Officially, it’s winter, but in Florida, it’s slightly cooler summer. In the mornings, it’s cooler, but by noon, it’s back to the heat and mugginess Florida is legendary for. The only cold fronts we’ve gotten this year are due to hurricanes, which pass as quickly as they come. With that in mind, I’m still rocking 5.11’s Sigurd shirts well into this supposed ‘winter.’
The Sigurd shirts fall into the fanciful named V.XI, which is the Roman numeral for 5.11, so I’ll give them applause for the clever marketing. 5.11 Tactical sent me both the long-sleeve and short-sleeve variants of the Sigurd shirt, and I’ve used them for a bit of everything. I mean everything.
What’s the Sigurd Shirt Do?
What’s so special about these shirts? They are designed to be sort of a noncamouflaged combat shirt. It’s perfect as a base layer and wears well under armor, chest rigs, and similar gear. What it does best is not suck when it’s hot.
The Sigurd shirt is made from a knit mesh that’s proprietary to 5.11. They call it Cryo-Tec, which either calls forward images of Walt Disney’s frozen head or simply instills an idea of coolness into your brain.
Let’s go with the latter. The material is cool to the touch and feels fantastic. It’s not thin enough to see through unless you purposely stretch it and try to take a peak. It’s not going to be inappropriate to wear to a gym or on patrol. The Sigurd is not as professional as a normal uniform shirt, but isn’t designed to be.
It’s a bit of a special-purpose design. The Sigurd isn’t fashionable or low-key, and I wouldn’t wear it out to dinner. It’s the type of clothing you’d wear to the range, train, or compete with. It’d be perfect for both the tactical games or a Spartan race.
While the design keeps cool, it’s just thick enough to be comfortable to wear while wearing armor and chest rigs. Your armor and gear won’t rub you raw while wearing the Sigurd shirt, and you’ll be able to keep cool. Cooler than a traditional combat shirt.
Digging Into the Sigurd Shirt
The Sigurd shirt is available in numerous colors, including green, gray, black, red, and dark navy blue. As mentioned, it is available in both long and short-sleeved variants. The short sleeve prioritizes comfort, and the long prioritizes protection. Both options have a rugby-style collar that can be folded down and out of the way.
It’s not quite form-fitting or an athletic cut, but it isn’t loose. It fits between the two and creates a fairly good fit, which is necessary if worn with armor. A looser fit might crumple, fold, or bunch under armor or a chest rig. That’s not a problem with the Sigured shirt. Instead of having a single seam under the arm and down the body, we have two that form a panel.
This panel ensures a good fit and excellent comfort. It allows the shirt to move and play well with body armor. It likely also increases strength and durability. The Sigurd shirt utilizes a 4×6-inch loop panel on each shoulder and has a pen pocket.
Beat the Heat
The Sigurd shirts help you beat the heat. My first day with the Sigurd shirt began at the range. I was testing the shirt, shooting shotguns for an article, and basking in the lack of shade at my private range. It’s hot! Yet, the Sigurd shirt was nice, even under a great big USMC TAPS rig. The moisture-wicking design helped keep things comfortable and cool and allowed me to move without restriction.
That’s just part of my day. After an hour at the range, I packed up the guns and started yard work. I had a giant mess to clean up after Hurricane Helene. It was a mix of chainsaws, machetes, wheelbarrows, and beyond. I worked for hours and then followed it up by mowing the yards to get rid of the small stuff.
By 1600, I had spent nine hours in the heat, wearing the Sigurd shirt and chugging water. I was sweating, but the Sigurd shirt kept me remarkably comfortable. At times, I was legitimately surprised at how well the Cryo-Tac material worked. It does a fantastic job of keeping you cool and comfortable in hot conditions.
The flexibility is apparent in the material and maximizes mobility, allowing you to move with ease and comfort. The lightweight design is a nice touch, and while it’s designed for tactical applications, the Sigurd also gets a hearty yard work endorsement.
Beyond Testing
I was at the range the other day, in the prone, sighting in a rifle optic, and I realized what the Sigurd shirt reminded me of. They are tactical Hawaiian shirts. They breathe and flex like Hawaiian shirts and are remarkably comfortable. The Sigurd shirts are perfect hot environment shirts, and if you’re wearing armor or gear, the shirt will help you stay cool and comfortable throughout your day.
They are tough enough for long-term use and hard work but light enough to deal with the summer heat.
For more information, please visit 511Tactical.com.
