All the Stylish Athletic Gear You Need to Crush Your Next Workout

16 indie activewear brands that make sweating look good.

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Remember those New Year’s resolutions you made when January seemed a lifetime away? If you just groaned, it’s probably time to invest in some stylish men’s workout clothes. Not only will a grip of fancy new gear help you stick to those ill-conceived resolutions well into 2023, it’ll help you get some galactic-level fits off in the process—even if you’re sweaty as hell, huffing and puffing like you blew the house down. Those scratchy old band tees and baggy basketball shorts won’t cut it when you’re facing off against your gym nemesis on the elliptical, and as much as we love Swooshes and Stripes around these parts, there’s a whole other world of sleek, performance-minded activewear brands out there for you to explore. Here are 16 cutting-edge athletic labels we love—each a top-notch purveyor of stylish men’s workout clothes—that’ll keep you feeling motivated and ready to move through the new year and beyond.


The Ol’ Reliable Pick: Rhone

Longtime GQ Recommends readers know how we feel about Rhone. Their breathable, odor-fighting tees have held down the top spot on our list of best workout shirts for years now, and we’re such big fans of their thoughtfully-designed shorts that we made them the flagship product of one of our Boxes a few quarters ago.

Rhone Reign tech short sleeve shirt

$78

Rhone

Rhone Mako short

$68

Rhone

Rhone Swift tank

$58

Rhone

Rhone Versatility training pant

$118

Rhone

The Attitude Pick: Satisfy Running

Who says distance running can’t feel punk rock? Satisfy’s moth-eaten muscle shirts and leopard-print shorts reflect their Parisian founder Brice Partouche‘s roots in skateboarding and hardcore.

Satisfy AuraLite long tee

$160

Satisfy

Satisfy CoffeeThermal shorts

$240

Satisfy

Satisfy FliteSilk running cap

$80

Satisfy

Satisfy SoftCell Half-Zip

$290

Satisfy

The Traditionalist Pick: Tracksmith

Boston-based Tracksmith transplants Chariots of Fire-era aesthetics onto modern marathon-ready gear in a way that feels natural, stylish, and not the least bit kitschy.

Tracksmith Van Cortlandt singlet

$68

Tracksmith

Tracksmith Charles sunglasses

$255

Tracksmith

Tracksmith Downeaster

$148

Tracksmith

Tracksmith Bislett pants

$198

Tracksmith

The Futurist Pick: District Vision

After shaking up the performance eyewear game with their ultramodern Japanese frames, District Vision has turned their attention to apparel. Their latest innovation is a stretchy, lightweight mesh called Air-Wear, with thousands of tiny pores that open and close as you move to regulate your body heat and sweat.

District Vision Junya racer sunglasses

$295

Ssense

District Vision Spino performance shorts

$110$87
Nordstrom

District Vision Greg fleece jacket

$245

End Clothing

District Vision Theo shell jacket

$325

End Clothing

The Understated Pick: Outdoor Voices

Given all the hype and celebrity loyalists, you’d be forgiven for assuming that Outdoor Voices deals in loud, splashy, logo-heavy kits. In truth, they’re so beloved because they specialize in some of the subtlest, lowest-key, most technically sound workout gear around.

Outdoor Voices CloudKnit longsleeve

$68

Outdoor Voices

Outdoor Voices PrimoFleece joggers

$118

Outdoor Voices

Outdoor Voices FrostKnit 7/8 tights

$88$74
Outdoor Voices

Outdoor Voices SoftShield liner jacket

$128

Outdoor Voices

The Preposterously Soft Pick: Vuori

If handfeel is your number-one criteria, then Vuori is the move. Its buttery, sumptuous, stretchy sweats make all other pants feel like sandpaper by comparison.

Vuori Venice pullover

$134

REI

Vuori Cape performance shorts

$68

Nordstrom

Vuori Ponto performance crew

$110

Vuori

Vuori ripstop pants

$98

REI

The Barely-There Pick: Ten Thousand

Need to feel completely free in order to really hit your stride? Ten Thousand’s featherlight Session shorts and Distance tees are built to be as efficient as possible to stay out of your way and your mind.

Ten Thousand sherpa tech vest

$138

Ten Thousand

Ten Thousand C07 track jacket

$148

Ten Thousand

Ten Thousand Interval short

$68

Ten Thousand

Ten Thousand Recover crew

$108

Ten Thousand

The Sci-Fi Pick: Isaora

With their streamlined silhouettes and advanced tech-y fabrics, Isaora’s precision-engineered clothes sometimes look like they were pilfered off the set of a Denis Villeneuve-directed space opera—in the best way possible.

Isaora UPT training pant

$159$117
Isaora

Isaora NEO super crew tee

$137$81
Isaora

Isaora NEO sweat fermulari pantalon

$164$120
Isaora

Isaora NEO super tank

$201$137
Isaora

The Adventurist Pick: Veilance

The upscale, forward-thinking wing of Vancouver outdoor label Arc’teryx, Veilance focuses on bridging the gap between the streets and the trail: their parkas and blazers are sharp enough for your everyday life, but they’re built with enough under the hood to survive scaling a mountain. Its simpler stuff, though, is perfect for training at home while fantasizing about being out there.

Veilance Spere shorts

$250$153
Ssense

Veilance Stealth cap

$150$92
Ssense

Veilance Align MX trousers

$350

Ssense

Veilance Euler Is jacket

$700$518
Ssense

The Canadian Pick: Reigning Champ

Reigning Champ is Canadian through and through, focusing on high-quality materials (its French terry is exceptional) and high-functioning performance details. Everything is made and designed in its hometown of Vancouver, and its year-round staples will take you from couch to crunch with comfort and ease.

Reigning Champ 2-in-1 Dot Air mesh shorts

$110

Mr Porter

Reigning Champ Coach’s slim-fit tapered Primeflex drawstring trousers

$170

Mr Porter

Reigning Champ Deltapeak 90 stretch-jersey t-shirt

$90

Mr Porter

Reigning Champ Solotex mesh half-zip top

$130

Mr Porter

The Community-Oriented Pick: Bandit Running

Bandit Running is only a couple of years old, but it’s already cultivated an ardent group of customers, who flock to the NYC-based brand in droves to snap up its sharp-enough-for-an-early-Zoom half-zips and cozy, subtly-branded sweats.

Bandit Running Bandit quarter zip

$120

Bandit Running

Bandit Running Run Far tee

$58

Bandit Running

Bandit Running SoftSpeed cold weather run tight

$120

Bandit Running

Bandit Running LiteWave training short

$88

Bandit Running

The Repentant Raver Pick: Soar Running

If your name is Tim Soar, you’re all but legally obligated to start selling gym clothes. So in 2015, that’s exactly what the London-based designer did, churning out slick, colorblocked running gear designed to help you sweat out the toxins after the club.

Soar Running three season shorts

$135

Ssense

Soar Running ultra lightweight gilet

$145

Ssense

Soar Running ultra jacket

$265

Ssense

Soar Running paneled vest

$165$68
Ssense

The Mercifully Austere Pick: Jacques

Most workout gear announces its presence from a mile away. NYC-based Jacques takes the opposite approach, leaning on a roster of crisp neutral tones to make activewear so pristine it’s almost a shame to dirty it in the squat rack. But dirty it you should—especially if you’ve got a closet stuffed with so many subdued designer grails it’d make Lydia Tár blush.

Jacques stretch-nylon bomber jacket

$425

Matches Fashion

Jacques compression stand-collar long-sleeved t-shirt

$150$90
Matches Fashion

Jacques x Ssense tennis longe sleeve polo

$215$144
Ssense

Jacques signature jogger shorts

$195$76
SSENSE

The Muscle Beach Pick: Y,IWO

Ever wondered what it would feel like slanging weight at Gold’s in its sweat-soaked heyday? Y,IWO harnesses the endearingly cheesy energy of Pumping Iron-era Schwarzenegger—think retro graphics, bicep-hugging cuts, and bright, saturated colors—to imbue your gym selfies with a healthy jolt of ’70s-era sleaze. It’s about time you tried a crop top anyway.

Y,IWO P.R. canvas shorts

$60

Mr Porter

Y,IWO printed cotton-jersey t-shirt

$60

Mr Porter

Y,IWO tapered cotton-jersey sweatpants

$110

Mr Porter

Y,IWO half tee cropped printed t-shirt

$50$35
Mr Porter

The Sleek-As-Hell Pick: Miler Running

All it took for Miler Running to take home a Fitness Award this year was equipping its top-notch shorts with a couple of damn pockets—they’re that good. To absolutely no one’s surprise, the rest of the brand’s murdered-out wares, made in New York out of fabrics sourced from the European capitals of the world, are equally stellar, too.

Miler Running base running tee

$100

Miler Running

Miler Running base running singlet

$90

Miler Running

Miler Running base running short

$115

Miler Running

Miler Running base running arm sleeves

$35

Miler Running

The Sustainably-Minded Pick: Janji

Yes, Janji’s peppy, tasteful workout gear looks great, but it’s the mission behind the garms that really distinguishes them from all the other synthetic gloop on the market. Everything the brand touches, from the materials it sources to the packaging that arrives at your door, puts the environment first, with a particular emphasis on supporting clean water initiatives around the world.

Janji AFO Hyperlight cap

$38

Janji

Janji AFO-Vent multi short

$86

Janji

Janji Helio tech long sleeve

$74

Janji

Janji Stormrunner fleece jacket 2.0

$178

Janji