Overall, these materials help keep you performing at your best. It performs well in all seasons but can be a bit more expensive than other fabrics. Wool is another great fabric for workout shirts, because it’s naturally sweat-wicking, temperature-regulating, and odor-fighting. Polyester is terrific at wicking sweat as you heat up, whereas nylon is lightweight, very durable, and stretchy. Technical fabrics allow sweat to easily evaporate-so you stay drier and cooler-and move with you. The best workout shirts are made of technical fabrics, like polyester, nylon, and stretchy elastane or spandex. That’s because a moisture-wicking and breathable workout shirt will keep you the most comfortable. Material is an especially important factor to consider regardless of what your workout is and where you’re doing it.

My health and fitness writing has appeared in a range of top publications, including The Washington Post, Mashable, and Insider.

Besides running, I keep active with spinning and strength training, so I have experience with workout shirts that perform just as well in the gym. The weather can be somewhat unpredictable, ranging from hot and muggy to cloudy and chilly, so I have plenty of experience testing a variety of workout shirts across the seasons. The Expert: I’m an avid runner who has spent the better part of the past 18 years running in the mid-Atlantic, specifically the Washington, D.C., area and Annapolis, Maryland, where I live now. Women’s workout shirts, in particular, are generally more form-fitting, and the recommendations below combine all these features. Your workout top should allow complete freedom of movement and keep you dry and comfortable. But there are certain things to look for to help you feel your strongest while you’re working up a sweat. This can be overwhelming as you try to make sense of offerings that’ll be best for any given day’s activity and weather. Now, the market is filled with options that support athletic performance to ensure you have the best, most comfortable workout (at least from an apparel perspective). Gone are the days when poor-fitting cotton tees were the standard workout top.

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