5 things to remember when choosing rugby kit for your team

When your team takes to the field you want the players to look smart and feel good in their rugby kit. You want them to wear their team’s colours with pride and you want other teams to come to respect your side. Your choice of rugby kit for your team is, therefore, very important and can impact on how the players feel about their club and how they play. To help you avoid making mistakes, here are five points that you need to remember when choosing your team’s kit.

1. Comfort
Comfort is the main priority when selecting any rugby kit. Players need to be comfortable in training and during matches if they are to give of their best. They do not want to be distracted by uncomfortable kit that irritates and affects their concentration. Pay attention to internal seems that might rub and cause rashes and make sure that the fabric is not rough against the skin. I’ve bought Clifton’s custom rugby kit in the past and found it extremely easy to wear.

2. Fabric

A crucial factor in comfort is the fabric used to make the kit. It should be comfortable against the skin as well as light. It should also wick away moisture so that players do not experience the discomfort of perspiration and do not get heavy from a build up of moisture. Since they don’t retain moisture, good wicking fabrics don’t get cold so quickly after players come from the field or there is a break in the game.

Rugby is a tough game that is very tough on the players and the kit they wear. Traditionally, rugby kit was made from cotton but synthetic materials like polyester and cotton-polyester blends are now common. These materials have excellent durability to withstand the abuse they suffer on the pitch and training ground. The fabric should also have good colour-holding properties so that the kit still looks like new season after season.

3. Size and weight

Correct fit is crucial if players, particularly backs who need to be agile, are to be able to move freely. Weight, too, is a major consideration. Having to play for extended periods in shirts that are uncomfortably heavy will not only impact on players’ performance but may even cause them to lose interest in the game.

4. Design

There are two aspects to design: shape and colour. You need to discuss these with team members. Suppliers normally have standard shapes to choose from but new fabrics and printing techniques, like sublimation printing, mean that you can design almost any pattern you can imagine. In many cases you can view your final product in virtual 3D before you settle on a final design unique to your team.
5. Price

The best materials come at the highest prices. Custom rugby kit can be expensive so make sure of your budget and stick to it. Of course, the more sets of kit that you buy the better deal you will be able to get per piece. You have to pay for quality but the end result is worth the outlay.
 

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