unfortunately they are no longer available.
    Would like to approach a manufacturer with some of the old ones to see if I can get same size/weight/design manufactured. Any recommendations?

    Reply
    • heya tallhall! good to hear from you buddy!

      oh man, i don’t know any company that would make thick tight neck t-shirts like that in small batch. how many were you thinking of having made?

      Reply
  17. hey guys,

    a reader just stopped by and told me about another possible option.

    heavytshirt.com

    looks like they have a couple different thick t-shirt options, and they mention on their site that they have tight collars.

    might be worth a look (:

    Reply
  18. Hey Guys,

    The original response by Tug is way off and companies listed are not the tightest necks except:

    1. As we all know Stafford at JCP was out sourced and the necks sagged bad on the 2.0.

    In my quest for undershirts that stayed true to fit (tight) after 12 hours of hard labor (industrial refrigeration) yes tried and true I found myself buying AAA.

    They too were outsourced at the what I call peak of sales. Then about 4 years ago I switched to Pro Club heavy weight (< only HW). I bought 20 at 2.99$ use for 3 or more and tested these babies.

    Note: you must sort through and hand pick some will have slight variances in neck fitment. I worm them for 1 straight year and they stayed true.

    The color faded however the blue in which I purchased did not turn that ugly purple blue. Since they held up SO well I bought some for everyday.

    I noticed the arms were too long as undershirts and too heavy in weight I believe they are 9oz 100% cotton. Still a good shirt I was on the manly quest for the perfect shirt.

    As mentioned above the Sakara Heavyweight fit the shoe [bill] in every way. Still need to sort through a bit but after 3 washes fit great, a bit long in are for everyday and about 8Oz 100% cotton.

    I found the same brand but "active" blend so I tried a few. On down times I like wearing golf polos they are cool and sporty need almost no ironing and look great.

    Tried an active Sakara and boom perfect blend of weight, arm length, and neck.

    Some might find it hard to shop because they can only be found at the local Asian urban clothing store in you downtown area but no worries the Asian market owners are the most friendliest people you will ever meet!

    So after years of real the best undershirt guy research my top picks are as follows:

    Sakara Heavyweight (heavy work days)
    2.99$ 3 or more

    Sakara Active (light work casual under)
    2.99$ 3 or more

    Pro Club Heavyweight (heavy work)
    4.99$ 3 or more

    AAA Heavyweight (medium work beater shirt)

    Stay Manly,
    Lt. USMC

    Reply
    • sweet, thanks so much for the great write-up joshua!

      hey, can you tell me the following:
      1. exactly what t-shirt brand is “aaa”, just want to make sure we don’t confuse them with anything else
      2. what’s the “r n” number on the sakara t-shirts? i’ve never heard of them before

      thanks!

      Reply
  19. Hey, great site, so glad I’m not alone in this search! I was wondering, has anybody had any luck altering a droopy tshirt neckline?

    My wife got me the coolest KC Royals shirt but the neck is so big it feels weird.

    I was going to try and take it to the tailor to see if they can alter it, but wanted to check here first to see if it’s worth the trip.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • hey kcitian,

      good to hear from you buddy and thanks for your question.

      yes! there is a way to fix a drooping collar, and tailor should be able to do it.

      it entails removing the collar from the shirt (take out the stitching) and either cutting the length of the collar fabric to a shorter length, or if the collar fabric is no longer usable — to stretched out, replacing it with similar knit fabric that is color-matching.

      keep in mind you can’t make the collar opening smaller, but you can fix a droopy collar line.

      any decent seamstress or tailor should be able to do it. hope it helps!

      Reply
    • Hey KCitian, welcome to the site. I have actually had pretty good luck having my tshirts neckline altered.

      I took the seamstress 3 new shirts with large droopy necklines along with my favorite tshirt with a good tight neckline for a pattern, and she cut/altered the neck openings to match the pattern shirt.

      It worked out great for me. Good luck !!!!

      Reply
      • thanks jimmy! appreciate you sharing that info about having your t-shirt neckline (collars) altered! great stuff man (:

      • heya fred — on your st. louis cardinals shirt, does it have a brand label at all, or an “rn” number shown on the tag somewhere?

        i would expect that the team just buys some blank brand of shirt, and then puts their branding on it. if that is the case, the brand label may still be on the shirt, and if not, the rn number might give us a clue as to who manufactures the shirt you’re referring to.

        if you have a picture too, that would be helpful — because there are many different variations of the st. louis cardinals shirts (:

  20. Hey guys, just came across this site because I was looking up white everyday tees. The tee shirt you can wear as your main tee not an undershirt.

    Im a skinny guy (sack of bones, toothpick skinny)so a lot of tees are loose around my neck. Im upset because a few years ago my city used to sell these *MAKS* brand tees. they have the thin collar of a hanes, fruit of the loom type undershirt but they are a little thicker than under tees and the neck is not snug fitting but its not loose at all.

    Its tight fitting, but not snug. Im talkin the perfect tee shirt for me. But now you will be hard pressed to find that brand around here anymore.

    stores and gas stations just don’t purchase them anymore. smh.!!! so ive been looking for tees and I came across the Pro Club tee on ebay and might purchase it because Id rather have the snug neck than have the loose neck, these loose neck tees just look so tacky and sloppy on me.

    Some of these shirts look alright on my friends but since im sooooo skinny and my neck is skinny even a decent crew neck that looks fine on others looks sloppy on me :( … so if anyone knows where I can purchase MAKS brand tee shirts please.!!!! let me know.

    For now im going to try the Pro CLub tees because I also like the snug neck that I can some times find round my city, I just wish I could have the MAKS tee with a nice thin collar, and a tight fit but not snug/hugging feeling.

    Reply
    • heya abdul,

      since that is an indian love story, my guess is that the wardrobe department found something local in india.

      there a so many t-shirt/clothing manufacturers in india, it would be near impossible to figure out which black crew neck t-shirt was worn in that movie.

      maybe you can track down someone from the cast or crew and see if you can get introduced to the wardrobe folks.

      Reply
  21. any of you guys ever try out the made in usa t-shirt from camber sportswear?

    based on the product description on their website, the collar looks to be 3″ wide? also, the collar opening looks pretty small, which would make it fit pretty close/tight.

    i don’t think i’ve ever seen a collar that wide — except on mock-neck shirts.

    i wonder if the collar really is that wide and/or tight?

    Reply
    • Undershirt guy,

      There are two t-shirts found on the camberusa.com site (Camber Sportswear) I have only tried their MAX Weight t-shirts. I have two of them. They are SUPER heavy. Too heavy for me most the time. 8 oz, 100% cotton very well constructed, made in the USA. Available on line from Camberusa.com and a couple other places like allseasonuniform.com and workinggear.com. Very nicest t-shirt available if you are into super heavy t-shirts. Think of wearing a rug almost. Collars on mine do not seem exceptionally high or tight. But not loose or wimpy either. They are 5-6 years old now so the new MAX Weight collars may be different. They also make a lighter T-shirt at 6 oz called the “Finest'”. I have not tried it.

      Reply
      • cool dave — thanks for the info about the camber sportswear max-weight t-shirts.

        maybe someone from the company will contact me and offer up a couple samples for my undershirt inventory (:

  22. Found amazingly thick tshirts at walmart in Pembroke Pines night. They are made by hanes and called BEEFY TSHIRT, no tag, heaviest cotton I have seen, and a thick good neck.

    I would have bought the whole rack out but they only had 3 xlg left.

    Reply
  23. I was so surprised when I saw another David H. looking for Pure Stuff T-shirts. I purchased my Pure Stuff T’s while I was employed at Nordstrom in Mission Viejo, Ca. in ’93. I know it sounds impossible but 10 years later the collars of the Pure T-shirts are just starting to unravel but the rest of the body of the T’s still looks great. Unbelievable value even at $19.00 a shirt.
    I wrote to the Nordstrom buyers about why they had stopped selling this quality product (they carry the boys sizes) and they told me they would consider my recommendation. Obviously they did not bring back the T’s and that is a shame because you can usually count on Nordstrom to provide the best quality products available. It’s been 4 years since I wrote to Nordstrom and I am still looking for Pure Stuff from Peru.
    If you ever find these wonderful T-shirts I’d love to know where to buy them.
    Thanks’
    David Haub

    Reply
    • great stuff david haub!

      crazy that your pure stuff t-shirts are holding up that well, but that is totally awesome to hear!

      so i gotta know — can you tell me more about the pure stuff t-shirt? like:
      1. what fabric blend it is? (are they pima cotton by chance?)
      2. should i assume it’s a thicker t-shirt since you’re posting your comment here on this article?
      3. did you buy it as a t-shirt or was it in the undershirt aisles at nordstrom?
      4. is the collar ribbed? does it have any special design or characteristic? wondering what makes it hold up so well.
      5. is the rn # this: RN58665 (if so, it means it is the nordstrom house brand)

      just curious if there’s some other t-shirt that would be a good substitute.

      have you tried the costco crew neck t-shirts? what about the nordstrom classic fit undershirt?

      Reply
      • Hi Undershirt Guy,
        Let me see if I can answer your questions:
        1.I have no idea but the tag read 100% cotton.
        2.The fabric is much thicker than traditional T’s.
        3.White undershirt.
        4.The collar seems to be ribbed and never stretches out. I’m 5’11” and 115# and they fit my 15 ½ neck great.
        5.I don’t see an RN # and I have purchase 6 of the Nordstrom “house brand” and while they are a good product (snug neck) they’re much thinner and shorter.

        I have not tried the Costco brand yet but I’ll take a look at them. I think the Nordstrom T-shirts I have are the classic fit; not bad but nowhere near the quality of the Pure Stuff.

        If you provide your shipping address I’ll be happy to send you one of these miracle t’s as long as you send it back.

      • thanks for the details david. great stuff buddy!

        not sure it would help me any to have a quick look at the pure stuff t-shirt. you’ve provided a lot of great info.

        what’s interesting about the pure stuff undershirts (and their other clothing items) is that some of them were made in the usa (looks like peru and mexico too though). i’d be curious to know what u.s. company was making them for nordstrom back then. many garment manufacturers went out of business, so it’s possible the company that nordstrom was using to make that brand of clothing here in the usa is no longer around.

        there are lots of great recommendations here in the comments section, but to recap — if you’re looking for thick, tight collared shirts to wear as undershirts, it sounds like you should try:
        1. costco kirkland
        2. landsend
        3. pro5
        4. goodwear
        5. shaka

      • I too am a fan of the Nordstrom, Pure Stuff tee shirts. Mine are also at least ten years old and the ribbed collars and sleeves are still very much intact. I too have been looking for more but thus far unable to find. The label reads PURE STUFF NORDSTROM, L, 95% cotton, 5% spandex, made in northern Mariana islands (USA) of imported fabric. I’ll be forever grateful if you can track them down, in white or black.

      • will let you know if i do track down any thick, tight neck collar t-shirts other than the ones listed here.

        doubt we’ll find the “pure stuff” brand, since it’s likely been discontinued.

    • Pure Stuff T’s are the T’s of legends. Best T’s I have ever had. In fact I still have 6 brand new Pure Stuff T’s that I stashed away :)
      I would sell undershirtguy into slavery for a chance to pick up a dozen or so Pure Stuff T’s from the 90’s.

      Reply
      • hey talis, thanks for your thoughts about pure stuff t’s.

        can i buy one of your stashed away pure stuff t-shirts for my undershirt inventory?

      • TUG, by chance if you acquired a mythical Pure Stuff T, any luck finding anything similar?

        I have just one that I bought from Nordstrom 15 years ago, not realizing just how good it was.

        If I could I would buy 10 more, so if no luck with them I’ll have to settle for whatever you have as the next best.

      • hey dc! good to hear from you buddy (:

        unfortunately, i have not yet come across a pure stuff t. but, maybe i can track one down on ebay and check it out.

        but, i am learning more about what you can do with fabric and collars that will make a collar keep it’s shape longer, so it’s helping me understand what to keep an eye out for.

        here’s a brand that’s working on the product:
        http://www.undershirtguy.com/activeband-no-sag-collar-t-shirt/

  24. First, how awesome it is to have a website dedicated to this subject! As most, I am on the hunt for a tight-fitting white undershirt. I don’t want something that is a mock, but very close :)

    For those of you who went with the Pro 5, I noticed they have an “Athletic Fit” shirt (http://pro5usa.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=61_54&product_id=29) which is supposedly lighter than the other heavy t-shirt. I know some guys referenced it was too heavy. Has anyone tried the athletic version, and if so, was the neck tight-fitting?

    Thanks!

    Dustin

    Reply
    • Dustin, I tried the Pro 5 and didn’t like them. It’s a very heavy shirt and was tight around the chest and under arms. I’m 5’10, 165 lbs with an athletic build. Maybe the “Athletic Fit” is better.

      Reply
      • Thanks JP. The Pro 5 “heavy” shirt is a little too thick for me as an undershirt, but their athletic version isn’t too bad. I think it’s going to be still too heavy for most, but I don’t mind it as much. I really like the fit around the neck. The chest and arms fit me decently, but I ordered a size bigger than what I normally wear, which may have helped.

        I think I might try the Nordstrom undershirt if I can find it in stock.

    • I did buy the Pro 5 Athletic Fit shirts and the shirts are really nice and fit nicely, but the neck was still a little lose and that’s why I’m not planning to buy them anymore. I am also on a quest to find a light but tight neck shirt that I can wear underneath my long sleeve dress shirts. I would really appreciate your guys help in helping me find the best light and tight neck tee! Please give me your suggestions! Thanks

      Mario

      Reply
      • hey mario — thanks for the details and feedback on the pro5.

        i have heard about a company making something like what you’re describing (lightweight, tight neck undershirt/t-shirt) who is looking for some beta testers. if i recall correctly, the company may have a couple samples in smaller size — like medium — but will be working on some others depending on the beta testers they are able to recruit.

        if you’re interested in possibly being considered as a beta tester, post a comment here along with your t-shirt size, and i’ll let the company know.

        also, for anyone else interested in becoming a beta tester of these tight-neck crews, do the same — post a comment with your size.

      • I would be interested in being a beta tester, but I’m no where near a medium. I would need a 3XL (tall if they have it available).

        Also, I just received the 5.11 Tactical shirt, and so far, I like it. The neck is stretching a little bit after a couple washes, but it’s a good fit. Still on the hunt for the “perfect” tight neck t-shirt that doesn’t lose its shape after several washes.

        Thanks!

        D

      • heya dustin — thanks for dropping by and posting a comment about your interest in being a tight crew neck undershirt beta tester.

        not sure they’ll be available in 3xl, but i’ll make sure your size is included in the interest list.

      • I would be interested in beta testing as well. I’m a medium and wear the shirts under a Police uniform.

      • sounds good frazier! word on the street is that the development is still underway, but there just might be a small handful of beta items coming available soon. will keep you posted!

      • I would also be interested in being a beta tester. I usually wear medium or large, depending on brand.

      • I just found your website. Way cool. I would like to be a beta tester if you still need one. I wear an XL – NOT tall though.

        I am so sick of the necks on my tees getting all streched out and then laying funny under my polo shirts. I wear polo shirts daily to work.

  25. Hello,
    First time writing.
    My experiences with good quality crew neck t-shirts started in the mid to late 90s. At that time Nordstrom had a line called Pure Stuff. They were 6 oz 100% cotton, made in Peru with a 1-inch high and fairly tight crew neck. I loved those T-shirts. But that ended in 2000 when Nordstrom changed makers and their “new” Pure Stuff t-shirts came out. They were made in Mexico, with a wimpy 5/8 inch, streched-out collar that had only a very casual acquaintance with you neck. Nordstrom totally wrecked a good shirt.

    That led me to a long search for a great t-shirt. The search continues. I have found some of the very highest quality and thickest t-shirts in the industry. But they do not have the very best neck tightness (their just OK)

    Goodwear- has a USA made made 100% cotton shirt they call the “Heavy Weight T”. It is 7.2 oz. I have several of these t-shirts and they are currently my favorite T. However the neck is not that tight. They are also available mail order only and are expensive at $22.00

    Camber- has a USA made 100% Cotton t-shirt they call “Max Weight”. It if really heavy at 8 oz. It is a very nice T-shirt but is too thick to wear under most clothing. It is fine as a stand alone shirt. They are also fairly expensive and available mail order only. I have 2 of these t-shirts, and I like them, but again I wish they had a tighter neck.

    In the last few weeks I have decided to try 3 new candidates that seem to be popular in some circles.
    They are:

    Pro Club – “Heavy Weight” at 6.5 oz, Made in USA (Pro Pac Distributing Co.)
    Pro 5- “Super Heavy” at 6.7 oz, Made in Mexico using US cotton and cloth (Pro 5 Urban Wear Apparel Co)
    Shaka- “Max Heavy Weight” at 7.0 oz, (not sure where they are made) by shakawear.us

    They are all said to have nicely tight necks, are are relatively inexpensive. Pro Club seems to be the oldest brand of the t-shirts, but some say the Pro 5s are an improved version of the Pro Club. Also some say Shaka is the best of the bunch.

    To make a comparison I ordered these shirts on ebay. I ordered 2 of each brand (one Medium one Large) for a total of 6 t-shirts. I ordered both medium and large because I am in between sizes and can go one or the other depending on maker.

    Stay tuned for my observations on these 3 contenders in the coming weeks.

    Out here.

    Reply
    • heya david! thanks for stopping by my site and providing all that great intel!

      i had not heard of goodwear or camber, so i’m going to check out their websites. i’m not a big heavyweight t-shirt guy, so not sure i’ll be personally testing them out anytime soon, so i’ll be really interested in hearing what you think of pro5, pro club, and shaka. i too have heard pretty good things about shaka as a blanks supplier, but i didn’t think to check if they had heavier weight tees, which it looks like they do.

      i do know that fruit of the loom also just came out with something called the “best tee” (Fruit of the Loom Best Collection). it’s a thicker 100% cotton t-shirt, fairly comfortable, and has a pretty good crew neck collar that’s not too tight, and not too loose. they offer them in lots (16) colors and a 2-pack is just under $10.

      since you can buy them online from walmart, you might want to pick some up and check them out. if you do, let me/us know what you think of them.

      look forward to hearing the details of your t-shirt evaluation!!!

      Reply
      • Thanks Undershirtguy,

        I will keep an eye out for the FOTLs. One more newer brand (a year or 2 old) I forgot to mention. The company is called American Giant and it a US made sweatshirt and T-shirt company based and manufactured in the San Francisco Bay area. It has gotten a couple of great reviews in magazines mostly for their superb quality Sweatshirts . “Best Sweatshirt in America” or so they say. The t-shirts don’t look bad either.

        The only problem is they are constantly sold out. I have been on their contact list for months and months, but their web site has very few products available. Usually in 1 color in XS or XXXL. I guess the Silicone Valley and San Francisco liberal elite crowd has proclaimed them status symbol worthy… Hence always hard to get your hands on.

        Out

      • Hello all-

        This is a follow up to the March 15, 2013 blog entry.

        I bought one medium and one large of Pro Club, Pro 5 and Shaka on ebay for a total of 6 shirts. Shirts were about 40 dollars plus shipping. They arrived 3-4 days after ordering.
        I bought both a medium and a large because I am somewhere in between and will use one or the other depending on the brand.

        Prewash Observations:
        My current weight is 175 pounds. Height 5’10” Age 59

        All shirts felt about the same in terms of cotton weight. They were listed as 6.5, 6.7 and 7.0 oz. respectively, but they were indistinguishable from each other to me. None of them approached the thickness of my Goodwear Heavy Weight T-shirts which are made out of a truly heavy 7.2 oz cotton. I suspect all these shirts are actually somewhere around 6.0 oz. or a tad more. This is fine considering the typical run of the mill generic T-shirt is 5.0 to 5.2 oz. Also the Goodwears are made in the USA and cost $22 each compared to $6.50-$7.00 each for these 3.

        All shirts seemed very similar visually as to quality or construction.
        There were no differences in visual size comparison when laid out and compared to each other.
        There was some recognizable size differences among brands when I tried the shirts on.
        The medium size shirts in all 3 brands were too tight for me. However the Shaka was the most generously cut, the Pro 5 the least.
        The Pro 5 Medium was very tight around the chest and very tight under the arms
        The Pro Club Medium was somewhat tight in the chest and a tiny bit tight under the arms
        The Shaka Medium was just slightly tight in the chest and had no tightness under the arms.

        The large sizes were all comfortable for me although the under arm holes of the Shaka seemed to have more excess space or freedom than the other two brands.
        Neck tightness and collar height position were all about the same
        Overall length of the T-shirts were all about the same (seemed a little long)
        Arm lengths were all about the same.

        ALL Large t-shirts were then washed normally (warm wash, cold rinse) and dried in the drier on Medium-High heat.

        After Wash Observations
        Height 5’10”, Weight 174, Age: 59

        All shrunk in length about 2 inches. This is fine as I felt all were a little too long prewash.
        Arm length, collar tightness and collar height all seemed the same as prewash.
        Cotton weight still felt identical between the 3 despite advertised differences. 6.5 vs 6.7 vs 7.0 oz
        There was a difference in circumferential chest tightness however. All 3 brands seemed a little smaller around the chest than before washing. The Pro Club being the tightest followed by the and Pro 5 and then Shaka.
        The Large Pro Club shrunk enough that it bothered me around the arm hole areas like there was not enough room under the arms. The annoyance was an all day thing and the shirt did not stretch out enough during the day to eliminate the problem.
        The Pro 5 was comfortable while being slightly tighter than the Shaka.
        The Shaka was the most comfortable, being a bit more relaxed at the chest and under the arms.

        Subjective Feelings at week one:
        I like Shaka the best. I like Pro Club the least due to excess shrinkage causing binding under the arms.

        Over and out.

      • yo david!

        man, that’s an awesome review of the 3 different products. for my other reader’s benefits, i’m providing your ranking along with the main product websites:

        1. goodwear t-shirt (goodwear.com) – heavyweight jersey t-shirt (??). price: $22.00 each
        2. shaka (shakawear.us) – max heavyweight t-shirt (7oz). price: $7.25 each.
        3. pro5 (pro5usa.com) – super heavyweight t-shirt (6.7oz). price: $6.00 each.
        4. pro club (proclubinc.com) – heavyweight t-shirt (6.5oz). price: $6.50 each

        where did you personally purchase each of the above items? did you go to the sites i listed above, or some other website?

        have you had the chance to try out the new fruit of the loom ‘best collection’ t-shirts? they just became available at walmart and walmart.com at the beginning of march. they are about $4.50 each and can be purchased in a 2-pack.

        i would love for you to try out that fruit of the loom best collection t-shirt and let everyone know what you think of it compared to the four above. i’ve personally tried it and it’s definitely a thicker t-shirt, and is one of the more comfortable heavier-weight t-shirts i own and have tried. i prefer wearing lighter-weight undershirts for daily use, but for those guys that like thick undershirts, or just looking for a t-shirt that is a bit beefier/thicker, it is definitely worth checking out, especially at less than $5 each.

        let me know if you decide to try it out. thanks again for doing that awesome write-up!!

      • thats a very accurate review ive tried all three brands mentioned and they all shrink badly like you said however i prefer pro5 over shakawear and proclub for a couple of reasons
        1. Length is longer
        2.sleaves are shorter
        pro club and pro5 arm holes are to small as mentioned
        shakawear i feel they fit to wide and not long enough
        Proclub sleaves are to long compared to the other 2
        it all depends on how you like your shirt to fit so like david h. did i would buy all three and see for yourself

      • Like Frank g said. Best to try for yourselves. My last entry was March 24. I have lost 10 pounds since then. Now about 165. Where I had preferred the Shaka to the other two due to it being more roomy, I now think Pro5 and Pro Club are just as comfortable. All 3 shirts seem to be good quality and I am happy with all. The Shaka in Grey is a bit different then other Shakas and my Pro Club and Pro5 as it is 90% cotton ad 10% Polyester so it is a bit more stretchy and soft without being wimpy. It seems just as heavy as the 100% cotton shirts.

      • heya john, per the information frank provided, i see the sleeve lengths on the pro5 t-shirts are a minimum of 9.25″. for a t-shirt, that seems like a pretty good length. if you’re considering wearing them as undershirts, that sleeve length will be too long if you’re going to be wearing a lot of short sleeve outer shirts. if you’re wearing mostly long sleeve outer shirts, you’ll be ok of course.

        to preserve this information, i decided to pull the information from that ebay seller’s pro5 page and put it in a spreadsheet and pdf:
        pro 5 short sleeve t-shirt sizing – excel spreadsheet
        pro 5 short sleeve t-shirt sizing – pdf

        i also did the same for pro club:
        https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/38891887/Pro-5-Short-Sleeve-T-Shirt-Sizing-Table.pdf
        https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/38891887/Pro-5-Short-Sleeve-T-Shirt-Sizing-Table.xlsx

        thanks to frank for finding that information online!

      • Thanks a lot for the quick replies and information. Helped a lot! I’m gonna order some pro 5 shirts right now.

      • Hi undershirtguy, et al

        zkukuz on ebay is where I got my original 6 t-shirts (2 each pro club, pro5, shaka) for my initial evaluation. I recommend them and they routinely have offers that include free shipping when you buy multiple t-shirts in one color. Shipping is fast (3-4 days) to Washington state.

      • Hi undershirt guy…
        one more thing about measurement guidelines used on certain sights. Many times they give the actual measurement of their shirts… not the measurement you should be for the shirt to fit. In this case, get one of your shirts that you like and fits you well.

        Lay it on a flat surface making sure there are no creases just as if it had been ironed flat. Then measure the width of the shirt just under the arms. Multiply this by 2. Lets say it turns out to be 40 inches. You should look for a 40″ chest on a new t-shirt.

        Same goes for length, etc. Many companies who sell t-shirts and Hawaiian shirts over the internet use the actual size measurements.

        By the way if you are looking for Hawaiian shirts check out Reyn Spooner (Hawaiian company). Not your traditional oversized, old man, boxy hawaiian shirt. Most of these have a more substantial cloth (they call spooner cloth) and also button down collars. They are a little more tailored than traditional without being restrictive. Think of short sleeve oxford shirts with unique tropical prints. Not cheap. Expect to pay about $55.00, but the quality is well worth it.

        For more traditional Hawaiian shirts try Pacific Legend, made in Hawaii. Also well made and under $40 with free shipping from Hawaii.

  26. Meant to get back sooner with my comparison of the Port and Co. versus Pro 5 shirts. Both are excellent t-shirts, quality materials and construction.

    The Pro 5 are pretty heavy material, almost too heavy to use as an undershirt while the Port and Co. are lighter and perhaps not as durable in the long run.

    I experienced a lengthy wait to receive the Pro 5 shirts. Although I don’t recall exactly it seemed like it took about 4 weeks to get my order.

    Personally I prefer the Port and Co. shirt, but both are excellent choices for t-shirts with tight necks.

    Reply
    • thanks sredar! appreciate you coming back and providing the deets on pro5 and port and company t-shirts.

      tight neck t-shirts is a pretty popular subject, so i’m sure your feedback is going to help a lot of guys.

      Reply
    • Is the port and co a “mock” like the pro 5? I agree with you that the pro 5 is too heavy! It’s too thick to wear underneath stuff. And, their colors are kind of not mainstream. Very bright and cheerleaderish. I’m a guy. I want navy blue and gray etc.

      Reply
      • I just ordered a 3 pack of the Pro 5 t-shirt in white. I like the Port & Co. shirt but still looking for one thats higher in the neck. Hope this is the shirt!

  27. a reader recommended the covington heavyweight undershirts from sears.

    they’re sold as undershirts, but sound thick enough to double as t-shirts.

    hey was a former nordstrom undershirt shopper when they made them in canada and said those were the best undershirts that he had ever owned.

    so for him to say that he’s happy with the covington heavyweight undershirts, i’d say that’s a pretty resounding recommendation.

    just something else to keep in mind.

    Reply
    • I Guys,
      I just thought I’d make a correction to your post. I was employed at Nordstrom for 6 years and the Pure Stuff undershirts were tagged “made in Peru”; just for the record.
      I ‘d like to comment on the Tommy Bahama t-shirts sold at Nordstrom. I bought them on sale for $9.99 and they are colored with a pocket. What I like about these shirts are the soft 100% cotton fiber that’s a bit thicker than most. They have tight fitting necks in Lrg. for my 15 1/2 neck and are also made in Peru with the numbers……
      RN#86549 & CA#04754.
      Take care all!

      Reply
  28. Hi Tug;
    Read your latest post (FEB 2013) re; tight neck t-shirts and checked out your recommendations.

    Unfortunately, I still haven’t found what I’m looking for. I like the t in your pic, “tight neck 50/50 t from Jerzees”. I checked their site, couldn’t find any t’s with a collar that was as tight AND as wide as the one in your pic. Checked the other sites as well.

    Even Nordstroms has narrow collars.

    I’m looking for a wide collar (approx; 1.25″); hight, tight fit(read; real crew-neck).

    Your thoughts?

    F.

    Reply
  29. hey i remember i bought a few pro club t shirts and i liked how thick it was but it didnt fit me too great, the sleeves stook out alot to the side and also i felt the armpit was very tight, is pro 5 like that as well? and how are AAA t shirts?

    Reply
    • In my experiece pro5 sleeves are shorter than proclubs but are wide so they will stick out like a pro club and the arm holes are just slightly bigger but still to small the solution ive done is get one size larger so your armpit can breath then shrink it in the washer and ive tried AAA shirts and they are not a heavyweight shirt like proclub or pro 5 the collar also isnt tight on them

      Reply
  30. Hey guys, I acutually bought the tactical 5.11 a few weeks ago and I loved them ! They fit perfect around the neck and keep their shape during the day. They are a little long, but that helps with keeping it tucked in. After washing a few times, the neck did lose just a little bit of its shape, but not enough to really mention. So far these are the best I’ve found. The only real issue I have with them is the colors, as they’re only available in navy blue, white, and off white…. I have been looking at the pro 5, but haven’t really heard enough feedback about them. So for now, I’m just wearing blue an white t’s LOL…

    Reply
    • whoo hoo! thanks for stopping by and sharing the info about the port & company “essential” tight-collared t-shirts! i really appreciate it!!

      also, drop back by after you’ve had a chance to try out the pro 5 t-shirts, and let us know how you think they compare to the port & company t-shirt.

      thanks again!

      Reply
      • Glad I stumbled on your site! I’ve been searching for a high collar type t-shirt for some time. I gave Port & Co’s “Essential T-Shirt” (style PC61)a shot. I just ordered, so I’m hoping I won’t be disappointed. I ordered 10 shirts and the total including shipping wa $40.05. $4 a shirt isn’t bad at all!!

      • heya jp. good to have you here and thanks for posting your comment! let me know how it goes with the essential t-shirt from port & company. that’s a great deal at $4/shirt.

      • Hi! I was very happy with my puchase! The shirts are very nice with a tight neck and at 6.1 oz. they have some ‘beef’ to them.
        Also, I received the shirts the next day!

        Just to note; I bought the 5.11 Tactical t’s (3 pack for 32.00)a few years ago. I liked them when they were new and the neck on them were higher than the Port & Co. shirt which I prefer. The problem was the shirt shrunk a size and the the neck stretched out. Maybe line drying them would solve that problem but for now I’m pleased with the Port & Co. shirts.

    • Hey Undershirt Guy,

      About a year ago I was surfing the web for high necked tee’s and stumbled upon your site. I had been given a Port and Company t-shirt with a company promotion printed on it and I liked the way the neck stayed up on my neck and didn’t sag down. With the help of your contributors and your comments I to found these “essential tees”, that are 6.1 oz heavy cotton andt have a great fitting neck. Sredar is correct, the shipping is on the step side because they have a minimum and I have yet to order enough shirts to reach an additional charge. With the price of gasoline I figure I am still way ahead. I am about to place my third order with blankshirts.com and I think I may even order some plain old white ones this time.

      Thank you and your contributors for the great service your doing. This is what the “net” was meant to do.

      Reply
      • hey les! good to hear from you buddy and thanks for stopping by and posting your comment!

        in looking at the port & company 6.1oz. essential t-shirt (PC61) product page over on blankshirts.com, the per shirt pricing ranges from $2.68 to $3.01, depending on the number of items you purchase.

        how much is shipping? even if adds $0.50 – 0.75 per tee, even $1, it still would be a great deal for a good tee with a tight collar. right?

        happy to help out. that’s what i’m here for (:

      • TUG,

        As I remember, the shipping minimum is about $12.00. So the more shirts you order the less each costs. Even if the final cost comes in around $5.00 to $6.00 each it is a fair price. What I do know is I like the way these fit and there are so many colors it is hard to make a decision.

        Les

  31. Hey guys, I’m having an awful time finding a good tight neck t shirt. I just bought the jockey mock neck and it fits perfect except the mock neck is really too high. I’d like to find something in between, but it’s not looking too good. I was wondering where I could find the jerzee 50/50 shown on this page ?

    Reply
    • I am having the same exact problem. The mock is too high (I just wasted 30 bucks on 4 of them!) – All I want is a nice, tight fit around my neck that is a tad high without being obviously high. It makes all of the difference. I have 2 Jerzees that are 50/50 which are perfect. I think that’s what you like too. I’ve tried long and hard to find out why all Jerzees are not higher and tighter like this. No luck. I don’t know if it’s the year, the manufacturer or what – but, there is something about “some” Jerzees that are ideal. If you find out what – kindly let us know about it. Thanks, Rocky

      Reply
    • hey jimmy and rocky! thanks for sharing your thoughts.

      i took a quick look at some of my crew neck inventory (largely undershirts not t-shirts), and noticed that my polarmax xtrdry cotton, polarmax 4-way stretch, and tactical 5.11 undershirts have pretty high collar lines.

      reason i’m throwing those names out is two-fold:
      1. since you’ve tried the jockey mock neck tee (undershirt), maybe another undershirt will work for you.
      2. if you’re really looking for a t-shirt, maybe you can contact one of the above companies via their website and ask them which t-shirts have the highest collar (maybe they even have the front-drop measurements?)

      separately, if you’re ok with a thicker/heavier t-shirt, have you checked out pro5 t-shirts yet?

      Reply
  32. Asked myyself this same question about a year ago. Try Pro 5, Pro-Club t-shirts. I think you can just get them on ebay or through the official site. Never seen them in a retail store. They have like 15 or so colors and tons of sizes.

    Hope it helped

    Reply
  33. I’m looking for a normal, regular store that sells tight neck t-shirts for my husband. Like, Target, Walmart, K-mart etc…… Any suggestions?

    Reply
  34. I too am looking for a “tighter fit neck” for my every day T shirts. I don’t like white either. I like blue, or gray or anything besides white or black. Did anyone come up with the best T shirt for a guy who enjoys a higher neck? Dear Lord, you would think these crew neck t shirt companies would realize we men don’t like deep plunging neck lines. Rocky from Lisle, IL.

    Reply
    • hey rocky! good to hear from you buddy and thanks for taking the time to comment here.

      some other high collar tees that i’ve come across, other than some of the suggestions provided in the article above are the thicker tees from pro5shirts.com. they do have a variety of colors, but i have gotten some mixed pro5 t-shirt reviews from readers. some love’em, some think they’re just ok.

      american apparel also has a pretty wide variety of products, and many of the crew neck t-shirts come in different colors. their fine jersey short sleeve tee (tons of colors) looks like it has a closer fitting crew, as does their baby rib fitted t-shirt (10 colors). most folks don’t like the ceo’s image, but most say the products are very nice fitting and feeling. i have some american apparel gear, and i have to say, it’s pretty nice.

      what colored crew necks do you usually wear and what do you think of them? also, what have you tried and not liked?

      Reply
  35. hey i guese these guys using anvil but they are 100% organic cotton …
    so i bought tees there and they fitt perfectly …

    cheerz mason

    i bought them here: www buddhapunkarmy org (enter shop down the site)

    Reply
    • hey mason, thanks for stopping by.

      if you’ve been here before, you’ll notice that i generally cover products that are either undershirt-related, or products that could potentially double as undershirts (aka blanks). the tees at the website you referred too look like they all have prints.

      not sure the tees at that website really fit what other folks would be looking for.

      Reply
  36. HELP. I ordered a few 2 packs of the tanks on the web sight in different colors. I wanted them for a vacation I’m taking so I paid up charge for faster 1-3 day shipping. I received a confirmation Email of receipt of my order validating the expedited shipping. However, a few days following the order I assumed I would be provided tracking for my order. I never received the tracking. I have emailed FRESH BEATERS.COM numerous times all with the same automated response that your email has been received and someone from West Coast Pro, Inc. will contact you . NEVER HAPPENED!!! Do you have any info on them?

    Thanks for any insight you can provide.

    Chuck

    Reply
    • hey chuck, sorry buddy i can’t help you. i have personally emailed the company a couple times and not received a response.

      that’s piss-poor customer service if you ask me, but hopefully your tank tops will still arrive.

      if you paid via paypal (or credit card), you can always dispute the charge in initiate a chargeback if you feel you did not get what you ordered (i.e. 1-3 day delivery).

      you may want to visit all their sites, including the real estate one and just email them all.

      keep me posted and let me know how it goes.

      Reply
  37. Hi Tug, long time no see . you are right . for the shrinkage of the garment , the key point is the shrinkage is too much of the fabric . we are the fabric manufacturer and garment factory . normally we require the shrinkage of the fabric is 8 percent , before cutting and sewing . we will includes the shrinkage and then cutting . when the garment is finished . we will put the garments to steam press or garment wash. so the shrinkage of the garment is less than 6 percent. if the garment is 100 percent cotton . the shrinkage is approx. 6 percent. 100 percent man-made cellulose fiber . the shrinkage should be exceed 10 percent . cotton/spandex should be less than 4 percent .
    each lot finished fabric which we must to test the shrinkage after 3 recycle home laundry and tumble dry .

    Reply
    • hey qiuyong! wow, thanks for that information. that’s a great baseline to keep in mind on the shrinkage.

      sure sounds like the pro5 t-shirt shrunk a lot more than that though…oops.

      Reply
  38. Hi , I also tried theses shirts, I wear a large and right out of the bag they were excat fit, but after washing they shrunk to about a small ,I cannot even get them on. I am dissapointed becuse they are such a nice shirt.
    I trien multi times to e-mail the company with no response.
    I will be giving theses to my friends son who is in 6th grade.

    Reply
    • hey rob! thanks for stopping and letting us know about the shrinkage issue with your pro5 t-shirts. if a size large shrunk down to a size small, that is a huge fabric defect.

      many different types of fabric, including cotton, will shrink some after washing – much of it depends on the manufacturing and finishing process. i will ping a couple of my fabric experts to tell us how shrinkage is managed from a fabric manufacturing point of view.

      of course, fabric can be washed after being knitted, but before it’s turned into t-shirts. and t-shirts can be washed after being constructed to ensure they are “pre-shrunk” before the consumer get them.

      but, when a company offers a t-shirt or other shirt garment that shrinks that excessively after laundering, it’s an indicator of problem with how the fabric was made.

      any reputable company will replace bad product like this free of charge. hope you hear from the folks at pro5 soon.

      Reply
  39. Hey Tug, Long time reader and first time commenter here. I’ve actually tried the Pro-5 shirts and they are pretty decent. The collars are tight and the collar doesn’t lose shape very easily when wearing them or after washing. While they do hug the neck tightly, I like my collars to actually ride up the neck as opposed to laying on the collar bone and not going past it. Hopefully that makes sense. There’s a brand of T-shirt that can be ordered online, which is very similar to Pro-5, and the brand name is Shaka wear. When compared to Pro-5, an online review stated that the Shaka collar is actually tighter and by looking at a picture comparison, it looks to be true. I’ll be ordering a few white tees and I’ll be sure to update. Some other good shirts with high, tight collars, are the white tees from Champs Sports that come in a plastic bag in a quantity of 5. I’ve bought two types, ones that have “Champs” spelled out on the tagless collar, you know where the size usually is, and another type that has “CSG” spelled out. The “Champs” shirt is definitely better, it has a tight collar and the top of the collar actually reaches about two inches above my clavicle. Hopefully you can try and review these brands for everyone or I can try and provide a detailed description, with measurements and everything. Thanks for all your reviews Tug, Dave!

    Reply
    • hey david, good to hear from you buddy! and thanks for being a long time reader and first-time commenter :) congrats!

      so this is great information, and thanks so much for taking the time to provide your feedback on the pro-5 t-shirts and letting me know about shaka wear!

      when i get some extra cycles (yeah, right!) i’ll check them out for sure. i’m pretty backlogged on reviews, so i probably won’t be able to get to those products for some time.

      if you wanna share your feedback, that would be awesome! just email me with the information and we’ll make it into a full-fledged guest review article! that would be fun and cool.

      thanks again david for taking the time to comment. it’s everyone’s contributions, like yours, that make this site what it is.

      peace.

      Reply

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