A running shirt looks like the simplest thing in the wardrobe, and then you open a shop listing and find several hundred of them, all promising the same four things. This guide works through a long-running comparison of 66 men's running shirts, short-sleeved and long-sleeved, and pulls out the handful that separated themselves on fit, drying behaviour and how they actually felt to run in.
What follows is recorded testing, translated. Nobody at Truthful Reviews has worn any of these shirts. This page makes no health claim of any kind: it describes fabrics, weights, cut, seams and observed drying, and nothing else.
What actually separates one running shirt from another
Every manufacturer emphasises something different. One brand treats flatlock seams as the mark of a serious garment, the next uses conventional overlock stitching and puts its effort elsewhere. In the testing the shirts were judged as neutrally as possible, and the question that mattered most was the plain one: is it enjoyable to run in? Does it scratch or rub? How does it feel an hour in? Do you put it aside afterwards, or reach for it again next time?
Fit and sizing
Fit is the awkward part. Every shirt in the comparison was a size L, worn by a tester of 1.88 m and 85 kg, and the spread between brands was large. One brand's L sat quite loose; another's was cut so athletically it barely resembled the same size. What surprised the testing most was how little the product description predicted any of this. Shirts marketed as compression garments came up generously wide; others ran smaller than expected. Cheaper shirts in particular tended towards a boxy, standard cut with more in common with an ordinary T-shirt than with an athletic running top.
The rule of thumb that came out of it: when in doubt, size up rather than down.
Bodymapping
Bodymapping is the industry's term for using different materials, different fabric weights and specific inserts on different parts of the body, chosen so each panel suits the area it covers — stretchy here, abrasion-resistant there, more or less vapour-permeable somewhere else. In practice that usually means mesh under the arms and along the flanks, where moisture needs the shortest route out. On long-sleeved shirts the manufacturers tend to concentrate stretch panels around the shoulders instead. The point is that comfort is raised by combining materials rather than cutting the whole garment from one cloth.
Flatlock seams versus seamless
No shirt is genuinely seam-free, but several brands advertise "seamless" construction, meaning seams have been minimised to reduce the number of places where fabric can rub. Flatlock seams have become close to standard for the same reason, and because they sit flat rather than standing proud of the fabric and pressing into the skin under the straps of a running pack.
Fabrics
It used to be polyester, or at least synthetic, and nothing else. Now it is blends — elastane for stretch — and increasingly natural fibres too. Lyocell, a wood-derived fibre, turns up in several of the merino blends here, and both lyocell and merino hold their warmth better than synthetics when the garment has gone damp. Classic polyester shirts still do the job perfectly well; the direction of travel is simply towards different fabrics in different places.
Recycled content
Recycled input is one of the more interesting shifts in clothing manufacture, and more brands use it every season. Two stood out in this field: inov-8, and TAO, which states that both its shirts are made entirely from recycled PET bottles.
The best short-sleeved running shirts
Short-sleeved shirts are the ones you reach for as the temperature climbs. These are the models that made the best impression on fit, drying and comfort.
Top pick — Columbia Zero Rules Light SS Crew
The pick of the short-sleeved field, and a shirt the testing simply enjoyed putting on. It is a relaxed, hang-loose cut that does not restrict and leaves plenty of freedom of movement — the sort of straightforward garment that gets worn well beyond running.
Columbia uses its OmniFreeze treatment, which gives the polyester fabric a cooling character on hot days, and the loose cut fans air across the body as you move. The shirt was worn in ordinary daily life as well as on runs: it wears inconspicuously, and the fresh colourways are cheerful. It is offered in several designs, and the value on offer was the deciding argument for putting it first in a field this large.
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The trail all-rounder — Black Diamond Lightwire Short Sleeve Tech Tee
A surprise winner, because it is not strictly a running shirt at all — it is a multi-sport top, meant equally for climbing, long-distance walking and use as a base layer on alpine days. It nonetheless impressed most on the trails, thanks to excellent climate management.
It dries very quickly, ventilates well, and even on long runs with a lot of climbing and descending it does not begin to rub. It also barely saturates, which in practice means fewer changes of shirt. The cut gives plenty of freedom and is pleasantly casual; the manufacturer describes it as built to come along for anything, and the testing duly used it on bike-and-hike and bike-and-run outings, where it showed its range. Packed size is small enough that it disappears into a running vest or a hip pack.
Durability looks good: compared with other very breathable, airy fabrics it is not quite as cosy against the skin, but it is a long way from scratchy, and it did not pull threads or show any other meaningful wear. The one recorded reservation is that slightly rough hand-feel.
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The lightest — Odlo Zeroweight Engineered Chill-Tec
At just 99 g this is among the lightest shirts in the whole comparison, and it dries extraordinarily quickly. Two things account for that: a very thin fabric made largely from recycled raw materials, and ventilation holes positioned under the arms. The Chill-Tec construction the shirt is named for moves moisture and water vapour away from the skin noticeably faster than the other fabrics here.
The surprise was robustness. The cloth looks delicate, and this was the shirt the testing reached for most often across an entire summer, yet it finished with no defects in the weave at all. Odlo has also given it a number of reflective details — the front logo reflects, and so do small applications at the neck.
It is thin, which places it squarely in summer. For the shoulder seasons, or as a layer under something else in winter, something heavier makes more sense.
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The quiet achiever — Mammut Aenergy FL T-Shirt
Understated, unobtrusively designed, and much better than it looks. On wearing comfort it belongs among the best shirts in the comparison, and Mammut has not skimped on drying either. It is thin and breathable enough to keep up on performance-minded runs and move moisture off the body, while still feeling secure and unfussy for someone newer to the sport.
The manufacturer is open that this is not a running-only garment, and the good drying supports that. The black shirt tested was dry again after only a short spell in the sun, and dried quickly on the body too. Mammut's HeiQ Fresh finish appears to do its job: other shirts smelled noticeably stronger after sweaty sessions than this one did.
Flatlock seams complete it — they do not stand proud and they do not scratch. Worn on its own, without a layer over it, you also get the benefit of reflective zones. Its one recorded drawback is that it sits at the pricier end of the field.
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For serious runners — Compressport Trail Racing SS Shirt
Few shirts have surprised the testing as much as this one. The first reason is the fine polyamide fabric, which lies gently against the skin, follows the body thanks to an athletic cut, and moves moisture outwards quickly. The material is thin, so the shirt dries remarkably fast, and on feel alone it sits right at the top of the field — soft, closer to microfleece than to a technical jersey.
Pull it on and the close cut and soft seams make you want to start straight away. The low-profile fabric also layers exceptionally well: it goes under a midlayer or a shell without bunching. It is not a cheap shirt, but for anyone who takes their running seriously it is an outstanding companion. The one criticism recorded was light pilling.
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The best long-sleeved running shirts
Long-sleeved shirts come into their own once it cools down, and the thinner ones stay useful well into summer as a base layer.
Top pick — Brooks Dash 1/2 Zip 2.0
The most comfortable long-sleeved shirt here, and the pick of that half of the field. The stretchy fabric still feels soft and warm after repeated washing, and the shirt goes along with every movement without complaint — which makes it the obvious answer for runners who feel constrained in other synthetic knits.
It was used mainly in cooler temperatures, where it is at its happiest. In real heat it reaches its limits sooner than the competition, so its natural role is as part of a layered system. Its all-round qualities are worth noting too: it does not immediately read as a sports top, and it passes perfectly well as something to wear all day.
On details it is well equipped — thumb loops, reflective details and, as the name says, a half-length zip that provides quick ventilation when needed. Drying is good and the cut is very elastic. The one recorded weakness is that it saturates relatively quickly.
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The packable one — Columbia Skien Valley Hoodie
A loose-cut long-sleeved hooded top that dries quickly even on sweaty runs, helped by Columbia's Omni-Wick construction, which moves moisture outwards briskly. The fabric is airy and soft against the skin, and the cut is generous enough to move freely in.
Thumb loops stop the sleeves riding back. The hood is light and loose and pulls up quickly when it turns windy. The shirt carries a stated rating of UPF 50, listed here as a plain specification and nothing more. The other real plus is packed size: it goes into a small rucksack or a hip pack without argument, and the price point was among the reasons it made the list.
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The featherweight — Gore Contest 2.0 Long Sleeve
Putting this on is a revelation if you are used to heavy, slightly clumsy long-sleeved tops. It sits soft and airy on the skin, and Gore has clearly moved its drying performance on again from previous generations. It suits performance-minded running, where drying and outright efficiency matter more than warmth.
What impressed most is how few seams it has. The fabric segments are welded rather than stitched, or dispensed with altogether, and the result is a shirt with nothing to scratch or rub. It is extremely light — it wears like almost nothing — and it dries as fast as anything in the field, which makes it a natural choice for long, hard efforts in warmer weather. It also works as a base layer under other pieces. Reflective zones are worked into the fabric.
The trade-off is stated plainly: it is thin, and it does very little against the cold. Packed size is tiny.
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The winter merino — Montane Malli Long Sleeve Merino T-Shirt
For anyone who keeps running through winter, this is a dependable partner. The shirt is largely merino wool and lies softer against the skin than most merino tops the testing has worn.
Its fabric weight makes it ideal as a mid layer, and it stays breathable there. Worn as the innermost layer under a midlayer and a wind or rain shell, it works on genuinely cold days. Montane uses a Corespun construction in which polyamide threads are wrapped with merino, which makes the shirt last longer than conventional merino, and an addition of elastane gives it enough stretch for movement-heavy trail running. Comfortable material, good warmth and convincing climate management; the recorded drawback is that it is expensive.
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Also tested
Brooks Luxe Short Sleeve — among the most comfortable shirts here; the inner face lies almost as softly as a fleece. It is not the lightest or thinnest, so it belongs to the shoulder seasons or to a layered system rather than to hot racing. Reduced odour development was noted; the absence of any reflective application less so. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Icebreaker Men's ZoneKnit SS Tee — merino combined with lyocell, giving quick drying and pleasant wear with no scratch anywhere, at a little over 150 g, which is light for a merino garment. It smells less than synthetics after several wears. Faster road runners chasing times may find it not quite breathable enough: pushed hard, moisture backs up more than it would in a shirt 50 g lighter. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
CEP Run Shirt Short Sleeve — bodymapping done properly: thinner, more breathable fabric across the back than the front, small ventilation holes under the arms, and partly bonded seams that do not rub. Comfort was rated outstanding, the blend is velvet-soft, drying is quick, the finishing is neat and the discreet reflective elements are effective. It was an earlier front-runner in this field. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Brooks Atmosphere Short Sleeve 2.0 — missed a recommendation by a hair. It keeps up with the picks on drying and feel, and only the seams left other shirts slightly ahead. Fast-drying fabric, a looser fit, more stretch than most, a good proportion of recycled material and reduced odour development. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Under Armour Iso-Chill Laser Heat — cut loose by the standards of this field, but capable of hard efforts all the same. Laser perforations plus airy fabric give good air supply, odour development was low, and the four-way stretch leaves room for expansive running movements. It dries quickly once the sun is out. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Gore Contest 2.0 Shirt (short sleeve) — one of the lightest shirts tested, at only 75 g depending on size, athletically cut and very quick to dry: where there is little fabric, little moisture stays behind. The seam layout is clever — at the shoulder opening the hem is bonded rather than stitched — and more than half the polyester is recycled. Numerous reflective details are disguised as graphic elements. The one criticism is a slightly delicate-feeling cloth. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Smartwool Active Mesh Short Sleeve Tee — a lightly perforated, better-ventilated panel across the whole back, combined with an already thin fabric, gives a good wearing climate. It combines merino with recycled polyester and lyocell wood fibre, which is unusual in a field dominated by synthetics, and it still warms when slightly damp with reduced odour development. Runners who like to travel fast and light will find it a touch thick and heavy. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Braganza Sportshirt — a neatly finished two-layer construction: soft cotton inside, a polyester blend outside, with a front zip for letting air in. It comes up small, and the tester was more comfortable in an XL. Despite the cotton inner face it shed sweat quickly on hard sessions, because the layer is thin enough that saturation is not an issue, and it still feels reasonable when wet; on drying it sits in the upper middle of the field. Reduced odour development, and the manufacturer states the cotton comes from Austria, the polyester-elastane outer from Switzerland, and the shirt is made in the EU. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Gore Wear R5 Shirt — a mid-range piece that surprised on value. Wearing comfort was excellent on both short and long runs, and the breathability was the standout: a waffle-like structure on the inside picks up moisture quickly, moves it outwards and then returns to feeling comfortable. The cut is judged just right — between athletic and roomy, with enough air between shirt and body for circulation. Flatlock seams throughout. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Adidas Own The Run Tee — supplied in bright neon yellow, with several reflective elements, the broad stripes on the upper arms being the most prominent. There is no elaborate bodymapping, but there is permeable mesh at the shoulders and flanks, which is noticeable from the first stride. Weight and fit are perfectly acceptable and the value is good; the shirts from CEP, Odlo and Gore edged ahead on function and comfort. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Under Armour Streaker 2.0 Tee — a lean 88 g and an inviting hand-feel. Different material zones give varying vapour permeability, and the polyester-elastane blend feels almost like cotton, it is so soft. The manufacturer's claim that the fabric dries faster, does not cling and does not rub held up on test. The broader caveat applies here and everywhere: how fast a shirt really dries depends on temperature, humidity and how hard you are working. On comfort it fully convinced. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Nike Dry Academy 18 T-Shirt — a relaxed cut and a 100% polyester Dri-Fit weave that lies soft against the skin. Comfort does not quite reach the models already tested, and the material saturates faster than rival fabrics. Worth keeping in mind as a back-up shirt rather than a first choice. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Montane Dart Lite — a genuinely featherweight shirt at around 100 g in size L, with excellent breathability but drying that gives away ground to CEP, Gore, Odlo and Braganza. On a weight ranking alone it would win. Polygiene treatment keeps odour development down. Its natural role is as the innermost layer of a layered system, or as a trail-running piece to peel back to as the day warms. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Mizuno Aero Tee — a very airy weave on a light construction, 100% polyester, and not bad to wear, though it does not match the top shirts for softness. On drying it is genuinely among the best here; taken as a whole package it remains a back-up or a choice for Mizuno loyalists. The tester found it on the scratchy side, which is a subjective judgement rather than a defect. The low weight and the integrated reflector strip at the neck were both liked. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Smartwool Active Ultralite Short Sleeve — a classic thin merino shirt that layers very well, but which slips down the order in a field where other brands have put more technology into their shirts. Reduced odour development, and it still gives warmth if it goes slightly damp. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Kappa Fanio — different weave structures across the garment, with airier fabric where you sweat most. At just under 160 g in size L it sits mid-table on weight and it is not a lightweight. On a course run at moderate temperatures the material saturated relatively strongly, and despite the ventilation system and the airy cut it did not quite reach the top models. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
New Balance Athletics T-Shirt — made from airy, light material, but that material felt rougher, almost scratchy, next to the fabrics the recommended shirts use. That may be down to the particular batch. There is a soft hem at the neck and the logo reflects. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Jack Wolfskin Tech T M — used for runs and ski tours of varying length and intensity. It keeps up reasonably on breathability and drying, but comfort is where it falls behind: Odlo has the softer fabric and Braganza the better drying. A rear placing, though a well-priced, discreetly designed all-round sports shirt for the money. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Under Armour Tech 2.0 SS Tee — visibly a step below the Streaker on look and feel. There is no bodymapping — the same fabric is used throughout — and the finishing feels less substantial. It weighs more, saturates faster and does not match the Streaker on breathability. Decently made, but second tier in direct comparison. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Vaude Sveit Shirt — a good-looking asymmetric design, with front and back divided by a diagonal seam. That seam rubs noticeably while running and it is obtrusive even as you put the shirt on, and the drying behaviour did not convince either. It works better as a sporty everyday shirt than as a running top. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Meetwee Sportshirt Herren Laufshirt Kurzarm — the cheapest shirt in the field. It feels reasonable, the fabric recalling a thin jersey, and there is no bodymapping, yet it wears loosely and pleasantly at first. On a fast mixed run-and-walk mountain outing the climate management tipped over: having coped for a while, the fabric then soaked up moisture like a sponge and clung. The impression recorded was that the material simply works less well than most here. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
TCA Galaxy Herren Laufshirt — a polyester-elastane blend that wears more like an ordinary cotton T-shirt than anything else here, which makes it the most casual shirt in the comparison. The other side of that is that it saturates quickly when running and then holds on to the moisture, though the test conditions — worn under a long-sleeved top on a cool morning — were unusually punishing. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
X-Bionic Twyce Men's Running Long Sleeve Shirt — put through the hardest single test in the comparison: a roughly 20 km wet, cold evening trail run, worn on its own at first, then banished under a waterproof shell when heavy rain set in, with a stop in a hut in the middle. Vapour transport is heavily restricted under an outer layer and many shirts turn into a wet rag; this one did not stay dry — nothing would — but comfort stayed remarkably high and it did not cling soaking to the skin. It suits cooler temperatures and doubles as a base layer for ski touring. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Smartwool Active Mesh Hoodie — a fine merino-lyocell blend that lies soft and lets moisture escape quickly, designed specifically for sweaty activity. It wears loosely, does not scratch, and holds warmth in a cool morning. What convinced most were the all-round qualities: it does not look like a sports top, and the wide, slightly longer cut is unconstricting. Mesh inserts supply air when the pace lifts. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Adidas Alphaskin Sport Longsleeve — feels cheap out of the packaging and then astonishes on the body. An athletic but comfortable fit sits comparatively close, picks up moisture quickly and — the striking part — barely saturates, which is one of the commonest complaints against rivals. The close fit does not restrict, and the material stays pleasant even in extremely sweaty sessions with nothing rubbing. Value is its strongest argument. Late in the test it pulled threads at one of the flatlock seams on the back. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Smartwool Active Ultralite Longsleeve — a genuinely thin merino shirt that wears as well alone as under a mid layer, dries surprisingly fast and still warms when damp from sweat or rain. The lyocell-merino blend feels markedly softer than pure merino. The athletic cut gives a close fit, offset shoulder seams keep the seams away from where a pack sits, and reflective elements are built in. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Montane Dart Longsleeve — very casual, and among the most comfortable shirts in the whole comparison, lying so soft you do not want to take it off. On a 13 km commuting bike ride in the cool it had already moved the moisture outwards during the ride, arriving practically dry — where a cotton shirt would have needed half an hour. Running, it sits loosely with plenty of air between fabric and skin, and the drying again impressed, particularly on cooler days under a jacket. Polygiene StayFresh treatment keeps odour development down. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Gore Energetic Long Sleeve Shirt — still among the best running pieces Gore makes, mainly on drying. Worn under a midlayer and a jacket on a cold, wet trail run it moved moisture outwards reliably and restored a dry feeling against the skin in no time; it was slightly clammy, but the residue dried off quickly afterwards. The bodymapping is carefully thought out — very breathable fabric under the arms and across the back, warmer material at the chest and the tops of the arms — and there are numerous reflectors. At 165 g in size L it undercuts some short-sleeved shirts. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Hummel HML First Performance Jersey — discreet black, bodymapping, athletic fit, and clearly the work of a manufacturer who understands cut. It missed a place at the top by a very narrow margin, scoring on fit, climate management and drying, and it was worn for cycling and walking as well as running. Only the strength of the field kept it lower. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Jako Longsleeve Comfort — wins the unboxing: no other shirt here feels this soft and cosy straight away. The surface lives up to the name and is so soft it reacts almost sensitively to rough hands and hook-and-loop fasteners, while the stretch is enormous and the shirt adapts perfectly to the body. On a varied 13 km run at around 12°C, worn under a thin technical sweater, the speed at which it took up and released moisture was impressive. It works as a base layer for ski touring or autumn road rides too. The drawback is that it pulls threads readily if it catches on anything. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Brooks High Point Longsleeve — an athletically cut piece with thumb loops, reflective elements and an impressively high proportion of recycled material, and it performs excellently on the run, feeling pleasantly airy across a large number of outings of varying length. The material's hand-feel was the sticking point for this particular tester, who found it scratchy; that is a subjective reading, and it kept the shirt to a rear placing. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
inov-8 Elite Base LS — taken on a 30 km long run with nearly 1,900 m of climbing on a cool April morning, which alternates sweaty ascents with easy sections. It wears very pleasantly at first, the fabric soft on the skin, though it does not match Falke and Gore on hand-feel or perceived quality. On the first steep climb it saturated and then stayed clammy rather than giving the moisture back to the air — probably compounded by the cold. The short-sleeved version showed the same effect. It is better suited to warm, dry conditions, where the clever bodymapping and low weight tell, and both versions use recycled material in part. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Erima Herren Trikot Liga — sold as a football jersey but listed and tested as a running shirt, and the hand-feel is much softer than the comparable Nike jersey. There are permeable panels at the sides. Worn as a second layer over a short-sleeved base on a mountain run of nearly 1,200 m of ascent, it stayed dry for a remarkably long time by moving moisture outwards, giving way only in the final third, in high humidity. Thin Dri-Fit shirts weigh less but are far less cosy. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Airtracks Pro Line Running T-Shirt — a very technical-looking grey and neon-yellow shirt with no shortage of seams and design elements, and a good complement of reflective elements. Over a rolling 13 km with nearly 200 m of climbing it did not fully convince: it saturates heavily, and there is better available on drying and breathability. Fit and feel are acceptable. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Nike Herren Langarm Trikot Park VI — another football jersey, included because it appears among the best-selling running shirts. The fabric is a little thicker than comparable Nike running shirts, which matters less than it sounds given you would reach for it in the cold anyway. Dri-Fit moves moisture outwards quickly, the fabric lies pleasantly soft, and mesh strips at the sides let air reach the body noticeably. Fine up to about ten kilometres; for longer distances a purpose-built running shirt is the better answer. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Smartwool Classic All Season — a classic merino long-sleeve and one of the workhorses of the field, easy to combine and best as a mid or base layer for walking and mountaineering. For running it is only conditionally suitable: its fabric weight is quickly overwhelmed by the amount of moisture, and on winter test runs it ended up clinging wet, particularly under a jacket that restricts circulation. Very nicely finished, but a general-purpose garment first. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Meetyoo Kompressionsshirt Herren — marketed as a compression shirt, though in practice it sits loose rather than tight; the cut is moderately athletic and nothing like the product photography suggests. On the run it is pleasantly unobtrusive, with decent wearing performance and reasonable climate management for what it costs, and the fabric feels somewhat rougher than the pricier candidates. Tested over 10 km. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
Smartwool Active Fleece 1/2 Zip — closer to a fleece pullover than a running top, and a marvel of warmth; too thick for everyday use. Used mainly in winter, where the cosy inner face and the polyester-merino blend lie pleasantly and do not scratch. No serious saturation was observed and it lets moisture escape briskly. A small chest pocket takes a car key, thumb loops stop the sleeves riding back, and the stand collar keeps a keen wind out. Search Amazon UK · Search Amazon US
How they were assessed
All the shirts were worn extensively over a period of two to six months. They had to prove themselves on short distances of five to ten kilometres, on long runs beyond the 30 km mark, and on flat and off-road terrain alike, in warm sunshine, in rain and in falling snow.
The first question was how each shirt feels against the skin: does it scratch or pinch anywhere, and does the comfort fall away once the fabric is damp? Fit was assessed next, including whether a looser cut actually fans air across the body on hot days. Climate management was checked in particular after long runs — how quickly sweat is moved off the skin and outwards. In parallel, the testing looked at how heavily each weave saturates and how briskly the tops dry out again, on the straightforward basis that a quick-drying shirt is more pleasant in every season.
Every shirt was a size L, worn by a tester of 1.88 m and 85 kg, which is worth bearing in mind when reading any fit comment here.
The short answers
Which men's running shirt is best? The best short-sleeved shirt in this comparison is the Columbia Zero Rules Light SS Crew, with its cooling fabric. The best long-sleeved shirt is the very comfortable Brooks Dash 1/2 Zip 2.0. There are strong alternatives in both categories.
Synthetic or natural fibre? The days of pure cotton soaking through and clinging are long gone. Manufacturers either combine cotton with a synthetic that does the moisture-handling work, or use synthetic blends — usually polyester with elastane. Only merino has material properties good enough to be used on its own. So the answer is indirect: if excellent drying is the priority, pure synthetic shirts are where to look; if warmth and low odour development matter more, choose merino or a blend with lyocell wood fibre.
How closely should a technical shirt fit? Neither too tight nor too loose. Too tight and you feel restricted; too loose and it flaps about. It should still sit slightly airily, because that helps it dry faster.
Long sleeves or short? Both, in the end. Committed runners reach the point where they need a long-sleeved shirt for cooler temperatures and a short-sleeved one or a vest top for warm days. To start with, a short-sleeved shirt is the more practical buy, because it combines easily with a running jacket if the weather turns and so covers a wide spread of conditions.
Zip or no zip? A shirt with a zip can be ventilated quickly, but an open zip may be a nuisance, because it moves up and down and can rub.
