New Vikings Uniforms

[Sport]

How hard would it have been to make white socks with stripes that match the white sleeves? Not hard at all.

When are some of you tools going to realize that striped socks went out with the rubicks cube and parachute pants about 30 years ago?

That's why nobody with new uniforms in the past decade have used them.

Dennisbergan,

700 posts. 500 of them about how nobody likes striped socks. The guy who shows up every football season to discuss football uniforms and only football uniforms.

Hey troll, what's in style most of the time doesn't look good. The leotard look is in style and it definitely doesn't look good. Striped socks solve said leotard problem. Also, fashion is cyclical and because you're such a purveyor of what is fashionable and what is in, will you champion striped socks when they do come back in style?

[Gr3g3]

So can someone explain the numbers? I've seen the second digit serifed and unserifed....

[Midway]

I'm annoyed that the Vikings fans will never go up in arms about that black facemask. It really is the one stain on this white wall.

[xmichaelp]

I'm annoyed that the Vikings fans will never go up in arms about that black facemask. It really is the one stain on this white wall.

Because it's impossible to have a different opinion than you, right?

So can someone explain the numbers? I've seen the second digit serifed and unserifed....

I too would like to know this. Although I'd guess that the second numbers won't be serifed. All the ones (including Greenway) in the Vikings store is unserifed. The only one that was serifed was the one Greenway modeled, the weird part is the TV numbers are also serifed on those so it wasn't just an error or something..

[drakexedge]

The new Vikes definitely are the best of the 3 new jerseys. I would rank the Dolphins next, then Jags last. It's not that I dislike either of the two, but the Jags are a little too busy, and that helmet is pretty lousy until they decide on a gradient pattern, and you just can't top these Vikings uniforms.

[Midway]

I'm annoyed that the Vikings fans will never go up in arms about that black facemask. It really is the one stain on this white wall.

Because it's impossible to have a different opinion than you, right?

So can someone explain the numbers? I've seen the second digit serifed and unserifed....

I too would like to know this. Although I'd guess that the second numbers won't be serifed. All the ones (including Greenway) in the Vikings store is unserifed. The only one that was serifed was the one Greenway modeled, the weird part is the TV numbers are also serifed on those so it wasn't just an error or something..

Frankly, I don't remember implying that.

[SCL]

Greenway's was an error both on back and TV numbers, The white set Rudolph wore did not have the same issue.

[pcgd]

Greenway's was an error both on back and TV numbers, The white set Rudolph wore did not have the same issue.

And this is why this idea has been thought of before but ultimately left on the cutting room floor. They used the wrong right number IN THE UNVEILING. It's gonna happen at retail or on field at some point.

[xheisenbergx]

Does anyone know what the official away uniforms will be?

[TruColor]

I'm beginning to think that - at least for Nike designs - Black facemasks are the new Gray masks. By that I mean the default color appears to be Black...we've got two throwback helmets that inexplicably went Black...especially the New York Titans helmets that apparently have Black masks on a Dark Navy helmet:

...and then there's the Redskins' faux leather throwback helmet:

However, I'm also thinking that the designers had a decision to make in regards to the Vikings...as someone else suggested, Purple wouldn't really work on a matte finish, White or Gold would look ridiculous, and then there's Gray. I'll stop there.

[orangefaniniowa]

This coming from a Packer fan, the Vikings uniforms are great!! Nothing too spectacular or anything too dramatic. Just simple and very classic!! That is how you create a great jersey without going overboard.

I think the new Vikings jerseys will help create more oomph in the Viking-Packer rivalry, something that was lacking the last several years.

[oldschoolvikings]

Wow...dare I say it? These seem to be a colossal disjointed mess. It is actually worse than I imagined. Terrible number font, totally unnecessary addition of black to the helmet that is repeated nowhere throughout the uni, and a horrible sleeve stripe gimmick that totally ruins it for me. I'm speechless.

Apparently not.

[nuordr]

Does anyone know what the official away uniforms will be?

I am hoping the purple pants on the road as that will be the best looking road uniform in the league.

[oldschoolvikings]

From VIKINGS.COM

Still not sure if I can be convinced to feel OK about a random black facemask. I agree with some of you that, looking at the helmet alone, the black is nice looking. This helmet above is a sharp piece of design. And it's possible that a purple mask wouldn't blend with the matte finish, although I'd need to see it to have it proved to me. The problem is (as the gray mask haters love to point out) players do not just wear a helmet, alone. (Thank God!) And there is not one scrap of black on either jersey, either pant, the purple socks, or even the imaginary white plus stripes socks I have in my head. Isn't that the complaint we hear over and over about gray masks... that they're are out of place? Easy answer to me... drop the black facemask and the black horn outline... the outline has never been necessary. I find it hard to believe a purple mask that matched the helmet was a manufacturing impossibility.

Most funny of all to me, though, is the way that the haters of gray facemasks are defending this black mask, and using the exact same defense that others have used to justify gray masks... that it's "about an attitude" and "black is a neutral". I think it's OK to like this... just admit you're being mildly hypocritical.

[BrandMooreArt]

From VIKINGS.COM

Still not sure if I can be convinced to feel OK about a random black facemask. I agree with some of you that, looking at the helmet alone, the black is nice looking. This helmet above is a sharp piece of design. And it's possible that a purple mask wouldn't blend with the matte finish, although I'd need to see it to have it proved to me. The problem is (as the gray mask haters love to point out) players do not just wear a helmet, alone. (Thank God!) And there is not one scrap of black on either jersey, either pant, the purple socks, or even the imaginary white plus stripes socks I have in my head. Isn't that the complaint we hear over and over about gray masks... that they're are out of place? Easy answer to me... drop the black facemask and the black horn outline... the outline has never been necessary. I find it hard to believe a purple mask that matched the helmet was a manufacturing impossibility.

Most funny of all to me, though, is the way that the haters of gray facemasks are defending this black mask, and using the exact same defense that others have used to justify gray masks... that it's "about an attitude" and "black is a neutral". I think it's OK to like this... just admit you're being mildly hypocritical.

iv'e said for a couple of years now what CWX mentioned above. black is a modern neutral. the idea for the Bills was the same as the Vikings, to have a modern-retro design. the Bills went more for the past while the Vikings went more for the future. i love the addition of the black mask and it's not random at all. no more then a grey mask on the Colts or Browns. there's even black in the logo, so you cant say it's the only peice of black in there (not that you did, but its not "random"). i'm guessing the standard glove and shoe color is also black

yes, with the satin finish, the black makes even more sense. you want to see tacky and cheap? look at where the matte finished helmets are met with a gloss mask of the same color. the most recent is the Jaguars. i dont know who has swapped sides of the mask color debate, but it is about attitude. design is communication and everything has a personality. on this helmet, black dosent act as a distraction because of high contrast like a grey mask would. grey mask on a dark shell would lok a bit odd (but its oddities like that i like when it fits. again i bring up the Colts and browns) the black is hardly noticeable and that's the point. i think this is one of the very best helmets in the league now

[BlueSky]

Quick takes. If any are redundant, sorry...I don't have time to keep up when threads explode like this one has.

Overall, I like these. For everyone stressing about the black mask, um, doesn't it bring out the black elements of the horn? To me that's the likely reason they went with black. Not saying I'd have done it that way but that seems like a reasonable explanation.

The numbers make no sense at all. The only way it would have worked IMO is if the numbers were all customized to have the interlocking effect. For example, the 2 and 8 on Peterson's jersey work because the 8 is rounded at the left top and bottom and "fit" with the serifs on the 2. But the right-hand 2 on Greenway and #82 are not rounded on the left bottom so there's no interlocking effect. Why did they do that?

also note the serifs on both numbers

So a ones-column 2 will have a serif on the back, but not the front?

Odd.

[smith03]

I am a Vikings fan who dislike both gray and black facemasks, be careful that this does not start black creep with the uniforms, as some have pointed out black looks out of place because it is only the helmet, well why not add a black jersey or black outlines to numbers? keep in mind I am not advocating that at all, but watch and see if that does not happen over time. I hope it does not and I hope as soon as possible the matte look and black facemasks are gone.

[TruColor]

Most funny of all to me, though, is the way that the haters of gray facemasks are defending this black mask, and using the exact same defense that others have used to justify gray masks... that it's "about an attitude" and "black is a neutral". I think it's OK to like this... just admit you're being mildly hypocritical.

As a Gray facemask hater, you've made a valid point. I agree with this.

[OnWis97]

From VIKINGS.COM

Still not sure if I can be convinced to feel OK about a random black facemask. I agree with some of you that, looking at the helmet alone, the black is nice looking. This helmet above is a sharp piece of design. And it's possible that a purple mask wouldn't blend with the matte finish, although I'd need to see it to have it proved to me. The problem is (as the gray mask haters love to point out) players do not just wear a helmet, alone. (Thank God!) And there is not one scrap of black on either jersey, either pant, the purple socks, or even the imaginary white plus stripes socks I have in my head. Isn't that the complaint we hear over and over about gray masks... that they're are out of place? Easy answer to me... drop the black facemask and the black horn outline... the outline has never been necessary. I find it hard to believe a purple mask that matched the helmet was a manufacturing impossibility.

Most funny of all to me, though, is the way that the haters of gray facemasks are defending this black mask, and using the exact same defense that others have used to justify gray masks... that it's "about an attitude" and "black is a neutral". I think it's OK to like this... just admit you're being mildly hypocritical.

As a gray facemask hater, I prefer black. I cannot "defend" it any more than I would defend gray. It's just as wrong. It should be purple. It really bothers me that it's not purple.

HOWEVER, it looks a lot better than a gray facemask would look because 1) as you point out the helmet looks OK on its own and 2) the grey would have too much contrast from the helmet and stick out like a sore thumb. When the first photos were leaked, a lot of us thought it was purple. I was pretty sure it was black, but not certain.

I can't speak for these people you are talking about, but for me it's simply a lesser of two evils.

Additionally, I just love these matte helmets. Love 'em on the college teams and love that the Vikes are the first to have (at least fully) one in the NFL. I don't usually love trends. But I love this one. Of course, I don't see the need to have a black facemask with it. Purple is just fine.

On a semi-related topic, I grew up in the 1980s (Darrin Nelson, Tommy Kramer/Wade Wilson) with the very plain uniforms. Then I had the Moss-era uniforms. Then the over-done side panely goofy uniforms. This is the first time I have ever preferred a Vikings purple jersey to white. The white jersey just looks too plain. Too much like those Wal-Mart replicas with the truncated sleeve stripes. I definitely like the purple jersey much better. The white uniform could be saved in part by the purple pants...I did not see a model in white-on-white (someone correct me if I am wrong). Viva la purple pants.

[Sport]

On a semi-related topic, I grew up in the 1980s (Darrin Nelson, Tommy Kramer/Wade Wilson) with the very plain uniforms. Then I had the Moss-era uniforms. Then the over-done side panely goofy uniforms. This is the first time I have ever preferred a Vikings purple jersey to white. The white jersey just looks too plain. Too much like those Wal-Mart replicas with the truncated sleeve stripes. I definitely like the purple jersey much better. The white uniform could be saved in part by the purple pants...I did not see a model in white-on-white (someone correct me if I am wrong). Viva la purple pants.

Here's AP in the all-white.

Even with the purple socks underneath purple pants, I think I prefer the purple pants look to the all white.