Kappa Roma Home 11/12 Jersey Review
By Zach Jepson
To put it simply, the new 11/12 home Roma jersey by Kappa is visually stunning but has some setbacks that keep it from being a “must-buy”. First, the most notable feature of the shirt is that it is made of a material known as Lycra. Lycra can best be described as almost a spandex like material and because of that, it makes the overall fit of the jersey very tight. The new kit also features embroidered club crest, kappa logo, screened “Wind” sponsor, and screened kappa logos. The crest on the home shirt differs than those on the away and third shirts. The crest on the home is the original crest while the new crest is featured on the other shirts. The embroidered Kappa name is located on the right shoulder, making it a unique location compared to the other larger manufacturers. The screened Kappa logos are on either side running from the bottom hem to the armpit, I personally think these weren’t needed and it makes the shirt a bit “busy”. The “Wind” sponsor is a highlight for me as I have always been a fan of it and the blue in the curved line really looks great on the burgundy and orange of the jersey.
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Now, I love the shirt because of how it is just entirely different than anything Nike, Adidas, or Puma releases to the public. The colors are outstanding and they are much brighter than what is shown on the website. You have to see this jersey in person to see how stunning it looks. I wore this shirt around town and got a lot of compliments from strangers…lots of lady strangers, that’s right guys, want to talk to a new lady friend? Buy this shirt. But listen to this advice first. Kappa’s sizing is absolutely crazy. I don’t know what they could be possibly thinking but I think they must be based out of Amsterdam rather than Italy (Amsterdam, that’s not a knock on you—you keep doing what you do). If you want a size similar to your normal jersey or t-shirt size you need to order three sizes up. If you want a tight fit like how a Nike compression shirt or Under Armour Coldgear shirt would fit, then order two sizes up from your regular size. This means if you’re a small in Adidas and you want a looser fit then you need to order an XL in this. I wear a large in Nike, Adidas and Puma…I’m a XXXL in this. Now, this is where thing’s get even wackier. Not all of Kappa’s sizing is the same! A Fulham shirt by Kappa fits differently than these Roma shirts. I have a 10/11 Fulham shirt (Go Dempsey! I’m from the USA…yes I know I’m a Spurs fan, Dempsey is an exception), and it is made from Lycra too but their sizing is much more similar to how a Nike or Adidas shirt would fit like. I recommend only going up one size in those. If you wear a large, grab an XL in a Fulham Kappa shirt. The sizing is just out of control and that is a major annoyance for this reviewer.
So, what we have here is a shirt that looks great but has a crazy sizing scale. Also, it’s not much different than any of the other Roma shirts Kappa has released in the past 5 years. In my opinion, if you own a home Roma shirt by Kappa from the past few years, don’t bother buying this 11/12 one. However, if you’re a Roma fan without a shirt…I’d definitely buy it…but three sizes larger than your regular shirt size. Additionally, any guys having trouble with the ladies…buy this shirt; it’s an easy compliment grabber and conversation starter. You’ll be getting phone numbers in no time. Don’t believe me? Buy the shirt. Or ask Francesco Totti. Remember, the King of Rome is not dead people.