The choices for workout clothes are vast – Google a simple phrase like “best leggings for women” and about a billion results pop up, leaving you scouring through page after page after page of the same sites you’ve likely already been perusing. This year for our 2025 Fitness Awards, our editors wanted to find the best activewear pieces from brands you might not necessarily know (and, of course, highlight some standouts that you certainly are familiar with).
We wanted to focus on six key areas: compression pieces, running staples, gym bags, leggings, sports bras, and socks. Because at the end of the day, that’s pretty much all you need. We have another article all about the best workout shoes if you’re wondering about that, too.
Anyways, down below you’ll discover the best pair of running shorts that our editors have tried — ever. We’re not even being dramatic when we say they’re a game-changer for anyone who likes to stay active outside and hates to hold their phone. We also found a compression top that we thought at first wouldn’t make that big of a difference to our workouts, but within seconds, every person on staff was finding the top in their size to take home. This all goes to show just how crucial finding the right activewear is for you and your fitness journey.
Below, read on for the best activewear staples we won’t be going without after discovering (or still loving) them this year.
Sizes: XXS – XL | Materials: 75% Nylon, 25% Lycra | Special Features: Thermal
Maybe it’s because the top looks like a superhero uniform, or maybe it’s the cool reflective detailing on the sleeve, but when you’re wearing this top, you feel unstoppable. Some people on staff were a bit skeptical when we first tested it out – after all, how beneficial could compression clothing really be for aiding workouts? But, after a few minutes of trying the top out, our staff became obsessed with it.
“Compression in clothing can be incredible to help support your body during and after your workouts,” says Dani Coleman, Director of Training and Head Trainer at Pvolve. “It can help increase your blood circulation, enhance oxygen sent to your muscles, aid in your alignment and recovery, and help reduce oscillation of your muscles. It can be a great tool to explore to keep your body moving efficiently in the long term and when considering injury prevention.”
The fit is supremely flattering and the flexibility is honestly shocking. You don’t think of comfort when you think of compression, but somehow, this shirt gives you everything and more. It’s easy to put on and take off (despite conforming and fitting tightly to the body) and is a stellar addition for winter running or commuting. This could be used for a layer during ski trips, icy hikes, and beyond. The only thing we wish is that it would come in more colors so we could add even more to our closets.
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Pockets fit large phones, wallets, and keys with ease
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Grip tape at hem prevents chafing
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Reflective graphic in front
Sizes: XS – XL | Colors: | Materials: 83% polyester, 17% spandex
If you’ve ever run long distances, you know how annoying it is to carry everything you need. By the time you have water, gels, your phone, your headphones, and whatever else on standby, you basically need a suitcase to carry it all. Luckily, these brilliant shorts exist. Created by runners for runners, Bandit’s compression shorts are known and loved for their anti-chafe design (thanks to grip tape on the hems), impressive storage with large pockets, and a flattering fit.
We’ve tested these during marathon training runs, half marathon races, and even for other non-running workouts like indoor cycling and HIIT. No matter what we’re doing, they stay put, wick away sweat, and feel fantastic.
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Weight: 1.5 lbs | Volume: 25L | Dimensions: 19.25″ x 12.75″ x 8″
While this is technically a gym bag, we’re pretty certain that you can fit your whole life into it. It’s like a clown car but for activewear. On our first try, we fit in four pairs of running shoes, a protein shake, shampoo, keys, two pairs of shorts, a sports bra, and hair spray – with ease. Calpak really thought of everything in making this bag — it has a water bottle pocket, yoga strap, separated shoe compartment, and luggage trolley sleeve, and it’s made with water-resistant material and lined with an anti-microbial finish. The only thing it doesn’t have is a built-in accountant who’ll get your taxes done for you.
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We know that saying a pair of Lululemon leggings are fantastic isn’t a groundbreaking revelation, but we can’t find a better pair of running leggings out there. These babies are everything you need — flattering in shape, lightweight and silky smooth, sweat-wicking all over, and jam-packed with storage. Don’t just buy one pair, we recommend snagging a couple. You won’t regret the investment when, years later, they’re as good as new.
This bra looks unassuming, but somehow, it held up (literally) to our standards. Shape editors who varied in size 32DD – 32B cups all had the same experience working out in this sports bra: absolute comfort. One tester is a marathon runner with big breasts who almost always chafes on long runs. Her first time wearing this bra was on a 14-miler during an excruciatingly hot summer day. Without even adding a chafe stick to her pre-run routine, she finished up her miles without any scars, marks, or cuts. Even better: no stinging sensation in her post-run shower.
The medium support label is selling this wonder short, in our opinion. It’s taming during HIIT workouts, comfortable on speed runs, and holds up nicely during cycling or boxing classes. Better yet: it looks fantastic. The length is somewhere between a crop top and a bra, so it covers a bit more than typical sports bras but a bit less than those crops. Plus, the back detailing is super cute. For anyone who hates all of their sports bras, or who has refused to ditch the ones they’ve been using since high school, this is a brand and a style you should try.
Sizes: 4-13 | Colors: 5 | Materials: 58% polyester 24% nylon 15% cotton 5% elastane
High-quality running socks matter almost as much as running shoes when it comes to training or maintaining your cardio goals. If you’ve ever experienced horrendous blistering, or even chafing, after a run, you know this to be true. These babies from Bombas are designed to prevent all of those running woes from happening the moment you step into them. They’re made with supremely specific design choices, like a seamless toe, zone cushioning, and even honeycombed arch support. This all combines together to make for a truly fantastic pair of socks that keep your feet from falling off during marathons. Trust us, we’ve worn them during those 26.2-mile killers.
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What to Know
- Cost: A lot of the time, the best activewear requires some investment. When you spend a little bit more on the above-mentioned brands, which are proven to create high-quality gear, you’re not going to have to buy another round of fitness essentials next season or next year. Keep your budget in mind and buy only what you need in order to get the most out of your goodies.
- Materials: When you’re looking for the best fitness gear, make sure it’s made with materials that wick away sweat, don’t chafe the skin, and can help eliminate odors. Mesh is a great material for airflow but may spread odor from your gym bag to the office. A lot of sports gear is made with a blend of polyester and nylon, which keeps your clothing comfortable, sweat-wicking, and stretchy during movement.
- Compression: Compressive clothing is stellar in helping you keep your form correct in terms of posture. We advise staying true to your size when buying compression clothing and wearing it before your workout to ensure it’s comfortable enough for movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the best running brand?
There are a lot of stellar running brands that we trust to churn out high-performance gear, but one of our favorites is Bandit, a Greenpoint, NYC-based company that designed our favorite running shorts mentioned above. They have built-in pockets and an adjustable waist. Plus, they don’t ride up.
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Why do running socks matter?
Running socks matter because when you’re running long distances or taking on miles during a hot day, blisters are inevitable. Running socks are designed to prevent blisters from taking place because they’re built with special fabrics and without seams that may irritate the skin.
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Why should I buy a gym bag?
A gym bag is great for sanitary reasons as it separates your sweaty clothes and shoes from clean ones or from clean work gear like your laptop or notebooks. Gym bags can prevent smelly workout gear from distracting your co-workers and can provide you ample storage between commuting and the office.
Why Trust Shape
In our third year doing the Fitness Awards, we emphasized six major categories, which we call The Build Up, The Mindset, The Long Run, The Steps, and The Session. Each of these categories focuses on different areas of fitness, including equipment, clothing, accessories and wearables, recovery, platforms, and shoes. We tested every item selected in these lists extensively in different scenarios including outdoor workouts, at-home workouts, marathon build-ups, gym sessions, and even while sleeping. To learn more about our testing procedures in our New York Lab and the real world, you can view our Commerce Guidelines and Mission here. We received 100+ submissions and considered each of these products, as well as analyzed the 500+ products we tested throughout the year for our reviewed articles. We then narrowed these down to 30 award winners.
Summer Cartwright is a marathon runner, certified cycling instructor, and the senior commerce editor at Shape. She has raced in the New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Columbus Marathon, Houston Half Marathon, Brooklyn Half Marathon, New York Mini 10k, and dozens of other events. She has expertise in running shoes, performance gear, and recovery equipment. She, along with dozens of other testers and fitness experts, personally tested every single item included in the Fitness Awards to ensure they lived up to Shape’s rigorous standards. Previously, she’s worked with brands including Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Real Simple, Well + Good, and Best Products. She’s from Columbus, Ohio, and has three pets: two cats named Polly and Peaky and a dog named Rhubarb.
For the 2025 Fitness Awards, we consulted with the following experts:
- Dani Coleman, Head Trainer & Director of Training at P.Volve.
- Linda LoRe, NASM-certified personal trainer, RRCA coach.
- Alex Cooley, a leading NYC fitness instructor who specializes in sculpt, barre, yoga, and breathwork.
- Caroline Beckwith, Fitness Director, 14th Street Y
- Doug Berninger, MEd, CSCS, USAW-2, Pn1 at Mass General Brigham
- Mark Murphy P.T, DPT, SCS, CSCS at Mass General Brigham
Read the full article here