This is an Adidas NHL Practice jersey review. Before we start the review, if you are looking for NHL jersey advice, I own and review all 3 types of NHL jerseys. Quickly, here’s what you need to know:
- Adidas Authentic Jersey – Official Authentic Jersey. This is the closest you can get as a fan to wearing what the players wear on the ice. Stitched graphics. Loose fit, but I ordered my regular sizing. Click here to view the Adidas Authentic Jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).
- Fanatics Breakaway Jersey – This is the official replica jersey of the NHL. Still has nice quality even though it isn’t authentic. Stitched graphics. Loose fit also, but sleeves are a bit slimmer than the Adidas jerseys. More affordable than the authentic jerseys. Click here to view the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).
- Adidas Practice Jersey – Alternate Adidas option. More affordable than Adidas Authentics. Practice themed jersey so it has a bit of a different look than the standard jerseys. This jersey also has a loose fit, but I ordered my regular sizing. Click here to view the Adidas Practice jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).
This is the jersey type that I recommend as the best NHL fan jersey due to its quality, style, and price point (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com). I hate to make it sound simple, but the Fanatics Breakaway jersey really is an easy choice for me as best fan jersey for these 3 reasons:
- It’s well made and comfortable
- It’s a team replica jersey (meaning it looks like the team jersey)
- It’s more budget-friendly than the Adidas Authentic jerseys
Even though the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys are my favorite to recommend, in this article I am going to focus on reviewing the Adidas Practice jerseys. The Adidas Practice jerseys are a cool alternate option to the standard team jersey designs. Here is a look at my Adidas Practice jersey:
When shopping for NHL fan jerseys there are 3 fan jerseys to choose from:
- Adidas Authentic
- Adidas Practice
- Fanatics Breakaway
Adidas is the official outfitter of the NHL for on-ice uniforms. They have the contract to produce the authentic fan jerseys. The authentic fan jerseys are the closest you can get as a fan to wearing what the players’ wear on the ice (close, but not exact matches).
But it is important to note that Adidas does not have the contract to create the replica NHL fan jerseys. Replica jerseys are jerseys that appear to be very similar to the authentic jerseys, but have minor cost-saving differences so that they can be offered to fans at a more-affordable price point.
In the NHL, Fanatics has the contract to produce the replica jerseys, not Adidas.
This could potentially have created a void in Adidas’s NHL jersey market if the only jersey they offered to fans was the Adidas authentic jersey, which is a very nice jersey, but does carry a higher price point to reflect that quality.
The Adidas Practice jerseys allow Adidas to give fans a more-affordable jersey option. The Adidas Practice jerseys are not replica jerseys, meaning they are not styled like the standard team jersey (because Adidas does not have the contract to produce replica jerseys). Instead, they are a practice version alternate.
In this Adidas Practice jersey review, we are going to discuss:
- Adidas Practice Jersey Cost
- Adidas Practice Jersey Sizing
- Adidas Practice Jersey Features
- Best Place to Buy Adidas Practice Jerseys
What is super cool about the Adidas Practice jerseys is they give you an opportunity to stand out a bit from all the fans wearing the standard team jerseys. Here is a look at my Adidas Practice jersey compared to my Fanatics Breakaway replica team jersey and my Adidas Authentic team jersey:
Adidas Practice Jersey Review: Cost
The Adidas Practice jerseys are more affordable than the Adidas Authentic jerseys, so if you are operating on a tighter budget, they may make more sense for you than the Adidas Authentic NHL jerseys.
This is the current price of the Adidas Practice jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com). NHLShop.com is the official NHL online store and has the largest selection of NHL licensed merchandise.
Adidas Practice Jersey Sizing
The Adidas Practice jerseys use a numerical sizing system instead of the standard small-medium-large sizing. As you can see above, I own a size 50. This is how the sizing works per their official size chart:
- 42 = XXS
- 44 = XS
- 46 = S
- 50 = M
- 52 = L
- 54 = XL
- 56 = XXL
- 60 = 3XL
Picking the right size to order for NHL can be a bit tricky. Let’s discuss how Adidas Practice jerseys fit.
How Do Adidas Practice Jerseys Fit?
I normally wear size medium t-shirt. For reference, here I am wearing a size medium:
Because I normally wear mediums, I ordered a size 50 which is a medium equivalent. Here is how the size 50 fits on me (6’3″ 200 pounds):
The Adidas Practice jerseys (like all NHL jerseys) have a large, loose fit. If you prefer a tighter fit, you will need to size down.
NHL jerseys are sized large so that there is room to layer underneath. Being a cold-weather sport, and also because NHL arenas can be cool, many fans like to layer their jerseys over the top of their normal clothes.
It it best to think of the sizing of the Adidas Practice jerseys much like you would a pullover jacket. Expect extra room built-in to the sizing so that it can be layered.
For reference, here is my size 50 Adidas Practice jerseys (medium equivalent) compared to a size medium Hanes undershirt straight out of the package:
As you can see, the size 50 Adidas Practice jersey is much larger and longer. If you prefer a tighter fit, size down. Expect room built-in for layering.
Adidas Practice Jersey Features
The Adidas Practice jerseys give fans an alternate style to choose from in comparison to the standard team jerseys. The jersey has a lightweight feel to it which I like so that when I layer it I don’t get overheated.
It’s important to remember that the Adidas Practice jerseys have a lower price point than the Adidas Authentic jerseys. Because of this, the Adidas Practice jerseys do not have some of the premium finishes that the Adidas Authentic jerseys have.
Overall, this is not a major issue to many fans. Although the Adidas Practice jersey has heat-sealed graphics instead of sewn-on graphics, the appearance of the jersey is still very clean and stylish, and the jersey is still a very cool way to rep a team and player.
One nice thing about the heat-sealed graphics that the Adidas Practice jerseys have, is the graphics are very flexible, and it makes the jersey very easy and comfortable to wear. Here is a close-up look at the features of the jersey that I own:
As you can see, the graphics almost have a reflective shine to them and are very flexible and easy to wear. The Practice jersey does come with the built-in fight strap. The collar is tagless and well-made and I don’t foresee stretching being an issue unless you overdo it.
Best Place to Buy Adidas Practice Jerseys
This is where you can browse the entire selection of Adidas Practice jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com). NHLShop.com is the official online shop of the NHL. Because there potentially are fakes on the re-sale marketplace, I always advise people to buy their jerseys from a reputable source like NHLShop.com.