The Best Cooling Tees and Tanks for Hot Runs and Gym Sessions

A quick morning jog sounded refreshing — until the blazing sun, stagnant air, and sweat-soaked cotton shirt made you regret your ambitious decision. When temperatures rise, what you wear can make a major difference in how you perform and feel. The best cooling shirts and tanks wick moisture, boost airflow, and help keep you feeling comfortable through even the toughest workouts. These are the top picks from REP's fitness apparel line to help you beat the heat and stay focused on your training.

The Best REP Tees and Tanks to Keep You Cool

• Best Cooling Tee Overall: Men's Aerix Tee
• Best Cooling Tank for Women: Women's Clio Tank Top
• Best Performance Cooling Tank for Man: Men's Solis Muscle Tee
• Best Cooling Polo for Men: Men's Audax Performance Polo
• Best Cooling Tee with Sun Protection: Men's Sigmatech Shirt

Best Cooling Tee Overall: Men's Aerix Tee

The Aerix Tee was specifically designed as a shirt for athletes who train in the heat. It's made from a micro-mesh performance fabric that improves air circulation for a breathable, quick-drying, and moisture-wicking fit. This lightweight tee is also thoughtfully designed, with raglan sleeves and four-way stretch to support increased mobility through overhead movements, HIIT, running, and wherever else your training takes you.

Best Cooling Tank for Women: Women's Clio Tank Top

Constructed from a recycled polyester and elastane blend, this shirt wicks moisture while also remaining breathable (and buttery soft) as temperatures climb. The big call out for those looking to beat the heat is the strategically placed — and may we add, super cute — rear air vent. Placed across your mid back, where your sports bra often holds onto heat, this opening allows extra air flow and sweat evaporation so you can stay cool, dry, and ready to tackle your next set.

Best Performance Cooling Tank for Man: Men's Solis Muscle Tee

If you're trying to keep cool, a tank top lets more of your skin feel the breeze and your pits get some air. This Men's Solis Tank takes cooling even further with a recycled PET polyester and spandex technical mesh fabric which helps increase air flow. This provides enhanced breathability and moisture wicking, ideal for warmer temps.

Best Cooling Polo for Men: Men's Audax Performance Polo

A stuffy polo can kill the vibe when you're battling the sun on the golf course, brunch in the sun, or trapped at work as temperatures rise. The Men's Audax Performance Polo provides the same polished look you're after, with a moisture wicking, breathable, and four-way stretch polyester and spandex blend that helps keep you comfortable throughout the day.

Best Cooling Tee with Sun Protection: Men's Sigmatech Shirt

Sun's out. Gun's out — or, that was until we all started learning about how damaging the sun's UV rays can be. When temperatures rise and you find yourself on the field, track, beach, or trail, the Men's Sigmatech Shirt is ready to help keep you cool while limiting UV exposure.

This performance shirt is made from 49% coffee polyester — basically repurposed coffee grounds. This results in a shirt that naturally reduces static cling, blocks UV rays, is breathable, and fast-drying. Perfect to help keep you cool through your day.

What to Look for in Cooling Clothes for Hot Weather?

Not all workout shirts and tanks are created equal. When the temperatures rise, choosing the best workout clothes becomes even more important. Cooling tees help regulate body temperature by moving sweat away from your skin, increasing airflow, and drying quickly so you can focus on your workout instead of your sweat-soaked tee.

Read More: Summer Workout Apparel

Moisture-Wicking Fabrics

Look for technical fabrics that help to pull sweat away from your body and spread it across the material's surface. This helps sweat evaporate faster, which can limit the liklihood of your shirt getting soaked and feeling heavy.

Breathability and Airflow

Mesh fabrics, strategically placed ventilation panels, and lightweight construction lets air circulate more freely which can help heat escape from your body. The more airflow your shirt provides, the cooler you're feel throughout your training.

Quick-Drying Performance

A cooling tee or tank should dry fast once it gets wet. These quick-drying fabrics help prevent sweat from hanging onto your clothes, keeping you more comfortable through hot training sessions.

Stretch and Mobility

Staying cool as temps rise is only part of the equation to your comfort. You also want a cooling T-shirt that moves with you through your training. Look for materials with four-way stretch and athletic cuts that don't restrict your movement through weight training, HIIT workouts, running, and everything in between.

Read More: Best Running Apparel

Sun Protection

If your training regularaly takes you outdoors — think beach volleyball, running, soccer, and some  functional fitness gyms with outdoor training spaces  — shirts with built-in UV protection are your friends. These fabrics help limit sun exposure while still delivering the breathability and moisture management needed to perform in the heat.

Takeaway

Don't let the heat derail your training. With clothes that keep you cool, you'll be ready to face the summer months with the same drive and determination as the rest of your year. So suit up in some shorts and hot-weather t-shirts, fill your water bottle with ice cubes and electrolytes, and keep making those gains.

FAQs

Do cooling shirts really work?

The best hot weather T-shirts can actually help to keep you cool. They're typically designed with a looser fit to avoid trapping heat, strategically placed ventillation, and anti-microbial treatments to manage odor. Their choice of fabric also help to wick moisture, dry quickly, and increase air flow, which can help to pull sweat away from the body and evaporate so you stay comfortable.

What's the best cooling tank or shirt for hot weather?

The Men's Aerix Tee is REP's best cooling performance shirt — made specifically for training in warmer environments. Made from a micro-mesh fabric that supports air circulation, it's quick-drying and breathable, with a four-way stretch that moves with you.

What is a performance T shirt?

A performance Tee is a shirt that was made with athletics or an active lifestyle in mind. This means the design supports full range of movement, and the choice of fabric helps to move sweat away from the body, dry quickly, and keep you comfortable through warmer or cooler training environments.