5 Best Moisture Wicking Tank Tops For Women: Stay Chic and Cool All Day

Being sweaty shouldn’t be a problem, especially if you’re an active person. What makes it hard is the piles of laundry per week that is a pain to go through especially when some of them stink really bad due to the sweat that soaked them up.

If you sweat uncontrollably, or if you have a condition known as hyperhidrosis means that no matter what temperature it is (yes, hot or cold), you find yourself sweating tons and getting your clothes wet, all the time. That is, of course, a problem for many as they want to avoid smelling bad.

Moisture wicking tank tops for women are a dime a dozen but what are the best brands out there that really do what they say they’d do? I mean, yes a lot of them claim to keep sweat off the shirt, but you end up a soaking mess after a run or after a short walk under the sun. Not fun at all, especially if you spend a lot of these shirts. Also, sweat can mix with the antiperspirant you use, causing nasty yellow stains.

Worry not as I have made a list of the best brands I know of and I’ll make sure these shirts are totally worth every cent you spend. I know these brands personally as I try to live a very active lifestyle by playing rugby and going to the gym, so these shirts are a necessity for me.

In a rush? If you currently have no time to read the full article, click here for the writer’s top pick among the best sweat-wicking tank tops on the list below.

Care Instructions For Moisture Wicking Shirts

1. Wash with mild soap

Don’t use harsh cleansers on your sweat-wicking shirts! This can fray and wear the fibers faster than usual, causing your shirt to deteriorate faster than it would. I often suggest just handwashing your shirts as they are made out of microfiber and they can be very sensitive to added heat or the harsh motions of the washing machine.

In my country we have a mild soap called Perla but I’m afraid it isn’t a known brand outside Asia so I’d recommend Perwoll (the mild variant) and to wash your clothes in cold water. Make sure to soak your clothes if they’re very dirty. It helps soften the dirt first so that you don’t have to scrub it too hard.

2. Do not use fabric conditioners

Fabric conditioners make any clothing feel so soft and smell so good but when it comes to using them on any sweat-wicking clothing, please don’t use them! Moisture-wicking clothes are usually a blend of nylon and polyester, and using fabric conditioners can clog the spaces between the fibers that make them sweat-wicking in the first place.

Fabric conditioners can also make clothes smell bad at times especially if they aren’t dried properly. Honestly, I would prefer just choosing a good (and mild) laundry detergent that can keep my shirts smelling good even after I wear them for hours. I love Perwoll (or even the local soap called Perla).

3. Air Dry

Air dry your sweat-wicking shirts because they dry in an hour or two (or faster if you have a fan). Don’t use heat because it can damage the polyester/ nylon blend which can cause fraying or tears in your shirt. Just squeeze out the excess liquid then let it drip and dry by hanging it.

4. Do not mix with clothing that can “bleed”

This is for sweat-wicking tank tops that are light in color. To prolong the lifespan and color of your shirt, avoid washing it with different fabrics like cotton or wool that have dyes that can bleed out and stain the fabric.

In my experience, sweat-wicking clothes are good but because of the fine fibers that make up the fabric itself, stains tend to stick and they are hard to remove. These stubborn stains ruin the clothes which can cause you to throw them away. To avoid this, only wash with like fabrics.

Best Sweat-wicking Tank Tops

It’s time to know more about the best brands of tank tops that can keep you dry despite the heat and despite all that sweat. To make it a bit easier for you, I made a chart that can be used as a quick guide if you want to choose the best top among the list (it’s so hard to pick because they’re all really good brands).

Tank Top Brands	Material Used	Sweat-wicking?	Price Range
1. Nike Dri-Fit Elastika	Patent blend of spandex and polyester	Yes	High
2. Under Armour Women’s Tech Solid	polyblend and spandex	Yes	High
3. Reebok Women’s	Polyester and spandex	Yes	Mid
4. Hanes Sport Women’s	90% polyester, 10% spandex	Yes	Mid
5. Boody Body Ecowear	Bamboo viscose	Yes	Mid to Low

1. NIKE Dri-Fit Elastika Women’s Training Tank Top

Nike is number 1 on my list because of the Dri-Fit technology that they launched years ago that is the favorite of many active (and not to mention very, very sweaty) people.

Dri-fit was actually launched by Nike in 1991 to keep golfers dry by making a fabric blend that made it easier for sweat to evaporate as compared to their regular shirts. As we all know, golfers are often exposed under the sun, making them sweat a lot despite all the shade provided by umbrellas.

For almost 30 years, Nike has just improved on this technology that many brands are still trying to replicate. I must say that in this list, Nike has been the oldest and trusted brand for sweat-wicking clothing. You can’t go wrong when buying this tank top.

Nike started with a slogan that says “there is no finish line”, not even marketing their products but only their logo which resulted in them getting half the market share in the athletic wear department. Now they have a slogan saying “just do it”, and it’s true. If you want to do something or be active, just do it.

Nike made this line form women to not only empower them but to provide them with necessary clothing for their different sports. After all, women’s bodies are built differently from men’s bodies. We can’t just keep on buying from men right?

Of all the brands in this list, Nike Dri-Fit Elastika Women’s Training Tank Top has elastic bands instead of sleeves, giving it a classy and sleek finish compared to other tank tops. It’s also very lightweight, so it is easy to pack and it also is good to bring on trips since it won’t really take much space up.

The elastic bands are crossed behind, making it classy and perfect for layering. Also, it is easy to slip in and out of even when you’re very, very sweaty. It’s not too tight nor is it too loose and it doesn’t drip with sweat because of the DRI-FIT technology.

it isn’t just any regular tank top because they really put a lot of thought into making this top. They made the materials a bit long on the back area to cover you when you bend forward. They also have mesh panels on the side making it easier for the air to pass through and cool the skin.

the scoop neckline makes covers your breasts enough without exposing too much cleavage, as some people find this distracting when wearing some of their gym clothes. Some people prefer to be a bit more protected and covered. But if you’re not the type who likes too much coverage, then it’s also okay because the back part of this top is very open.

I’d recommend this top to people who are prone to back acne which is caused by dried up sweat when wearing gym shirts. This tank top won’t trap any sweat at the back since it is a very open area. The lower part is sweat-wicking so sweat won’t stay there as well.

If you love Nike and its innovative technology then this is the perfect tank top for you. I just love the constant improvement that they’ve shown in all their different sports lines, be it shoes or be it their sports apparel. They’ve always been consistent and it shows as their athletes keep on smashing and making new records in the sports they’re into. All while wearing everything Nike.

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2. Under Armour Women’s Tech Solid Tank Top

Under Armour always had humble beginnings but that was what made it the global brand that it is today. In 1995, Kevin Plank, a 23-year old former team captain of the University of Maryland’s football team decided that he wanted to start a company of his own dedicated to sportswear.

He then maxed out his credit card at 40,000USD and started a company on his grandmother’s basement in Washington DC with one goal in mind — create a shirt that stays light despite the heat. He made a few mock-up versions of this shirt before he tested it out.

When he was ready to test some shirts, he gave some to his former University of Maryland football teammates who had gone to play American football with the NFL. As soon as he got their feedback, he went back to the drawing board, making a shirt with microfibers, even getting samples from New York’s famous garment district in search of “the one” he needed.

So after maxing out his credit card and making an almost perfect design, Kevin Plank made his first sale to Georgia Tech’s football team. Other major division teams heard of this innovative (and affordable) shirt and also ordered lots of shirts from Kevin.

His company was growing so fast that he did not expect that he had to relocate to South Baltimore which became Under Armour’s home filled with breakthroughs — Plank and his team came up with HeatGear, Coldgear, and AllSeasonGear in this location, all becoming the brand’s mainstay sportswear lines.

Now, Under Armour is a global brand, being the main brand sponsor of different teams and even popular NBa players like Steph Curry and others. They also make sure that part of their profits go to charity and that some of their shoes also reflect some kind verses in the bible (see their collaboration with Curry on some shoe designs).

So it should not be a surprise that Under Armour’s Women’s Tech Solid Tank Top is in this list because of all the tank tops in this list, this brand developed a fabric that has a more natural feel than the usual sweat-wicking fabrics you see in the market.

The construction of the fabric has a four-way stretch, making it very stretchable and less prone to tears and can move more naturally when you are moving (or playing any sport). This tank top has odor -control technology, so you can wear this for long periods of time without worrying that you’d stink.

This tank top isn’t a blend being 100% polyester. Please remember not to wash this tank top with fabric conditioner and to dry it with a spin dryer or to just tumble dry it with no heat. I always suggest air drying but if you don’t have time just spin or tumble or try squeezing it well and drying it in front of a fan. I suggest buying more than one though so you can just wash your tank tops at the end of the week.

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3. Reebok Women’s Dynamic Fitted Performance Racerback Tank Top

Nike wasn’t always the sportswear giant that it is today. Did you know that there was a much older brand that dominated the world of sports shirts and even shoes in the ’50s? That brand was Reebok and despite all the ups and downs, we still have this awesome brand today.

Reebok was started by brothers Joe and Jeff Foster as it was already their family tradition to make athletic footwear that was started by their grandfather back in the day. That company was J.W Foster that was popularly known as the company that made the first track spikes.

Reebok wasn’t actually the first name they thought of when they started their business. They wanted to name it Mercury but had such a hard time getting the copyright for it. So they ended up naming their company after a specie of antelope called the Grey Rhebok.

The Foster brothers continued on making track spikes until the ’60s and the ’70s, continuing operations from their HQ in England. They were invited to exhibit their shoes at the Chicago International Sneaker Trade Show in 1979. An American businessman (and an outdoor gear wholesaler), Paul Fireman discovered the brand and bought exclusive rights to North America.

Sales boomed for Paul Fireman in North America as he was able to earn 1.5 million dollars by 1981. Just a little bit shy of ten years since he invested in this brand, he discovered that he was given legendary rewars (sales-wise) from a small company from England.

I added the Reebok Women’s Dynamic Fitted Performance Racerback Tank Top in this list because unlike other pure polyester shirts, this sweat-wicking tank top is a mix of polyester and a bit of spandex, so it has a natural stretch to it, which makes it not tight or loose on you.

The neckline is also scoop-necked and is easy to slip in and out of. You can never go wrong with this Reebok tank top because they designed it in such a way that you can use it for almost any sports — walking, running, or even hot yoga because this top does not only wick sweat successfully but it has technology that cools the fabric immediately so you don’t overheat.

As a woman, you should always consider comfort above style when choosing your tank top. Reebok, on the other hand, decided to take time and launched this tank top that has the best of both worlds — style and comfort rolled into (or swen into) one amazing and natural feeling tank top.

This tank top also has flat lock seams, making it comfortable and itch-free on the inside. No more adjustments or innerwear (except for your sports bra) is needed when wearing your Reeboks. I always say, chhose the brand that has been tested by time, and this is one of the brands that has been there for more than half a century (with roots in the athletic wear industry that spans a hundred years).

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4. Hanes Sport Women’s Performance Stretch Tank

Hanes is like the grandfather of all the brands in this list. It is truly the oldest at 120 years old. This brand is unique so I decided to add it to this list because of all the brands here, Hanes did not start making athletic wear. Hanes as we all know is a very popular brand that makes underwear for both men and women.

Hanes used to be called Shamrock Knitting Mills, and was started in the year 1900 by a man named John Wesley Hanes. He built his company in the United States, North Carolina to be exact. When he died just 3 years after, the company was going to shut down, only to be run by one of his brothers who renamed it to P.H Hanes Knitting Company.

Years later, Hanes became so popular that they had brand ambassadors like michael Jordan and even Jackie Chan. What’s interesting though, is that even if they had male models for their underwear, lots of their customers were women. This was because Hanes used fabric that was really comfortable to the skin and was considered one of the best innerwear at that time.

The company was later bought out by Sara Lee, a corporation that had many brands under their belt from food to clothing brands such as Champion a brand that also sells innerwear. They launched a separate line for Hanes, branching out to kid’s clothing and just recently, sportswear.

What’s the logic behind adding a brand that only launched it’s sports line a few years ago? Don’t they lack in research or in experience? My answer is yes they may not have been producing sportswear, but since they manufacture underwear, they are experts when it comes to comfort.

As I always say, it can work well for you, but most tank tops can get pretty irritating when wet with sweat. So I searched until I found that lots of people were recommending Hanes. As I wasn’t really aware of their new sports line, I was really surprised. I read more and it convinced me that this brand has a place on this list.

The tank top has a bigger spandex blend than the other brands on this list. It has 90% polyester and 10% spandex making it the stretchiest and most flexible tank top in this list. This is perfect if you plan to be very active may it be weight training, circuit training, or running.

The Hanes Sport Women’s Performance Stretch Tank is a bit longer than most of the tank tops in the list so you won’t have any problems when it comes to the fabric riding up or showing too much skin during your workout.

This top is made with DRI technology, keeping you cool and dry while getting rid of all that moisture on the fabric itself. The back is also styled in such a way that it is perfect for layering, and is stylish. Who said you had to give up style for a good tank top?

Hanes also has flat lock seams so you don’t have to wear something inside of it (unless if you really want to) just to avoid chafing or itching. This is really the complete tank top being comfortable, sweat-wicking, and chafe-resisitant. What more can you ask for, right?

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5. Boody Body EcoWear Women’s Tank Top

This is the “baby” of the brand because Boody Body is a brand I didn’t know until recently. I love it so much because it is quite different from most brands because it really embraces the eco-friendly approach when it comes to sourcing their raw materials. Sustainability is one of the things they are proud of when asked about all their EcoWear clothes.

Let’s just say that I put Boody Eco Wear in this list not because they’ve existed so long in the market but because I love what they stand for. As you have noticed, the brands you see above are all products of an industry called fast fashion.

Fast fashion is good in a sense they bring us the best clothing and fabrics that we want but the problem with it is that they have little to no consideration of the impact their products do on the environment. Most products ruin the environment because of the chemicals used to make the fabrics or any by-product of whatever clothing they produce.

Boody Body Eco wear was launched in Sydney in 2012 by two friends who wanted to be revolutionary in the world of producing basics and innerwear. Shan Greenblo and Neil Midalia are friends who like wearing clothes that have good quality but at the same time they were also conscious about the impacts fast fashion had on nature.

They combined their ideas and came up with the main fabric that Boody Body is famous for — bamboo viscose. Bamboo fibers, as the founders discovered, produces the softest yarn they ever felt in their lives. So they decided to make a blend of this to produce really comfortable and sustainable underwear and now tank tops as well.

What makes bamboo viscose stand out? Compared to other fabrics, bamboo fibers are very easy to source. Plus you don’t really need to uproot any plants or trees to get what you need. You only need to cut bamboo to get the stalks.

Bamboo grows very fast, and there are many places where bamboo grows naturally, especially in Asia. So Boody Body Eco Wear does not harm any plantations by soucing their bamboo viscose.

The company dedicates their production to what is called “slow fashion”, which is the opposite of fast fashion in terms of being environmentally conscious and making sure that fair-trade is practiced among the supply chain.

Boody Body is not only focused in being a good slow fashion brand, they also give back to different partner organizations. They donate 1% of their total sales to non-profit environmental organizations. They are also in partnership with Thread Together, giving clothing to people who don’t have it or who can’t afford it.

Now let’s go to the Bood Body Women’s Tank Top. Why is it special? Why is it in this list aside from being sustainable? Let me answer all these questions one by one. First, I included this tank top because of the bamboo viscose.

Aside from being sustainable, bamboo fibers are naturally antibacterial so it prevents bad odor and possibly the bacteria that can cause back acne. This fiber is also naturally sweat-wicking so no worries on wearing this on a very hot day.

This is also the only tank top that covers the back completely, yes it is not a racerback like all the other brands in this list. if you’re the type that doesn’t want to show much skin or if you feel cold, then this is the tank top for you.

Boody Body also has a unique blend that they use for this tank top. It is made out of 80% bamboo viscose, 13% nylon, and 7% spandex. This tank top is the perfect blend of soft, sweat-wicking, anti-bacterial, and stretchable fabric.

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Conclusion

Sweat begone! As many as the brands selling these sweat-wicking tank tops, I have only selected the few that have met my very high standards in selecting tops or anything that claims they have your back when it comes to keeping the sweat away.

Now you have narrowed down your choices on different tank tops you can wear. If you’re active or if you just really sweat a lot, these tops are really a big help as you can sweat freely without soaking your clothes and without smelling bad at all. If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment below.

Please don’t forget to click the social media buttons below to share this article with friends and family who may need to learn about these awesome brands that make good sweat-wicking tank tops. Also, stay tuned and visit this blog weekly for new articles!

FAQs

1. How many tank tops should I buy?

The first question to ask is: “how many times do I go to the gym/am active during the week?”. If you’re like me who does her best to go to the gym daily then I suggest getting about five to six tank tops enough for Monday to Saturday, or for six days as I always tell people to have 1 rest day per week at least.

2. How long does a tank top last? Do I buy new ones every year?

Tank tops can last you forever, especially with the brands I recommended above. Just make sure you follow the cleaning or care instructions I posted above and that you hand wash your tank tops — washing by hand will help avoid fraying the fibers as they are very thin (nylon and polyester).

I’ve had sweat-wicking sportswear last me for years because I wash them by hand plus I use a mild detergent. If you follow my suggestions, you’d only need to change tank tops if you bulk up or lose weight, depending on your workout goals.

3. Can these tank tops be used as everyday wear?

Yes, they can be used for everyday wear, as long as you don’t wear them to the office as you may get too cold or break the dress code (if your office is strict about attire, but if not, why not?).

You can use these tank tops if the day gets too warm and you want to take a short walk outdoors. All of the stuff I recommended are classy and some of them are even antibacterial which is great because it will keep away odor-causing bacteria that is usually the reason why most people have to change shirts (due to body odor).

4. Can I use a dryer on my tank tops?

Absolutely not! Do not use a dryer on your sweat-wicking tank tops because the high heat can destroy the fibers that make up the fabric of your top. You can opt for a milder drying option — either air dry your tops or tumble/spin dry them instead, with no heat.

Sweat-wicking tops are already made to keep off the moisture on the fabric so you don’t have to worry because your tank tops will dry in a few hours, unlike your regular shirts that have to be dried with a dryer because it would take 24 hours or more to dry them.

5. Can I machine wash my sweat-wicking tank tops?

Yes, you may but I’ll always go for hand washing. If you don’t have time you may use a net mesh bag when washing your tank tops to prevent fraying and tearing. I also use these mesh bags for my socks and for very thin shirts. But nothing beats hand washing.

6. What makes these tank tops sweat-wicking?

It’s the blend of fibers. Cotton and other materials usually have thicker fibers, thus keeping the moisture locked in. With your sweat-wicking tank top, it’s usually a mix of polyester and nylon, which makes it extremely breathable because the fibers are ultra-thin.

It’s all about the blend. Some companies like Nike, have patented blends like their Dri-fit series that are so popular that many other brands try to copy their tank tops and shirts. There are also similar blends with cotton incorporated into the design but is still not as sweat-wicking as the polyamide or polyester and nylon blends.

7. How do I know a tank top is the right fit for me?

You’ll know if a sweat-wicking tank top fits you if it’s not too snug or too loose. Remember, it has to be tight enough so you don’t fidget when you are doing any activity but at the same time not too tight that can cause breathing problems are chaffing.

8. How fast does a sweat-wicking tank top dry?

Unlike cotton, sweat-wicking tank tops are so lightweight and have very fine fibers that make up the fabric so expect faster drying time. I’d say if you washed your tank top and squeezed the water out well, it would dry in approximately 3 hours. You can cut the time short if you hang it outside where there is a breeze that can help make the moisture evaporate faster.

9. How do I check if my tank top is chafe-resistant?

It’s quite easy to check.Look at the seams of the tank top you are buying. Always buy something that has the stitching outside or if the seams are flat locked. Chafing also depends on other factors. It can also be caused by the size of the tank top you’re wearing.

Choose a size that is not too loose and not too tight. If a tank top is tight it can cause chafing due to the restriction and the friction caused by your movements, too loose and it ends up irritating you because you always have to adjust your shirt when you work out.

10. Does all tank tops have to be racerback ones?

No not at all! Most brands just opt for that design because it is chic and it looks good when you wear different layers (especially cute sports bras). Racerbacks also give you more space to move without any fabric getting in the way. It is also generally more cooling because it shows more skin.

If you’re the type to get cold or one who doesn’t like showing much skin, don’t worry because there is an option for you in the list above. I made sure that there is a brand for whatever needs you may have when looking for a sweat-wicking tank top.