Eric A.
The fit is amazing...flexibility is amazing! VR has never been more comfortable!!
Russell S.
When I was a kid, my dad was in the navy and we moved, on average, about every 1.5 years. There was no stability, no internet, and definitely no consistency. Friends were constantly traded, family outside the four of us were visited when able (but rarely enough for it to feel more like an obligatory trip to meet strangers), and I could count on nothing but perpetual change.
Except for Home Improvement. Due to its popularity, it didn’t matter if we were in a country that only featured one English channel (provided by the military) or in a country that offered three local channels that spoke English but was mostly filled with local shows - Home Improvement and The Simpsons were always guaranteed to break through.
But Home Improvement had something that The Simpsons didn’t and that was arcs for all major characters over the seasons, the most impressive being Tim Taylor’s character.
Today, most protagonists are stuck in their ways and beliefs, but the truly great shows showcase development and progress. Tim, the 1990s version of a man’s man, started episodes with strong convictions and beliefs but was open enough to realize he might need to see things from other peoples’ perspectives, or that he might need to update his beliefs, or that he was just plain wrong and had been operating in a purely selfish manner. But he never stopped improving himself as a character, showing more vulnerability and desire to improve for the benefit of his loved ones (which would often be passed on via Tool Time to masses of men who might be in similar situations).
The core of the show is characters being there for others regardless of whether they wanted to initially and improving not just the home, but the community.
I love it. Yes, I have nostalgic feelings wrapped up in it, but I think it delivers a message that’s kind of rare today. King of the Hill did the same thing, but I think the most recent example I can think of is Schitt’s Creek. In similar fashion, characters are often dragged to the realization that they’re wrong and improve consistently as a result. In all of these examples, protagonists are malleable in their attitudes and beliefs and adjust for the world (more often than not) rather than the world adjusting for them.
Anyway, I rewatch HI every couple of years. It’s fun to revisit not just for the over-arching philosophy, but because it’s a time capsule of fashion and era-specific outlooks on social issues. And it’s still funny, but the jokes I loved as a kid are replaced by the ones I can relate to as an adult, husband, and parent. It’s fun to think of myself laughing as a kid because Tim hurt himself and laughing as an adult because he offers horrible budgetary advice when it comes to how much of the family budget should go to tools.
My oldest child is not nearly the fan I am. They’re 13 and finding themself and their place in the world. They’re also gay and non-binary so a lot of the jokes don’t hit the same, but I’m quick to point out the progress we’ve made since the 90s for hope in the future and that, since the philosophy for Tim is constant improvement and an increasing level of empathy, most social causes would be initially resisted-against until someone made a good argument or illustration and Tim would see the light. 90s Tim Taylor cracks the occasional LGBT joke, but in all likelihood would probably be okay by 2021 with a gay guy coming to poker night (probably after he found out that the guy was into muscle cars and therefore enough of a man’s man to start changing Tim’s mind about whether a gay guy could still be the stereotypical man’s man).
The point, I say, is that we can all be more empathetic and we can all admit that we don’t know everything - that our strong beliefs don’t have to be carved in stone and should be constantly reevaluated to see if they still really benefit us or the people we love around us. We can all be better. We can constantly improve and the best place to start improvement is at the home.
So now my kid and I are rewatching the series, inspired this time by the BorlandFlex shirts, and they’re liking it a lot more watching it through the lens of improvement rather than thinking the characters are stagnant or that the show is just some old sitcom. I got the email from RSVLTS about the shirts and showed them to the family and my kids said they looked like shirts from “that one show,” and my wife’s look said she knew what was coming before I went upstairs to grab the DVDs. They also love the shirts and I get the impression I’ll need to keep an eye on them or they’ll “disappear.”
They (my kid) are already saying the shirts are super soft and comfortable. I tell them to save their allowance, but I’ve noticed a lot of my fun tee shirts in the laundry when I haven’t been wearing them, so I’m keeping an eye on these!
When RSVLTS announced them, I was 100% sold. I like that it’s HI merch without screaming it to the world and I like buying into something that means so much to me in the first place. It feels genuinely good to have these shirts and that sounds a little ridiculous because at the end of the day they’re shirts, but to me they’re like a tangible reminder of philosophy and I really like that. I may be the only one who digs this deep into HI, but I love the idea of constantly trying to get better and be there for the folks I love and, in a really cheesy way, these awesome shirts keep that idea closer to me.
So that’s my super long story about why I love these shirts. Thanks for reading. I can’t wait to see the next colors!
Travis A.
A bitter lighter in weight than the traditional flannel but the flex is awesome!
Jason G.
These flannels are really nice - big upgrade on the prior generation. I like that they have a little stretch to them!
Marie B.
I originally bought the 2XL slim fit. I returned it for the reg fit because, curves. These shirts are so soft, I love them. Please make more.
Anna W.
I love this shirt. I wear it literally every time it’s fresh out of the laundry. If it’s available, I wear it. I wear it to work, I wear it at home. I wear it in car line, I wear it outside. I just love this shirt.
Jeremy H.
Best flannel I’ve ever purchased! Can’t wait for more colors.
Scott L.
Sleeves are a little short to me but I am also tall! Other than that this shirt is amazing. Absolutely keeps you warm, incredibly comfortable, looks great too! Immediately after this I was able to fix any issue around my house like a true craftsman
Kristopher S.
Honestly love this shirt. It’s comfortable and feels like I could wear it in rain or shine, sun or snow. I’ll be ordering another one of these and one of the other variation. Please make another pattern!
Jessica S.
Easily one of my top 3 shirts!!! LOVE the new flannels
Zach d.
Really soft and love the stretch!
Marilynn S.
So I buy the shirts for my boyfriend since he is a large guy, but the shoulder was a tad off (went more towards the upper arm) but he said he loved it
Michael M.
Easily my favorite flannel. Love the fit and the stretch.
Shaun s.
My new favorite cool weather shirt. Might need to buy another one
