Today, we're reviewing the recently launched Roller Derby Shirt Club.
What Is It?
The Roller Derby Shirt Club is essentially a "Cheese of the Month" Club but with roller derby shirts. You pay for a 6 or 12 month subscription and get a shirt for every month. Each shirt is based on a logo of a different team. Along with the shirt, you get basic info on the team featured and some small miscellaneous derby merch (company stickers and the like).
How Much Does It Cost?
There's a sliding scale based on where you're ordering from. The rundown is as follows, courtesy of the Roller Derby Shirt Club's website:
USA: $75 and up for 6 months, $145 and up for 1 year.
CANADA: $85 and up for 6 months, $165 and up for 1 year.
Everywhere else: $95 for 6 months, $185 for 1 year
That does rightly sound like a significant chunk of change, but the price per shirt is really very reasonable.
What Else Do I Need to Know?
You can update your shirt size and shipping address. They don't seem to do refunds, however, so don't expect that $185 back if you end up not liking the shirts. Leagues and roller derby-related companies can get in touch with them to get involved.
So, Did You Like It?
Yes, but with a few caveats for the potential consumer. Every shirt is sent out at the beginning of the month, so be prepared for a few weeks of waiting if you're a Canadian or International customer. I signed up back in December, so I started with their very first shirt. The shirt arrived, along with an information sheet on the team featured and some stickers and company logo-type stuff that isn't really my bag. The shirt itself featured a cool logo printed on soft cotton. Rather awesomely, RDSC keeps an archive of featured teams and shirts, which I look forward to seeing grow. January was the Rollergirls of the Apocalypse from Germany.
Sizing seems to run a bit small on the shirts, so if you waver between sizes, go for the bigger one. The cotton is nice and soft, but doesn't scream durable, though time will have to tell on that one. RDSC is not for you if you want folks to think you actually got the shirts from the leagues themselves: each shirt features the RDSC logo on the sleeve, so you'll be kept honest.
My initial sizing estimation was off, so I emailed RDSC to change my subsequent shirts to a size up. They got back to me really quickly, so my experience of their customer service so far is very good. I still have a too-tight t-shirt in my closet, but I might either donate it to my league or keep it in case of laundry days or sudden weight loss.
All in all, I'm happy with my purchase and I'm looking forward to having tiny derby care packages coming my way each month, especially since they'll give me a chance to learn about new leagues. Actually, starting next week, for each shirt I get, I'll post about the team featured. So, in terms of inspiration and sweet derby wear, I feel pretty much covered.
