This is a Fanatics Breakaway NHL jersey review. The Fanatics Breakaway is the official replica jersey of the NHL. If you are shopping for NHL fan jerseys, 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).
Adidas makes the authentic jerseys, Fanatics makes the replica jerseys. For comparison, this is what the Adidas Authentic jerseys look like and how much they cost at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com). I would suggest looking at those quickly just to help gauge a difference.
The Fanatics Breakaway jersey is my choice for best NHL fan jersey due to its combination of price, fit, comfort, and style. In this Fanatics Breakaway jersey review I will use pictures of the Breakaway jersey that I own to help you understand its quality and fit.
When buying an NHL fan jersey, you have 3 main options:
- Adidas Authentic
- Adidas Practice
- Fanatics Breakaway
In this article we will focus mainly on the Fanatics Breakaway, but if you are looking for a team jersey, your choice basically comes down to Adidas Authentic vs Fanatics Breakaway. This is because the Adidas Practice (although still a cool option) is an alternate practice style that does not look like the team’s on-ice game jersey.
The Adidas Authentic jerseys are, obviously, the authentic version of the team’s jersey (meaning premium finishes to match the on-ice jersey of the pros). The Fanatics Breakaway is the replica version, which will look almost identical but with less premium design details.
Again, Adidas has the contract to create the authentic NHL fan jerseys, and Fanatics has the contract to create the replica NHL fan jerseys (source).
Replica jerseys are popular across all sports because they are made to look very similar to the authentic team jersey, but with a few less premium finishes so that the overall cost of the jersey can be lower. This offers fans a second, more affordable, price point from which to choose a jersey.
This article is a Fanatics Breakaway jersey review so that you can know what to expect out of this jersey in case you are in the market for a replica NHL jersey. We will discuss:
- Fanatics Breakaway Jersey Cost
- Fanatics Breakaway Jersey Sizing
- Fanatics Breakaway Jersey Features
- Fanatics Breakaway vs Adidas Authentic Jerseys
Fanatics Breakaway Jersey Review: Cost
Again, the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys are the official replica jerseys of the NHL, which means they are made in a way that allows them to be offered at a more-affordable price point than the authentic jerseys.
This is the current price of the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com). The Fanatics jerseys are the jerseys I recommend for most fans, in large part due to the affordable price point.
Fanatics Breakaway Jersey Sizing
Sizing for NHL jerseys can be a bit complicated. NHL jerseys fit big so that you can layer the jerseys over the top of other clothes. To read in depth about the sizing of all NHL jerseys, visit our NHL Jersey Sizing Guide.
Let’s take a specific look at the Fanatics Breakaway jersey sizing. How do Fanatics Breakaway jerseys fit?
How do Fanatics Breakaway jerseys fit?
Size Chart
This is where you can find the official size chart for the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys listed at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com). That link takes you to a Fanatics Breakaway product page where the size chart is linked above the available sizes.
Fanatics Breakaway jerseys have a loose, baggy fit. They are sized in a way that allows you to layer underneath. If you prefer a tighter fit, you will need to size down.
Here is a look at me wearing the size medium that I own (6’3″ 200 pounds):
For reference, here I am wearing a standard medium t-shirt:
And here is a look at my size medium Fanatics Breakaway jersey compared to a size medium Hanes undershirt straight out of the package:
As you can see, it is safe to expect the Fanatics Breakaway to fit much larger than standard clothes. I always like to tell people to expect NHL jerseys (including Fanatics Breakaway) to fit like a pullover jacket.
NHL jerseys are sized so that you have room to wear the jersey over the top of your normal clothes. Many fans layer jerseys over their normal clothes due to winter and due to the chill of NHL arenas. If you do not plan to layer your jersey over other clothes, definitely size down.
Fanatics Breakaway Jersey Review: Features
As we discussed previously in the article, the Fanatics Breakaway jersey is a replica jersey, meaning it won’t be a complete match to what the players wear on the ice during games.
Visually, it looks nearly identical, but there are some small differences to help keep costs down so that the replica jersey can be offered at a more affordable price point.
That said, one reason I recommend the Fanatics Breakaway jersey as the best NHL fan jersey is the fact that even though it is a replica jersey, it still has very respectable quality. In my opinion, it gives fans a nice combination of quality and price.
My Fanatics Breakaway jersey has sewn-on graphics, including the front chest logo:
In my opinion, overall, the graphics are all well-done and look very similar to the Adidias Authentic jerseys. Here is a look at the graphics on my Fanatics Breakaway jersey:
The collar is well-made and I don’t think stretching will be an issue unless you overdo it. It has a tagless collar with the NHL shield at the front neckline.
The material is very breathable, which I personally like so that when I layer it I don’t get overheated. The material is a mid-weight, and even with all the graphics attached the jersey doesn’t feel extremely heavy to wear.
This is where you can browse the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys at NHLShop.com to see what team styles are available (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).
Fanatics Breakaway vs Adidas Authentic Jerseys
Often times your decision on which NHL jersey to buy will come down to Adidas Authentic vs Fanatics Breakaway. Do you want to spend up for the Authentic, or go for the more budget-friendly replica jersey.
Overall, the differences between my jerseys, although noticeable, are quite minimal, and that is another reason why I feel like the Fanatics Breakaway is the best NHL fan jersey once you factor in price. Here are some comparison photos of my two jerseys:
(Fanatics: left; Adidas: right)
(Adidas: left; Fanatics: right)
If you want to read more about the Adidas Authentic jerseys, visit our Adidas Authentic Jersey Review.
Fanatics Breakaway Jersey Review: Summary
The Fanatics Breakaway jersey is the official replica jersey of the NHL. Adidas is the official outfitter for the NHL, but they do not have the contract for the replica jerseys in the NHL – that belongs to Fanatics.
The Fanatics Breakaway jersey is my choice for best fan jersey when you factor in price, style, quality, and comfort. Despite being a replica jersey, and therefore made in a way that helps keep the price point down so that the jersey will be a more affordable option, the Fanatics Breakaway jersey still has very nice quality.
- This is the current price of the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys available at NHLShop.com (NHLShop.com is the official online shop of the NHL).
My Fanatics Breakaway jersey does have some sewn-on graphics, and the material has a nice, breathable feel to it that doesn’t make you feel overheated when you layer the jersey over your normal clothes.
The Breakaway jersey does fit loose, just like all NHL jerseys do. If you prefer a tighter fit you will need to size down. The Breakaway jersey does have slimmer sleeves and a slimmer waist than the Authentic jerseys, but it does still fit loose. To read more about how all NHL jersesy fit, visit our NHL Hockey Jersey Sizing Guide.
The Fanatics Breakaway jersey is perfect for you if you are looking for a team jersey, but don’t want to spend all the way up for the Adidas Authentic jerseys. The Breakaway jersey gives you a replica option that allows you to rep your favorite player and team at a more affordable price point than the Authentic jerseys.
Where to Buy Fanatics Breakaway Jerseys?
Because there are potentially fake jerseys on the re-sale market, I always advise people to buy from a reputable source like NHLShop.com, which is the official online shop of the NHL. This is where you can shop for Fanatics Breakaway jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).