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The Best Gym Gear That Actually Works With Your Workout
Come now: those New Year glutes will look much better in some Under Armour
2022: the year you finally get jacked. Like monstrously jacked, so you can arise from the pool in slow motion, MTV like, with cruel abs and Tom of Finland pecs before introducing yourself as a personal trainer from Crewe who is just looking for that special someone (and a Boohoo deal). But first things first: you need the best gym gear and kit for men.
This category is usually a cut above general fast fashion too. Because, despite going to the gym in a quest to look great, the stuff you work out in should work great before all else. Fabric shouldn't hold moisture, but wick it instead. It should stretch and endure, and do more than just compliment the obligatory gym selfie. It should also be multifunctional, because good fitness involves cardio and leg day too.
Of course, it's fine to take your cue from the next suggested gym bunny on Instagram. But at Esquire, we're perhaps a little more like you; we work out, sure, but we don't live to work out, and that's why we've road tested the best gym gear and kit for men just like you (and us).
Under Armour
Gym goers of all stripes usually enlist a workout T-shirt first, and they do so from Under Armour. As one of the biggest players in the game, the Baltimore label has infused its gym gear with low key branding and hi-performance tech, just like this top that absorbs heat, reduces sweat and comes seam free to avoid chafing.
£50; underarmour.co.uk
Gymshark
Gymshark is a real British success story by Ben Francis (still only 29), who created a £1 billion gymwear company. The reason? It's affordable, it works and it suits almost every single form of exercise in the book.
£30; gymshark.com
Nike Performance
If it kits out top athletes, it can kit you out with some of the best gym gear for men. Yes, it's Nike Performance, performing once again with 'dri-fit' technology that increases air flow and thus stops you drowning in sweat. We'll take it.
£55; mrporter.com
True Tribe
Yep, True Tribe's running shirts are handmade with added stretch, meaning they'll survive all sorts of lifts and stretches. But they're also made of good stuff, with each pair of shorts created from reclaimed plastic waste by fairly paid craftspeople that work in ethical conditions.
£164; truetribe.com
Lululemon
OK, so Lululemon's shorts may fall just below TikTok's threshold at 7 inches, but its T.H.E gymwear is fully functional, and without a lining for extra comfort. Save the thirst traps for a holiday.
£48; lululemon.co.uk
Everlane
Like everything else at Everlane, its sports shorts are classic, unfussy and do exactly what you want them to. Which in this instance, means packing recycled nylon material that stretches and pulls with ease.
£22; everlane.com
Reebok
If you're insane and prefer exercising outdoors, know that it's going to be chilly for a long time in the opening months of 2022. So get some performance leggings, and get them from Reebok to enjoy a compression fit and moisture wicking inserts.
£33; reebok.co.uk
Under Armour
Another entry from Under Armour, the UA HOVR Apex 3s are legit some of the best sneakers for a workout. There's plenty of support, a footbed that's specially designed for peak movement and cushioning to absorb impact.
£71.92; underarmour.co.uk
Inov-8
You might not have heard of Inov-8 – and that's precisely the point. This purpose-built brand creates sneakers that perform, putting substance above all else for a trainer that gives optimum protection while ensuring your kit stays feather light.
£112; inov-8.com
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