New Dash Kit Drop: Quick Reaction
The Dash have dropped their 2021 home kit, and oh boy is it orange. The black undertones from last year’s home kit have returned, but this kit loses the black stripes on the sleeves in favor of a full on “wow that’s a lot of orange” effect. I had hoped going into this to see a jersey that reflects the culture and attitude of the team, and this kit delivers fully on that. I see the current Dash as the “in your face at all times when we don’t have the ball” team of the NWSL, and the sheer amount of bold color in this kit reflects that perfectly. You cannot possibly miss any player wearing this kit.
Once your eyes adjust and you can see past the sheer amount of orange to look at the details, this kit becomes even better. We should all know at this point that hexagons are the bestagons, and this kit embodies that. It is covered with subtle hexagons that do not take away from the overall orange effect of the kit, a nice touch executed perfectly. They also match the shape of the new crest and the alternative crest in the bottom right, giving the kit a lot of cohesion when you see it up close.
The new crest itself looks sharp and modern here. Gone are the days of the clip art soccer ball, ushering in a new era of great branding and a winning mentality. I fully expect the alternative crest on the bottom right-hand side of the kit to be utilized in future branding. It is a simplified version of the new crest, and while the effect might be lost a bit looking at the kits from a long distance, I think it is a great touch that gives every kit a custom look.
In addition to embodying the Dash, this kit embodies the city of Houston very well. The phrase “H-town hold it down” being printed on the inside of the kit is everything my native Houstonian heart has ever wanted. The new crest was designed with Houston in mind, and clearly reflects that with the large H logo and the word “Houston” larger than the word “Dash”. If that was not clear enough, do not worry, the alternative crest has you covered. I love that they chose to use the HOU abbreviation for the city. Back in my days of traveling more pre-COVID, I would always get a sense of community seeing HOU on my plane ticket because I knew that was home and where I belong. I get that same sense here. Additionally, using less letters means you have more space for bigger font size, and I am all about slapping my city on a kit in the biggest letters possible.
All in all, I am liking the new kit more and more as I look at it. It covers all the basics I want in a Dash kit and then some. It is orange, there are hexagons, and it screams Houston. While I probably would have bought the new home kit even if I did not like it (my self-control with Dash gear is very lacking), I am very much looking forward to wearing this kit while on my couch watching team orange run around on my TV. Dash on y’all!