THE TRANSITIONAL season is just a pain in the butt: How is it that the weather can be chilly and warm, windy and sunny at the same time? It’s not making sense, and it’s not doing any good to our daily outfit preparation. You don’t want to go overkill with sweaters—especially the cashmere ones—and you don’t want to give out to the cold in t-shirts or tank tops. The grossly underrated thermal shirt, on the other hand, is that one failsafe wardrobe essential you’ll need come fall and winter.
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As the base layering piece, a thermal shirt will embolden you to brave the weather. Often made in cotton with the ingenious waffle knit texture—and thus also called waffle shirts—they are designed to retain and regulate natural body heat, keeping you warm in lower temperatures, and feeling just right in the warmer springtime as well. They can be worn under outerwear like parkas and jackets, or on their own to make outdoor pursuits—hiking, jogging, chilling—feel more tolerable.
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But the best thermal shirts—like the 13 we’ve discovered below—can do much more: Like looking stylish and making you look stylish. From crewnecks to henleys, to just plain long-sleeve shirts, these 13 best thermal shirts for men will be your secret weapon for getting through transitional weather comfortably, or pulling through this fall and winter intact.
Best overall thermal shirt
Vintage Thermal Surplus Tee
| Fabric | Thermal waffle knit cotton |
|---|
Most innovative thermal shirt
Mack Weldon
WARMKNIT Waffle Long Sleeve Crew
Best thermal shirt for outdoor activities
Lululemon
Engineered Warmth Long Sleeve Crew
| Fabric | 3D-engineered knit |
|---|
Best performance thermal shirt
Vuori
Waffle Crew
| Fabric | Waffle knit cotton |
|---|
The classic thermal shirt
L.L.Bean
Signature Waffle Crew
| Fabric | Waffle-knit cotton |
|---|
Most comfortable thermal shirt
Abercrombie & Fitch
Ribbed Thermal Long-Sleeve Tee
| Fabric | Waffle knit cotton |
|---|
Most durable thermal shirt
Filson
Waffle Knit Thermal Crewneck
| Fabric | Cotton thermal knit |
|---|
Most stylish thermal shirt
AllSaints
Muse Long Sleeve Thermal Henley
| Fabric | Waffle knit cotton |
|---|
Best Thermal Shirt for running
Nike
Therma-FIT Repel Element Running Top
| Fabric | Recycled polyester fiber |
|---|
Best thermal shirt for layering
Everlane
The Waffle Knit Long-Sleeve Crew
| Fabric | Waffle knit cotton |
|---|
Best thermal zipper shirt
Capilene Midweight Zip-Neck Top
| Fabric | Recycled polyester |
|---|
Best thermal henley
Men’s Long-Sleeve Slub Thermal Henley
| Fabric | Waffle knit cotton |
|---|
Best affordable thermal shirts
Classic Waffle Thermal Shirt 2-Pack
| Fabric | Cotton and polyester |
|---|
Fabric: Waffle shirts come in mainly waffle-knit cotton. From there, the material gets more packed with specs, transformed into synthetic like a polyester blend if you’re looking for sweat-wicking capabilities, or wool which is naturally odor-repellent if that’s your top concern, perfect for a long day on the slopes.
Style: Choosing the thermal wear right for you depends on your needs to look a certain way as well. A can’t-go-wrong crewneck style is the most popular, but you can spiff that up with a henley which is infallible for wearing solo, or a half-zip that’s usually found in performance thermal shirts. The fit matters too: The tighter, the better it is for layering; the looser, the better it is for looking dapper on its own.
Each fall and winter, Men’s Health style editors try and test different thermal shirts from trusted brands, then narrow down our favorites across styles, price points, and the actual thermoregulation performance of the waffle shirt. We’ve even put them to the test in the outdoors—like running and jogging in them—to consider their comfort.
Maverick Li
Style and Commerce Editor
Maverick Li is the Style & Commerce Editor of Men’s Health, where he covers clothing, footwear, watches, and grooming.
Cristina Montemayor
Cristina Montemayor is a freelance writer and journalist living in Austin, Texas, covering beauty, grooming, style, and culture.