The Best Men’s Compression Shirts and Slimming Undershirts
For men interested in men’s shapewear or body shapers to improve the look of their waist or chest, a compression shirt or tank is an easy way to get a slimmer, more smooth look. Compression shirts also have the added benefit of holding your core in place when you are working out, and they can even improve your posture. These t-shirts work well to keep in the belly, chest, and love handles without making you feel constrained.
Compression shirts have been a staple of gym wear for years due to the wicking properties of the fabric, the improved circulation that occurs when wearing, and the support they provide your muscles.
Whether your issues are with gynecomastia, wanting a slimmer look, or wanting extra support when you are working out, we have found the best slimming compression shirts and undershirts for men.
Spanx Undershirts
Spanx is the most popular go-to brand for women’s shapewear, but their lesser-known men’s shapewear line is also well worth a look. They have some very effective crew, v-neck, or tank styles that will not only make men look slimmer than they are but they are also surprisingly comfortable to wear.
Like other Spanx products, they can be a struggle to get on, but once on, they work very well and do exactly what they are supposed to do. The Spanx Cotton Compression T-shirt and tanks are intended to be worn instead of an undershirt.
The Spanx shirts and tanks will do a great job smoothing everything out; just ensure you follow the sizing instructions closely.
Find on Spanx.com
Under Armour UA Tactical HeatGear® Compression T-Shirt
The Under Armour UA Tactical HeatGear® Compression T-Shirt is mainly designed as a training t-shirt for the gym to help deal with sweat, but it works great as a compression shirt that will keep you looking trim and tight under regular clothes.
It is intended to be tight and feel like your muscles are being held in. The fabric has moisture-wicking and anti-odor properties, so it will move the sweat away from your skin so it can dry off quickly and reduce the chance of odor developing.
If you are looking for a t-shirt to wear under suits to avoid sweating, this may be one to consider, as it will be cooler than a regular cotton undershirt. If you do sweat, it will be wicked away quickly and not show through your regular shirts. You can get this tee in a v-neck and the crew neck style.
Find on UnderArmour.com
Leo Shapewear for Men
Leonisa has a few different styles for compression undergarments and compression wear. Much of their stuff is the next level up from Spanx if you want more compression and toning. They have body shapers, tanks, compression tees, and waist trainers.
Their Men’s Abs Slimming Body Shaper is a very popular vest design that comes in three colors. It claims to help you look as though you have lost up to 2 sizes in your ab area by flattening and toning the abdomen, chest, and back. It will also help give your back support and posture correction. You can wear this body shaper every day or after you have undergone a surgical procedure and need extra support.
Some people find this toner vest more comfortable to put on than compression t-shirts because the front zipper opening is easy to do up and undo, even though it’s much firmer when you get it on. You have to be a little bit careful that you don’t get any chest hair stuck in the zipper because it will hurt. Men who wear this garment say that it is very tight but surprisingly comfortable. They also say that it will flatten your gut and love handles very effectively.
Find on Leonisa
2xist
2(x)ist is well known for its shaping underwear, but they also have some great tees that will help keep your waistline looking slim and toned. Their compression shirts come in tank, crew neck, or v-neck styles and are made with a stretchy cotton-spandex blend fabric that has an interior layer for a slimming effect.
The 2(x)ist shirts will make you look natural and trim by compressing all excess weight or bulges. It can also help you to stand more erect while shaping the abdomen area and highlighting the chest. Like most shapewear, it’s a bit tough to get into but will stretch out once it is on. Most men find that it is comfortable enough for all-day wear.
Find on 2xist.com
Freshpair
An excellent place to shop for the shapewear brands 2xist, Go Softwear, Leo, and Rounderbum to compare the different styles and prices all in one place is at Freshpair.com.
They have lots of different design options for whatever it is that you are looking to slim down or smooth out.
GKVK Men’s Slimming Body Shaper Vest
A problem with a lot of compression garments for both men and women is the price, it is usually pretty high. A decent place for somewhat more budget-friendly options is Amazon. One worth checking out is the GKVK Men’s Slimming Body Shaper Vest Shirt.
This is a solid style that will make you look slimmer in your shirts. This undershirt tank is light, breathable, and comfortable to wear. It doesn’t have super strong compression but gives a little bit of toning while still maintaining flexibility and comfort.
If you are unsure if a compression shirt is right for you, this may be an excellent garment to try out. If you like the results of wearing this type of tank, you can move on to higher levels of compression that you would see in more expensive brands. If you are dealing with gynecomastia, this is an excellent product to try without feeling too constricted. The other great thing about this style is that it comes in six colors.
Find on Amazon
Champion Men’s Double-Dry Compression Shirt
Another inexpensive option is the Champion Men’s Double-Dry Compression Shirt. This shirt is designed for working out due to its high-wicking properties, but it also works well as a replacement for a regular undershirt to help you slim down the look of your torso.
The fabric is an 84% polyester and 16% Spandex blend fabric, with the polyester providing the wicking and the Spandex helping with the compression. Men love this shirt to wear under a slim-fitting shirt if you have any extra weight in your chest, stomach, or love handle area, as it will help to slim it down.
Most men find it to be comfortable enough to wear all day. It is a good, less expensive alternative to the Under Armour style listed above, although it has slightly less compression, so it isn’t such a tight-fit style.
Find on Amazon
What to Watch For with Compression Shirts:
When shopping for compression shirts, there are a few things that you should keep in mind:
Compression shirts are tight and constricting. Most of the time, the fit is going to be skin-tight. Wearing a skin-tight skirt is different than a loose cotton tee, so you need to be able to handle the feel of it being tight. Some shirts will be more comfortable than others, so you may have to shop around until you find the right level of comfort and tightness for you.
Look for styles that are breathable and not too hot. Some cheaper shirts may have fabrics that don’t breathe as well as their more expensive competitors. Getting a style with a breathable fabric will go a long way toward how comfortable you find the garment.
Riding up Undershirts can be a real pain if they ride up at the waist or on the arms. If you have trouble with styles riding up at the waist, look for longer shirts that you tuck in, which will give you a bit of extra material to stop it from riding up. If you have trouble with sleeves riding up, you may want to consider a tank option overall, though; these compression shirts should ride up much less than the traditional cotton undershirts.
They take some getting used to. It takes a little bit of time to get used to compression shirts because for them to work, they need to be tight. If you aren’t used to a tight fit, you must ride it out for a while, and you will eventually start to get used to the feel.
Getting them on and off. If this is your first time trying out compression shirts, you may be shocked at how difficult they are to get on and off. The control these shirts provide makes it hard to get into, especially if you go for a smaller size. Once on, they will stretch out a little bit but do not. Whatever you do, do not try to put it on right after a shower.
Posture and back support. If you are looking for men’s shapewear to trim the look of your torso, a nice side effect is that it improves your posture and will provide lower-back support.
If you have a big event you need to look good for, or you have gained a little weight and want a bit of a confidence boost, a compression shirt or tank is an easy way to trim a few inches and to smooth out your look. They are also great to wear to work out or during other physical activities to lessen muscle strain.
Ollie is a part-time writer and a new dad. He lives in Vancouver, B.C, and is enjoying his latest role as a stay-at-home parent. Ollie has over 12 years of experience in various roles working for websites and large brands, giving him expertise in the areas of fitness, health, and lifestyle.
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