Getting into the top 5 of the kit countdown, we reach the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The Pacific Northwest seems to be turning into a hotbed of North American soccer, and the uniforms reflect that. Vancouver keeps the blue-and-white color scheme of its NASL days, but with a modern twist.

Although it would’ve been nice to see those retro threads, going for white as the primary color of the home jerseys makes sense, given that they have “white” in the team name. The thin blue hoops down the front of the shirt are a great touch, a design not seen in MLS. It would’ve been more fun to see those lines go all the way around the shirt, but it’s not a deal-breaker.

I was worried about what the new club logo would look like, because their previous one is a tad boring and cheesy to say the least. Suffice to say, the Caps came up with a stunning, unique crest to replace it. The diamond shape is seen in a few German club badges, but rarely outside Deutschland. And this isn’t even a traditional diamond shape. It’s like a… TRIPLE DIAMOND!

It’s a very clever design: the upper part of the logo is the snow-white North Shore Mountains, and the blue lower section is the mountains’ reflection in the Pacific Ocean. Plus it creates V’s abounding, for a city with two V’s in the name alone. The font for “VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC” is smart and clean.

They couldn’t get a truly local sponsor, but Bell is still a Canadian company, which is nifty for Canada’s Second MLS Franchise. The Bell logo works seamlessly with Vancouver’s look, both color-wise and font-wise.

The away jersey is a bit more traditional, with a solid dark blue. The one nifty touch is the diamond shapes across the shirt that give it all a very royal feel. It would’ve been nice to see a brighter shade of blue, but this is still a well-designed kit.

While Toronto FC continues its crusade to be “Canada’s Team” with its look, Vancouver Whitecaps FC are heading in a very different direction. And that’s a good thing.