I find the plain Banana Republic t's to be trim and quite durable.

 

J. Crew's Broken-in tees are very soft and comfy. They are quite thin though, so keep that in mind. They come in a regular and slim fit.

 

Not clear whether you are looking for cotton (perish the thought) or something comfortable. If it's the latter, I have been impressed with Under Armor and Brooks.

 

I've been fairly pleased with the very inexpensive gym/athletic clothes that Target sells under their house brand, Merona. Virtually all athletic gear is made in China these days, so I see no reason whatever to pay any premium at all for "name brands."

 

Champion.Com sells well priced high quality, classic looking athletic wear.

 

I've been working out for 43 years.

I've always been concerned about the workout, and not the apparel. If it is comfortable, hides my private parts, and doesn't stink, it is good workout apparel.

Old Izod polos make it to the gym. Champion sweats for sure. Gray tee shirts too. (And black socks are for power; white socks are for endurance).

Gyms are (in my opinion) antithetical to fashion. I don't even think about it.

 

UnderArmour Loose Gear "Tech" t-shirts.

This places ships any quantity for free (the Techs cost $19.99):
https://www.sportsdepot.com/loosegear.html#0375

For shorts I prefer the Champion mesh kind with side pockets.

 

UnderArmour Loose Gear "Tech" t-shirts.

This places ships any quantity for free (the Techs cost $19.99):
https://www.sportsdepot.com/loosegear.html#0375

For shorts I prefer the Champion mesh kind with side pockets.

When I was mountain climbing this sort of technology made sense. For the gym (which is presumably temperature controlled) it does not.

Stick with cotton.

 

Champion.Com sells well priced high quality, classic looking athletic wear.

My champion sleeveless have worn very well. The regular t's did too but fit like tents

 

There is a brand called Starter they sell at Wal-Mart. It's very inexpesive and is like Dri-fit material. I really like the shorts and Tees for the gym.

 

My champion sleeveless have worn very well. The regular t's did too but fit like tents

Gym wear, in my opinion, should fit loosely. It makes for comfortable workouts.

Sleeveless shirts are banned from many gyms because they leave too much sweat on the machines.

I worked out in Las Vegas a few times (per diem) and they handed me a small towel each time I showed up (I had to return it) to wipe down the equipment after each use. (And they were very strict in that regard).

 

When I was mountain climbing this sort of technology made sense. For the gym (which is presumably temperature controlled) it does not.

Stick with cotton.

Depends on what you are doing. If you stick to pumping iron, cotton will likely be fine. If you're running, spinning, etc., cotton is your enemy.

 

Depends on what you are doing. If you stick to pumping iron, cotton will likely be fine. If you're running, spinning, etc., cotton is your enemy.

"Cotton kills" was the warning in the mountains. You are warmer naked than you are wearing wet cotton.

In the gym, which is generally comfortably heated, cotton is not an issue; in warm weather it will make you feel cooler.

Cotton is not much of an enemy in the gym. It launders well, and unlike synthetics does not retain odors. It breaks in, rather than breaks down. It absorbs sweat and does not leave the equipment nearly as sweaty as does synthetics. Cotton, in my opinion, is a better choice for gym wear.

Cotton is still king in the gym.

 

Gym wear, in my opinion, should fit loosely. It makes for comfortable workouts.

Not so loose as to fit another person in there.

 

"Cotton kills" was the warning in the mountains. You are warmer naked than you are wearing wet cotton.

In the gym, which is generally comfortably heated, cotton is not an issue; in warm weather it will make you feel cooler.

Cotton is not much of an enemy in the gym. It launders well, and unlike synthetics does not retain odors. It breaks in, rather than breaks down. It absorbs sweat and does not leave the equipment nearly as sweaty as does synthetics. Cotton, in my opinion, is a better choice for gym wear.

Cotton is still king in the gym.

I actually agree with this for all the reasons quoted. I have two dri-fit type shirts that I use when traveling for business. Easy to rinse out and drip dry in a hotel room.

 

When I was mountain climbing this sort of technology made sense. For the gym (which is presumably temperature controlled) it does not.

Stick with cotton.

Once you work up a serious sweat, cotton gets soaked and stays soaked. That's uncomfortable, even in a temperature-controlled environment.

The modern moisture-management fabrics are superior.

 

Frequently I find myself using all those printed T's we bought over the years on our family vacations, as the top half of my workout gear. However for extended outdoor cardio-sessions during the summer and winter months, it's UnderArmour Heat and cold gear, respectively!

 

Once you work up a serious sweat, cotton gets soaked and stays soaked. That's uncomfortable, even in a temperature-controlled environment.

The modern moisture-management fabrics are superior.

This is absolute truth.
I am a former competitive athlete, and have spent many long hours in many gyms.
Cotton is just about the very worst fabric you could be wearing, if you actually are working out. (And if you are merely posing, get the heck out of the gym and make room for those who are there to work out.)

Loose clothing made of fabrics designed to wick and evaporate perspiration is the best (and should be the only) thing to wear to the gym.

 

Cotton, the very worst fabric for working out? Maybe, but it's also the tradliest workout fabric. . . .

I liked cotton shirts at the gym a whole lot more when I lived in an arid Rocky Mountain environment than I do now that I live in VA. Gym clothes are probably not the place to draw the trad "line in the sand." synthetic compression shorts are superior to cotton jock straps, as are synthetic shorts and warm-up pants to their cotton counterparts.

 

With gym clothing, I tend to go durable. I look for stuff that is going to keep the sweat off the equipment and isn't flashy. Generally, I wear cotton shirts from some event (2003 Chili Cook-Off, Blood Drive, etc.) , Under Armour underwear, and cotton shorts.

 

I need some well fitting, plain t shirts to last me through the gym-week. Any suggestions?

If you are a serious gym goer, then here are some examples of the shirts I wear for working out:

https://www.altrec.com/smartwool/mens-nts-microweight-tee

https://www.backcountry.com/store/search.html?mv_session_id=&aff=1&q=merino+wool#search=%26path%3Dcbcs%2523%2523%252d1%2523%2523%252d1%257e%257eq6d6572696e6f20776f6f6c%7E%7Encbcsc11s100000006g100000066%2523%25230%2523%2523g

They are all a thin merino wool that are highly durable and dry very quickly, especially when compared against cotton "T" shirts. Furthermore, merino wool resists smelling. Finally, merino wool doesn't stick to the body like cotton often does...I workout 5 days a week for one and a half hours, sometimes two. Not one shirt has failed me yet!

I personally wear Backcountry.com, Patagonia, and Ibex merino wool short sleeves. Buy cotton if you want, you'll quickly regret it.

 

If you are a serious gym goer, then here are some examples of the shirts I wear for working out:

https://www.altrec.com/smartwool/mens-nts-microweight-tee

https://www.backcountry.com/store/search.html?mv_session_id=&aff=1&q=merino+wool#search=%26path%3Dcbcs%2523%2523%252d1%2523%2523%252d1%257e%257eq6d6572696e6f20776f6f6c%7E%7Encbcsc11s100000006g100000066%2523%25230%2523%2523g

They are all a thin merino wool that are highly durable and dry very quickly, especially when compared against cotton "T" shirts. Furthermore, merino wool resists smelling. Finally, merino wool doesn't stick to the body like cotton often does...I workout 5 days a week for one and a half hours, sometimes two. Not one shirt has failed me yet!

I personally wear Backcountry.com, Patagonia, and Ibex merino wool short sleeves. Buy cotton if you want, you'll quickly regret it.

I've been meaning to try these newer wool base layers.

As an exercise fiend myself (1-2 hours per day) I certainly concur that cotton is the worst thing to wear; currently, I get the dri-fit (and related) stuff from Target.

Technical fabrics are absolutely the way to go for working out, and they don't cost much (the wool versions being an exception.)

DH

 

I've been fairly pleased with the very inexpensive gym/athletic clothes that Target sells under their house brand, Merona. Virtually all athletic gear is made in China these days, so I see no reason whatever to pay any premium at all for "name brands."

Target also sells the "C9" line from Champion, which is cheap and very functional.

 

I like the UA heatgear for the gym. I tend to sweat a lot and cotton is way to uncomfortable and stinks in no time. The heat gear dries out quickly and if needed I can toss it in the sink to rinse and it's dry in a couple of hours. UA's boxer briefs are great too.

 

Target also sells the "C9" line from Champion, which is cheap and very functional.

This is what I use. I like it.