What Cooling Shirts Do For You and Our Top Recommendations
Aug 06, 2025
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Summer months demand a wardrobe that works with you, not against you. This season, cooling shirts stand out as a must-have for beating the extreme heat while staying stylish. Here’s everything you need to know about this modern tee and our top picks that you must add to your wardrobe.
What Is a Cooling Shirt?
Summertime can get you sweating bullets. While portable fans help, it’s not like you can hold them every day when you’re out and about. A cooling shirt may be your best defense against the heat wave. It’s a meticulously engineered piece of apparel designed to actively manage your body’s thermal comfort.
It can keep you cool while working out or when you’re simply enjoying the outdoor views. A study showed that people wearing cooling vests felt cooler when performing a high-intensity exercise in the heat.
How Does It Work?
Cooling shirts work in different ways. Some use block ice technology, which uses ice and tubes to let cold air circulate around the skin, whereas others are made of synthetic fibers that wick sweat away, feel cool to touch, prevent UV rays from reaching the skin and dry fast.
The latter is ideal for everyday and workout use, as they look just like any normal shirt you own. Their fibers effectively draw perspiration away from your skin’s surface and rapidly disperse it across the fabric’s exterior. Once moisture is wicked to the outer layer, it draws heat away from your body. It’s as if you’re wearing a subtle air conditioning system that keeps you cool wherever you go, whatever you do.
Many products are made of performance materials with cooling properties like temperature balance and abatement.
- Temperature balance: This focuses on removing sweat from the body, letting it evaporate and leaving the skin feel cooler.
- Temperature abatement: A shirt made with the temperature abatement method feels cool to touch. Instead of wicking away sweat, it eliminates heat from the body through conducive polyethylene (PE). Smart PE textiles offer evaporative cooling effects, which in turn keep you instantly cool.
6 Best Cooling Shirts for Men
We scoured Amazon to find the best cooling clothing for extreme heat and working out to help you beat heat exhaustion and boost your athletic performance. Here are the products that deserved a spot in our wardrobes.
1. Arctic Cool Crew-Neck Shirt
Arctic Cool is leading today’s cooling shirt industry. Its shirts are made with the brand’s HydroFreeze X Technology, which pulls moisture out of the body and disperses it throughout the shirt. The result? No more pesky, sweat-stained armpits and chest. As you move, the air goes through the fabric, activates the technology and lowers your body temperature. This is ideal when you want to continue working outside while lowering your risk of heat-related illnesses.
Many customers find this product effective, especially on hot days. Despite the higher price point, we think it’s a worthwhile, functional addition to your wardrobe, especially if you spend lots of time outdoors and sweat excessively.
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2. 32 Degrees Crew-Neck Shirt
If you’re looking for affordable, cool workout clothes, 32 Degrees is a solid choice. Its crew-neck shirts will keep you cool and dry, wicking away moisture during hot days and outdoor workouts. One pack contains four identical shirts, ideal for chill days, layering and fitness activities. 32 Degrees boasts highly breathable and lightweight fabric, and we think it costs too little for its quality.
Most reviews will agree with us. A customer noted these men’s shirts could sell for three times the price. Many also noted its insanely soft texture, flattering fit and moisture-wicking capabilities — that’s quite a heavy lift for four shirts that only cost $26.99. The only con is that it doesn’t have UPF features. So, if you’re wearing this shirt, it’s best to use it for early morning or evening outdoor workouts.
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3. GearGlacier Instant Cooling Quick-Dry Shirt
Running outdoors in the summertime is challenging. That’s why you need cooling clothing for extreme heat, such as this one from GearGlacier. Its ultra-soft COOLMAX fabric keeps you cool outdoors, whether you’re running or running errands. Product details say it’s four times more moisture-wicking than standard cotton. The shirt is infused with Belltron conducive fibers, which naturally fight static cling to avoid irritation. It also has UPF 50+ that blocks the sun’s harmful UV rays.
The fabric feels cool to touch, and the cooling effect lasts when activated. The more you sweat, the better the cooling effect. A customer exercised under the sun using this shirt, and noted that everything except the GearGlacier shirt was wringing wet.
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4. Cadtuos Men’s Cooling Workout Shirt
For high-quality, cool workout clothes, you’ll never go wrong with Cadtuos. A shirt costs $18.99 and provides cooling and anti-odor effects. It’s made from premium bamboo viscose fabric, which feels lightweight, almost like your second skin. The lightweight material ensures all-day comfort, making it ideal for casual wear or outdoor activities. It also has UPF 50+ sun protection, keeping your skin safe from harmful UV rays.
The fit allows the right amount of stretch for movement, not too restrictive, yet not too loose. It’s highly recommended if you’re seeking a functional and comfortable workout tee. You can buy one shirt or a pair, which you can share with your accountability buddy to make workouts more enjoyable.
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5. The Gym People Men’s Cooling Ice-Silk Running Shirt
If you appreciate a silky feel, this tee is for you. The Gym People’s cooling shirt has UPF 50+, flat-lock seams to minimize skin irritation and tearing and four-way stretch, delivering optimal functionality and flexibility. It’s everything you’ll want from a workout tee.
Based on the customer reviews, this shirt provides a cooling effect as soon as you put it on. However, there are notes about the diminishing effects once it becomes wet from sweat. Nonetheless, it’s still worth the buy, especially when a piece only starts at $16.99.
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6. Columbia Men’s Short-Sleeved Crew
Columbia is an undisputed competitor when it comes to cooling clothing for extreme heat. It provides omni-shade UPF 50 sun protection, keeping your body protected from harmful UV rays, and omni-freeze features. It claims to pull moisture away from the body, allowing the sweat to evaporate quickly. Plus, it does a good job of keeping you cool as you sweat, even in hot and humid conditions.
Just because it has UPF doesn’t mean you won’t wear sunscreen anymore. Use a mineral-based product and reapply every two hours, especially for prolonged sun exposure.
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Invest in a Good Cooling Shirt
Spend time under the sun with confidence, knowing that your attire is working as hard as you are to keep you comfortable and composed. With this modern tee, there’s no need to worry about visible sweat marks and a haggard look.
