Best Men’s Workout Shirts to Keep You Cool and Comfortable

Everyone’s workout shirt needs are different. Some people need a shirt that’ll wick the sweat away, letting them burn through mile after mile on the treadmill without turning into a lawn sprinkler. Some need a shirt that’ll stand up to many vigorous hours of hauling flaming barrels over gravel, or whatever the extreme new workout of the month is. Still, others just need something that’ll make them look hot in their 30th #gymselfie of the week. Whatever your preferences are, you’ll find something in our round-up of the best men’s workout shirts.

The best men’s workout shirts picks

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How to choose the best workouts shirts for men

It’s important to consider your personal needs when choosing a workout shirt. Your priority might be finding something lightweight, or it might be something that absorbs your sweat for a drier run. Maybe you urgently need a shirt with odor-control tech (and you wouldn’t be alone in that!) Either way, take the time before you shop to narrow down which features are most important to you. There are so many shirts out there, each with its own very specific set of claims, so you’ll find it easier to go in with a clear idea of what’s a must-have quality.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What material is best for workout clothes?

Everyone has their own needs when working out, so the best fabrics depend on what’s most important for you, whether that’s sweat-wicking, odor control, stretchiness, or anything else. That said, don’t be afraid to keep things simple if that’s your preference.

“As an athlete of a certain age, my reference point is always going to be cotton,” says writer and running coach Knox Robinson. “I’ve definitely swung between the two poles of 100% cotton tee and synthetic shirts, but for me, especially if you’re working out in warm weather, shirts are coming off anyway! I’m a proponent of natural fabrics in general. It’s the consistency: You understand the properties of cotton as a natural fabric, so it’s going to warm up in the way you’d expect, it’s got the weight you’d expect. You know what you’re going to get.”

Is cotton or Dri Fit better for the gym?

Again, it’s ultimately going to come down to preference. “I’ve raced in synthetic fabrics, and you can either have sweat-wicking and absorbent properties in a fabric, or you can have lightweight. It’s a Sisyphean bargain,” says Robinson. “Sweat-wicking and absorbent are going to hold, and then weigh down. You can have fabrics that don’t do that at all, and are incredibly lightweight because they don’t hold anything, but you’re gonna look like you just stepped out of the shower when you cross the finish line. It’s a crazy calculus you have to decide.”

Be aware of your workout environment when making your decision, though. “I grew up and did most of my training in Northern Alberta in Canada, so most of the year is very cold, and cotton is just the worst,” says Armstrong. “I actually had shirts freeze to me! I would be out running, I would get sweaty, and then in 30 degrees below zero Celsius, the shirt would freeze to my skin. I’ve got some patches of skin that will never be right again. I think a lot of people reject cotton because it chafes or picks up sweat, but it also freezes really easily and becomes very dangerous.”

Can any shirt be a workout shirt?

“Absolutely!” says Armstrong. “As a fitness instructor and coach, I know the biggest hurdle everybody has is getting past what I like to call the rolodex of excuses for not exercising, or not getting more movement in our day. I would hate to ever suggest that a shirt could be another excuse to not get some extra movement.”

What shirts are best for sweat?

As you might expect, a workout shirt can get stinky over time, so what’s the solution for dealing with that sweat smell? “There are these silver threads they put into some shirts that help control odor, because they’re naturally antimicrobial,” says Armstrong. “But I think it has more to do with how you wash and take care of the shirts, like not putting them in a pile, not leaving them damp, that kind of thing is more important than what the shirt’s actually made of.”

What’s the best way to wash workout clothes?

There are special detergents you can buy for getting the post-workout odor out, such as Win. But it’s about more than just using the right product. “The important thing is to wash them quickly, or at least hang them somewhere so they’re not just staying damp for a really long time,” advises Armstrong. “And hang them to dry, rather than putting them in the dryer. Hang them outdoors if possible, just to get the good old antimicrobial sunshine on them! But also, a lot of technical fabrics, especially the moisture-wicking ones, don’t do well in the dryer.”

The tendency of some technical fabric shirts to deform or otherwise get messed up in the laundry is another reason Robinson prefers cotton. “The ability to consistently wash it and have it come back the same is pretty incredible,” he says. “That’s the consistency of a cotton tee—that’s why you’re paying a premium for vintage tees at the flea market, they’ve lasted longer than maybe your favorite band has.”