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I’ve reviewed the previous version of this Vollebak Planet Earth Shirt last year here. So if it seems weird I’m writing about it again its because there are some subtle improvements that mean I think this new Blue Edition is worthy of its own review.

I’ve been wearing the first version of the Planet Earth shirt a lot on outdoor adventures for a few reasons and all of those features remain on this new edition. From the fabric up this shirt was created to ‘cover every possibility’ if you were to be dropped at random anywhere on Earth. It does this magnificently well.

Fabric

The shirt starts with a hi-tec fabric from Schoeller that gives the shirt stretch and comfort, breathability and water repellency. Its like ‘Tec Linen’.The shirt also has reinforced mini ‘welds’ at the key stitching joins to further give it strength. I don’t recommend it to your own shirt but to prove a point I once used my shirt to support my own weight to show how strong it was.

Air Con Shirt

The shirt has various bits along the back, around the chest pockets and round the arm articulation that ‘open up’ and allow extra air flow through the shirt to help cool you down. The large vents that run to the sides of the chest pockets have zips so you can open and close them to help regulate your comfort in the extreme heat. The shirt also has tidy button loops half way up the arms to keep rolled up sleeves tidy.

Cargo Pockets on Your Chest

The pockets on the chest are EPIC. They neatly fold down to low profile when not being used but can bellow out to large when needed. They contain a secret passport pocket, paracord loops for tools and pens (mightier than the sword) and one pocket even has a small loop underneath it that you can attach a carabiner too.

There is also a smaller pocket on the left arm which I find is useful, not quite big enough for sunglasses but large enough for snacks and small suntan lotion.

Mosquito Collar

The shirt has a collar that can be flipped up and buttoned up to fully cover your neck to keep biting insects off you, which along with the long sleeves means you are less susceptible to nasty insect bites.

Corozo Buttons

I love the hi-tec and natural Earth mashup of this shirt. The buttons are made from Corozo nut which is a super hard natural wood type substance that actually used to be used for buttons before plastics came along. The patina of the wood and the Vollebak logo are a nice touch and look superb.

The buttons have the freedom to slide up and down by being attached to paracord stitched to the shirt so that you get more freedom of movement.

Sartorial Polymorphism

The breathability means you can wear this as a base layer in the cold, but it works as a shirt and even as a field shirt / light jacket hybrid because its also water repellent.

Its easy to wash and doesn’t crease and even has little hang clips/loops at the base to help you hang it out to dry. It dries very quickly too when washed or when you get wet wearing it.

So What’s New?

I compared the new Blue Edition to my existing White Planet Earth Shirt. I’ve seen a few subtle changes that I think are a benefit. Firstly the chest pockets on the original can add visual bulk to you. I’m quite a ‘stocky’ and short guy so the previous version tended to make me look quite squat and wide. This new Blue Edition is a few inches longer overall on the body than the old giving a more complimentary fit for short people like me and I’ve noticed that the arms are slightly longer to fit more body shapes and the cuffs have a wider fit than the previous version giving me more comfortable room for a bulky Casio G Shock/Submariner/Omega/Traser watch.

Whether its Jungle Armani or Desert Dior this shirt has it all

I also think the flaps on the top of the chest pockets are slightly bigger and the chest pockets themselves have moved down slightly to make the shirt look more smart and flattering for more people. Its subtle but the overall tweaks leave the shirt just as practical but much more tailored and smarter looking.

Its possible the material used is slightly thicker and sturdier than before but this may be due to the amount of wear and washes my existing shirt has had. I also noticed that this shirt is made in a different factory to the previous version, but its clear the impeccable build quality and design features are still strong.

Verdict

Whether its Jungle Armani or Desert Dior this shirt has it all. Smart enough for a posh restaurant and tough enough for extreme outdoor adventures in the heat or cold. Its packed with useful outdoor features whilst retaining an elegant sartorial cut. The new improvements in shape and fit are a great improvement and the ‘navy’ blue color harks back to a ‘Commander James Bond’ movie era.

I reckon Daniel Craig would approve.

You can learn more about this shirt here