Rapids Kit Rankings - Thirds and One-Offs

Ok, while we're all enjoying this smorgasbord of soccer for the next month plus I'm going to take this time to do something I've wanted to do for a while.  An all-time rank of Rapids kits.

Now, some ground rules.  We're only ranking kits intended for competitive use.  Not pre-game tops, training tops, pre-season gear, any of that.  Also no goalkeeper kits because for many (most?) years MLS has just used a standard template in a variety of colors for all goalkeepers in the league.  We're also ignoring the Earth Day parlay kits or any of the other league-wide special ones.  Lastly I'm going to rank them in their own group.  Third kits and one-offs tonight, away/alternate kits in their ranking, home kits in their own ranking.  In the end I might make a top 5-10 list combining all three.  Given the number of home (18) and away (17) shirts those will probably be split into 2-3 posts each.

A lot of these images come from Classic Football Shirts.  The rest from wherever I could find them.

Speaking of kits, Centennial 38 is raising money to help the Marshall Islands Soccer Federation build its program in their quest to join FIFA.  Right now for every $10 you donate to the MISF through C38 here you get one entry to win a primary or alternate Marshall Islands National Team kit.  Drawing will be held the weekend of the World Cup Final.

So tonight its the five kits that have been thirds and one-offs.  Starting with:

#5 - 2001 - 4th Of July

In 2000 (see blow) and 2001 the Rapids and Kappa did one-off versions of the Rapids kit for their big summer game.  This one is certainly memorable, but not in a good way.  If you ever want to wanter over DIA to help planes land after a home match, this is your shirt of choice.  Otherwise, hard pass.

#4 - 2007-2008

These were only ever used in the friendlies in 2007 and 2008 against Tigres and Everton, they were never used in a competitive match.  Trying to play on the Arsenal red connection they never really worked.  I do have the goalkeeper version of this kit in my collection, its the same design on a green base instead of white.  I bought "game-worn" from the team store.  Its a Bouna Coundoul kit and he didn't play in either friendly, so the "game wear" is from sitting on the bench. :D

#3 - 2000 4th of July

The second of the two one-off kits, this one at least fit the Rapids scheme better.  I liked the blue much more than the red the next season.

#2 - 2006

Honestly until I started this project I didn't remember this one.  A little digging around though and they did use this a couple of times in the last pre-burgundy season.  As you're going to see as we go through these I'm a big fan of the green color scheme.  The blue piping doesn't really work for me, but compared to the other options its not a high bar to cross.

#1 - 2025

When this debuted last season I called it

This is a good, possibly great, third kit.  This is not a good 30th anniversary throwback kit.

and I stand by that.  In fact, after seeing it in person I'd call it a great third kit.   This is the essence of classic Rapids in a shirt and the clear best third/one-off we've ever done.  In fact, the Rapids should have told MLS and Adidas that if they were going to force the club to couch the Messi farce inside a "30th Anniversary celebration" then they were going to bring these kits back for one game in 2026 and play in them at Empower.  That would have put a true 30th vibe on that game.