August 6, 2025 • 15 mins
Carhartt's t-shirt collection has become a staple in the workwear and outdoor industries, with the brand's iconic K87 setting the standard for durability and toughness. However, the company has expanded its offerings to cater to a wider range of needs, from moisture-wicking performance to more fashion-forward styles. Carhartt's t-shirts continue to be a go-to choice for those seeking high-quality, versatile workwear that can withstand the demands of an active lifestyle. Here's a look at some of the basics the brand offers:
K87 Loose Fit Pocket T-Shirt: Considered the "standard for toughness" in the t-shirt market, the K87 is known for its durability, stain resistance, and roomy fit. However, it can be heavy and boxy, which some see as a drawback.
Force T-Shirt: A middle ground between the K87 and more technical performance wear, the Force line offers moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties, while still maintaining a t-shirt-like feel and appearance.
Sun Defender T-Shirt: Designed for outdoor activities, the Sun Defender features a lightweight, polyester-based construction with a UPF 50 rating. While excellent at keeping wearers cool in hot, sweaty conditions, it can feel warmer when not actively being used in the elements.
Relaxed Fit Garment-Dyed Pocket T-Shirt: This more fashion-forward offering from Carhartt has a softer, more weathered appearance, with a relaxed fit that's less boxy than the classic K87.
Carhartt's t-shirt lineup caters to a wide range of needs, from the classic, durable K87 to more specialized, performance-oriented options.
- The brand's t-shirts have become a standard in the workwear and outdoor industries, with other companies often comparing their offerings to Carhartt's iconic K87.
- Consumers are seeking a balance between functionality and fashion, as evidenced by the popularity of the Relaxed Fit Garment-Dyed Pocket T-Shirt.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:53):
You get asked a lot, and you see people asking the question about, what's the difference in all these Carhartt T-shirts? And what's the best one? What are they for? Are they good? Are they worth the money? All these things. And so, Jed, we’re going to talk T-shirts, man. So what do you know about Carhartt T-shirts? I know that they're among the company's bests ellers. I know that they're a standard for what you're looking for in that industry. I know we've got a bunch of them. I know that back when the world was shut down. Carhartt K87 T-shirts were the majority of what we were selling for a little while. I'm sure I don't know enough. I don't know. I don't know as much as I should probably.
(01:37):
Well, we're, we're, we're going to break down just the nuts and bolts of, of four, four kinds of T-shirts. And for those of you that are out there, most of you have probably heard about the first one and it is called the K87. But if you just, most people don't know what a K87 is, they're going to say, 'Hey, I want that! I want that loose fit pocket T-shirt.' It's got the Carhartt symbol on it. If somebody, you know, has a birthday or an anniversary or Christmas or something and they tell you, 'I'd like for you to get me a Carhartt t-shirt; it's a K87,' that's what they mean-you don't have to look any further than that. It's a K87.
(02:13):
And anytime on these reviews we're going to give you the good, the bad and the ugly, and you know the good thing about this shirt is it is-I think it is-the standard for toughness in a t-shirt on the market. Um, it is, it is extremely tough. You know, these things come, um, you know, they come in very extended sizes. They go up to 5X, 4X tall. Um, they're going to be, they're going to be a hundred percent cotton for the solid colors. Um, the heather colors will have a little bit, a little bit of polyester in them, but, but most of them are going to be, um, most of them are going to be a hundred percent cotton.So it's a very durable. It's. It's very tough. It's going to be very comfortable.
(02:57):
It's a soft feel. What are the good things that you say about it? The plusses on K87 to me are the plusses on every T-shirt we're going to talk about today. So I'm either going to repeat myself four times or never say it again, but this is true for every shirt we're going to talk about. You've got to try to tear it. You've got to try to damage it in some way. You’re listening to a world-class clothes stainer. You've got to try to put a stain on it. It stands up to an incredible amount of stress.It's durable, as you've said already; stain repellent. I don't know what Carhartt does, but it encourages repellent stains like grease, anything. You treat it a little bit before you wash it.
(03:45):
Nine times out of ten, you're going to be fine. You've got to really, really, really screw something up to damage one of these T-shirts. They are roomy. The fit of the K87 especially is a roomy fit; there's something to be said for. Being exactly what it was in, I think it was 1992 when it came out? 1992. Okay, so it came out the year I graduated high school. God,what business does that have to be? It's 33 years old, and it still does exactly what it says it's going to do. That's the good.Okay, let's talk about the bad. Man it’s heavy. And when you sweat like I do, it's even heavier when you're outside working or outside standing. Sometimes in a South Carolina summer, it's heavy. That's the biggest drawback to me.
(04:37):
It's a little boxy in the fit. That doesn't bother me because that's what I want. But a lot of people think it could be a little trimmer. It could be a little more of a slim fit. And it is at the end of the day. A durable t-shirt. A stain-resistant t-shirt. A functional t-shirt but at the end of the day it's a t-shirt yeah and that that's there's some limits to that yeah yeah and I think,I think on the K87 that that is what the things that some people would say are advantages are going to be the things that, what you can criticize it for, which are the two things, two main things you've said, which it is heavy and it is boxy. It's a loose fit.
(05:17):
It's a, um, for, for people that are their normal size or, or, or slender, it's going to be really big on them. And, um, and it is heavy. And, and in the, you know, if you're working, working out in the sun and those kinds of things, we're going to talk about shirts. That's good for that in a second. But if you're, or in a hot environment, it can be a warm shirt. Well, and to your point about negatives being positives for some people, Bonnie, my wife, is our Mauldin store manager and hates women's fit anything. She wants a K87 because she wants it to be a little bit boxy. Yep, yep. And so that's the K87. That’s the loose fit.
(05:56):
That's the one that most people, if you've seen, if you see people with a Carhartt T-shirt on, most of them are going to have that on. Next one we're going to move to, this is the Force line. Force is going to be something, if you think about a dry fit, if you think about a tech-type product, this is their first level into that. And it's a Force. The part number is 10-66-52. So, all right, talk to me about the Force. To me, the Force is kind of a happy medium. Some of the disadvantages we just talked about with the K87 it did away with, it is a little bit technology forward. It's got moisture wicking. It drie spretty quick. Keeps the sweat away from your body. It is a little bit lighter than the K87.
(06:40):
Well, actually, it's a good bit lighter than the K87. But it still feels like a t-shirt. So folks who don't want that performance look maybe, who don't want the tech look, who don't like the way dry fit appears. It's a dry fit-ish shirt, but it looks and feels and performs like a T-shirt. To me, those are the positives of that one. Again, a little bit boxy. It does fit a little trimmer than the 87. Can get a little bit heavy if you've been working outside, but just strictly because of the moisture wicking properties. But. All in all, it's a technology step up, but at that point between the two of those, it's more about what style you want. Yeah, and it is.
(07:32):
And this came into the line around 2010, when the Force technology from Carhartt first came into the line. And this kind of answers that question of the sweating. And if you've got a hot T-shirt on that gets wet, you've all been there-it gets wet and it just stays wet. One kind of wicks that moisture away; it's got the UPF of 25 in it, it's a uh and not quite as boxy of a fit as the the original the K87 loose fit, but it is [um] definitely not a [um] they don't really have and this is by design, Carhartt. It really doesn't have a a true super lightweight um T-shirt; I just don't think that's who they are um, and that’s okay. But this is one that...
(08:23):
you've got bigger shoulders and arms; it's got some stretch in it as well, and good bit of ventilation. So this is going to definitely be the one. If you're going to be working outside, doing those kind of things, this would be the first step away from that K87. All right, let's move on to what they call Sun Defender. All right, let's talk Sun Defender. What do I think about their Sun Defender line and that version of their T-shirt? Past I was a sports reporter and had to be it football practices during training camp, which is in the hottest part of July and the beginning of August. I would have lived in SunDefenders. I have one now that I wear all the time. It's been on an Alaskan cruise.
(09:10):
It's been to Myrtle Beach. It's been everywhere in between. You said Carhartt doesn't have anything really, really light. It’s the lightest of them. Yes. It's kicked the UPF up to 50. Comes in long sleeve as well as short sleeve. So if you get that long sleeve, and the sleeves aren't gathered at the bottom. They're the loose sleeve. So you get that sleeve, you can avoid sunscreen for the most part. Wicks sweat, dries quick. It is the lightest of the bunch. It's my favorite, but it's because I liket hings like that now. I know you're going to ask me a negative. When you're not outside doing anything, it's hot because it's polyester. When you're sitting around, when you're in a meeting, when you're at your desk, when you're in an office, it's a little bit warmer than the others because it's not that cotton.
(10:03):
And that's a weird thing. It is. It's strange. About these sun defenders. Most brands are going to have some kind of version of this in that when you're outside, in the elements. It actually keeps you cool. But when you're inside and not out in the elements, it's a warmth because. It's not doing what it's designed to do. Yeah, and you don't have that real breathability of the cotton and the other things. Outside, sweating to any kind of breeze is the coolest thing you'll put on. Yep. But you’re not always outside sweating with any kind of breeze so there are trade-offs there yeah there are the trade-offs there and again this is going to be
(10:39):
about a four ounce on the T-shirt and so that's going to be a lighter that's going to be a lighter weight, lighter weight T-shirt that you're going to have have there in that Sun Defender line those those things also come in hoods as well oh yeah they're they're fishing performance um some of them have the thumb hole sleeves where you can actually cover part of your hands um none of them have a kangaroo pouch which I'm kind of salty about if it If they made one with a kangaroo pouch, I probably would live in them. All right the last one we're going to talk about and this is kind of a fashion piece that Carhartt has come out with and this is their call it the Relaxed Fit Lightweight Short Sleeve Garment Dyed Pocket T-shirt And if you want to think about garment dyed
(11:19):
you're thinking about you know for some of those for any of you that have had a Comfort Colors T-shirt or something like that it looks like it's been washed a lot It's got that kind of look That's what this T-shirt looks like It's going to be very very similar to the K87 That first T-shirt that we talked about, except it's not going to be quite as boxy. It's a relaxed fit where the K87, that original T-shirt, is going to be a loose fit. So this is going to be a lighter fit. Even the little Carhartt patch is garment dyed to match the color of the T-shirt as well. It looks almost like it has, I don't think they are sanded, but the seams look almost sanded. It is weathered.
(12:04):
It's not faded, around the seams it does appear a little faded it looks like your favorite t-shirt yeah it looks like you've been you could if you could slap a concert logo on the back of it you could you could pull it off it looks like you've been wearing it for years off the hanger yeah and and this is this is a core product in their line now so you see the you're going to see these a lot as well but you know if you're if you're trying to decide between the these shirts if you're We talked about the beginning is. And we should have mentioned on the K87, if you want a classic T-shirt in.
(12:42):
40 colors yes that's what you're going for yeah there are a million colors in it every every season there are new colors that come out and and and you can get those if you're if you're working outside but you don't you don't necessarily want that polyester feel you know that four series is going to be good for you it's going to be a little bit more tapered than a um than that k87 is it's going to give you that 25 UPFand and the stretch and the different going to be working outside like Jed said if you're going to be outside in the heat a lot directly in the heat you know that sun
(13:18):
defender series that that's what that's made for um again not a great shirt if you're just going to be looking for a t-shirt to wear inside and and wear for that and then hey if you're just fashion forward and wanting something that looks like that yeah i'd like what you said your favorite t-shirt that that shirt that you keep getting out of the closet um that would Be you know, that garment-dyed pocket t-shirt would be be what you would want to want to look so great, great options. Carhartt also, I mean, they have just, they've got great t-shirts. I mean, that K87 has kind of set the standard for almost every brand out there; has a version of the K87. In fact, you know, in our company, we talk about, oh, this is their K87.
(14:01):
Right, that's how we compare it to what other things are. And everybody understands that. So we'll have information about all this in the show notes and some links that you can look at if you want to learn more about it or see some of these colors. And even if you want to buy one, so, alright, that's our review of Carhartt t-shirts. Hope you found that valuable. Check us out, like I said, Instagram, TikTok. We have a YouTube channel going live with some of these reviews coming up. And if you have anything that you'd like for us to review, any recommendations, or if you'd love to be on the podcast or are doing that with us, you can email kevin@workwesternpodcast. com. You connected in in there all right; next time we're going to have another special guest on-make sure you're tuning in, make sure you subscribe to the Work WesternPodcast.
You get asked a lot, and you see people asking the question about, what's the difference in all these Carhartt T-shirts? And what's the best one? What are they for? Are they good? Are they worth the money? All these things. And so, Jed, we’re going to talk T-shirts, man. So what do you know about Carhartt T-shirts? I know that they're among the company's bests ellers. I know that they're a standard for what you're looking for in that industry. I know we've got a bunch of them. I know that back when the world was shut down. Carhartt K87 T-shirts were the majority of what we were selling for a little while. I'm sure I don't know enough. I don't know. I don't know as much as I should probably.
(01:37):
Well, we're, we're, we're going to break down just the nuts and bolts of, of four, four kinds of T-shirts. And for those of you that are out there, most of you have probably heard about the first one and it is called the K87. But if you just, most people don't know what a K87 is, they're going to say, 'Hey, I want that! I want that loose fit pocket T-shirt.' It's got the Carhartt symbol on it. If somebody, you know, has a birthday or an anniversary or Christmas or something and they tell you, 'I'd like for you to get me a Carhartt t-shirt; it's a K87,' that's what they mean-you don't have to look any further than that. It's a K87.
(02:13):
And anytime on these reviews we're going to give you the good, the bad and the ugly, and you know the good thing about this shirt is it is-I think it is-the standard for toughness in a t-shirt on the market. Um, it is, it is extremely tough. You know, these things come, um, you know, they come in very extended sizes. They go up to 5X, 4X tall. Um, they're going to be, they're going to be a hundred percent cotton for the solid colors. Um, the heather colors will have a little bit, a little bit of polyester in them, but, but most of them are going to be, um, most of them are going to be a hundred percent cotton.So it's a very durable. It's. It's very tough. It's going to be very comfortable.
(02:57):
It's a soft feel. What are the good things that you say about it? The plusses on K87 to me are the plusses on every T-shirt we're going to talk about today. So I'm either going to repeat myself four times or never say it again, but this is true for every shirt we're going to talk about. You've got to try to tear it. You've got to try to damage it in some way. You’re listening to a world-class clothes stainer. You've got to try to put a stain on it. It stands up to an incredible amount of stress.It's durable, as you've said already; stain repellent. I don't know what Carhartt does, but it encourages repellent stains like grease, anything. You treat it a little bit before you wash it.
(03:45):
Nine times out of ten, you're going to be fine. You've got to really, really, really screw something up to damage one of these T-shirts. They are roomy. The fit of the K87 especially is a roomy fit; there's something to be said for. Being exactly what it was in, I think it was 1992 when it came out? 1992. Okay, so it came out the year I graduated high school. God,what business does that have to be? It's 33 years old, and it still does exactly what it says it's going to do. That's the good.Okay, let's talk about the bad. Man it’s heavy. And when you sweat like I do, it's even heavier when you're outside working or outside standing. Sometimes in a South Carolina summer, it's heavy. That's the biggest drawback to me.
(04:37):
It's a little boxy in the fit. That doesn't bother me because that's what I want. But a lot of people think it could be a little trimmer. It could be a little more of a slim fit. And it is at the end of the day. A durable t-shirt. A stain-resistant t-shirt. A functional t-shirt but at the end of the day it's a t-shirt yeah and that that's there's some limits to that yeah yeah and I think,I think on the K87 that that is what the things that some people would say are advantages are going to be the things that, what you can criticize it for, which are the two things, two main things you've said, which it is heavy and it is boxy. It's a loose fit.
(05:17):
It's a, um, for, for people that are their normal size or, or, or slender, it's going to be really big on them. And, um, and it is heavy. And, and in the, you know, if you're working, working out in the sun and those kinds of things, we're going to talk about shirts. That's good for that in a second. But if you're, or in a hot environment, it can be a warm shirt. Well, and to your point about negatives being positives for some people, Bonnie, my wife, is our Mauldin store manager and hates women's fit anything. She wants a K87 because she wants it to be a little bit boxy. Yep, yep. And so that's the K87. That’s the loose fit.
(05:56):
That's the one that most people, if you've seen, if you see people with a Carhartt T-shirt on, most of them are going to have that on. Next one we're going to move to, this is the Force line. Force is going to be something, if you think about a dry fit, if you think about a tech-type product, this is their first level into that. And it's a Force. The part number is 10-66-52. So, all right, talk to me about the Force. To me, the Force is kind of a happy medium. Some of the disadvantages we just talked about with the K87 it did away with, it is a little bit technology forward. It's got moisture wicking. It drie spretty quick. Keeps the sweat away from your body. It is a little bit lighter than the K87.
(06:40):
Well, actually, it's a good bit lighter than the K87. But it still feels like a t-shirt. So folks who don't want that performance look maybe, who don't want the tech look, who don't like the way dry fit appears. It's a dry fit-ish shirt, but it looks and feels and performs like a T-shirt. To me, those are the positives of that one. Again, a little bit boxy. It does fit a little trimmer than the 87. Can get a little bit heavy if you've been working outside, but just strictly because of the moisture wicking properties. But. All in all, it's a technology step up, but at that point between the two of those, it's more about what style you want. Yeah, and it is.
(07:32):
And this came into the line around 2010, when the Force technology from Carhartt first came into the line. And this kind of answers that question of the sweating. And if you've got a hot T-shirt on that gets wet, you've all been there-it gets wet and it just stays wet. One kind of wicks that moisture away; it's got the UPF of 25 in it, it's a uh and not quite as boxy of a fit as the the original the K87 loose fit, but it is [um] definitely not a [um] they don't really have and this is by design, Carhartt. It really doesn't have a a true super lightweight um T-shirt; I just don't think that's who they are um, and that’s okay. But this is one that...
(08:23):
you've got bigger shoulders and arms; it's got some stretch in it as well, and good bit of ventilation. So this is going to definitely be the one. If you're going to be working outside, doing those kind of things, this would be the first step away from that K87. All right, let's move on to what they call Sun Defender. All right, let's talk Sun Defender. What do I think about their Sun Defender line and that version of their T-shirt? Past I was a sports reporter and had to be it football practices during training camp, which is in the hottest part of July and the beginning of August. I would have lived in SunDefenders. I have one now that I wear all the time. It's been on an Alaskan cruise.
(09:10):
It's been to Myrtle Beach. It's been everywhere in between. You said Carhartt doesn't have anything really, really light. It’s the lightest of them. Yes. It's kicked the UPF up to 50. Comes in long sleeve as well as short sleeve. So if you get that long sleeve, and the sleeves aren't gathered at the bottom. They're the loose sleeve. So you get that sleeve, you can avoid sunscreen for the most part. Wicks sweat, dries quick. It is the lightest of the bunch. It's my favorite, but it's because I liket hings like that now. I know you're going to ask me a negative. When you're not outside doing anything, it's hot because it's polyester. When you're sitting around, when you're in a meeting, when you're at your desk, when you're in an office, it's a little bit warmer than the others because it's not that cotton.
(10:03):
And that's a weird thing. It is. It's strange. About these sun defenders. Most brands are going to have some kind of version of this in that when you're outside, in the elements. It actually keeps you cool. But when you're inside and not out in the elements, it's a warmth because. It's not doing what it's designed to do. Yeah, and you don't have that real breathability of the cotton and the other things. Outside, sweating to any kind of breeze is the coolest thing you'll put on. Yep. But you’re not always outside sweating with any kind of breeze so there are trade-offs there yeah there are the trade-offs there and again this is going to be
(10:39):
about a four ounce on the T-shirt and so that's going to be a lighter that's going to be a lighter weight, lighter weight T-shirt that you're going to have have there in that Sun Defender line those those things also come in hoods as well oh yeah they're they're fishing performance um some of them have the thumb hole sleeves where you can actually cover part of your hands um none of them have a kangaroo pouch which I'm kind of salty about if it If they made one with a kangaroo pouch, I probably would live in them. All right the last one we're going to talk about and this is kind of a fashion piece that Carhartt has come out with and this is their call it the Relaxed Fit Lightweight Short Sleeve Garment Dyed Pocket T-shirt And if you want to think about garment dyed
(11:19):
you're thinking about you know for some of those for any of you that have had a Comfort Colors T-shirt or something like that it looks like it's been washed a lot It's got that kind of look That's what this T-shirt looks like It's going to be very very similar to the K87 That first T-shirt that we talked about, except it's not going to be quite as boxy. It's a relaxed fit where the K87, that original T-shirt, is going to be a loose fit. So this is going to be a lighter fit. Even the little Carhartt patch is garment dyed to match the color of the T-shirt as well. It looks almost like it has, I don't think they are sanded, but the seams look almost sanded. It is weathered.
(12:04):
It's not faded, around the seams it does appear a little faded it looks like your favorite t-shirt yeah it looks like you've been you could if you could slap a concert logo on the back of it you could you could pull it off it looks like you've been wearing it for years off the hanger yeah and and this is this is a core product in their line now so you see the you're going to see these a lot as well but you know if you're if you're trying to decide between the these shirts if you're We talked about the beginning is. And we should have mentioned on the K87, if you want a classic T-shirt in.
(12:42):
40 colors yes that's what you're going for yeah there are a million colors in it every every season there are new colors that come out and and and you can get those if you're if you're working outside but you don't you don't necessarily want that polyester feel you know that four series is going to be good for you it's going to be a little bit more tapered than a um than that k87 is it's going to give you that 25 UPFand and the stretch and the different going to be working outside like Jed said if you're going to be outside in the heat a lot directly in the heat you know that sun
(13:18):
defender series that that's what that's made for um again not a great shirt if you're just going to be looking for a t-shirt to wear inside and and wear for that and then hey if you're just fashion forward and wanting something that looks like that yeah i'd like what you said your favorite t-shirt that that shirt that you keep getting out of the closet um that would Be you know, that garment-dyed pocket t-shirt would be be what you would want to want to look so great, great options. Carhartt also, I mean, they have just, they've got great t-shirts. I mean, that K87 has kind of set the standard for almost every brand out there; has a version of the K87. In fact, you know, in our company, we talk about, oh, this is their K87.
(14:01):
Right, that's how we compare it to what other things are. And everybody understands that. So we'll have information about all this in the show notes and some links that you can look at if you want to learn more about it or see some of these colors. And even if you want to buy one, so, alright, that's our review of Carhartt t-shirts. Hope you found that valuable. Check us out, like I said, Instagram, TikTok. We have a YouTube channel going live with some of these reviews coming up. And if you have anything that you'd like for us to review, any recommendations, or if you'd love to be on the podcast or are doing that with us, you can email kevin@workwesternpodcast. com. You connected in in there all right; next time we're going to have another special guest on-make sure you're tuning in, make sure you subscribe to the Work WesternPodcast.
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