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There’s no denying that activewear brands have come to dominate the modern man’s wardrobe. This particular sector of the clothing market is poised to be a $771.8 billion industry by 2032 and has given rise to unprecedented standards of comfort, quality and creativity in the world of fitness apparel.
But in an attempt to meet the demand that comes with all the running and pickleballing that men are committing themselves to on the daily, the activewear space has flooded with its own version of fast fashion, with shoddy apparel just as readily available as quality gear. Separating the garb that actually wears well and helps you perform (and look) your best can be a serious challenge.
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Want to run fast? Have we got a shoe for you.What Is “Activewear”?
The name says it all in this portmanteau. Activewear is approachable, pared-back, do-whatever-the-hell-you-want-in-’em apparel, built precisely to become your favorite pieces of clothing with a blend of performance and comfort. The best options are breathable, moveable and — in an increasingly casual social environment — versatile, too.
Things to Consider
While selecting specific activewear is fully worth some dedicated thought, there are admittedly a legion of labels now in existence, all vying for your hard-earned dollar. To separate the wheat from the chaff, pay particular attention to these attributes when considering activewear:
• Material: You’ll need to look for fabrics that are stretchy, durable and wick moisture throughout your workout routine. A blend of synthetic materials like nylon, polyester and spandex are your best friend and are found in countless activewear brands. Spandex adds that glorious stretch, polyester is durable, and nylon can both block water or wick sweat efficiently. Many brands also offer four-way stretch, which means the material can stretch effectively in all directions and can recover its shape.
• Size and Fit: You want workout clothes that are form-fitting but not so tight as to be restrictive. There’s no point in having a four-way stretch if your jogger pants fit like skinny jeans. Most brands also offer a wide range of sizes that can fit a variety of body types.
Of course, even with a primer, finding the best activewear brands is still no easy feat, hence this comprehensive roundup of all the activewear brands a guy should know. From household names like Lululemon and Rhone to newcomers like YPB, they’re all here, and primed to take on whatever activity you throw at them. Below, 15 activewear brands that every guy should know.
15 Activewear Brands Every Guy Should Know
Rhone
Year Launched: 2014
Best For: Performance staples that you can wear to the office.
The Skinny: Founded in Connecticut by an ex-NFL employee and a former NCAA lacrosse player, the company famously spends big on fabric, weaving its duds with SilverTech threading, an antimicrobial fabric initially developed for American military operations in Iraq. Rhone also has one of the best examples of logo subtlety in athleisure: three interlocking Xs stitched into the side hemming, meant to signify the strength found in numbers.
On Running
Year Launched: 2010
Best For: Tech-heavy futuristic footwear and garb for the serious couch-to-5Ker.
The Skinny: Put a multiple-time Ironman winner (Olivier Bernhard) in a room with some Swiss engineers, and magic is inevitable. On began with a super-foam running shoe that was scientifically proven to lower blood lactate levels in runners, and hasn’t looked back. It has since expanded its line to technical hoodies, lightweight shorts and performance vests, equipped with elements like rear vents and subtle zip pockets.
Ten Thousand
Year Launched: 2014
Best For: No-frills performance that can move beyond the gym.
The Skinny: The name references Malcolm Gladwell’s prescription for perfection, and Ten Thousand seems hell-bent on supplying perfect shorts and tees to its customers. In pursuit of this goal, they keep colors and silhouettes simple, and make it easy to shop their selection of shorts, T-shirts, base layers and the like by sorting them by activity, from gear designed for lifting, HIIT, running and more.
Vuori
Year Launched: 2013
Best For: Cozy, lounge-forward athleisure that you’ll want to live in.
The Skinny: Based in Encinitas — a San Diego County beach hamlet with an average year-round temp of 72°F — the folks behind Vuori know a thing or two about getting outside. Their clothing balances SoCal’s access to nature with its “do as you like” MO, offering a blend of high-performance attributes (moisture-wicking, quick-drying and anti-odor) with a colorful nonchalance. Find bright pocket tees, outerwear with camo shells, and even board shorts, a bit uncommon for the industry.
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Outdoor Voices
Year Launched: 2014
Best For: On-trend gear that’ll look as good in the gym as at the smoothie bar.
The Skinny: Austin-based Outdoor Voices is a brand for women first. Pay a visit to the brand’s Instagram page and you’ll scroll through five to 10 photos of yoga pants before finding photos of their men’s offerings. But don’t worry, there are enough joggers, shorts and tees in male cuts for men to post their own #DoingThings photos in OV gear.
Satisfy
Year Launched: 2015
Best For: High-fashion fitness enthusiasts looking to stand out (and spend a bundle).
The Skinny: Satisfy is a love letter to running, and its innovative (if not pricey) designs speak to that admiration firsthand. Crafted for performance with an eye for aesthetics, the brand marries iconic athleisure looks that span generations (i.e., their infamous moth-eaten “Running Cult” cutoff) and insanely luxurious merinos, cottons and synthetic materials for an elite running package. Of course, their activewear is perfectly good for everyday errands, too, and the pinnacle of sporty-chic.
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Reigning Champ
Year Launched: 2007
Best For: Functional designs that run the performance gamut.
The Skinny: Though located just miles away from Lululemon’s HQ in Vancouver, Reigning Champ gear feels completely original in the athleisure sphere. Its interlocking “RC” logo, lightweight terry crewcuts and satin varsity jackets all evoke a sort of restored corner boxing gym.
Tracksmith
Year Launched: 2014
Best For: Premium running-focused activewear with serious Ivy League charm.
The Skinny: Borrowing their design cues from vintage running gear, Tracksmith’s collection of shorts, tops and sweats looks like it fell out of the back of a truck headed to the 1975 Penn Relays. Modern materials (water-repellent “dryskin”) and features (zippered card and key pockets) seamlessly wed with old-school flourishes like stirrups and four-inch inseams to create impeccably stylish but functional silhouettes.
Proof
Year Launched: 2017
Best For: Merino warriors looking for everyday apparel.
The Skinny: Huckberry’s in-house brand, Proof’s tees and henleys are constructed with an assist from Global Merino, a leading textile manufacturer that sources its merino wool from three sustainable farms in New Zealand. Mix that merino wool with a little nylon, and you’ve got a tee that literally stayed crisp (and odorless) during three straight days of use in Iceland. You can watch the adventure, which includes a near-5,000-foot glacier, here.
Alo Yoga
Year Launched: 2007
Best For: The hot-yoga-to-farmer’s-market pipeline.
The Skinny: Cult athleisure staple Alo Yoga has long been supported by a cabal of celebrities, ranging from Taylor Swift to the Jo bros, but the brand, which in recent years has expanded into menswear, is far more than a yogi-centric outfitter. As it turns out, comfortable, breathable and movement-forward clothes make for good athleisure, period, especially given the attention to detail Alo puts into their designs.
District Vision
Year Launched: 2016
Best For: Japanese-made sunglasses that are worth every penny.
The Skinny: With a focus on streamlined and sleek running gear and accessories, District Vision has made a name for itself as the stylish running brand to rock. Their apparel has all of the technical features you could want, like stretch, moisture wicking, temperature regulation and durability. The brand is also known for their top-of-the-line collaborations with Salomon, Reigning Champ and other outfitters.
YPB
Year Launched: 2022
Best For: Activewear, mall-brand style.
The Skinny: YPB, the Abercrombie sub-label launched in 2022, is all about affordable activewear. With a catered collection of tees, joggers and shorts, it’s inexpensive and fairly comfortable — a new frontier for activewear, less about DTC aesthetics and more about cost-to-value ratio.
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Lululemon
Year Launched: 1998
Best For: Literally everything.
The Skinny: The oldest and best-known activewear brand on the list, Lululemon was founded in 1998 as a yoga brand for women. And while the brand’s yoga pants are still beloved by suburban moms everywhere, Lululemon has greatly expanded its offerings — making gear for running, cycling, training and other sweaty activities meant to be worn by women and men. Today, they offer a serious collection of handsome athletic and lifestyle pieces with sweat-wicking, anti-odor properties that remain at the top of the athleisure heap.
Jacques
Year Launched: 2018
Best For: Chic, minimalist activewear for the urban elitist.
The Skinny: Activewear and sophisticated aren’t two words you’d typically associate with each other, but NYC-based luxury label Jacques firmly believes in the power of gear that looks as good as it performs. Operating under the mantra “where athletic meets aesthetic”, Jacques’s collection of minimalist designs and tennis-leaning garb (founder Gregg Cohenca is an ex-pro) draws inspiration from natural materials like stone, clay and water.
Over Over
Year Launched: 2021
Best For: Performance gear for the trendy run club-inclined.
The Skinny: If there’s a brand on this list you probably haven’t heard of, it’s Over Over. Combining track-style performance and flashy graphic prints, the brand is the perfect plug for the increasing demand for wavy running gear as social running explodes and the desire for gear with some personality continues to grow.
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