Every Live Action Captain America Suit, Ranked

Captain America's suit is an iconic symbol of American values, and it's had a lot of versions through the years, though some are better than others.

Captain America is a symbol of all true American values: honesty, loyalty, humility, courage, and integrity. As a symbol, his suit needs to be a shining beacon of hope for not just Americans, but all the world over. The live-action adaptations have all had their take on Captain America's iconic suit.

Although time is often a factor in the design of Captain America's apparel, there's always a consistent color motif of the American flag. From the baggy costume to the sleek uniform, each suit has its little quirks to talk about.

13 Captain America (1944)

The first of Captain America's live-action outings was a bit cheap, which is the most polite way to put it. The distinct lack of a shield and ear wings is immediately noticeable. Without the big star on the chest or the name in the title, it would be hard to call the man "Captain America".

The black and white medium the suit finds itself in really mutes the iconic colors as well. In the end, it looks more like someone's dad cosplaying as Captain America. While it is a bit lackluster, especially in comparison with later MCU iterations, the suit is fine for the period but doesn't hold up as costuming improved.

12 Turkish Captain America (1973)

In the obscure Turkish superhero film, 3 Dev Adam, Captain America makes a very unauthorized appearance. From the budget, one can immediately tell that's the case.

But credit where credit is due, they did get the colors pretty close along with the basic design pattern as well. The belt, however, is pretty new. Unfortunately, no wings or shield once again, which is so weird considering it's been around since Cap's first comic appearance.

11 CBS Captain America (1970)

The CBS suit is the first live-action suit to finally bring audiences the iconic wings and shield. However, it still has a few bumps in translating the character from the page to live-action. For starters, he has a silly oversized helmet.

Additionally, that shield is just plain bad, looking like it came from a pop-up Halloween store instead of Hollywood. It's made of plastic, a far cry from the vibranium alloy it's supposed to be made of. Seeing it fold in the middle of battle makes one question why Cap even bothers bringing it.

10 Propaganda Suit (2011)

The MCU had to start somewhere, and this was a hilariously heartwarming callback to the classic Captain America suit, stars and stripes shield and all. Even so, this version still looks better than the actual 40s version of the costume.

Of course, it's still a costume purely meant for propaganda within the universe, and was not meant to be seen in combat. However, Steve still does wear part of the costume into battle when he goes to save Bucky. Even so, the suit would be hard pressed to stay up to actual combat.

9 Captain America (1990)

The 1990 film Captain America was a critical flop. From the confused narrative to the absolute butchering of Captain America's character, it's easy to see why.

That being said, they had a pretty impressive-looking suit. In many respects, they perfectly captured the appearance of Captain America from the original comics, vibrant blue accented with reds and whites. Plus, the shield isn't clear plastic, but colored plastic, which shows they had some sense.

8 The Avengers (2012) Uniform

Cap's first uniform is a bit of a confusing update. It is simultaneously trying to look grounded and over-the-top, which only half-works. It just ends up looking like an updated version of the 90s movie suit.

That said, the suit's still a lot better than most of the other suits from older movies. Still, the suit still feels more like cosplay than an actual uniform because of how goofy it looks compared to his other MCU suits.

7 Prison Rescue Outfit (2011)

Although his costume is mostly covered by his brown overcoat, one can't deny how patriotic Steve Rogers looks while rescuing Bucky. The shield and helmet are more than enough to make him look awesome, making the Propaganda outfit into something almost intentionally great.

Although not a traditional look, it's a great reference to Captain America's more "realistic" outfits in the comics, and certainly looks like a great middle point between the star-spangled hero and practical soldier.

6 Updated Avengers Uniform (2015-2016)

This is the suit aesthetic for Cap is the one he wears most while active as an Avenger. It's technically two different uniforms, but the changes between the two are so minute they might as well be the same.

The only real change for Cap's suit is during his spat with Iron Man in Civil War, he lost the white sleeves and has a generally more subdued color scheme. It's a solid suit all-around with a sleek, tactical feel that only a few other suits are better at achieving.

5 Nomad Suit (2018)

After feeling betrayed by his country for passing the Sokovia Accords, the Nomad suit is a simple stripping of the star from Cap's Avengers uniform, as well as the giving up of his shield and helmet.

Although a simple change, this conveys to the audience how much Steve Rogers has distanced himself from his identity as Captain America. It shows his disillusionment after his following out with Team Iron Man and how he wants to be his own man. The scruffy beard and longer hair only add to that effect of tiredness.

4 Stealth Suit (2014)

The stealth suit is the sleekest out of all the Captain America suits, and arguably the most tactical-looking. The dark navy blue is a perfect camouflage color for stealth missions, but the star is just visible enough to intimidate opponents once they see it. For comic fans, the suit is made to invoke "Commander Rogers" from the time when Steve was in charge of SHIELD.

Cap's action-packed use of the suit during a nighttime raid on an enemy ship was the perfect spec ops gear for the mission. It was also great that fans see it again on the stealth mission to find Thanos.

3 Falcon Cap Suit (2021)

Sam Wilson is the latest Captain America in the series after Steve Rogers' well-deserved retirement, and he has updated his old suit in favor of a more patriotic look. The wings look gorgeous in red and blue, and as far as Cap suits go, Falcon's is the most vibrant. It's a great update for both the Cap suit and Falcon suit.

The look is distinctly Captain America, but Sam has gone out of his way to give the suit his own flair. The "Wings of Liberty" motif is a great look for Sam. While he hasn't quite filled in the big shoes Steve Rogers has left, this suit is a great step in that direction.

2 World War 2 SSR Uniform (2011)

The first real Captain America suit in the MCU and what every suit after tries to emulate. It's the perfect blend of vibrant comic book accuracy and practical field use. Some might say that the bright colors make him a target. In all honesty, that's exactly what Cap likely intended.

As the point man on basically all of the Howling Commandos missions, making the super-soldier with an indestructible shield the target is the perfect plan of action. Not to mention, it's a hell of a morale boost to see the star-spangled soldier defeating Nazis while in such a colorful outfit.

1 Endgame Suit (2019)

The perfect suit arrives just as Cap's career comes to a close. It's bittersweet, but awesome that the final suit Steve Rogers wears finally includes everything that makes Cap's suit so iconic. The wings, the shield, the vibrant colors, and finally, the scales.

It's a wonderful suit to send Captain America off and is the best MCU suit thanks to its accuracy and appearance in the most important movie in the MCU. Plus, it just looks awesome.

NEXT: The 10 Best Captain America Characters In The MCU, Ranked By Bravery

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