The 8 Best Workout Shirts for Men of 2024
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A quality workout shirt should be easy to move in, breathable and sweat-wicking; it also shouldn't hold onto smells, regardless of how often you wash it. What you wear while you're exercising should move with your body, rather than against it. While this may seem like common knowledge, you may only realize if you chose the wrong shirt whether you're running or weightlifting after it's too late and your shirt is irritating you mid-exercise.
Not all workout shirts are created equal. For example, cotton may come to mind for its breathability, but it's not so great at keeping you dry by itself. Some workout shirts for men are designed to offer sun protection and increased airflow while helping keep you dry. Some are designed to move with you, making you feel like you're on the “skins” team regardless of your workout choice. And some gym shirts for men can do all these things and still look nice during a night out. After researching the ins and outs of countless workout shirts, we’ve rounded up the best workout shirts for men today, with the hope of helping your next workout be more comfortable.
Our Picks for the Best Workout Shirts for Men:
- Best Overall Workout Shirt for Men: adidas Train Essentials Feelready Training Tee
- Best Value Workout Shirt for Men: Gymshark Arrival Regular Fit T-Shirt
- Best Quick-Drying Workout Shirt for Men: lululemon License to Train Short-Sleeve Shirt
- Best Sweat-Wicking Workout Shirt for Men: Under Armour UA Tech Vent Short Sleeve
- Best Workout Tank Top for Men: Nike Ready Dri-Fit Tank
- Best Long-Sleeve Workout Shirt for Men: Alo Yoga Core Hooded Runner
- Best Men’s Workout Shirt for Yoga: lululemon Balancer Short-Sleeve
- Best Size-Inclusive Workout Shirt for Men: Under Armour UA Rush Energy Short Sleeve
Best Overall Workout Shirt for Men: adidas Train Essentials Feelready Training Tee
adidas
Key Features:
- Price: $25
- Sizes: XS–4XL
- Materials: Recycled polyester, cotton
- Best for: Workouts of all types
Made with a reliably moisture-absorbing polyester, stretchy elastane and breathable cotton mix, the Adidas Feelready Training Tee is built with the company's Aeroready fabric to keep you dry, mobile and ready for the next set. The Feelready has a nice fitting crewneck and sleeve cut that looks tight but feels loose. The same goes for the shirt's strategic shoulder cut. While the shoulder cut fits nicely and compliments your traps, it is designed to enable a full range of shoulder motion so you can put your arms above your head without feeling restricted. The front of the shirt drops down and has a nice slim look but a loose feel.
The shirt is simple yet versatile. With a basic adidas logo on the front, the shirt’s nice-fitting and minimal design makes it easy to wear whenever. However, this shirt defines itself primarily in its performance-supporting build and design. Whether lifting, running, lounging or all of the above, the Feelready should offer a supportive tee that doesn't get in the way, regardless of your workout.
Pros:
- Available in eight colors
- Available in eight sizes
Cons:
- It may run a little long
Best Value Workout Shirt for Men: Gymshark Arrival Regular Fit T-Shirt
Gymshark
Key Features:
- Price: $22
- Sizes: XS–3XL
- Materials: Polyester
- Best for: Value
Gymshark’s Regular Fit T-Shirt is made with a sweat-absorbing polyester fabric designed to help keep you dry when you train. The shirt uses perforated fabric for ventilation and airflow, helping to keep you cool when you start to sweat. The Regular Fit has a crew neck, straight hem and set-in sleeves for a slim-fitting look that makes it great for both the gym and athleisure wear, but it's built a bit loose for extra comfort and mobility. The shirt's lightweight, airy and moisture-wicking construction makes it reliable to exercise in without holding you back.
Gymshark's Regular Fit offers a flattering design and practical workout shirt at a bargain price without cutting corners, making it a great bang for your buck.
Pros:
- Affordable
- The logo is heat-sealed to survive long-term washing
Cons:
- Smaller sizes may run bigger due to the loose build
Best Quick-Drying Workout Shirt for Men: lululemon License to Train Short-Sleeve Shirt
lululemon
Key Features:
- Price: $78
- Sizes: XS–XXL
- Materials: Recycled polyester, nylon, elastane
- Best for: Drying quickly
You don't want to be insecure about sweating and smelling when you're really pushing yourself at the gym. The License to Train Tee from lululemon is explicitly designed to keep you dry and battle odor buildup when you exercise. The License to Train is made of 100 percent fast-drying recycled polyester, treated with an invisible antibacterial topical treatment of zinc pyrithione that lululemon calls "Anti-Stink Zinc." In addition, lululemon weaves silver into every fiber of the shirt's fabric to further fight smelliness in what it calls "X-Static" technology. Lululemon claims that the combination of these anti-odor technologies and fast-drying fabric treatments is so efficient you could train in the shirt, throw it in your gym bag and use it to train the following day without washing it!
The License to Train works with you as you exercise, with its sweat protection preventing the shirt from clinging to your body, and its spandex components making the shirt stretchy and undisruptive to your movements. Despite being a bit costlier than other workout shirts, the License to Train really sets a new bar with its anti-sweat, antimicrobial and anti-odor fabric technology that is hard to beat.
Pros:
- Requires less washing
- A gusset is sewn around the sleeves to enable shoulder mobility
Cons:
- Classic fit may not be ideal for people looking to show off their bodies
- The hanging loop may be uncomfortable for some
Best Sweat-Wicking Workout Shirt for Men: Under Armour UA Tech Vent Short Sleeve
Under Armour
Key Features:
- Price: $35
- Sizes: XS–4XL
- Materials: Polyester
- Best for: Sweat-wicking
The Tech Vent Short Sleeve from Under Armour is designed to help keep you dry during the hottest and sweatiest workouts. The tee is built with mesh panels designed to generate airflow, battle excess sweating and keep you cooler despite the intensity of your workout. In addition, the shirt is made entirely of treated polyester that wicks sweat far more efficiently than cotton. The Tech Vent's built-in gusset at your underarms is my favorite element of this shirt. The gusset helps generate airflow and fight the day-ruining underarm chafing I personally know too well. The gusset and sleeve cut makes for easy shoulder and arm mobility. Beyond the sleeves, the entire Tech Vent Tee is made with a four-way stretch fabric that adapts to your movements.
The shirt is made to fit a bit loose for extra comfort and an airy-soft fit, but it may feel baggy for some. Designed to train in and inevitably sweat in, the Tech Vent should help you maximize your sweat sessions without looking like you forgot an umbrella.
Pros:
- Available in 23 colors
- All sizes come with a regular or tall length option
Cons:
- Runs a bit baggy
Best Workout Tank Top for Men: Nike Ready Dri-Fit Tank
Nike
Key Features:
- Price: $45
- Sizes: XS–4XL
- Materials: Polyester, spandex
- Best for: Wearing a tank top at the gym
Nike's Ready Dri-Fit Tank is a tank top enhanced for training that fits nicely without the gym-bro look some may associate with the sleeveless tees you see at the gym. Wide shoulder straps give it a nice fit while giving your underarms ample breathing room. Nike's well-known Dri-Fit technology helps wick sweat away from your skin, encouraging quicker sweat evaporation. The Ready Tank also has a breathable mesh build and relaxed fit design that should keep it feeling comfortable and lightweight when you train. The Dri-Fit is made primarily with treated polyester but is built with spandex to help make it extra stretchy and easy to move in. The shirt has a simple Nike logo on the front and a small Nike Dri-Fit reference on the side, keeping the tank top distinguishable but straightforward.
Pros:
- All sizes have regular and tall length options
- Polyester is partially recycled
Cons:
- It runs a bit large
Best Long-Sleeve Workout Shirt for Men: Alo Yoga Core Hooded Runner
Alo Yoga
Key Features:
- Price: $68
- Sizes: S–XXL
- Materials: Polyester, rayon, cotton
- Best for: Training with long sleeves
Long-sleeve shirts can come in handy when you want to get your blood pumping faster when training indoors or to get that pleasant flow-friendly temperature when running outside. The Core Hood Runner from Alo Yoga is a super soft long-sleeve tee combining the cozy comfort of a workout hoodie with the lightweight feel of a shirt while being durable enough to withstand the most intense workouts. The Core Hood Runner is a go-to for training or lounging, made with breathable cotton, sweat-regulating polyester and soft rayon. The raglan sleeve design, most famous on baseball jerseys, makes it so the sleeves run to your neck rather than the shoulder. A design meant to increase mobility, especially when raising your arms above your head (or batting with a baseball jersey). The Core Hood Runner is equipped with a light non-disruptive hoodie for extra warmth on the road during cold weather or to stimulate sweat in the studio. This long sleeve is great with layers or on its own, making it great for a gym with central air or running all year round.
Pros:
- Design highlights your upper body
- Stays in place when used with layers
Cons:
- Limited size options for heavier people
Best Men’s Workout Shirt for Yoga: lululemon Balancer Short-Sleeve
lululemon
Key Features:
- Price: $78
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Materials: Modal, silk, elastane
- Best for: Yoga
Lululemon's Balancer Short-Sleeve T-Shirt uniquely combines modal, silk and elastane to create a yoga-inspired shirt that enables easy movement and peace of mind. The eco-friendly balancer shirt is made of 75 percent sustainably sourced biodegradable modal fabric (produced from renewable beechwood trees). Modal is naturally sweat-wicking and breathable, making it an excellent material for hot days or yoga sessions, making it the perfect yoga accessory. The shirt is also made with silk for its super lightweight and calming soft feel, plus a little bit of spandex infused into its build to enable easy movement and flexibility. The Balancer is also four-way stretch woven, making it a durable and responsive shirt for stretching and a full range of motion. While lululemon designed this shirt for yogis to get the best out of their sessions, this shirt is also a great choice for other training activities, and with its super soft and silky feel, it's perfect for relaxing.
Pros:
- Eco-friendly
- Side slits on each side of the waist to aid easier movement
Cons:
- Available online in one color (heathered black)
Best Size-Inclusive Workout Shirt for Men: Under Armour UA Rush Energy Short Sleeve
Under Armour
Key Features:
- Price: $45
- Sizes: XS-4XL
- Materials: Polyester, elastane
- Best for: All body types
All people of all body types deserve access to a quality, fitting gym shirt when they workout. The Rush Energy Short Sleeve Tee from Under Armour is available in all sizes. From XS to 4XL, this t-shirt is designed to fit all body types. Under Armour offers the Rush Energy shirt in a regular and tall option for every size and designed it to fit loose. The shirt is made with fast-drying, breathable polyester and springy spandex to adapt to your movements as you train. In addition, Under Armour treats the fabric with what it calls "Rush" fabric heatgear technology to reflect your body’s energy and make the shirt more performance-enhancing and sweat-absorbing. This t-shirt is also quite durable and is made with four-way stretch fabric to ensure it moves with you rather than restricting you. Not only inclusive to all sizes, but the Rush Energy workout shirt is also accessible to most aesthetic tastes, as it's made in 14 different color options.
Whether tall, short, small or heavy or if you're a fan of dark colors or bright ones, almost everyone should be able to find their perfect fit of this inclusive versatile tee.
Pros:
- Accessible to all body types
- A reflective logo makes it a good night running shirt
Cons:
- Runs large
How To Choose the Best Workout Shirts For You
Choosing the best men's workout shirt (like sneakers or running shorts) is done according to your fitness and lifestyle needs. However, understanding what defines a quality workout shirt should be considered when searching for the right one. A high-quality workout shirt should allow for easy shoulder mobility and respond to your movements rather than restrict you. It should be breathable, durable and sweat-resistant, whether you're following along with a workout app or attending a studio workout class. Furthermore, it should feel soft and airy on your body (not cling to it) while still providing support. Lastly, understanding the materials and technology used in a shirt's production is also essential in finding that genuinely versatile workout tee.
Related Post: Best Workout Shorts for Men
Before choosing a workout shirt, consider if you'll be using it at the gym, for outdoor workouts and runs, casual wear or all of the above. Consider your size, the strain you'll put on it and your budget. You should be able to find the perfect fitting workout tee by consolidating and understanding your needs for a workout shirt in advance and comparing it to the shirt's advertised attributes and customer reviews (whether on Amazon or the company’s site).
How We Chose the Best Workout Shirts For Men
We chose our top picks by researching the elements of training tees most important to people looking to exercise. Breathability, sweat-wicking, fit/look, durability, price and versatility are a few of the characteristics we considered before determining which we think are the best available workout shirts today.
Workout Shirts for Men FAQs
What shirts should I avoid while working out?
While it may come as a surprise, all-cotton t-shirts should be avoided when exercising. While cotton is known for being breathable, it cannot absorb sweat and moisture as well as more gym-friendly fabrics such as polyester or modal.
Are tight or loose shirts better for workouts?
This comes down to personal preference and the quality of a shirt's design and construction. A tight-fitting shirt may offer the benefits of compression shirts or feel more supportive (if it is stretchy or designed to move with you) while also showing off your body's profile. In contrast, a loose-fitting workout shirt may feel more airy and easy to move in for some while being more accessible to larger body types. When it comes down to it, you can make this decision according to your aesthetic preferences and your body's needs.
What is the best material for workout shirts?
With some exceptions, there are typically three materials used to make the best activewear shirts:
- Polyester: A lightweight, durable and sweat-absorbing fabric.
- Spandex: A stretchy fabric that helps a workout shirt adapt to your movements rather than restrict them (also referred to as elastane).
- Cotton: As a component of a workout shirt (not on its own) can help increase breathability and ventilation in the shirt's build.
What workout shirts are the best for sweat?
The best workout shirts for sweat are made with a treated polyester blend due to the material's natural sweat-wicking properties and breathability.
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Workout Shirt for You
Choosing the right workout shirt is as crucial as choosing any other workout clothes, as the quality of a workout shirt can potentially enhance or deter your workout experience. Make sure to opt for one that is suitable for the types of exercise you prefer, is made with a material that's comfortable and fits the way you want it to.
Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.
