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Jul 08, 2023

The 15 Best Gym Tops for Men to Buy in 2023

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Fuse style and performance with our guide to the best gym tops for men

The best gym tops can be surprisingly difficult to find. While everyone has their preferred fit, style and brands, finding a shirt that truly enables you to both look and perform at the top of your game, without any compromises, can be tricky.

Luckily, if you’re in the market for new gym apparel, there's a lot to choose from. With more brands than ever battling it out in the athleisure space, the likes of Nike, Adidas, Gymshark, Lululemon and more now offer a wide variety of gym wear, meaning it's never been easier to find the perfect gym clothes for your needs. You just need to know where to look – and what to look for.

To help you find gym wear worthy of your workouts, we’ve compiled a guide to the tees that best fuse both style and performance. From affordable gym tops to more premium options, boxy numbers to muscle fit crowd-pleasers, here's 15 of the best gym t-shirts for a practical and stylish workout.

Looking to overhaul your gym look? Check out our guides to the best gym shorts and tank tops. For somewhere to store all your new gear, see our list of the best gym bags.

When it comes to gym tops, sweat-wicking (or dry-wicking) materials are essential. Designed to help sweat evaporate off your body, as opposed to collecting within the fibres of your t-shirt, sweat-wicking tees will not only stop your tops stinking of BO every time you wear them, but the breathable design will help to keep you cooler while you exercise. While a cotton number might be great the first time you use it, by the tenth outing it’ll probably have a serious whiff to it, no matter how many times you wash it. No one likes a perpetually odorous tee.

The perfect fitting gym top for you will depend on a few factors – the most important being practicality. Depending on the type of workouts you do, the fit of the t-shirt you opt for will differ. For example, if you’re heading to the gym for a mix of weights and cardio, you’ll want something somewhat loose fitting and supportive that won't restrict your movement. While tank tops might look good and show off your muscles, if you’re going to be squatting, it may be best to opt for something with sleeves to protect your shoulders from the barbell.

If you’re buying for activities like running or cycling, on the other hand, then naturally you’ll want something a little more minimal and tight-fitting.

Aside from the mechanics of the tee, your preferred fit will also depend on the style you like. If you prefer a tight-fitting shirt that really helps your guns to pop out, opt for compression, muscle-fit or slim fit tops. Prefer something more loose fitting? Keep an eye out for relaxed, regular, boxy fit or oversized options. Most importantly, choose a fit that you feel most comfortable in and will give you the most confidence.

If you’re prone to sweating, or you’re planning a particularly rigorous workout, it's best to avoid cotton. Warm, absorbent and heavy when wet, cotton will keep hold of sweat and stain your tees. Instead, opt for moisture-wicking fabrics such as polyester.

Stick away from layers, too – at least once you’ve finished warming-up. Hoodies and sweatshirts are great for keeping you warm when you leave the gym, but they’ll prevent sweat from moving away from your body and restrict your movement when you’re lifting weights.

For most people, this really comes down to personal preference and the sort of exercises you'll be doing in the gym. In terms of comfort, you’ll likely already have a preference between regular, slim, relaxed, oversized and muscle fit tees. If not, it's worth experimenting to find the perfect fit for you.

In terms of performance, as we mention above, consider what sort of movements you’ll be doing when you exercise, where you’re working out (inside or outside) and how rigorous your session is going to be.

If you’re really into enhancing your recovery, studies show that compression clothing can promote the flow of oxygen and blood around the body, helping to improve performance and aid muscle recovery.

Read more: Best weight benches | Best barbells | Best weightlifting shoes | Best weightlifting belts | Best whey protein | Best pre workout

If you’re after a quality gym top on a tight budget, you’ll struggle to find better than this basic crew neck tee from Decathlon. Made from a lightweight and stretchy 100% polyester, it's designed to dry quickly and wick away sweat from your body. Available to buy in four colours, you can pick one up for as little as £5.99. That's seriously good value.

Featuring Nike's signature DryFit technology (their version of dry-wicking), we love the relaxed fit of this Nike Pro short-sleeve top. Available in sizes ranging from small to 3XL and in a choice of four colours, it's one of the best tees out there for keeping you cool as you exercise. Plus, it's made from 50% recycled polyester fibres.

If you like a gym top to be tight fitting but not too restrictive, this slim fit Arrival T-Shirt from Gymshark is a solid choice. Designed with sweat-wicking technology and made from a lightweight fabric that aids movement, this 100% polyester tee will see you through everything from the squat rack to the cross trainer. Available in 10 colours and sizes ranging from XS to 3XL, this shirt is great for all builds.

With a crew neck and long-line sleeves, we’re big fans of the loose and relaxed fit of this Tech Reflective Short Sleeve top from Under Armour. The reflective details are a nice addition and improve visibility when running in the dark. Importantly, this top is 90% polyester and features the brand's UA Tech fabric, which is quick-drying and designed to move sweat away from your body.

When you’ve worked so hard building your physique, it's natural that you’d want to show it off. Designed to contour to the shape of your body, tight tees such as this long sleeve seamless top from MyProtein are perfect for doing just that. This Tempo Seamless Long Sleeve Top is also designed to keep your movement feeling natural and is made using a sweat-wicking and breathable material to both prevent the growth of odour and keep you cool. With a stylish and textured feel, it's available in sizes ranging from XS to 2XL.

You get what you pay for with premium brands like Lululemon. While their gym wear is more costly than others, it delivers on quality. This Metal Vent Tech Shirt has a seamless construction, which is said to reduce chafing. The fit has been carefully built to help promote freedom of movement around the chest and to cling less to your body. Made from a mix of nylon and polyester, it's also designed to help prevent the growth of odour-causing bacteria on the fabric and move moisture away from the body.

Made from 92% recycled polyester and 8% elastane, Adidas says the materials used to make their Train Essentials Stretch Gym Top helps to save resources and decrease emissions. With a regular fit, this shirt offers great freedom of movement and the way it's cut means that it covers your body when performing overhead movements.

With ergonomic cut lines designed to reduce friction while you exercise and Puma's dryCell technology designed to wick moisture away from the body, this basic training tee is a great all-rounder. Available in sizes ranging from XS to 3XL, it also comes in a choice of three colours.

With their relaxed fit and comfortable feel, oversized tees are essential in any gym bag. You’ll struggle to find one that's not made of cotton, but for wearing to and from the gym, for light sessions or for rest days, oversized tees, such as this one from Gymshark, are great to have knocking around. This one comes in 15 colours and sizes ranging from XS to 3XL.

While merino wool might sound like an odd material to wear to the gym, studies show that it can move up to 25% more moisture away from your skin than polyester. This Merino-T from On Running is designed to do just that, while its natural antimicrobial properties help keep odours at bay. Built for colder climates, this is definitely an outdoor top than one you should wear regularly in the gym.

Compression clothing not only looks good, but it's believed to help increase blood flow to your muscles, help fight muscle fatigue and boost recovery. This Series-5 men's long sleeve top offers Skins’ highest level of compression and targets your arms and chest to assist blood flow and boost recovery. Available in sizes ranging from small to 2XL, it's made from a sweat-wicking nylon and elastane material that's designed to keep you cool and move sweat away from your body.

While technically designed for running, this lightweight and quick-drying race top from Asics has all the attributes needed to see you through strength sessions in the gym. The upper chest and back panels are made from a stretchy mesh fabric that helps to promote ventilation and keep you cool, while the flat seam construction helps to reduce chafing.

This dry-wicking vest from Under Armour features the brand's ISO-chill technology, which is designed to keep you cool and sweat-free during workouts in warm climates. Its perforated panel helps with breathability and airflow, while the 4-way stretch material ensures you're free to move without restriction.

Built with comfort and breathability in mind, this Reaxion Amp T-shirt from The North Face is a solid pick. Featuring the brand's FlashDry XD™ fabrics, it's designed to wick away moisture, dry quickly and keep you cool and comfortable throughout your workouts.

A great compromise for hoodie-lovers, this hooded gym top from Lululemon is specifically designed for training. It features a dry-wicking material, comfortable and flexible fit, and, most importantly, means you can leave your favourite cotton number in your locker.

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