The Best Sweat-Wicking T-Shirts For Serious Workouts

It’s a fact: If you work out, you’re gonna sweat. Yes, the thermometer’s been popping records all across the country this season, but some of us are just sweaty athletes. And your laundry bag has noticed. So has your wife, who wonders why that pile of soaking wet workout clothes smells like an animal curled up and died inside.

Here’s the thing: You don’t need to struggle the way you do, dripping with sweat, feeling like your shirt gained 10 pounds of water weight mid-run, or dealing with your wet top clinging awkwardly to your nipples at the gym. There’s a shirt for that — eight, actually. And we’ve got them below.

What you need is a sweat-wicking, breathable, antimicrobial T-shirt that does some work for you while you’re doing some work on your body. In fact, it’s those three terms you want to look for on the tags when you’re shopping. Let’s break it down:

Sweat-wicking: This means just what it sounds like. The fabric uses capillary action to pull moisture away from your skin and dissipate it into the air. No more twisting your shirt hem to wring out the juice at mile 10.

Breathable: Also called “air-ventilating,” this means the shirt has been produced with mesh, slits, or micro-holes that allow air to pass through the fabric to your skin while you exercise. Granted, on a 90-degree day, that air will still be hair-dryer hot, but think of it as running in a warm breeze as opposed to stifling stillness.

Antimicrobial: When you sweat, gazillions of tiny bacteria that live on your skin surface go into a feeding frenzy, noshing on the nutrients found in your perspiration. (Yum.) The bacteria break down your sweat, resulting in a pungent odor. That causes not only your body to smell, but also the shirt you’re wearing (and subsequently the laundry bin you toss it in). Antimicrobial fabrics have been coated or woven with a covering that can stop the smell.

So that’s what to look for. The rest depends on your activity, physical size, and personal preference. Take a look at our favorite picks for summer 2022.

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Best For Working Out In The Park

Best For Lifting

Best For Outdoor Adventures

Best For Long Runs

Best For HIIT Workouts

Best For Cardio Day

Best For Lunchtime Sweat Sessions

Best For Going Straight From The Gym To Brunch