Whether it’s the base layer covered with a fleece vest and a waterproof jacket or a topper worn over a tank top for the first few miles of a crisp run, a long-sleeve shirt made of a wicking fabric is a running staple.
Maybe your favorite style just got discontinued (or you’ve never found a favorite!), you’re looking for a wardrobe refresh—or wanting to break out of a black/gray/navy rut. We know it’s tough to sort through all the options and features out there. We’ve got you covered: Ten runners and hikers (a mix of BAMRbassadors and AMR’s co-founders and podcast hosts, Sarah and Dimity) put eight long-sleeve shirts through their paces on runs and hikes.
Here’s what our testers have to say about the eight tops.
Old Navy Fitted Seamless Top
Price: $23.99 (on sale)
Sizes: XS-4X
This “perfect basic top” made an Old Navy convert out of one runner: “I love everything about this shirt: the thumbholes, the fabric, the length. I think I just found my new favorite cool weather running top!” A hiking tester agreed: “I was pleasantly surprised by this top!” She explained she typically likes her workout tops a little loose, but this 60% nylon, 40% polyester tee, “had the perfect amount of stretch to make it feel cozy and smooth, not at all restrictive or tight.” Both testers felt this bargain easily rivals tops from more expensive brands.
One tester was “worried about the trendy length, which is slightly shorter than I’m used to, but it stayed put and didn’t ride up at all.” Did we mention it’s available in five colors and an impressive size range up to 4X? (And it seems to be on perma-sale!)
Brooks Notch Thermal Long Sleeve 2.1
Price: $90
Sizes: XS-XXL
Don’t let the price tag scare you off: Both testers admitted it initially gave them pause, but after wearing it and realizing how it crosses over from workouts to athleisure, they both think, “it’s worth it.” Adding to its versatility, one tester commented, “it would also make a good layer for skiing!”
Semi-fitted, it “didn’t feel tight or annoying.” The fabric is heavier than other reviewed tops, with a Coloradan describing it as having, “a warmth to it without being heavy or bulky.” A Midwestern tester described it as, “almost fleece-y but not quite.” She wore it on crisp (48-50 degrees) early morning dog walks, and it kept her warm enough. For running, she saved it for runs in the lower 40s. Another warm-weather feature: a high neck (“a slight mock neck” is how one gal put it) that our testers appreciated.
Other enviable features: thumbholes; an opening on both sleeves for a sports watch; and a small zippered pocket that’s big enough for an ID, GU Gel, or AirPods. Available in three colors.
Oiselle Flyout Wool Long Sleeve
Price: $92
Sizes: 2-24/26
If you haven’t worked out in wool, we strongly encourage you to give it a go! An upstate New York BAMRbassador confessed she’s on a mission to convert all her workout gear to wool so she can wear a piece, “a few times without washing, and it doesn’t get stinky!” She is sold on this lightweight wool-blend (64% polyester, 36% wool), which she describes as, “soft and comfy, not at all itchy, and just the right thickness and fit for layering over or under another shirt.” AMR’s Sarah loves it for crisp (low 50s) fall runs paired with shorts (yeah, she’s quirky like that…).
It’s a slim fit, yet runs true to size in an incredibly impressive size range. The extra-long sleeves boast thumbholes and watch holes on both arms–one BAMRbassador really appreciated that feature in a race. Choose from four colors.
Rabbit EZ Tee LS
Price: $55
Sizes: XS-XL
Rabbit, a running-centric brand out of California, boasts this top is, “the softest long sleeve you’ll ever slip on.” And our testers completely concur! “The fabric is so soft! I noticed immediately as I started to put it on,” wrote a Philly tester, while Dimity in Denver gushed, “SO DANG soft.” Both gals also praised the 94% polyester, 6% Spandex, “quick drying” fabric as being very light and stretchy. “It’s great on its own, but will also layer really well when it gets colder because it’s so thin and form-fitting.” But never fear: Dimity worried it would be too tight, “but it’s both relaxed and fitted at the same time.” (Rabbit calls it a “tailored” fit.)
Unlike most tops in this review, this top doesn’t have any thumbholes, pockets, zippers, or other add-ons, which was a boon for Dimity. She appreciated its “simplicity and execution. It is designed beautifully.” Both testers also deemed this tee a, “great value.” So much so that Dimity is considering buying another one.
Two size-related quibbles with Rabbit apparel: a limited size range, and the apparel is cut on the small size. Seven colors to choose from.
KORSA Women’s Vital 1/2-Zip
Price: $74.99
Sizes: XS-XXL
Say hello to the only half-zip top in the review! “It zips up really high to help keep the neck warm,” reported one Wisconsin tester, who appreciated the personal climate control the zipper provides.
The top’s 88% polyester, 12% Spandex fabric garnered praise. Our central NY tester deemed it, “on the thicker side and very soft on the skin.” She wore this piece solo as well as layered over a thin short-sleeve or tank top. The arms, which end in thumbholes, “are ribbed, stretchy, and feel really comfortable,” according to one tester, while another felt the sleeves were, “a bit short.”
One Cali tester deemed it, “a versatile top,” which makes sense as KORSA describes it as a jacket. Available in three colors.
Quince Seamless Ruched Long Sleeve Top
Price: $29.90
Sizes: XS-XL
Let us introduce you to Quince (like the fruit, not “15” in Spanish, like Sarah’s bilingual kids think!): The apparel and accessories brand is best known for its reasonably priced cashmere sweaters, but they also have a full line of workout basics in technical fabrications. “I had no idea that Quince had workout wear, so this was such a find,” our Philly-area tester told us. “The price point is great for a stylish workout shirt.”
The 96% nylon, 4% Spandex material, “is more substantial” than many of the tops one tester wears, “but not too heavy. It’s soft and comfortable.” Rubbery internal hem-grippers on either side of this tee meant, “the hip-skimming top didn’t ride up, even on an 8-miler.” Thumbholes were welcome on a morning run in the 40s.
Both testers loved the ruching, which, “gives the top an elevated flair,” as well as the “gorgeous” plum color. Two knocks: limited size range, and only three hues, including white and black. (Although one tester loved, “the shirt and the price so much, [she] may order it in both black and white.”)
Lululemon Swiftly Relaxed Long-Sleeve Shirt Hip Length
Price: $78
Sizes: 0-16
If you run into Sarah in a sporty setting, chances are good she’ll be wearing this top as it’s her new wear-everywhere favorite! The cut and weight make it incredibly versatile: The fabric—54% nylon, 40% recycled polyester, 3% Elastane, and 3% special stink-fighting, silver-infused nylon—is supple and light, while the cut is like a sweatshirt. Lulu describes it best: “a loose fit with a little extra room.” Sarah wears it layered over a tank for the first game or two of pickleball and post-play to run errands, as well as on its own for runs in the high-40s to mid-50s. She loves, “how easily the sleeves push up because the arms aren’t tight.” The absence of thumbholes boosts this top’s versatility.
A wide hem prevents the top from riding up, and it hits at the hip bones or a slightly lower. “I really like how it camouflages my ‘meno-pot,’” confesses Sarah (who bought this top to test it). Sizing is gracious: Sarah often wears an XL in workout tees, and she debated long and hard between a size 10 and a 12. (She opted for a 12 for a more sweatshirt-y fit, but she plans to buy a second one in a 10 in one of the eight other colors.)
Oiselle Lux Highline Hoodie
Price: $120
Sizes: 2-14
With the heftiest price tag in this review, this top also boasts the most features: a hood, thumbholes, watch window, neck gaiter, and back pocket. (Phew!) Raved our Wisconsin-based tester: “It’s one of those tops that has things you didn’t know you needed, but once you have them, you never want to live without them!” She especially loved the watch window because it meant she didn’t have to remove her gloves and peel up the sleeve to see the stats on her watch.
Denver-based Dimity dubbed this top the, “Swiss Army knife of hoodies” because it would work in so many situations! “You could wear it as an outer layer on a long run or as a middle layer if you were XC skiing or snowshoeing.” Despite despising turtlenecks, Dimity found the built-in gaiter, “so smart: great for starting out a chilly run, when your warm breath on your nose and cheeks will feel good, then you can pull it down when you warm up.” Both testers loved the “very smooth and soft” midweight fabric made of 87% polyester, 11% Spandex.
Even with the price, Dimity feels this versatile top is a great value. “Oiselle products have a long life—it’s something I will have for at least 10 years, if not more.” We just wish this hoodie was available in as wide a size range as many Oiselle pieces are offered. Just two colors.
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