Which T-shirt Brand Wins?
In our test we compared 9 t-shirt options head to head. Linus Tech Tips came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Linus Tech Tips
Price shown in test: $19.99 before shipping and handling; $31.72 total
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Whistlin Diesel Monster Max
Price shown in test: $49 before shipping and tax; $55.85 after
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The quick take
The short version of why each pick lands where it does, built straight from the measured results.
“the shirt that had the best average score is the Linus Tech Tips shirt”
Best in 1 of 7 measurements, including Weight Loss.
The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Products are listed in the order they finished.
Fabric
- 1Linus Tech Tips60%
cotton, 40% polyester, made in China
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Max100%
cotton, made in USA
- 3Marques Brownlee50%
polyester, 25% cotton, 25% rayon, made in El Salvador
- 4Vice Grip Garage
Gildan dry blend, 50% cotton, 50% polyester, made in Nicaragua
- 5Whistlin Diesel100%
cotton, made in Pakistan, printed in USA
- 6Cleetus McFarland50%
cotton, 50% polyester, made in Nicaragua, appears to be the same shirt used by Vice Grip Garage
- 7Westen Champlin
no information given on fabric type or manufacturing location
- 8Matt's Off Road Recovery
Next Level Apparel brand, 60/40 cotton polyester, made in Nicaragua
- 9Joe Rogan60/40
cotton polyester, made in Nicaragua
Order Time
- 1Linus Tech Tips11 days
to arrive
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Max8 days
to arrive
- 3Marques Brownlee10 days
to arrive
- 4Vice Grip Garage5 days
to arrive
- 5Whistlin Diesel25 days
to arrive
- 6Cleetus McFarland5 days
to arrive
- 7Westen Champlin15 days
to arrive
- 8Matt's Off Road Recovery10 days
to arrive
- 9Joe Rogan6 days
to arrive
Breathability
- 1Linus Tech Tips23.02 mph
peak air speed
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Maxjust over20 mph
- 3Marques Brownlee23.15 mph
- 4Vice Grip Garage20.71 mph
- 5Whistlin Diesel15.34 mph
- 6Cleetus McFarland20.57 mph
- 7Westen Champlin10.48 mph
the lowest of all shirts tested
- 8Matt's Off Road Recovery26.87 mph1st
best (first place) of all shirts tested
- 9Joe Rogan26.28 mph2nd
second best of all shirts tested
Moisture After Spin
- 1Linus Tech Tips224.56 g
after spin cycle
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Max339.3 g
after spin cycle
- 3Marques Brownlee208.52 g
after spin cycle
- 4Vice Grip Garage270.48 g
after spin cycle, 86.54 g of trapped moisture
- 5Whistlin Diesel332.27 g
after spin cycle
- 7Westen Champlin359.64 g
after spin cycle
- 8Matt's Off Road Recovery202.8 g
after spin cycle
- 9Joe Rogan197.55 g
after spin cycle
- 6Cleetus McFarlandnot tested
Moisture After 15 (min)
- 1Linus Tech Tipsjust over4 g
of water weight (4.38 g)
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Max247.35 g
over 35 g of water still in the shirt
- 3Marques Brownlee2.25 g2nd
of water weight (second best of all shirts)
- 4Vice Grip Garage192.56 g
still holding 8.62 g of water
- 5Whistlin Diesel
still pretty wet at 46.07 g of trapped moisture
- 7Westen Champlin
still holding 53.56 g of moisture, the most of any shirt
- 8Matt's Off Road Recovery
down to only 4.8 g of water weight
- 9Joe Rogan
down to only 1.77 g of water weight, best drying result of all shirts
- 6Cleetus McFarlandnot tested
Fading Place
- 1Linus Tech Tips
finished in fifth place for fading
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Max
least amount of fading of all shirts tested, looks about as good as new
- 4Vice Grip Garage
tied for second place for fading (with Cleetus McFarland shirt)
- 5Whistlin Diesel
finished in fourth place for fading; design experienced some damage
- 6Cleetus McFarland
tied for second place for fading (with Vice Grip Garage shirt)
- 7Westen Champlin
finished in eighth (last) place for fading
- 8Matt's Off Road Recovery
finished in seventh place for fading
- 9Joe Rogan
finished in sixth place for fading; design experienced the most wear and tear of all the brands
- 3Marques Brownleenot tested
Weight After Wash
- 1Linus Tech Tips149.66 g
- 3Marques Brownlee140.86 g
down 1.43 g
- 4Vice Grip Garage183.94 g
a loss of 0.88 g
- 6Cleetus McFarland188.36 g
lost just over 1 g
- 8Matt's Off Road Recovery134.13 g
(starting weight before wash not captured by host)
- 9Joe Rogan133.8 g
by far the lightest shirt, lost just over 1 g
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Maxnot tested
- 5Whistlin Dieselnot tested
- 7Westen Champlinnot tested
Durability Rating
- 1Linus Tech Tips
received the best possible durability rating of one
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Max
received the best possible durability rating of one
- 5Whistlin Diesel
not among the shirts receiving the best possible rating of one
- 8Matt's Off Road Recovery
received the best possible durability rating of one
- 3Marques Brownleenot tested
- 4Vice Grip Garagenot tested
- 6Cleetus McFarlandnot tested
- 7Westen Champlinnot tested
- 9Joe Rogannot tested
All measurements (7 more)+
Weight Before Wash
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Max211.9 g
- 4Vice Grip Garage184.82 g
- 5Whistlin Diesel192.14 g
- 7Westen Champlin208.12 g2nd
second heaviest yet
- 1Linus Tech Tipsnot tested
- 3Marques Brownleenot tested
- 6Cleetus McFarlandnot tested
- 8Matt's Off Road Recoverynot tested
- 9Joe Rogannot tested
Overall Result
- 1Linus Tech Tips
best average score overall, winner of the showdown
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Max
finished second place overall; best score for durability specifically at an average of 1.3
- 3Marques Brownlee
finished third place overall; best individual score for comfort specifically
- 4Vice Grip Garagenot tested
- 5Whistlin Dieselnot tested
- 6Cleetus McFarlandnot tested
- 7Westen Champlinnot tested
- 8Matt's Off Road Recoverynot tested
- 9Joe Rogannot tested
Weight Loss
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Max0.34 g
loss (best yet at that point in the video)
- 5Whistlin Diesel1.64 g
loss, about twice the Vice Grip Garage shirt
- 7Westen Champlin0.5 g2nd
loss, second best at that point in the video
- 1Linus Tech Tipsnot tested
- 3Marques Brownleenot tested
- 4Vice Grip Garagenot tested
- 6Cleetus McFarlandnot tested
- 8Matt's Off Road Recoverynot tested
- 9Joe Rogannot tested
Shrinkage
- 1Linus Tech Tips
least amount of shrinkage by percentage at only 0.14%
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Max
least amount of side-to-side/top-to-bottom shrinkage overall at 0.62 in; second-best shrink percentage at 0.16%
- 3Marques Brownleenot tested
- 4Vice Grip Garagenot tested
- 5Whistlin Dieselnot tested
- 6Cleetus McFarlandnot tested
- 7Westen Champlinnot tested
- 8Matt's Off Road Recoverynot tested
- 9Joe Rogannot tested
Pilling
- 1Linus Tech Tips
no issues with pilling
- 4Vice Grip Garage
a few fabric balls formed after 21 wash and dry cycles
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Maxnot tested
- 3Marques Brownleenot tested
- 5Whistlin Dieselnot tested
- 6Cleetus McFarlandnot tested
- 7Westen Champlinnot tested
- 8Matt's Off Road Recoverynot tested
- 9Joe Rogannot tested
Fading Test
- 3Marques Brownlee
excluded from fading comparison because the shirt is charcoal colored, not black
- 1Linus Tech Tipsnot tested
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Maxnot tested
- 4Vice Grip Garagenot tested
- 5Whistlin Dieselnot tested
- 6Cleetus McFarlandnot tested
- 7Westen Champlinnot tested
- 8Matt's Off Road Recoverynot tested
- 9Joe Rogannot tested
Design Wear
- 6Cleetus McFarland
started off looking very good, only a small amount of wear and tear
- 1Linus Tech Tipsnot tested
- 2Whistlin Diesel Monster Maxnot tested
- 3Marques Brownleenot tested
- 4Vice Grip Garagenot tested
- 5Whistlin Dieselnot tested
- 7Westen Champlinnot tested
- 8Matt's Off Road Recoverynot tested
- 9Joe Rogannot tested
How it was tested
- shrinkage after one wash and dry cycle
- weight loss after one wash and dry cycle
- moisture retention and drying speed
- breathability (peak air speed through fabric)
- fading after 21 wash and dry cycles
- design/logo wear and tear
- fabric pilling
- order fulfillment time
“the shirt that had the best average score is the Linus Tech Tips shirt”
