The Best Men’s Flannels of 2024

If we asked you to think of what a flannel is, most would land on a soft, chunky cotton shirt with a bold plaid pattern. No snaps. No eccentric trim. No handcrafted embroidery. It’s a white Ford truck with heated seats. It’s not going to blow any door off. It just “is.” Durable. Capable. Dependable.

Tipping the scale at just over 300 g/m², Detroit-based MuskOx’s Grand Flannel ($134) is the most robust flannel we’ve put at the top of our flannel buyer’s guide. It’s the F150 of flannels.

MuskOx sources its Better Cotton Initiative-approved cotton from Egypt and the United States. Egyptian cotton exudes a certain quality — think hotel linens in Monaco with handmade chocolates placed on its 1,000-count weave. In technical terms, “it’s the good stuff.” The cotton is then shipped to Portugal where it’s milled and sewn into an overbuilt chassis of a shirt. Which is what we love about the Grand.

The heavy cotton panels are tacked together using flat-felled seams in the body, flat-locked, and then overstitched where the arms meet the torso. We love to see flat-felled seams when possible. It folds and interlocks three layers of material together, leaving seams clean-looking and increasing overall durability.

Because of the Grand’s hefty material, a triple-sewn, flat-felled seam would be uncomfortably bulky in the armpits. And it can eventually form what is called “roping.” You see roping in denim jeans, where the dye fades away in high-stress areas to reveal the underlying white cotton. It gives denim that desirable broken-in look. But it isn’t great in a shirt, and we’ve seen why in other heavyweight shirts that flat-fell the arms to the torso. It’s bulky and eventually frays, leaving your shirt looking a little ratty.

If MuskOx is new to you, let us make the introduction. Aside from a few hats and tees, flannel is all they do. No pants, no gear, no distractions to pull attention from making the best damn shirt they can. They accomplish this by stripping it down to the essentials, not adding more — arguably a more difficult task.

With just the basics, the Grand is a no-frills shirt, but all of it is superbly done with intent. The two front pockets are sewn diagonally and perhaps the only shortcut they took on the shirt. But it doesn’t surprise us. Aligning the pocket square pattern to the shirt pattern requires more time (read money) and produces more material waste. And that’s not something MuskOx wants to compromise.

The brand’s mission boldly states that it works hard to make as small of an environmental footprint as possible. MuskOx uses recycled plastics in its buttons and packaging, and donates 10% of its proceeds to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.

Like our reliable truck, the Grand Flannel is capable of heading up to the cabin to dispatch a cord of fuel. But it’s equally happy to swing a leg over the barstool when the job’s done.

Flannels are the comfort food of clothing. They should be soft and enjoyable to wear without breaking the bank. And that is what caught our attention with Jetty’s Arbor Flannel ($80). The 100% cotton is a robust 275 g/m² mechanically brushed fabric, giving it a soft-in-the-hand feel that wears like your favorite sweatshirt. The yoke and collar are backed with nylon fabric to reduce stretching and increase durability. The same backing material is used in a small gusset sewn into the side hem.

Jetty offers an affordable shirt, so some shortcuts should be expected to keep the price in check. All seams are flat-sewn and over-stitched. Pocket patterns are sewn on the square, matching the shirt pattern (though they are sewn slightly offset).

There are no pleats, but the shirt drapes well and feels incredibly comfortable. While the shirt has a locker loop, it’s small and looks like it might pull out if hung for too long. These are all little things that help keep Jetty’s Arbor Flannel under $80. The shirt is on sale now for under $50, making Jetty’s Arbor a great buy.

Our favorite flannels are the ones that cozy up and cut through the crisp fall air. As winter closes its grip, we have a bias for fat, knurly wefts that wrap the body like a blanket. A few come to mind, most notably OuterKnown’s Blanket Shirt. While we love the Blanket Shirt, the cotton tends to be more work shirt than blanket. That’s where Pladra steps in to close the gap and raise the bar.

Constructed from plush 330 g/m², 2-ply Portuguese organic cotton, the Pladra Fireside ($155) is left unbrushed on the outside, but brushed on the inside. This combination gives you durability where you need it while feeling buttery-soft against the skin where you want it.

Pladra likens it to your favorite sweatshirt, but we’d go a little further and compare it to a sweater. It just looks too damn good to be a sweatshirt. Regardless, it’s very comfortable and easy to wear.

The prewashed material is cut into a semi-formed silhouette and sewn together with flat fell stitching in the torso and triple stitching in the shoulders and armholes. While most Pladra shirts are fully felled, felling heavy-weight fabric feels bulky under the arms and can force the fabric to fray. Overstitching the arms to the torso was a smart, strategic move.

Like all Pladra shirts, the cuffs, collar, and yoke are finished in a nature scene. It’s a touch of flair and always a conversation starter. The pattern-matching pockets disappear on the chest, adding to its cabin-cozy work shirt vibe.

Unlike most heavyweight flannels, the Fireside feels more fitted. Unabashedly ‘not boxy,’ the Fireside tapers slightly around the body and more assertively in the arms. It wears less overshirt, falling distinctively in the formal shirt cut. This makes it a clear winner for our best heavy-weight flannel shirt.

Pladra is another company entirely dedicated to flannel. Brushed twill is their North Star. It’s what gets them up in the morning and what creeps into their dreams. Given the lifetime warranty backed with repairs, you can’t go wrong with any flannel from Pladra. The Fireside is a bit of an investment but worth the coin — it will last you many a winter season.

&SONS is the inspiration of UK photographer and filmmaker Phil James. James’ muse comes from vintage workwear that was functional and fashionable. Pulling classic designs from the 1950s motorcycle culture, the clothes harken back to hardwearing utility clothing. Holding the Yukon Field Flannel ($190) in hand, you can tell the brand rolls up its sleeves for the task. It’s overbuilt in every way.

The 290 g/m² BCI cotton is stiff and lightly brushed. It breaks in over time, but it is never going to be a soft, plush flannel. This one is for the shop (or those who want to look like they spend their evenings wrapping cedar strips around a kayak form). Every stitch is fully flat-felled with heavy gauge nylon thread.

The buttons are a whopping ⅝” in diameter and cut from bison horn. For extra durability, the yoke and elbows are patched with extra flannel. Out of the box, the Yukon oozes hard-wearing quality and confidence that it will endure seasons of hard wear.

The diagonal twill has some give. A single center pleat is sewn below the locker loop at the nape of the neck yielding some extra mobility. We loved how the nylon-backed cuffs are generously sized, sliding over a modern 15 mm-thick sports watch with room to spare.

While inspired by vintage, &SONS minded a few modern details. Reinforcing gussets are sewn onto the shirt’s side seam near the bottom for durability. The patterns are thoughtfully matched on both sides. A hidden pocket is sewn into the inside of the left chest. It’s large enough to sleeve a card or folded cash. The pattern-matched front pockets are pleated at the sides, allowing them to billow out a full inch. A pencil slot is stitched into the left billow on the inside.

Our only ding may be the limited color schemes … all bold buffalo plaid (available in green, blue, and the traditional red). They shout old-timey flannel, which may turn some buyers off, but &SONS doesn’t shy away from this. They lean into vintage-inspired designs for “modern-day pioneers.”

If you are looking for a hardwearing, heavyweight cotton workhorse, the &SONS Yukon Field Flannel is a great addition to your winter wardrobe and is one of our favorite flannel finds.

We caught wind of Minus33’s Sportsman Guide Shirt ($200) at the Outdoor Media show last fall, and we immediately fell in love with the shirt. Punching in at 385 g/m², the merino-poly blend flannel wears like an overshirt and is the most shacket-like shirt we have on our list.

The merino wool blend fibers are milled into a densely woven fabric that feels buttery soft against the skin. It’s a great choice if you want the benefits of wool (warm when wet, odor and fire resistance) but are turned off by that scratchy wool feeling. We’ve worn this shirt over a tee shirt all winter and found it very wearable.

All seams are fully flat-felled. Because of the oversized fit, the seams don’t bunch under the arms. A pair of side pleats expand behind the shoulders to give the shirt extra mobility. The hem is cut straight on the square, with the pole hem tail dropping about ½ inch lower than the front. This helps the shirt stay tucked in or gives you extra protection while cooling your boots in the blinds.

The cuffs are rounded and pleated, and the pair of chest pockets are pleated and closed with mitered flaps which deter catching on edges. Under the collar, the yoke is double-reinforced with an extra swatch of wool material. The shirt closes with dime-sized buttons.

Generously oversized cuffs slide easily over the fattest watch or another shirt. The two-button design allows you to snug the cuff around the wrist. There’s a two-inch difference between the two wrist buttons. When closed with the inner button, you have a lot of fabric folded under on the inside. It feels almost too tight around a 7” wrist, which can be uncomfortable.

Minus33 is the house brand of clothing created by the New Hampshire-based textile plant, L. W. Packard & Co. Inc. Created in 2002, it is the mill’s showcase of how they envision their materials to be best used in the outdoor space. The Sportsman Guide Shirt is a pattern out of their archives and we are happy to see it is back. It is one of the best overshirts we have seen in the last 10 years and is our favorite splurge flannel for outdoor use.

More than a shirt, less than a shacket — this overshirt straddles the seasons with the ease of fall weekend.

ANIAN has made our list a few times over the years. We feel the company’s best offerings come from its line of wool shirts, which have a clean, timeless appeal. Wool makes a lot of sense in an overshirt. It has an inherent warm-when-wet disposition. ANIAN weaves in nylon for extra durability.

Lighter weight than ANIAN’s Melton shirt, the Berlino ($148) is still a heavyweight flannel. The whopping 500 g/m² fabric is trimmed with refined details, exuding heritage quality without feeling vintage. There’s just enough room to layer a base or lightweight flannel underneath, which you are going to want to do.

While merino wool has become ubiquitous with modern wool, the Berlino uses recycled traditional wool. With it comes that traditional itchy feeling. ANIAN sewed in a nylon band to protect the neck, but most will find the Berlino too rough to wear against the skin.

And while there’s some room to layer, the cut is a touch trim, and smaller chest pockets are more style and less task-friendly. We found them too small to do much more than lose that receipt from the hardware store.

To reduce its environmental footprint, ANIAN takes pride in using high-quality post-consumer recycled fabrics that are created in dye and chemical-free processing.

Made in Canada, the Berlino is stout and heavy and feels more felty than woven — like traditional peacoat wool used by the Navy. It sheds water and blocks wind, making it an ideal outer shirt and a bridge between flannel and shirt jac flannels.

No-fuss, no bull, Devium lightly brushes its 220 g/m² cotton twill into a low suede-like nap, giving the Boca Flannel Shirt ($148) a tougher, more durable finish.

The shirt is patched with a pair of diagonal pockets that close with a buttoned flap. The flaps are notched at 45 degrees to reduce catching. Ideally, we’d love to see Devium take that approach on the cuffs too, which are cut and finished on the square.

Dime-sized cat-eye buttons close the shirt are easy to use and recess at the thread holes, protecting the thread from abrasion.

Softer than Duluth’s Free Swinging and better fitting than Patagonia’s Farrier shirt (last year’s choice for best work flannel), the Boca is a capable flannel that caulks the gap between form, function, and comfort. They don’t put their money into marketing, they put it into materials and construction.

Devium holds itself to the venerable Berry-Compliant standard, which is a requirement to sell to the DoD. To be clear, Devium isn’t truly Berry-Certified (and the SeaBees aren’t swinging iron in Boca flannels). That certification would be on file with the suppliers and require a DoD contract.

Yet, Devium takes to heart what it means to sew that American flag onto every shirt. The 220 g/m² cotton is sourced and milled in Missouri and sent to SoCal for finishing. The horn buttons are custom-made at a factory in Pennsylvania.

From cut to finish, down to the last stitch of nylon thread, the entire Boca Flannel Shirt is made in the USA. Resisting the urge to take a shortcut and to do things truly right … well, that’s an admirable mission statement we can get behind with enthusiasm.

This year Wellen floats a vintage vibe into the flannel market with its $118 cotton poly Hazy Flannel. Double brushed to a well-napped surface, the Hazy feels broken in right out of the box. The 220 g/m² fabric has an aged, dusty hue, like it’s seen a few sunbaked afternoons at the beach, Modelos optional.

This Hazy is for those who like the look of the classic Ford Bronco but want the modern Bronco engine. The single drop-in pocket, the washed-out patina — all make the Hazy look unassumingly vintage. But a closer look shows attention to details that matter, like fully felled seams for durability, a gusset in the back for arm mobility, and contrasting brown buttons that lock the front down securely.

The informal overtone is matched with the relaxed cut. The Hazy gives you plenty of room to move in, but not much room to layer under the shirt. But hey, if you’ve been down at the beach all day, you’re probably just layering it over sand and a tee.

Lightly brushed 100% cotton, Filson’s Alaskan Guide Shirt ($145) is a frequent flier on our top flannel guide. It shines as a reliable work shirt for the shop or worn around town and is a great choice for a weekend chore shirt. The 8 oz. cotton is densely woven, helping deflect wind and sharps. A locker hook is tacked at the nape of the neck just over the single center pleat. The pleat gives you a little extra room in the shoulders to swing an axe or reach those holiday boxes tucked away on the top shelf. 

We appreciate that the cuffs and pocket flaps are rounded to reduce catching on edges. Both chest pockets have center pleats, allowing you to store a little extra. While the cuffs have two buttons to provide extra room (or batten down), we would like to see a little more room given to the outside button. The cuffs snug tight around the wrist and don’t leave a lot of room for a watch.

The shirt is sewn together through a combination of flat-felled seams in the arms and body, and overstitched seams in the armholes. This stitch combination is usually reserved for sewing heavy-weight fabrics together, and is more often seen in lower price point shirts. The 8 oz. fabric is densely woven and lightly brushed and probably could get away with fully felling the sleeves to the torso. At nearly $150, this ends up feeling more like a shortcut in the Alaskan Guide than a functional decision.

Filson shirts are known to be oversized by one full size. We always order down one size smaller and the fit feels spot on. The fit is still loose enough to layer over a midweight base layer without feeling constrictive. Because of this size disconnect, we recommend trying the Alaskan Guide Shirt on before you buy it.

Helly Hansen’s Classic Check Shirt ($100) is a case study on the complexity of fabric weight. While the shirt uses a robust, 370 g/m² fabric, the shirt feels much lighter. That cotton fibers are densely woven and lightly brushed, and all sewn together with fully felled seams, bringing a highly durable work shirt ethos to what we would list as a midweight flannel.

A single front pocket hides on the shirt’s left side. Helly Hansen cut a hole through the front of the shirt, sewing the pocket sleeve to the inside. The stealth pocket closes with a cross-check flap.

Form-fitted and with little mechanical stretch, mobility is provided through pleats at the wrist and a single center pleat at the nape of the neck. The cuffs run tight when buttoned down– especially around a watch. We had to unbutton the cuffs to pull the shirt off.

A button-down collar gives the shirt some sporty flair. A locker hook is tacked to both the inside of the collar and below the yoke of the shirt. 

Helly Hansen flannels are a common choice for ski resort employees. Durable and functional, the Classic Check Shirt is a great flannel to keep in mind for shoulder seasons and general hard-wearing work.

Although billed as a heavyweight shirt, we feel the 210 g/m² 100% cotton Jackson Country Shirt ($130) wears more as a midweight, work-inspired shirt. Lightly brushed, the warp and weft of the fibers are soft, but in the hand reveal the natural knotty inconsistencies of the cotton yarn.

It feels more rugged than the traditional shirts we find from Proper Cloth and lacks that buttery-soft flannel feel some yearn for in a flannel shirt. But it carves a line without sacrificing all that we love about the brand.

No detail is overlooked. All seams are flat-felled. The collar is reinforced with hearty antique brass stays. The pair of font pockets are pattern-matched. The double-layered split yoke creates a more form-fitting shirt over the shoulders and adds subtle western flair. The side seam is double-backed at the hem for extra durability and closes down the front with ½-inch buttons. Taken all together, it’s safe to say that the Jackson is decidedly well-finished.

Proper Cloth is an online supplier that distributes made–to–order clothing. You enter your measurements and pick the materials and they send you a shirt that is tailor-made to your size. The Jackson is more of their off-the-shelf shirt but you can plug in your measurements to dial in a near-perfect fit.

While the shirt probably won’t get you any credibility at the Dutton Ranch, it’s a great option to bring a little Western vibe into your wardrobe. The fit and pattern options are current and at $130, we feel you are getting great value with the Jackson Country Shirt.

Flannel people know (and love) Outerknown’s Blanket Shirt. It’s a bellwether layer that our staff lives in from fall through spring and cool mountain mornings.

This year, Outerknown released an even softer shirt, the Cloud Weave Shirt ($200). Given its pedigree, we feel it deserves some time on the list, to share both the good and the bad.

We can’t start the conversation without mentioning the pattern. Bolder patterns are making their way off the runways and into the racks. The Cloud Weave exemplifies the trickledown. Unlike the Blanket Shirt’s deep bench of 34 patterns, the Cloud Weave is offered in four, boldly hatched colorways.

While the Blanket Shirt wears more work shirt, the Cloud Weave’s fat, loosely woven yarns create a sense of delicateness to it. It is more durable than you would think, but it feels much softer and the fit is more tailored, with slimmer arms and torso. Our medium felt a little too slim in the arms and we’d recommend considering sizing up.

The construction is straightforward. No pleats, no gussets. The loose weave yields some stretch. The pair of chest pockets are sewn flat to the front of the shirt and match the chest materials pattern. The shoulders and side hem are flat-felled, while the armholes are overstitched. And that’s a decision Outerknown had to make to reduce the overall bulk in this trim-fitting shirt.

If this is your first venture out into Outerknown, the Blanket Shirt is a more traditional, safer bet. But if you have the Blanket Shirt and want to boldly go where others haven’t before, the Cloud Weave is a statement flannel that will be a head-turner at the lodge bar.

The crew at Roark loves adventure. Always testing products and bringing home inspiration from the road, this year Roark released a well-priced heavy-weight flannel overshirt that is a great option for winter. 

A classic-looking wool poly flannel, the Nordsman Long Sleeve Flannel ($100) is a no-frills heavyweight and one of the only shirts on our list that closes with snaps. The front placket is backed with a nylon strip to prevent the snaps from pulling out. Two small pleats are tucked behind the shoulder and the sleeves pleat around the wrist for extra taper. 

The miter-edged cuffs close around the wrist with a small button and a snap at the wrist. We did find the cuffs run a little snug in the otherwise robust shirt. It’s tight when worn over a sports watch and pulls off easier unsnapped.

The wool poly blend is sewn together with a combination of flat-felled and overstitched seams, giving the shirt durability and comfort at an affordable price. Adding to the shirt’s rough and tumble feel are solid flannel patches sewn behind the elbows. Overall the shirt feels refined and form-fitting and is best worn over a tee shirt or lightweight base. 

Roark has been catching our attention lately. Their surf-infused style feels laidback and easy wearing. The Nordsman is a great choice to throw in the travel bag when you don’t want to bring a sweatshirt or sweater.

True to the name, Mountain Hardwear’s Plusher Flannel ($85) is a plump cotton flannel that adds some BTUs to cold weather days.

Constructed from a hefty 300 g/m² milled organic cotton, the Plusher is sewn together with fully felled seams in the torso and lower volume overstitched shoulders and arms. It’s a good combination of durability and comfort that we like to see applied to heavy-weight flannels.

The pair of drop-in chest pockets each close with a single button and are pattern-matched to the shirt. Look on the inside, though, they took a shortcut on the button backers. They sewed the buttons through a swatch of rough-cut flannel for durability. It looks cheap and feels unfinished — like they forgot to execute the final concept.

But at $80, you are still getting a quality, plush flannel that you can wear alone or layer as an overshirt.

Soft and oversized, Smartwool’s Anchor Line ($200) punches in around the 300 g/m² mark, and is another shirt jacket worth looking at. 

Slightly tailored and more plush than Minus33’s Sportsman Guide, the Anchor Line wears more like a shirt than a shacket. The hem is rounded and instead of pleats, the shirt’s give is in the cut and material. All seams are finished with a surge machine and left exposed on the inside, which leaves the shirt feeling slightly unfinished.

For $200, we’d like to see those seams at least tucked under an overstitch. It protects the seams from getting caught and potentially unraveling. This would disrupt the clean lines of the Anchor Line. The entire shirt closes with snaps with pleated pockets snapped shut with mitered flaps. 

Overall, we prefer the finish of Minus33’s Sportsman Guide Shirt. The buttons, pockets, seams — everything feels like it was given more attention than Smartwools Anchor Line. But Smartwool offers more modern colorways and the material feels more comfortable against the skin.

For a more heavy-duty outer shirt, we’d recommend the Minus33. For a more office, urban-friendly shirt, Smartwool’s Anchor Line is a handsome wool flannel.