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No matter what you call them—A-shirts, muscle tees, sleeveless tees, singlets—the best tank tops for men deserve a place (or several places!) in your closet. Thanks in part to menswear’s ongoing obsession with camp-collar shirts and everybody on the planet simultaneously re-watching The Sopranos, men’s tank tops have exploded in popularity over the last couple years. There are the classics, of course—the white ribbed standbys and workout versions you’re familiar with—but these days, there are also a boatload of designers twisting the tank in new and exciting ways.
Which means there are more ways than ever to pull off a bicep-boosting tank top. Play into their undergarment roots and they can be a sweat-stain-battling undershirt—the invisible hero of your slinkiest summertime outfits—layered beneath an unbuttoned vacation shirt with a gleaming gold chain. You can hit the gym in a performance tank with all the moisture-wicking, quick-drying properties science can muster. Or you can play the capital-F fashion card and wear a wild tank all on its own, tucked into some slouchy dress pants as the bare-armed star the show.
Whatever kind of men’s tank top you’re after, we’ve got the absolute finest version of it here. Pick your favorites…and then maybe get a few more reps in over by the dumbbell rack.
The Best Basic Tank Top
You’ve probably owned a six-pack of these at some point or another, and with good reason: Hanes’s no-frills, no-tags, all-cotton ribbed tanks are a preposterous value. They’re cut flatteringly from pure cotton, which means they’re presentable enough to wear on their own, and breathable and comfortable enough to survive the swampiest days of August. They’re best served, of course, as an undershirt—ideally peeking out from beneath a flowy button-down or polo sweater, the way the goodfellas in Goodfellas would do it.
The Best Workout Tank Top
If you’re looking to make some gains in your tank, you’ll need one that wicks away moisture, dries quickly, and blocks odor. This one from Lululemon does all three better than most activewear tops do just one. The seamless construction also means a more comfortable workout with no chafing. They come in a vibrant range of colors, too, so you can flex your excellent taste alongside your muscles.
The Best Designer Tank Top
Issey Miyake’s iconic pleats are catnip for fashion types, and they work as well on this extremely chic tank top as they do on Miyake’s ubiquitous trousers. It’s understated and covetable in the best ways possible, with a perfect drape and subtle texture that’ll amp up any look.
The Best Muscle Tee
Russell invented the crewneck sweatshirt a century ago, but its sleeveless T-shirts are just as worthy of your hard-earned dough as their fleece goods. They’re cut from a buttery soft cotton jersey in a slim (but not too slim) fit that’s ideal worn as a base layer or all on its own. If your upper arm game is Dom Toretto-level beastly, these have just the right proportions to show off all your hard work.
