Best Running Shirts for Women of 2023

There are countless types of running shirts, each with features that set them apart from the rest. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

When it comes to picking out running gear, the lowly t-shirt often gets overlooked, and many people don’t want to bother looking for the best running shirts. And look, we get it. You can get away with running in any old cotton tee with far fewer consequences than hitting the trails in a pair of Crocs. But here’s the thing. Like ditching Crocs for actual shoes, once you try a technical running tee, you won’t be able to go back to that ratty freebie from 2002. With that in mind, our testers have compiled the ultimate guide to the best running shirts for women.

A good running shirt acts like a small security blanket, keeping you cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold. It helps prevent you from burning under the sun and is a key base layer on snowy mountain summits. And for long outings, a good running shirt provides a protective layer between your skin and that abrasive hydration pack weighing down on your shoulders. Small details like flatlock seams, body-mapped mesh paneling, raglan sleeves, and underarm gussets conform the shirt to your body without irritating your skin. A good running shirt feels so light, breathable, and comfortable that you forget you’re even wearing it.

After a full year of testing the spectrum of running shirts up the windy 14ers in Colorado, down through the hot, humid bogs of the U.S. East Coast, and everywhere in between, we’ve rounded up the best women’s running shirts for trail running, ultrarunning, and everyday use. Our testers have various body types, running goals and styles, and material preferences, and we judged shirts on their fit, breathability, comfort, moisture-wicking abilities, durability, and style. We know that there are seemingly endless shirts to choose from, and our goal with this guide is to help you explore some options for the best running shirts for women available.

You can also read more about our buying advice for running shirts for women, our testing and reviewing methodology, as well as our answers to some frequently asked questions many have about women’s running shirts.

P.S. If you’re looking for men’s running shirts, see our guide to the best running shirts for men.

Best Running Shirts for Women

• Best Overall Running Shirt for Women: Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt
• Best Running Shirt for Women – Runner-Up: Ultimate Direction Nimbus Tee
• Best Wool Running Shirt for Women: Smartwool Merino Short Sleeve Tee
• Best Budget Running Shirt for Women: Under Armour UA Streaker Run Short Sleeve
• Best Running Shirt for Women for Unpredictable Weather: Ibex Springbok Short Sleeve Tee
• Best of the Rest Running Shirts for Women: Decathlon Quechua Mountain Walking Short-Sleeved T-Shirt MH100 and Tracksmith Twilight Tee

Running shirts can be both comfortable and stylish. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Best Overall Running Shirt for Women: Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt ($49)

Pros:

• Ultralight
• Extremely breathable and quick-drying
• Soft and stretchy feeling
• Anti-odor

Cons:

• Seams on the shoulders
• Delicate
• Not great for cold weather

Ultralight, extremely breathable, and quick-drying, the Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt is what we turn to on the hottest days. Double-knit polyester fabric feels oh-so-soft on the skin and moves with you on the trail, making this modestly priced shirt an excellent option for everything from a weekday run to a 100-mile race.

Hands down, this high-performance shirt is the women’s running shirt we frequently wore through our testing for this guide. It kept our primary tester as cool as possible during a steamy ultra through the bogs of New Hampshire and withstood the wear and tear of many days in the Colorado Rockies with a fully loaded pack. Once you have worn this shirt on a roasting summer’s day, you won’t go back to that freebie cotton-polyester blend tee again.

The Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt feels simple, but the thoughtful design lies in the details. It fits comfortably, not too tight and not too loose. And the length sits just where we also like it, right below the hip bone. You can tuck it into your shorts or let it hang loose. The sleeves are long enough to cover your shoulders and an ample section of the upper arm, and gussets under the sleeves give an enhanced range of motion without tugging. Flatlock seams across the shoulders may be irritating with a pack, although our testers didn’t have an issue. A slightly wider neck enhances the breathability and freedom of movement, though the design doesn’t provide as much protection from the sun or hydration-pack chafing as other options.

We practically forgot we were wearing this incredibly light, quick-drying, and stretchy shirt. Once it gets wet, it does cling a bit, but it also seems to cool you off. A Polygiene treatment prevents bacteria from growing, hence reducing odor. After multiple sweaty sessions without washing, we can attest that it passes the stink test.

Coming in at less than two ounces, the Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt is featherlight and packs down efficiently, making it a great option if you like to strip down mid-run and throw your shirt in a pack or the back straps of your sports bra. The tradeoff to this super fine, light fabric is that it’s nearly sheer in some colors and may not provide the most sun protection. The durability also isn’t the greatest, but if you’re careful not to snag it on trees and rocks, it should last for a long time. Also, Patagonia’s generous lifetime free repair policy means you can get most wear and tear fixed for free. Sounds like a pretty good deal for such a fairly-priced piece of apparel.

Material: 100% polyester | Seams: Flatlock | Actual weight: 1.7 ounces (48 grams)

Best Running Shirt for Women – Runner-Up: Ultimate Direction Nimbus Tee ($70)

Pros:

• Breathable and quick-drying
• Does excellent at moderating temperature
• Feels light while wearing

Cons:

• Short sleeves and a wide scoop neck provide less sun protection and more chafing opportunity
• Pricey

Cool and wicking on hot days and warm and insulating on cool days, the Ultimate Direction Nimbus Tee exemplifies how high-tech materials can elevate a humble piece of apparel.

While this tee looks and feels nothing like any other shirt we’ve seen, it does almost everything you could ask for.

Ultimate Direction uses this tee’s most advanced wicking, cooling, and odor-control technologies. While traditional wicking treatments wash off over time, Polartec Delta technology is incorporated into the fibers for a non-chemical wicking and cooling solution. A specialized knit weave of hydrophobic and hydrophilic yarns in a radiating structure expertly wicks away moisture, sucks away heat, and increases airflow. Flatlock seams help prevent chafing, and Polygiene antimicrobial odor control technology successfully keeps odor at bay after multiple sweaty sessions in a row.

Rather than feeling over-engineered, the Ultimate Direction Nimbus Tee is highly breathable, light, and quite thermoregulating. As one tester noted, it’s “SO nice. Breathable and wicking on hot days. Warm on cool days. Shirt love.”

Raglan sleeves mean you don’t have to worry about seams on top of your shoulders, which can cause irritation with a hydration pack. But the short cut on the sleeves may not provide as much sun or chafe protection as you want. This shirt is a bit short, especially for runners with a longer torso, and the wide scoop neck doesn’t protect from the sun very well.

Material: 52% polyester, 44% lyocell, and 4% spandex | Seams: Flatlock | Actual weight: 3.1 ounces (88 grams)

The Ultimate Direction Nimbus Tee. Photo: iRunFar/Abby Levene

Best Wool Running Shirt for Women: Smartwool Merino Short Sleeve Tee ($80)

Pros:

• Odor-resistant
• Breathable

Cons:

• Somewhat less durable than other options

The Smartwool Merino Short Sleeve Tee is a classic that seems to end up in nearly every runner’s wardrobe, and those who tend towards choosing wool shirts for running seem to end up with multiple colors of it. What can only be described as an “ordinary” wool shirt, the simplicity of it is what makes it so great. It does everything you ask of a shirt, and it does it without a bunch of bells and whistles and styling. Merino wool is a far cry from wool garments of the past, and the fine fibers, grown on sheep adapted to live in cold climates in New Zealand and Australia, have exceptional wicking qualities. Smartwool uses a wool-blend material for this shirt. By wrapping responsibly sourced wool fibers around a 100% recycled nylon core, they create a more durable material than pure wool but maintain all its wicking and odor-resistant properties. The wool stays in contact with your skin and the air to effectively transfer moisture outwards. The material is thin enough to make this shirt a good option on warmer days, and it still insulates when things get chillier.

The shirt is described as a slim fit, but it doesn’t contour the body like some other shirts in this guide. There’s plenty of range of motion around the arms, and the sleeves provide good coverage on the upper arms. Merrow stretch stitching keeps the seams flat, and our testers have never had any issues with chafing when wearing this shirt, even though the shoulder seam sits directly on top of the shoulder.

The odor resistance really sets this shirt apart from the rest. One of our testers goes to this shirt for all her fastpacking trips since she can count on it to stay odor-free for over a week. The material also dries quickly, so it’s easy to dunk this shirt into a stream for a rinse mid-trip if needed. While the durability of wool products tends to be slightly lower than synthetic materials, this shirt lasts longer than many other wool options. As the go-to shirt of one of our testers, it’s received plenty of durability testing, and our tester finds that she can get about two summer seasons of heavy use out of this shirt before holes start to develop.

Material: 88% merino wool, 12% nylon | Seams: Merrow | Actual weight: 3.3 ounces (93 grams)

Best Budget Running Shirt for Women: Under Armour UA Streaker Run Short Sleeve ($35)

While not the least expensive shirt we tested, the Under Armour UA Streaker Run Short Sleeve competes with the best of the best at a significantly lower price point. Plus, it’s one of the most flattering shirts we tried. A polyester-stretch blend fabric made from two different gridded weave patterns in a body-mapped fit makes this shirt comfortable and breathable. A touch of elasterell helps give this shirt some stretch and freedom of movement, yet retains its shape when it gets wet. It feels as soft as a casual daywear shirt and honestly looks just as good. The semi-fitted hourglass body and the shaped hem, which falls right on the hip bone, is just plain stylish.

Raglan sleeves eliminate top-of-shoulder seams, helping to prevent irritation from a pack. Under Armour Microthread fabric means this shirt doesn’t cling to your skin when wet, and it dries fast. We wore this shirt for long days in the mountains on some of the hottest summer days and stayed as comfortable as possible while profusely sweating for hours. Plus, anti-odor technology helped prevent stink.

For those who need low-light visibility, the Under UA Armour Streaker Run Short Sleeve comes with a few reflective accents on both the front and back. The one design detail that perplexed us is a seam that runs horizontally across the shoulder blades. It adds an element of uniqueness and style, but what is it for? While that didn’t cause any chafing or irritation with a pack, we could see that being an issue for some.

Material: 93% polyester and 7% elasterell | Seams: Flatlock | Actual weight: 3.2 ounces (91 grams)

A back view of the Under Armour UA Streaker Run Short Sleeve. Photo: iRunFar/Abby Levene

Best Running Shirt for Women for Unpredictable Weather: Ibex Springbok Short Sleeve Tee ($95)

Pros:

• Odor resistant
• Well-placed shoulder seams

Cons:

• It can run a little hot
• Boxy cut

If you’re going for a run starting in sunny weather but may end in the rain or cooler temperatures, the Ibex Springbok Short Sleeve Tee could be an excellent option for a shirt. This wool-blend tee is a little thicker than other shirts in this guide but isn’t necessarily hotter. Made of a blend of merino wool, Tencel, and nylon, the material is wicking, quick-drying, and quite soft. The wool fibers are blended with Tencel and stay in contact with the skin, and they do an excellent job moving moisture away from the skin so that it can evaporate. Tencel is made from eucalyptus and is known for its cooling properties, making this slightly thicker shirt wearable even in the heat. The wool-Tencel blend is wrapped around a nylon core to increase the shirt’s durability and provide it with some stretch. The entire shirt is treated with a Merino Edge Cool finish, which Ibex claims makes the material feel cooler to the touch. Our testers found that it wasn’t too hot for moderate-temperature runs, and it really excelled when things got a little chillier, but not cold enough to warrant long sleeves or a jacket. We wouldn’t hesitate to take this shirt out in any tee-shirt-appropriate temperatures, from hot to chilly. Wool-blend clothing is an excellent option for questionable weather because you can count on it to stay warm even if it gets wet. You’ll appreciate this if you get caught out in an unexpected storm. Being a little thicker, this shirt takes slightly longer to dry than others in this guide.

Ibex paid attention to the details to optimize arm mobility with this shirt, and the arm hole is gusseted to prevent any sort of movement restriction. The shoulder seam is also moved forward on the shirt to minimize the chance of chafing if you’re wearing a pack. While the UPF rating of the shirt is only 15, the sleeves are long enough to cover the shoulders and upper arms well. The neck seam is reinforced to help the shirt keep its shape. It has a fairly boxy cut and fits like, well, an unshaped tee shirt, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially for people who don’t like the more form-fitting style of other shirts.

Material: 45% Tencel, 45% merino wool, 15% nylon | Seams: Flatlock | Actual weight: 3.9 ounces (112 grams)

Best of the Rest Running Shirt for Women: Decathlon Quechua Mountain Walking Short-Sleeved T-Shirt MH100 ($13)

Pros:

• Quick-drying
• Light and soft feeling

Cons:

• Plain seams
• Retains some smell

This super-soft, moisture-wicking, and quick-drying tee costs just $13. Need we say more about the Decathlon Quechua Mountain Walking Short-Sleeved T-Shirt MH100, besides its name being a mouthful?

It seems almost too good to be true that you can purchase an acceptable performance run tee for one-third of the price of the next decent budget piece. Decathlon claims that state-of-the-art production processes and direct-to-consumer retailing allow them to keep their costs low. And apparently, they’re not cutting costs on materials: The shirt is made from 100% recycled polyester originating from plastic bottles. Cost and eco-friendly fabric aside, this shirt holds its own against its much pricier counterparts.

We love the soft feel of this shirt and its fast drying rate. After sweating profusely up a mountain, one tester’s shirt was dry on the breezy summit within minutes. Stretch mesh and underarm gussets provide full freedom of movement. And this shirt was one of the lightest we tested.

While the Decathlon Quechua Mountain Walking Short-Sleeved T-Shirt MH100 sports 75% polyamide underarm panels to help minimize odor, this shirt does retain some stink after a sweaty session. Our primary complaint with this shirt is the plain seams, which could cause some irritation for some people on very long outings. However, smart seam placement, such as in front and behind the shoulder instead of directly on top, helps to mitigate any potential seam irritation. Overall, if you’re looking for a basic performance tee at a price that absolutely breaks no bank, this shirt is it.

Material: 100% recycled polyester | Seams: Plain | Actual weight: 2.8 ounces (79 grams)

A side view of the Decathalon Quechua Mountain Walking Short-Sleeved T-Shirt MH100 Photo: iRunFar/Abby Levene

Best of the Rest Running Shirt for Women: Tracksmith Twilight Tee ($68)

Pros:

• Soft and smooth feeling
• Breathable and dries quickly

Cons:

• Runs very small
• Slightly heavier weight than other shirts in this guide

A silky-smooth mesh feels soft and cool against the skin in the simple and lightweight Tracksmith Twilight Tee.

Made from an Italian micro-polyester and elastane blend called Bravio, the Tracksmith Twilight Tee feels luxurious. It’s silky smooth, highly breathable, and it dries immediately. A bonus is this perforated fabric is naturally antimicrobial and doesn’t smell after multiple sessions without washing it. The high-gauge knit contains small pointelle holes that maximize airflow, help the shirt dry very quickly, and give it plenty of stretch.

We love the cut of this sporty tee, although Tracksmith apparel runs notoriously small, so consider sizing up. Raglan sleeves keep the flatlock seams away from your shoulders. While it’s slightly heavier than other options, it also feels more durable. Our primary tester found this was the tee she turned to most often on cooler mornings, although it keeps you cool on the hottest days as well.

Material: 85% polyester and 15% elastane | Seams: Flatlock | Actual weight: 3.1 ounces (88 grams)

Shop the Tracksmith Twilight Tee

Comparing the Best Women’s Running Shirts

Buying Advice: How to Choose Running Shirts for Women

Finding the best running shirts for women is admittedly a lot easier — and with lower stakes — than finding a lot of other running-related gear. But the options are endless, with vastly different performance, cost, and functionality that can easily lead to choice paralysis.

As with most other gear choices, there is no silver bullet running shirt for every runner on every type of run. Use this guide to get a sense of some of the best options and learn about the subtle differences and features among shirts. We’re here to help steer you in the right direction and help you hone your choices. To do so, there are some characteristics to which you should pay attention.

Use

When selecting a running shirt, ask yourself what you will use it for. Do you want a shirt for long days in the mountains or something to keep you warm for a five-minute warm-up before you ditch a shirt entirely during a speed workout? Will you wear it during a hot, muggy summer or as a base layer during the winter? Do you need a shirt you can wear for days without washing? Do you need it to protect you from the sun? Some shirts, like the Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt, can excel across an array of conditions, which is why we named it our best running shirt for women.

Style

You have to look good to feel good. The rationale behind this motto extends beyond pure vanity, and we know it’s important that your gear reflects your individual style. Some people may find a form-fitting hourglass shirt looks and feels more comfortable than a boxy one, and vice versa. The same goes with capped or boxy sleeves, a crew neck or scoop neck, and a short or long hemline.

We absolutely loved the style of both the Under Armour UA Streaker Run Short Sleeve and the Tracksmith Twilight Tee.

Comfort

As with any garment, comfort is probably the biggest thing to consider when choosing between some of the best running shirts for women. Our team loved the light and airy feel of the Ultimate Direction Nimbus Tee during hot runs and appreciated that it also worked well in cooler weather. Comfort largely comes down to three elements for a tee: fabric, fit, and seams. Stretch also comes into play since stretchy fabrics tend to move with you. If you plan on running with a hydration vest, consider how the shirt feels with a loaded pack on your shoulders as well. Does the material rub against your back, slip under the pack’s shoulder straps, or ride up your torso?

Fabric

The material and weave of a shirt largely influence comfort. Most high-performance tees are made from polyester blended with spandex. Polyester, a synthetic fabric made from oil, tends to feel smooth and doesn’t absorb water. It’s durable and retains its shape. Adding in spandex helps make polyester-based fabrics stretchy and soft. Some running shirts are made from merino wool blends, including the Ibex Springbok Short Sleeve Tee. Merino wool can feel itchy and is often less durable than synthetic fabrics. But good merino-blend wool shirts provide a natural fiber option with antimicrobial properties that repel odor and have excellent insulating capabilities.

A good running shirt will keep you cool in the heat and provide insulation during cooler runs. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Seams

Shirts are composed of multiple pieces of fabric stitched together with seams. When you make the same motion over and over for hours on end, as we do when we run, even the slightest bump, such as a seam, can cause serious irritation over time. This means that both seam design and placement are crucial in keeping you comfortable and chafe-free on the trails. Most running shirts swap out classic overlock seams for flatlock seams, where two pieces of fabric are sewn together flat and without overlap. Some manufacturers ditch stitching entirely, opting for taped seams. Flatlock and taped seams tend to rub against your skin far less than overlock seams. However, taped seams are also more delicate. In addition to seam type, the style of stitching and the thread used also influence comfort against the skin.

Many running shirts move seams off the top of the shoulder by opting for raglan sleeves or paneling. These styles introduce more seams, leading to more places to rub, but they eliminate the possibility of a shoulder-top seam rubbing against a hydration pack.

If you’re unsure how seams affect you, we recommend choosing a running shirt with flatlock seams, like the Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt or the Tracksmith Twilight Tee.

Breathability

Breathability and drying speed set the best women’s running shirts apart from the rest. Breathability tells you how well the shirt moves sweat away from your skin, allowing it to evaporate rather than turning into a sticky mess on your skin or soaking the shirt. The best running shirts for women are highly breathable and often made of mesh and lightweight materials.

The most breathable shirt we tested was the Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt.

Raglan sleeves keep seams off of the tops of the shoulders and can prevent chafing if you’re wearing a pack. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Drying Speed

A shirt’s drying speed comes down to wicking and water retention. Wicking is how well the fabric pulls moisture from the shirt’s interior to the outside, where it can evaporate. Merino wool and some other materials are naturally good at wicking, while other fabrics gain wicking power from the weave of the fibers or differences between the interior and exterior of the fabric. Shirts that absorb a lot of water, like cotton, will take longer to dry. Garments with a fast drying speed keep you cool on hot days and also help keep you warm on cold days. We found the Ultimate Direction Nimbus Tee to be incredibly breathable and light, and it could dry quickly after use, which is why it made it onto our list of best running shirts for women.

Smell Protection

Sweat is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria, leading to your running clothes smelling over time. Some shirts counteract bacteria build-up with the antimicrobial properties naturally found in the fabric, such as wool. Others add odor-control treatments or elements woven into the fabric itself. Wool tends to be the best fabric at preventing stink, but many treatments work well, too.

If odor is one of your chief concerns, try the wool-blend Ibex Springbok Short Sleeve Tee.

Ultraviolet Protection Factor Rating

Think of ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) ratings for apparel like sunscreen ratings for our skin. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, a UPF rating of 50 means that only about 1/50th (or two percent) of the sunlight reaches your skin. All shirts provide some sun protection, with most clothing coming in around eight to 15 UPF. Fabrics with certain dyes or weaves can have additional UPF protection; darker colors provide more protection than light ones. Manufacturers are only allowed to advertise the UPF rating if it exceeds 15.

Extra Features

Extra features set the best running shirts for women apart from the rest. Features like a half zip, collar, and reflective elements differentiate short-sleeved tees, add benefits, and make a shirt unique. Ultimately, each of these boils down to personal preference, especially since something like a zipper or a collar will add a little bit of weight. A half zip and a collar can provide ventilation and chafing protection if you wear a pack. Reflective elements add visibility when running on the streets at night.

If you’re looking for clothing made in an eco-friendly manner, look to the recycled polyester material of the Decathlon Quechua Mountain Walking Short-Sleeved T-Shirt MH100.

The author, Abby Levene, wears the Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt under a pack and jacket on a climb up snowy mountains. Photo: iRunFar/Abby Levene

Why You Should Trust Us

We began this guide by researching shirts from the most trusted brands in running, premier outdoor brands, and major companies in the women’s run category. Next, we polled the large iRunFar team and trusted running friends to find out which women’s running shirts they love and don’t care for as much. We narrowed our search to 20-plus shirts that we tested in the field.

When this guide was first created, two iRunFar testers spent four months subjecting these running shirts for women to the rigors of mountainous Colorado and hot, humid New Hampshire summers. They ran in them for 50-mile outings, 50k races, and multi-day backpacking trips, and they wore them several times in a row without washing them (yuck, but you’re welcome). Since then, we’ve continued to test both the original shirts in the guide to assess their long-term durability, and we’ve also taken new ones out. Shirts are used in as many weather and running conditions as possible so that we can provide the most accurate assessments possible. We rate the shirts on comfort, fit, breathability, moisture-wicking, and drying time, and we aim to get as many different opinions on various shirts as possible.

Please note that product models are routinely discontinued in the running world, while new ones frequently come to market. At the same time, we here at iRunFar often keep using our top picks in our daily running … they’re our top picks, after all! Sometimes, that continued use results in uncovering product failures. With all this — product discontinuations, product introductions, and product failures — in mind, we routinely update our buyer’s guides based on past and ongoing testing and research by our authors and editorial team. While these updates can appear to be us pushing the newest product, it’s anything but that. When we update any buyer’s guide, most products will likely remain the same. That matches our goal: to get you in the best gear you’ll use for a long time.

A properly fitting shirt can prevent chafing, even when using poles. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Frequently Asked Questions About Running Shirts for Women

Can I run in a cotton tee?

You can … if you don’t mind marinating in a wet, heavy shirt once you sweat. Cotton drinks up water and hangs onto it as if its life depended on it. Your basic cotton and cotton-polyester blend shirts also tend to have abrasive seams, which may lead to chafing and lack the other performance benefits of technical running shirts that keep you dry, regulate your temperature, and allow for total freedom of movement. Even upgrading to our best budget running shirt for women, the Under Armour UA Streaker Run Short Sleeve, can significantly increase your comfort during a run.

How can wool be a good choice for warm weather?

High-performance wool fabric looks nothing like that wool sweater your grandma knit for you in the 1990s. Performance merino yarn comes from ultra-fine wool fiber that feels soft and possesses natural antimicrobial properties, helping to prevent stink. These fabrics tend to be highly breathable and thermoregulating. The chemical bonds in merino change once the wool starts absorbing sweat, releasing heat in the process. While you may feel hot when you first start, you’ll find that your wool shirt will start cooling you down once you sweat. Shirts like the Ibex Springbok Short Sleeve Tee use a wool blend to take advantage of the benefits of wool while still making a light and comfortable shirt.

Is there any difference between men’s and women’s running shirts?

Yes. Running shirts for women tend to be tailored quite differently from men’s, mostly to accommodate differences in body form. Women’s shirts tend to have narrower shoulders, shorter sleeves, a narrower waist, and a wider hem at the hips. Women’s shirts also give more space in the chest. These design differences allow for full freedom of movement without letting fabric bunch around the waist and shoulders. Of course, these discrepancies also lend to differences in style, with many women’s shirts providing a more form-fitting hourglass shape. Of the running shirts we tested, we found the Under Armour UA Streaker Run Short Sleeve to have the most flattering fit for us.

The color of a shirt can contribute to its UPF rating and improve your visibility on the road. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Should I run in a short-sleeved tee, a tank top, or no shirt at all?

The answer to this question largely boils down to personal preference. Many runners, especially trail runners and ultrarunners, prefer to wear a shirt for sun protection, to prevent chafing with a hydration pack, and to add a small buffer if they take a tumble. Some shirts are made with sun protection in mind.

While a sleeveless tank top may keep you a little cooler than a shirt like the Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt, which is a very lightweight shirt, it also provides no sun protection for the shoulders and arms, nor does it protect against underarm chafing. Once you’ve experienced chafing under your arms, you will go to any length to prevent it from happening again. It’s exhausting running like a chicken with your elbows out.

Of course, many Anton Krupicka diehards swear by running shirtless at all times. To each their own. Try different options to see what you like best during weather patterns.

Call for Comments

• Ladies, what are your favorite running shirts? Or do you opt for tank tops or just sports bras?
• What element matters most to you in a good running shirt: material, cost, durability, style, or something else?

Maggie Guterl tests shirts on a ridge above Durango. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi