TRAINING TOPS
Just because you can throw on any old t-shirt for your gym session, doesn’t mean you should. For those who want to train in comfort and style, these are the top tees for the job
>> Whether you’re swinging heavy metal, plodding pavements or sweating out demons in a hardcore spin session, it’s hard to get in the zone unless you feel comfortable and confident. As anyone who has experienced chafing and discomfort in a sweaty cotton tee will tell you, dropping a few extra quid on a good technical top a smart move.
Time to get technical
Unlike regular cotton t-shirts, technical workout tops tend to be made from more advanced moisture-wicking fabrics, or sometimes high-end merino wool. They are designed to be light, to move with your body, and to keep you cool and dry during even the most intense sessions.
So, when you’re knocking out your umpteenth burpee or that final sick-making interval – and cursing yourself and the universe – your gym kit won’t add unnecessary discomfort, chafing and soggy misery into the already challenging mix.
It’s not just moisture-wicking that makes technical workout t-shirts the smarter option, though. They often come with other features that make them a worthwhile investment. That includes breathable mesh panels that improve airflow and ventilation; and a workout-friendly fit that guarantees a good, unrestricted range of movement, leaving you to concentrate on the task at hand.
BEST FOR VERSATILITY
£53, underarmour.co.uk
For the ultimate in functional workout tees, pull on one of Under Armour’s Rush Legacy tops. The Rush line features special minerals embedded in the fabric, to reflect your body’s far infrared (FIR) heat ‘energy’ back into the muscles, to create deeper warmth and aid recovery.
Add to that the Legacy’s seamless, soft-knit, four-way stretch design and mesh ventilation zones, and you have a gym shirt that will keep you cool and comfortable.
Fit: ★★★★★ Comfort: ★★★★☆ Sweat-wicking: ★★★★★ OVERALL: ★★★★★
BEST FOR STYLE
£108, tracksmith.com
Tracksmith is fast gaining a reputation for making some of the most stylish running gear around. Its New England-inspired kit, in a wealth of gloriously retro colours, takes a leaf from Chariots of Fire and the halcyon heyday of track athletics.
That’s not to say performance is anything other than 21st century. The Strata tee is silky soft, fitted and impressively breathabl
