Quite possibly the biggest fashion trend of the past decade, athleisure and activewear brands have absolutely exploded in recent years.
And there are two big reasons why.
First and foremost, technology has come a long way.
As a result, today there are plenty of great athleisure brands making stylish staples out of the same sweat-wicking technical fabrics usually found in gym clothes.
(By contrast, our fathers and grandfathers had to wear cotton shirts and wool trousers everywhere because they didn’t have access to more comfortable fabrics.)
Secondly, men today also lead a much more active lifestyle than our forebears, which has blurred the line between athletic clothing that’s worn in the gym and the casual wear worn in everyday life.
But while the sheer quantity of athleisure pieces on the market has exploded since the early 2010s, the quality of those pieces can vary pretty wildly.
Which is where this post comes in.
Below we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the best athleisure brands for men who want high-quality workout gear that’s both functional and fashionable.
The (Absolute) Best Athleisure Brands for Men
Breaking Down the Best Men’s Activewear and Athleisure Brands
Public Rec
Easily one of my favorite athleisure brands, Public Rec is one of the best places to turn for stylish everyday wear made from comfortable, stretchy, and sweat-wicking fabrics.
One great thing about Public Rec is that their clothes are more versatile than a lot of other popular athleisure brands, which gives you plenty of options.
Pieces like their lightweight bomber jacket or all day every day pant can be paired with gym clothes to really lean into the athleisure look.
Or you could pair the same pieces with a dress shirt and go anywhere from a first date at a nice restaurant to happy hour drinks with friends.
Deep Dive ↓
Check out my full Public Rec review to find out how their clothes hold up over the long haul.
Western Rise
Another one of my top picks for athleisure, Western Rise is a great brand for guys who want comfortable clothing that looks like regular casual wear but moves a (helluva) lot better.
Unlike a lot of other new athleisure brands, Western Rise doesn’t do purely athletic apparel.
Instead, they focus on casual staples that blend contemporary design with high-performance materials and rugged construction.
The result is an athleisure line that’s great for everything from hiking a mountain to giving a big presentation at work – two very different environments that are equally likely to make you sweat.
Deep Dive ↓
We put Western Rise pieces to the test and put together a comprehensive review of their flagship shirt and pants.
Oliver’s Apparel
Oliver’s has become one of the top brands in the world athleisure part of the fashion world, and it’s not hard to understand why.
In addition to some of the best products on the market – including a range of stylish staples made from breathable high-performance fabrics – they also have some of the best prices.
Fabletics
Yes, it was founded by Kate Hudson, and yes, Fabletics originally made its name by offering yoga pants, sports bras, tank tops and other workout clothes for women.
But they’ve since expanded to make some of the all around best athleisure clothing for guys, including a pretty comprehensive line of both men’s athletic wear and stylish casual clothing made from high-performance fabrics.
Goodlife
Goodlife specializes in what they call understated essentials:
The kind of classic, essential staple pieces that every man should have in his wardrobe.
What I like about Goodlife is that they use softer traditional materials rather than synthetics.
But their pieces come in athletic fits that perfectly hug your body, allowing you to combine the comfort and versatility of cotton with the style of athletic apparel.
Score a (Sweet) Deal:
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Tomorrows Laundry, Co.
Tomorrows Laundry specializes in the sort of casual, comfortable clothes you can wear while lounging around at home or running errands on the weekend.
Instead of stretching themselves thin with hundreds of new offerings, they only offer a few key staples in minimalist designs – think a French Terry pair of sweatpants or a classic slim fit tee – in a wide variety of neutral colors.
This isn’t the brand you turn to if you’re looking for performance wear, but it’s the perfect place to load up on stylish casual staples you can wear for years to come.
Richer Poorer
Richer Poorer isn’t as popular as some of the other brand names on this list, but makes a great place to turn for loungewear and casual staples like sweats, tees and a good pair of shorts.
What’s cool about Richer Poorer is that they forego the nylon and polyester fabric used by a lot of major brands in favor of more natural, sustainable materials like organic cotton, which is softer and often more comfortable.
Myles Apparel
Myles is a men’s activewear brand that specializes in fit, performance and versatility.
Their stuff tends to be divided into three main lines:
An “everyday” line that has casual staples like tees and henleys, a “momentum” line of workout wear that’s focused more on performance, and a “tour” line that splits the difference, which is great for golf and other occasions that call for a blend between athletics and aesthetics.
Smartwool
Smartwool got their start making socks, but now offers all manner of tops, bottoms and base layers made from comfortable merino wool.
Speaking as someone who owns a (ridiculously high) number of merino wool v-neck sweaters, I was skeptical about merino’s potential for sweat-wicking athletic apparel.
But I now have a few merino tees that have become my absolute go-tos on hot summer days, when I want something lightweight, natural and breathable.
Lululemon
Lululemon is the Canadian brand founded by Chip Wilson, who arguably kickstarted the rise of athleisure by designing a pair of leggings so comfortable that women started wearing them damn near everywhere.
They’ve leaned hard into menswear in recent years and now offer a pretty great selection of pants, button down shirts and polos, along with an extensive line of activewear in a wide range of vibrant colors and patterns.
Rhone
No list of best athleisure brands would be complete without the high-quality athleisure wear Rhone offers.
In not much time, they’ve become one of the most trusted brands in the space, earning rave reviews from guys who swear by their practical, performance-driven clothing.
Rhone’s clothing is designed to keep you cool as you go about your day, whether you’re in the gym, at the office, on the golf course or (pretty much) anywhere else.
Vuori
Vuori is a California-based clothing brand that embodies the sort of laid-back-but-somehow-super-active vibe so many people seem to have in the Golden State.
They tend to specialize in the sort of surf-and-sand stuff you’d expect from a brand that’s proudly Californian.
But they also have a selection of chinos, shorts and polos that work just as well in Toronto as they would in Los Angeles or San Francisco, making them a great option for anyone who wants to build out their summer wardrobe.
Birddogs
Birddogs got its start by making shorts and other athletic pants with built-in underwear in an attempt to solve the two biggest challenges that your underwear pose to your athletic wear:
The uncomfortable bunching that occurs when your underwear is too loose, and the restrtictive (and potentially worrying?) tightness that comes from wearing skin-tight compression shorts.
Since then they’ve expanded into a wider range of shorts, joggers and five-pocket pants, many of which offer you the option of getting them with or without the lining.
Mack Weldon
At Mack Weldon, daily wear is the name of the game.
They specialize in all the staple pieces that you tend to see throughout the athleisure world, including everything from boxer briefs and long johns to button-down shirts and jackets.
While not all of their stuff is athleisure – for instance, their crewneck sweaters are available in cashmere – a lot of it is made from high-performance materials that move well and look great.
Uniqlo
Japanese brand Uniqlo isn’t necessarily the first brand that comes to mind when you think of athleisure, but it’s definitely worth considering.
They’ve long specialized in making stylish shirts, pants, jackets and even suits from the kind of lightweight, stretchy material usually reserved for activewear.
But they also tend to keep an eye on the world of high fashion, making them a great place to turn if you want activewear and sports apparel that’s as fashionable as it is functional.
Wolaco
Wolaco is an athlete-focused activewear brand that specializes in compression gear.
As such, their offering is fairly limited – it includes just a few pairs of shorts and tees, along with a hoodie – because their focus is squarely on quality, not quantity.
With that said, their Warren pant has become my new casual go-to because it looks just as good when going to and from the gym as it does while working out.
Adidas
It’s impossible to talk about “athletic leisure” brands without mentioning a few of the titans of athletic wear.
Adidas is at the top of the list of brands that have made the transition to offering not just sports gear, but a wide range of casual staples that look great and (of course) perform well.
Everlane
Everlane is another fairly major brand that has made a real push into the athleisure, loungewear and activewear space.
Most of their performance-based activewear is on the women’s side, but they have a line of comfortable, stylish men’s loungewear that meets the same high style standards as the rest of their apparel.
On Running
If (like me) you prefer a good weightlifting session to a (obviously beneficial but undeniably boring) jog, you might be put off by On Running’s name.
But that would be a shame, because (much like other running and endurance-focused activewear brands) they actually have a pretty great selection of athleisure that works well for a wide range of activities and events.
Outdoor Voices
And speaking of activewear brands with mildly misleading names…
Outdoor Voices does indeed have a wide variety of clothes and gear that’s great for outdoor activities.
But it’s also stylish, well-made and impressively on-point, making it great for everything from hard workouts to casual hangs.
Hoka
Best known for their beloved Hoka One One running shoe, Hoka has expanded to offer a range of tops, bottoms and outerwear as well.
While their focus is still pretty squarely on running, their craftsmanship, style and attention to detail will appeal to active guys of all stripes.
(And that’s particularly true if you’re looking for some unique colors and innovative patterns that stand out from other men’s activewear brands.)
Alo Yoga
For a brand with yoga right in the name, Alo Yoga clothing is surprisingly versatile.
(Not to mention well made, well cut and stylish.)
They offer a wide range of clothes for men that includes everything from loungewear and tank tops to jackets, underwear and other accessories.
Ten Thousand
Ten Thousand is a performance apparel brand that consults with world-class athletes to design their gear.
As a result, their stuff is more performance-focused than some of the more casual, street-ready athleisure brands on this list.
But a lot of it also happens to be stylish and good looking, so it’s a great place to turn if you want to look good while you lift, run or get your sweat on.
All in Motion
At this point most major retailers have gotten in on the athleisure game, so it should come as no surprise that Target has launched its own in-house brand.
Like the rest of Target’s stylish-but-still-quite-affordable clothes, All in Motion offers a wide range of athletic apparel and activewear that’s versatile, functional and good-looking.
Champion
Previously kind of an afterthought, Champion roared back onto the athleisure scene a few years ago when designer Todd Snyder put a modern spin on some classic Champion looks, reinvigorating the brand in the process.
Since then they’ve capitalized on the attention by offering a wide range of sportswear that runs the gamut from vintage old-school cool to hip, modern must-haves.
Nike
Another titan of the activewear industry, it’s no surprise that Nike has made the transition into athleisure that can be worn both on and off the court.
Today the Just Do It brand offers a huge range of athletic apparel that covers just about every activity imaginable, along with plenty of pieces that work just as well on the streets as they do for sports.
Reigning Champ
Like Lululemon, Reigning Champ is another Canadian brand founded in Vancouver back in 2007
Their offerings are divided into two main categories:
Performance fabrics that stretch well and wick sweat while you’re on the go, and classic fabrics that are soft, stylish and perfect for less active, more casual occasions.
Ralph Lauren RLX
Admittedly, luxury brands like Ralph Lauren are not the first names that come to mind when you think “athleisure.”
But their RLX sub-brand includes some really sharp pieces that combine a high degree of function with the high fashion standards you’d expect from a major fashion house.
(Including some bomber-and-jogger combos that make for pretty sick two-piece athleisure outfits.)
Satisfy
Satisfy is a running brand that combines an old-school ethos with modern technology, resulting in some really cool pieces.
While they specialize in running gear, their offering includes a lot of vintage-feeling shirts, shorts, pants and hoodies that could work just as well in the gym as they do when pounding the pavement.
Tracksmith
As its name implies, Tracksmith is another brand with a focus on running.
But like Satisfy (not to mention Nike before them), their collection has evolved to include a lot of cool pieces that you can wear for a wide range of activities.
While Satisfy has a vintage European feel, Tracksmith has a more All-American aesthetic that’s true to the company’s Boston-area roots.
Twillory
Twillory offers a wide selection of (rather sharp and nicely styled) every staples made from stretchy performance fabrics.
Their stuff kind of reminds me of Banana Republic’s (now defunct) Hill City brand, in that it takes the whole performance-apparel idea and applies it to the types of clothes most often worn by the modern gentleman.
(Think button-down shirts, blazers, five-pocket pants and more.)
Wilson
Some people would probably be surprised to see Wilson listed here, since it’s mostly thought of as a tennis brand.
(And, of course, the name of Tom Hanks’ stoic and silent friend in Castaway.)
But after stumbling on them last year, I was pretty impressed with their range of athleisure offerings, including a wide selection of well-fitting polos in some surprisingly cool patterns and colors.
Y-3
A “city-inspired” sub-brand of Adidas, Y-3 is their collaboration with Yohji Yamamoto, the designer responsible for one of the coolest Japanese brands in the world.
His collection with Adidas combines the creativity you’d expect from Japanese streetwear with the quality and performance you’d expect from Adidas, resulting in a pretty great collection of fashion-forward techwear.
Feat Clothing
Feat prides itself on making the most comfortable athleisure clothing in the world.
Their stuff is pretty basic in terms of style, but for the most part they live up to their claims about comfort.
And while their selection isn’t huge, it includes all the key casual staples you’d need to build out a stylish (if safe) wardrobe.
Patagonia
Brands like Patagonia and North Face aren’t often thought of as “athleisure” brands.
But in my opinion, they’re definitely worth including in the conversation.
Patagonia’s been making high-quality performance apparel for decades, and their style has really evolved over the years, which makes them more than worth checking out.
And Wander
This Japanese brand was founded in 2011 and based on the idea that the clothes you’d wear while trekking in the mountains should be just as fashionable as what people wear on the streets of Tokyo.
As such, their aesthetic is a blend of high fashion and high function, combing practical performance materials into unique designs.
Chubbies
Quite possibly the most fun-loving brand on this list, Chubbies sells the sort of laid back, casual clothes you can wear on the weekend.
But the twist is that, unlike other hyper-casual brands, their stuff is all made from stretchy and sweat-wicking performance fabrics, making it great for hot days when you want to look laid back without sweating through your shirt.
William Murray
Alright, fine:
Maybe I spoke too soon when I declared Chubbies the most fun-loving brand on this list…
William Murray was named for none other than comedic legend – and avid golfer – Bill Murray, and his irreverent ethos permeates the brand’s wide selection of golf apparel and activewear.
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