Gym apparel - dri fit vs cotton

mhlew

I just bought a couple nike dri fit shirts for the gym. My regular cotton shirts get soaked at the gym and become heavy. Also after sweating in them so much it's hard to get the sweat smell out :sick: Anyone else like wearing dri fit? Does the sweat still bleed through ?

MaidensAndMonsters

I am thankfully not a sweater, however, I love Dri-fit. Not only does it wick away moisture but it makes running and other kinds of cardio easier my reducing friction. I still have my cotton stuff for lift days but one day I hope to have an entirely dry-fit gym wardrobe.

mhlew

I am a sweater! Like within minutes I will start to perspire. I too hope to have all dri fit if I like it but will need to build up my wardrobe as it is expensive! @maidensandmon

AmyRhubarb

I've done away with pretty much all my cotton stuff in favor of the wicking fabrics. They are more comfortable, don't get heavy, dry faster after a workout (nice if I'm not able to shower & change right away), and I haven't had any problems with odors.

dmpizza

I've done away with pretty much all my cotton stuff in favor of the wicking fabrics. They are more comfortable, don't get heavy, dry faster after a workout (nice if I'm not able to shower & change right away), and I haven't had any problems with odors.

Well said.

MaidensAndMonsters

I am a sweater! Like within minutes I will start to perspire. I too hope to have all dri fit if I like it but will need to build up my wardrobe as it is expensive! @maidensandmon

Walmart, target, TJ max, and Ross have affordable stuff if you're not terribly name brand conscious

mhlew

I am a sweater! Like within minutes I will start to perspire. I too hope to have all dri fit if I like it but will need to build up my wardrobe as it is expensive! @maidensandmon

Walmart, target, TJ max, and Ross have affordable stuff if you're not terribly name brand conscious

Not really I just care it fits comfortable. After trying on nike, under armor I just find Nike for best on me. Being 5'8" 285 my options are limited but that should change soon! Can't wait to be able to buy anything I like

SunofaBeach14

I haven't owned cotton workout or hiking gear since I was a kid. All of my gear is dri fit or similar from other brands.

succeedin2

When I trained for a 1/2 Marathon Team and Training Coaches said NO COTTON! I love wicking fabric and can't imagine a world without it!

kellyskitties

I like JCPenney's Xersion line also - I am liking their women's line and they also have men's.

Champion from the online site - I have learned to spring fast on their sales and scored some good stuff much cheaper.

mhlew

lol thanks everyone. I guess I have been living in the Stone Age wearing cotton. Dri fit it is!

T1DCarnivoreRunner

I suppose if you are just working out, it is a comfort issue. With cotton, it holds sweat and sucks. But if you are working out outside in extreme temperatures (either hot or cold), it can be a safety issue. For that reason, I don't wear cotton when hiking, with the exception of treated pants (only if heat is not severe).

mhlew

Nice I am excited to put my new dri fit shirts to the test tomorrow.

Mr_Knight

I've done away with pretty much all my cotton stuff in favor of the wicking fabrics. They are more comfortable, don't get heavy, dry faster after a workout (nice if I'm not able to shower & change right away), and I haven't had any problems with odors.

Concur on all points.

krokador

I like dry fit for the most part, but it lacks friction when going heavy for squats and I tend to slide around the bench doing bench press. Good for cardio, running and heavy conditioning work, though! Also would not wear anything else for obstacle/mud runs

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LoneWolfRunner

When I first started running, I wore cotton.... my nipples beotched for a week

sistrsprkl

Dri fit is the way to go for sure. A couple affordable options: try thrift stores. A lot of times people will donate new dri fit shirts from races and I've found Lululemon stuff at thrift stores.
Sierratradingpost.com also has great deals on athletic clothes. My husband also got a bunch of dri fit shirts from Target that couldn't have been that much.

awesomek001

I guess I'm in the minority here. I like my cotton T's - - the Dri-fit stuff I have seems to chaffe more than cotton. I deal with the sweat smell by washing in hot water (after the first couple of washes, of course).

CkepiJinx

I like dri-fit more than cotton lighter and I don't feel wet when running. To avoid smell build up I hang them to dry before I put them in the laundry especially if it will be a day or two before I wash them. I don't put them in the dryer or use fabric softener on them. Fabric softener can cause clothes to build up with sweat smell. I typically hang them after I wash them,if I do dry them it is on low with out fabric softener.

If you are having smell build up 1/2 cup vinegar or oxyclean in the washer can help get rid of the smell.

dazwan

There seems to be a couple of different kinds of dry-fit. I have a couple of older dri-fit t-shirts that look and feel like regular cotton (maybe just feels lighter than a regular cotton shirt), but the newer shirts I have are all man-made fibres and not as comfy.

Have a look around for the softer type, I think even the golfing polo shirts are labelled as dri-fit so you have lots of choice wrt style and fit.

I just got a couple of under-armour t-shirts and these are similar to the older dri-fit I have, (feel and look more like a lightweight cotton rather than plastic-fest that most athletic tops are). I don't feel quite so nervous in those when I see sparks and naked flames either

cw106

"wicking" is my new word learned today. not a term in use generally in the uk.thankyou google.
i tend to use old t-shirts for running, and wash in a v hot wash.
however as i am improving,will definately upgrade to dri- fit shirts.

jfmorrison

I wear quick drying materials when I'm doing cardio. For weight training I usually wear cotton because the synthetics are more slippery on the gym benches.

amitglinkedin

Probably different from others, Although I sweat a lot...I still prefer cottons..I tried drifit..but its seems to heat a bit and I dont feel soo comfortable in them

JoRocka

I guess I'm in the minority here. I like my cotton T's - - the Dri-fit stuff I have seems to chaffe more than cotton. I deal with the sweat smell by washing in hot water (after the first couple of washes, of course).

no not really.

I wear exclusively Target and Old Navy Cotton blend tanks- now- they are fitted- and I'm not an endurance athlete- I'm a power lifter and a dancer- so yeah I get sweaty- but I'm not running more than 4-5 miles at most- so my tank tops work great- I have weird issues with some of the textures for the shirts- they just feel weird to me.

But I only wear high lycra/spandex content type bottoms- no cotton. nopenopenopenopenpe. All capris- all day long.

Bellodesiderare

I sweat profusely. Dri-fit is like my new best friend!!

T1DCarnivoreRunner

By the way, 5.11 clothing - this is used by people in highly active professions (police, EMT's, military) - was made from cotton last I knew. My understanding is that it is coated cotton, to make it less likely to chafe.

Overall, though, I still try not to wear anything with more than 50% cotton when hiking (my primary cardio exercise), with the exception of those specially coated cotton cargo pants if it isn't going to be very hot or humid.

Again, I exercise outside so it is a safety issue if my sweat does not get wicked up by the fabric and then released into the environment... cotton holds onto sweat, and that prevents sweat from cooling as well as it should in heat. It also greatly increases the risk of hypothermia when it is cool out. The last thing I need is to be cold, wet from sweat from before I was cold, and the only way to get dry is to take off clothes... that is a situation I want to avoid.

mhlew

I am assuming just to wash in cool water. What about drying? Hang dry? I don't want them to shrink!!

housemamma

Most labels say no fabric softner and I usually run mine in dryer a few minutes then hang to dry. I also drape mine over the shower rod when I get home to let them dry before I throw in the hamper to reduce the chance of stink.

Chevy_Quest

bump

healthyfoxx

Dri fit. Always.

And I hang dry all my work out clothes.

I've machine dried them in the past and the colors faded faster and they seemed to lose some of their stretch over time. They never shrank or anything, though.