What are the ingredients for a great running shirt? We dove feet first into our shoes and got running to figure out just that. We determined which attributes kept us reaching for the same shirts over and over and put a host of highly-rated running shirts through tests designed to find the best.
While our extensive field testing gave us excellent ideas about the merits and problems with each shirt, we also wanted to test some of the metrics in a more controlled environment, where shirts could easily be compared side-by-side. The details of how we tested for each metric are described below.
Comfort
Testing for comfort was largely done in the field while out running. Upon opening the shirts, we assessed seam stitching, fabric weave, and how the stretch affected the fit, paying close attention to these factors while running. We also had multiple runners wear the shirt to help verify our opinions about comfort. Seams, stretch, and the tightness of the fit are the factors that impact comfort the most, especially when paired with an additional layer or running pack.
Breathability
Our assessments began with field testing on runs in warm temperatures and keeping notes about our experiences. We compared shirts with mesh panels versus those with more solid materials and the locations of those panels. Based on the accumulation of experiences, notes, and sweat, we came up with scores for breathability for each product.
Drying Speed
To determine which of our shirts would dry the quickest, we ran them all through a wash cycle and spin dry. The initial weight was post-spin-dry and pre-heated-dryer cycle. After obtaining the initial wet weight, we weighed the shirts every five minutes to determine which would lose this water weight fastest. Some shirts were completely dry in 15 minutes, while others took closer to 40 minutes.
We also took each shirt out on a jog while damp to see if we could determine a drying speed from this more subjective test. In the end, this was significantly more difficult to assess, but it did give us valuable insight into how each shirt felt when it was moderately damp. This test also gave us an understanding of how each shirt performed in evaporative cooling.
Versatility
When assessing for versatility, we tried to determine how effective the shirt would be for the maximum number of other uses. Much of this testing took place by using each contender for different activities, such as hiking, climbing, and skiing. We wore every shirt on cold days under warm layers to see how well it fit as a base layer. We then looked at perceived durability and fit, and how they affected the shirt's versatility.
Features
We first identified each shirt's features and then tested them. While it was not possible to test whether a shirt's UPF rating was working (we never got sunburned, FYI), we could test things like the sweatband sewn into the neck of certain shirts or visually test the reflective logos of some shirts.