The 21 best men’s running tops for 2025, tested by our editors

There are five things every great running T-shirt needs to be: breathable, affordable, stylish, comfortable and durable. Adidas' Own the Run T-shirt nails the first four of these but comes up a little short in the final category.

Let’s start with the positives – and there are many. It’s super lightweight and breathable, the kind of T-shirt that won’t weigh you down even if you’re sweating buckets in it. That’s thanks to something fancy called Aeroready technology that wicks away moisture. It also looks great, particularly in the aqua blue colourway, and is supremely comfortable to run in. At £28, it’s not an absolute steal but it's still a relative bargain in comparison with other performance-level T-shirts from brands such as Soar or On.

The only question marks come around its durability. The iconic Adidas branding requires you to be very careful on how you wash it; otherwise you may find the three-stripe quickly becomes a two-stripe.

If you value safety over cutting-edge style, Proviz deserves a place in your running wardrobe. Specialising in running clobber that’s brighter than the midday sun, the brand is best known for its reflective running backpacks and jackets – but its T-shirts are worth a look, too. The Classic boasts a moisture-wicking fabric that draws away sweat from your body. The material also has a UPF rating of 30 to help protect you on sunny days. The drawback here is that the T-shirt is a little thicker and heavier than you might like – but perhaps that’s a price worth paying for improved visibility on the run.

This Puma tee ticks all the important boxes. It’s moisture-wicking, fitted without being restrictive, understatedly stylish and reasonably priced. It feels great on the run, with our tester experiencing no rubbing or chafing, and is lightweight enough to use for sessions as well as easy runs. There’s a classic black colourway, which can be paired with pretty much anything, or a green one for those looking to make more of a statement. Whichever you opt for, you’ll be getting a great tee at a seriously competitive price.

If you need to keep things super light on the trail, this airy top is about as thin as it gets. The featherlight fabric is finer on the body where things get hottest, boosting airflow and saving weight. In testing, it wicked well and dried fast, while the underarm gussets and split hem ensured total freedom movement. It does fit close and sit quite high, so if you like things baggier, consider sizing up.

This shirt has a UPF50+ rating for maximum protection, and is now made with recycled fabric and a more ergonomic collar design (read: won’t feel like a strangulation device when it gets twisted). Arc’teryx’s Phasic LT polyester is entirely recycled and has incredibly efficient moisture-management properties, and the shirt itself is highly air permeable for hot-weather endeavours. This shirt performs well in humid conditions as well, and has articulated, body-mapped patterning for freedom of movement.

Built for warm-weather trail runs, this midweight crewneck tee is soft, silky and brilliantly comfy against the skin. The jersey fabric is thicker than some superlight tees, but it uses full-back and armpit meshed panels to keep things cool – and they work really well. The fit is loose, the hang is low-ish and small split side hems help you move freely. It’s also made from 100% recycled materials and treated with anti-stink Polygiene for odour control.

Running tees don’t come lighter than this. The impressively featherweight pinhole mesh fabric is so thin, it’s almost like running topless. It also doesn’t hold moisture or get heavy, even when the heat kicks your sweat response into overdrive. A great option for runs where you want more coverage and protection than a race singlet provides but still enjoy that free-flowing airy feel. It’s also really stashable, in case you want to whip it off and stick it in a running belt.

Originally developed for the US Olympic marathon trials in the sweltering heat of Atlanta, Georgia, the Strata’s premium, silky-soft, feather-light breathable knit structure uses Swiss-engineered ‘coldblack’ fabric that reduces heat absorption and rapidly shifts moisture to prevent ‘cling’. It also offers factor 30+ UVA and UVB protection, plus an antimicrobial finish to combat the aromas that can linger after hot, sweaty runs.

Danish brand Saysky is best known for its loud-and-proud tees and shorts, many of which are visible from outer space, but we're fans of its more muted designs. And it doesn’t get much more classic than this black Clean Combat T-shirt, which you can pair with pretty much anything and feels absolutely great on the run. That’s thanks to its moisture-wicking, quick-drying material, which creates great breathability and airflow. It’s extremely lightweight, too, making it a good tee to reach for quicker sessions and perhaps even race day itself.

The mountain pursuits specialists deliver performance that punches above the price-tag here. The lightweight yarn has a higher surface area than standard circular yarns so it can draw sweat from your skin and dissipate it faster, delivering a high-wicking, fast-drying fabric perfect for warmer days. Just the right amount of stretch to flex with your movement, along with a raglan construction for a close fit that doesn’t constrain at the shoulders scored highly for comfort, too.

We love the graphic print – inspired by Shibori, traditional Japanese dyeing techniques – on this regular-fit, everyday mileage tee. But there’s more to this midweight top than stand out styling. The thicker fabric has a satin softness which feels great and wards off unwanted friction. It’s not the airiest tee we tested but lighter mesh panels on the shoulders help to keep things cool. A good year-rounder with a loose-ish fit that works beautifully for all but the very hottest runs.

The ‘Eco’ refers to the admirable use of recycled fabric here and as for the ‘Tech’, our testers found the lightweight mesh flexed nicely on the move and was highly breathable with excellent sweat-wicking when racking miles in the heat. The yarn also feels silky soft against the skin, an antibacterial treatment keeps things fresh and post-run coffee shop friendly, and the bonded flat seams will see you through sweaty season chafe-free.

There are vests built for racing, and there are vests built for training. The On Core Tank is the latter. That’s due to its slightly thicker, heavier material and higher neckline, which can feel a little restrictive at higher-intensity efforts. The upside is that it’s durable, more versatile than its race-day equivalent and stylishly understated – the kind of piece that can be easily paired with a number of shorts-and-shoes combos and performs admirable as you rack up your daily miles.

Designed for warm-weather running with an elegant simplicity and excellent technical performance. The lightweight and luxe micro-mesh fabric feels soft and cool against your skin, while the fit is athletically snug but accommodates your running movement and stretches with you for a barely-there feel. Reinforced double-stitching at the seams adds durability ensuring this will be a go-to for many years to come.

Chinese brand Nedao burst onto the running scene back in 2017 with some excellent, high-performance technical racewear. And if there’s a thinner, lighter running vest than the Nedao QiFlow singlet, we’ve not found it. The featherweight fabric is peppered with hundreds of strategically-sized, weight-saving mesh pores that also shed heat fast. It’s a barely-there top that’s so minimal, you almost feel naked. An excellent singlet for top-temperature training and racing, and the prints are great too.

The performance-orientated sub-brand of UK fashion outfit Represent, Team 247 has a particular focus on running and offers kit with a fine blend of style and substance. The lightweight mesh is breathable and scores well on wicking and drying when the sweat starts flowing. A looser, boxier fit than the classic running vest may not suit race-fit purists, but our testers enjoyed the extra airiness and the more relaxed aesthetic.

Fit-wise, this top is on the relaxed side – it sits quite loose and low under the arms, so if you prefer a closer fit go down a size. That roomy fit does mean there’s loads of ventilation as you run though, and that, combined with the racer cut at the back, mean it’s a great choice for really hot training days. The Aeroready material is light, has a welcome touch of stretch and wicks sweat quickly. It also contains elements to control odour – every little helps after a sweaty workout.

A great option for those wanting a little more coverage than a vest, this sleeveless tee fits snug but with a dash of elastane for added stretch as you move. The mesh material is nicely breathable and wicks well, minimal seams ensure minimal chafe and an anti-odour treatment embedded in the fabric is a standout feature, doing an excellent job at keeping unwanted whiffs at bay.