Tunisia, or the Eagles of Carthage as they are also known, are infamous for promising much but not performing on the biggest stage -
It's perhaps with a bitter sense of irony that Kappa release an "Elite" version of their kit.
For those of you in the know, or if you've watched the latest (Authentic V Pro) video from the Spark Design Acedemy, you're proably well aware of Kappa's 'Skin Fit', but there's more to it that the heat pressed crest and figure hugging form.
The most noticeable difference is indeed the crests; the Kombat Pro version instantly stands out with its rubberised finish and sharp lines whereas the Kombat (for easier differentiation we will refere to as Replica) has a smart woven crest with tight embroidery and even spacing. The other Omini (Kappa Logo) applications are completely indistinguishable across both versions.
The collar detail is more-or-less the same over both versions save the word "KOMBAT" being embossed across the taping in the Pro version.
It is in the fabric that the difference in value can truly be appreciated.
While the Replica is still a performance fabric in it's own right, the Pro version is clearly light, stretchier and softer to the touch: its woven ventilation allows the athlete to stay dry longer and provides them with the best conditions for optimal performance.
Both shirts are constructed with over-lock internal stitching however is is of a noticeably lower profile on the Pro version -
it makes you wonder what happened to the external stitching of the first generation Kombat shirts or the seamless Kombat Skin of 2019.
Maybe a victim of the manufacturing issues caused by the pandemic?
As with all Kappa shirts the Pro version is designed to have a skin tight fit on the athletes body -
the sizing is therefore one size smaller across the chest, but due to it's 'skin fit', you might find it tighter than normal across the waist.
The average "armchair athlete" might wish to size up by at least two for the Pro version.
In summary, the Kombat Pro is an elite version of a shirt and definitely deserves top billing but there is plenty of value in the Replica shirt for the casual fan. The choice of whether to 'upgrade' is entirely up to y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶p̶h̶y̶s̶i̶q̶u̶e̶ you.