The Best Men’s Running Shirts, According to Runners
Comfortable, breathable, and stylish, these are the best running tops for men.
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You don’t need a lot of gear to go for a run, but you do need to make sure your apparel is up to snuff, and a good running shirt is an essential piece of kit for any runner. It’ll help keep you cool as you run and protect your skin from the sun—without causing chafing or restricting your movement. There’s a wide range of technical performance shirts for men to choose from. Below, you’ll find my advice for choosing the right one for you along with my recommendations of the best men’s running shirts.
Best Men’s Running Shirts
The Expert: I became a runner in middle school and have been covering running and outdoor gear for years, both on-staff at Runner’s World and as a freelance journalist. When I’m not at a desk, I like to run, bike, and hike around Los Angeles, where I live. I wear technical performance shirts for all of those activities, and that has given me years of experience evaluating what works and what doesn’t.
Fabrics to Look For
The fabric is arguably the most important feature on a running shirt. It’ll determine how well a shirt breathes, how well it moves with you, and more. Most technical running shirts utilize synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon. They dry quickly and don’t absorb moisture, they’re lightweight and durable, and they absorb UV rays (more on that below). Many shirts also feature elastane (also known as spandex) blended with nylon or polyester; this helps shirts stretch as you move.
You can also find performance tops made with natural materials like Merino wool and even cotton. Merino wool, an exceptionally soft wool sourced from a specific type of sheep, offers remarkable performance capabilities: It breathes well, keeps you warm in cold conditions and vents heat when you get hot, and resists odors. Cotton is generally considered a poor choice for performance apparel—it soaks up sweat and gets heavy—but it does have its fans (Runner’s World Deputy Editor Jeff Dengate, among them). It can work just fine in chillier weather or for those who prefer the soft feel of a natural fabric.
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Other Features to Consider
Besides the fabric, there are a few other features to consider when evaluating running shirts. Chafing is a serious concern with any piece of performance apparel, and seams often cause it. Many performance shirts are constructed with minimal seams to reduce the potential for chafing, and others utilize flatlock stitching, which creates a more streamlined seam that’s less likely to irritate your skin.
In addition to using breathable fabrics, some shirts utilize knit or mesh designs that allow air to pass more easily through the shirt, keeping you cooler. This is especially true of shirts with body-mapped venting, which feature more open mesh or knit fabrics placed over high-sweat areas on men’s bodies, like the middle of the back.
Finally, there’s sun protection, which is quantified through UPF ratings. UPF, which stands for ultraviolet protection factor, denotes how effectively a material blocks ultraviolet radiation (both UVA and UVB rays). Shirts with UPF ratings of 30 or above (the highest is 50-plus) offer good protection from the sun. Generally speaking, synthetic fabrics block UV rays much more effectively than natural fibers like cotton. In addition, denser, more tightly woven textiles in darker colors are more effective at blocking the sun than lighter, looser materials.
How We Evaluated Men’s Running Shirts
I selected the men’s running shirts below based on a mix of researching models from top performance running brands, reading Runner’s World staff reviews, and considering my own experience wearing a variety of shirts. I evaluated each model based on its material, size range, and features, including fabric designs for enhanced breathability and reduced chafing. The list below includes 10 options to suit different budgets and preferences. Whether you regularly log double-digit mileage or you’re just starting out with running, there’s a shirt here to fit your needs.
Pros
- Lots of colors available
- Fabric is soft and comfortable
Cons
- Sleeves are a bit long
Key Specs
- Sizes: S–2XL
- Materials: 56% nylon, 33% polyester, 11% elastane
I’ve owned a couple Rhone Reign shirts for years and can vouch for their quality. Unlike other synthetic athletic shirts, the Reign is notably soft to the touch, with none of that plasticky hand feel that plagues cheaper performance tops. It breathes well and wicks moisture, and the fabric has plenty of stretch, so it won’t restrict your movement. Added bonus: Rhone offers it in a wide range of colors (the heathered ones are especially nice).
Pros
- Affordable
- Flatlock seams
- Wide range of sizes
Cons
- Longer hem in back
Key Specs
- Sizes: S–3XL, M Tall–XL Tall
- Materials: 90% polyester, 10% spandex
Baleaf, an apparel company founded in 2014, is a good bet for affordable, functional activewear. The Laureate short sleeve offers top-shelf features—flatlock seams (which help reduce chafing) and a polyester-spandex fabric that’s stretchy, breathable, and dries quickly—at a price point that won’t break the bank. It’s also available as a long-sleeve base layer.
Pros
- Made with 37.5 nylon for odor control
- Fabric blend performs well in a range of temperatures
Cons
- Limited sizing
- Expensive
Key Specs
- Sizes: S–XL
- Materials: 47% Merino wool, 38% 37.5 nylon, 15% nylon
Merino wool is nature’s performance fabric: It keeps you warm when it’s cold (even if it gets wet), breathes well in the heat, and resists odors, too. This shirt combines Merino wool’s strengths with 37.5 nylon—a techy fabric embedded with tiny particles of volcanic sand that retain heat in the cold and vent sweat when you’re hot—and regular nylon for enhanced thermoregulation and odor control.
Pros
- Comfortable and durable
- USA-sourced fabric
Cons
- Will show sweat
Key Specs
- Sizes: XS–XL
- Materials: 88% cotton, 12% rayon
Some might scoff at wearing a cotton shirt while running, but cotton isn’t all bad. While it’s a poor choice for long runs in hot weather (it’ll soak up sweat like a sponge), it can work just fine in chillier temps, and the material has its fans. “I’m on a mission to bring back cotton,” RW Deputy Editor Jeff Dengate says. “I wear it three seasons on most runs these days.” Tracksmith’s Grayboy, a cotton T-shirt specifically designed for running, is a solid pick: It’s made with a knit cotton-rayon blend for softness and durability, and it has an antimicrobial treatment to minimize smells.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Available as a long-sleeve shirt
Cons
- Only solid colors are made with 100-percent recycled polyester
Key Specs
- Sizes: XS–2XL
- Materials: 100% recycled polyester or 100% polyester
At just 2.6 ounces, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a lighter technical top for running than Patagonia’s Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt. But low weight is just one of its strong suits. It’s also designed to breathe well and dry quickly, and it features a HeiQ anti-odor treatment. “This is the most durable super-lightweight shirt I’ve found,” RW Features Director Matt Allyn says. “Others show wear fairly quickly, but this one keeps me cooler longer and dries faster—while still looking fresh wash after wash.” For colder weather, tag in the long-sleeve version.
Nike Nike Dri-FIT Miler Running Top
Pros
- Available in many sizes
- Lightweight and breathable
Cons
- Looser fit, some runners might need to size down
Key Specs
- Sizes: S–4XL, S Tall–XL Tall
- Materials: 100% polyester
Nike’s Dri-FIT Miler is a capable workhorse shirt to help you power through your training miles. It’s made with 100-percent polyester yarn that’s crimped, which gives the shirt a softer texture and amps up its breathability, too. Better yet, it’s available in a huge range of sizes, including tall sizes.
Pros
- UPF 30 fabric
- Comfortable and stylish enough for casual wear
Cons
- Not as lightweight as other options
Key Specs
- Sizes: S–2XL
- Materials: 96% polyester, 4% elastane
The Strato Tech Tee is the kind of shirt you can wear all day and then go right into your evening run without changing. It’s made with a polyester-elastane fabric that wicks sweat, stretches, blocks UV rays, and comes with an anti-odor treatment. But the shirt is also soft to the touch, and with its slightly heathered colors and traditional construction (no raglan sleeves or odd seam placements), it’s easy to wear casually. RW Service & News Editor Chris Hatler calls it the “most comfortable shirt I’ve ever owned,” and says it “doubles as a nice everyday shirt.”
Pros
- Large size range
- Affordable
Cons
- Drab colorways
Key Specs
- Sizes: XS–4XL
- Materials: 50% polyester, 50% recycled polyester
This tech tee from Old Navy is the kind of shirt you can stock up on. It’s made with a knit polyester fabric that offers good breathability and moisture wicking, and it’s treated to prevent odors. Don’t let the low price tag scare you: According to RW Expert Reviews Producer Barry Knoblach, these shirts are “comfy, breathable, and feel like good quality.”
Pros
- Allows for great freedom of movement
- Antimicrobial finish
Cons
- Minimal sun protection
Key Specs
- Sizes: XS–2XL
- Materials: 100% polyester
The Atmosphere Singlet is a solid choice for runners who prefer their running tops without sleeves. It’s made with a new DriLayer fabric that offers improved breathability and moisture-wicking, and it has an antimicrobial treatment to combat smells. It’s also constructed with minimal seams to reduce chafing, and the large arm openings offer a distraction-free fit.
Pros
- Targeted mesh design enhances breathability
- More protection from the elements
Cons
- Not as light as other options
Key Specs
- Sizes: S–3XL
- Materials: 52% nylon, 48% polyester
The Seamless Run Long Sleeve benefits from Under Armour’s many years of experience creating technical, performance-focused fabrics. The knit nylon-polyester fabric has zones of breathable mesh in high-sweat areas to keep you cool and is stretchy enough to move with you as you run.
Related: The Best Men’s Long-Sleeve Shirts
Why Expert Michael Charboneau Prioritizes Breathability and UPF Protection in His Running Shirts
RW: What’s one must-have feature you have when shopping for running shirts?
M.C.: It’s tough to narrow it down to one feature, but in my view, breathability is the most important factor in running shirts—it’s what separates them from all the casual T-shirts in my drawer. A shirt that doesn’t let the breeze through and becomes heavy and soaked with sweat will almost certainly derail my run (or I’d just take it off, at which point it becomes dead weight I have to carry around).
RW: What are your thoughts about UPF shirts—yea or nay?
M.C.: I think sun protection is important, so I’m glad to see UPF ratings showing up on more apparel. Just remember that even if a shirt doesn’t have a UPF rating listed, it doesn’t mean it won’t block harmful UVA and UVB rays (polyester and nylon fabrics, especially in darker colors, generally do a good job of blocking those rays). I think the biggest appeal for UPF clothing is the convenience: Slathering on sunscreen every time I go outside (and reapplying it periodically) is a hassle, but wearing a shirt that protects my skin from the sun is easy.
RW: We all like a deal, but when is it worth it to invest in a running shirt over $50?
M.C.: Consider what you like in a running shirt first. If you’re not sure, pay attention to how your current running shirts feel while running and take note of what you like and dislike. If you like what you have, stick with it. If not, then look for shirts that offer what you need—more breathability, lighter weight, long sleeves, etc. You don’t have to spend over $50 to get those kinds of features. If you want a shirt that’s super lightweight, made with sustainable materials, or soft and versatile enough for casual wear, that’s when it’s worth it to splurge on more expensive options.
Michael is a freelance writer with years of experience covering gear and the outdoors for Runner's World and other publications; when he's not writing, he's usually biking, hiking, and running in the mountains around Los Angeles, where he lives.
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