Jacqui Somen is a Denver-based writer and trail runner who covers fitness, nature, and culture. You can follow her adventures at @jacqui.somen.
The running world is buzzing about heat. Even with winter on the horizon, heat adaptation training is trending—ice-filled bandanas are all over aid stations, and new kits made from innovative performance fabrics keep coming. The reason is actually quite simple. As climate change makes hot race day conditions more common, a bunch of research has come out about how much heat can hinder performance. One study published in the journal “Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise” back in 2021 revealed even moderate heat can lead to slower finishing times for both marathons and track events.
At this June’s Western States Endurance Run, Nike revealed a charming solution: a long-sleeve mesh running shirt with striking, ergonomic cutouts.
Mesh is not new to sport. Soccer and football jerseys are often made from perforated polyester, as are running singlets worn by track athletes. But the shirt All Conditions Racing Department athlete Caleb Olson wore over 100 miles of trail through California’s Sierra Nevada Mountain looked unlike anything the company had previously released. For starters, it was a long-sleeve shirt and the holes were large enough to fit a pencil through. But the shirt also featured massive cutouts around the armpits, elbows, and shoulders: areas where sweat would usually pool.
Caleb Wilson in the Nike ACG Radical AirFlow top at Western States | Photo courtesy Nike
With the shirt on his back, Olson dominated the trail race. He crossed the finish line after 14 hours, 11 minutes, and 24 seconds, six minutes before his closest competitor and just two minutes slower than the course record. The performance was a big statement for Olson and Nike, who have announced the first gear made from its new “Radical Airflow” mesh fabric will be available to purchase spring 2026.
But it’s a bigger statement for mesh, a type of fabric that has long deserved recognition for its ability to aid athletes in hot conditions. Thankfully, plenty of other companies produce shirts from mesh that you can actually buy right now.
How Do Mesh Shirts Help Keep You Cool?
Any breathable technical shirt “can help with regulating overall core body temperature,” said Anna Mae Flynn, founder of Mountain Endurance Team who has coached professional trail runners like Sierra DeGroff and Ryan Montgomery. That’s because our bodies allay heat through sweat, which hydrophobic fabrics like polyester allow to pass through and evaporate off our bodies. (By contrast, cotton holds onto moisture your body produces where it will then stick to your skin.)
Mesh versions of these performance fabrics can keep your temperature even lower, since they both wick sweat and allow for air to flow directly against your skin. When used in combination with proper heat training and other cooling techniques, this kind of kit can serve as the “icing on top of the cake” that athletes can use to do their best at goal events, says Flynn.
Photo courtesy Pruzan
What Are the Best Types of Mesh Running Shirts?
Mesh running shirts, which are usually made from synethetic material like polyester, but sometimes from hemp or merino wool, are designed in two broad categories. The first likely needs no explanation, the conventional t-shirt style that’s now available from both mainstream and more boutique running clothing outfitters.
There’s also the running singlet. Usually only worn by hardcore and professional athletes, especially on the track, the style has started to become more popular among running enthusiasts. Designed for efforts that are going to make you sweat, the singlet is basically the runners version of the gym bro’s muscle tank. You might think you look silly wearing one, but the extra exposure to air they offer is going to feel welcome when you’re pushing yourself to the edge of your capabilities. Even if you’re a casual runner, a high-tech mesh singlet is worth having in your wardrobe on especially hot days.
No matter whether you’re looking for a simple, sleeved option or a true running singlet, we’ve found nine excellent mesh running shirts that will help keep your body temperature regulated during your training run or race.
The 9 Best Mesh Running Shirts
Photo courtesy Soar
The Best Overall Mesh Running Shirt: Soar Running Hot Weather T, $115
Why we like it: Built for performance, plus enhanced UV protection
This London-based brand was founded in 2015 by runners and became known quickly for sleekly designed gear that performed as well as it looked. Soar’s Running Hot Weather T uses mesh panels to increase sweat wicking and airflow in targeted areas. The upper shirt features fabric that provides enhanced UV protection. This shirt is also super light, making it a solid option for travel, or even hikers looking to keep their pack weight down.
Photo courtesy Miler Running
A Cropped Mesh Shirt for Hotter Days: Miler Running Base Running Cropped Tee, $95
Why we like it: Chafe-free style and performance in a roguish cut
This technical cropped tee from Miler Running is made of high-quality Swiss mesh fabric that is lightweight and breathable. The shirt features side slits for enhanced airflow, bacteria control and bonded seams meant to reduce chafing. Made by an NYC brand that values both performance and style, the boxy fit is far flattering than it has any right to be.
Photo courtesy On
A Great Mesh Shirt With Long Sleeves for Sun Protection: On Pace Mesh Long-T, $130
Why we like it: Full upper body sweat-wicking and ventilation
This lightweight long-sleeved tee promotes airflow and moisture control across the entire upper body. Though comfortable, and soft, On’s Mesh Long-T features bonded bib eyelets, making it durable and race-ready. This shirt also features a unique sustainable polyester fabric partly made of captured carbon emissions. You can ponder how On did that during your next long training run.
Photo courtesy Satisfy
The Best Mesh Running Singlet: Satisfy Space-O Singlet, $140
Why we like it: A little more rock ‘n’ roll than your average running gear
Satisfy leans into the grit and rebellion that comes alongside running long distances, and its singlet embodies this ethos. The Space-O Singlet is made from Italian perforated micro jersey fabric designed to enhance cooling and moisture and odor control. The company is also elevating the [checks notes] common safety pin, by providing four branded pins for race bibs with each purpose. And if you aren’t into singlets, the brand also sells its buzzy MothTech shirts, graphic t-shirts boasting strategically placed holes.
Photo courtesy Nike
A High-Value Option for the Singlet-Curious: Nike AeroSwift Dri-FIT ADV Running Singlet, $90
Why we like it: Targeted airflow keeps the body cool in all the right places
Nike has put significant research and development into its mesh fabric. The effort paid off, as this summer, Caleb Olson won Western States Nike wearing a unique long-sleeved running shirt that kept him cool and comfortable over 14 hours of brutal racing. That garment, which the company calls the Radical Airflow shirt, won’t be available to the public next spring. In the meantime, try Nike AeroSwift Running Singlet, which uses mesh a even more surgically in high-sweat areas like the chest and back. If you've never tried a singlet, this is a good starter option.
Photo courtesy Pruzan
A Barely-There Mesh Option for the Brave: Pruzan Limited Edition Mesh Singlet, $70
Why we like it: A modern take on old technology for gutsy dressers
This unisex mesh singlet was inspired by mid-century British health vests (a.k.a. string vests). Pruzan’s version is a new take with vibrant color options. This design offers ultimate airflow, with truly massive holes that leave little to the imagination. At least you get an extreme amount of sweat wicking. Made from 92% recycled polyester, what little fabric is left will pull sweat away from the skin. Pruzan’s vest comes with a cinch to tighten for a more fitted aesthetic.
A Mesh Shirt Made With Natural Fabric: Junmaven Carmen Mesh Cropped Tee, $53
Why we like it: A more sustainable option designed for easier efforts
While most mesh shirts are made from synthetic materials, the Carmen Mesh Cropped Tee from Jungmaven is made from its signature light hemp. The fabric is obviously not as naturally breathable as something like polyester, but the mesh holes help enough, especially if you're not wearing it on race day. It's a great option for runners who want to stay cool without having to fixate on the original sin of oil extraction. (You know that polyester is made from crude oil, right?)
Photo courtesy Lululemon
A Mesh Tank Top At a Budget: Lululemon Double Layered Mesh Top, $58
Why we like it: The basketball styling makes it easy to wear this at lunch after your run
This Lululemon double-layered mesh top is fashioned after the basketball jersey. It’s a kind of genius connection: after all, basketball is also a high-sweat sport that requires similarly wicking gear as running. Of course, this particular shirt is elegantly designed enough to not read as a super technical garment. Wear it with some wide trousers and call it a fit.
Photo courtesy District Vision
A Sleek Base Layer With Unique Tech: District Vision Paneled Mesh Singlet, $100
Why we like it: Innovative fabrics, thoughtful ventilation, sleek design
District Vision is an independent brand founded on thoughtful apparel construction. This singlet was created from a lightweight, high-performance nylon fabric that is ideal for either race or run club. The District Vision singlet also features a mesh peace sign cut out on the back, which not only increases airflow, it also sends good vibes to other runners as you pass them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is mesh made from? Most mesh is made from synthetic fabrics, though brands are innovating with materials like recycled polyester and hemp. Mesh can be woven, braided, or knitted, and is constructed in a way that makes it a breathable yet strong fabric.
What is a running singlet? More than a technical sweat catcher for runners, the singlet is institutional. The running singlet seems to have been invented as an undergarment that evolved into the go-to running outfit for everyday runners in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Runners have never looked back.
Why do runners wear mesh clothing? Synthetic fibers help with sweat wicking and cooling. Mesh is used as a technical fabric for targeted airflow and sweat wicking across sports.
Why are mesh running shirts seeing a resurgence in popularity right now? It’s hard to say exactly, but we’re willing to bet that Caleb Olson winning this year’s Western States Endurance Run in Nike’s new Radical Airflow mesh shirt has something to do with the hype, even though it won’t be available to purchase until next Spring. Thankfully, there are still plenty of great mesh running shirts you can buy right now.
