Once you start going to the gym, choosing what to wear turns out to be surprisingly tricky. Walk into a sportswear store and you will find rows of high-performance T-shirts, and the price tags can stop you in your tracks. Some of you have probably frozen at the register thinking, "I don't even know if I'll keep this up. Should I really be investing this much right away?"
That train of thought is how I ended up with UNIQLO's DRY-EX Crew Neck T-Shirt (short sleeve). The regular price is 1,990 yen. I have been wearing it as my go-to gym shirt for a while now, so here is my review, including both what I liked and what honestly bothered me.
Why I chose this T-shirt for the gym
The biggest factor was, of course, the price. At 1,990 yen, even if it had not worked out for me, I could have demoted it to loungewear. The damage from a failed purchase is small. That sense of being able to buy it casually is a surprisingly important point when picking workout gear.
The other factor is that I do not mind if it gets dirty. Gym clothes are practically consumables: soak up sweat, wash, repeat, endlessly. The fabric also rubs against benches and machines and gradually wears down. Rather than carefully babying one expensive favorite, rotating a few shirts I can wash without a second thought suited my personality much better.
There is also the reassurance that UNIQLO items are easy to get, whether in store or online. If I realize before heading to the gym that I have nothing clean to wear, I can sort it out. It sounds trivial, but it helps when you are trying to keep a habit going.
One note: prices may be revised in the future, so check the official site for the current price before buying.
What the DRY-EX Crew Neck T-Shirt is like
According to UNIQLO, this T-shirt uses a fabric structure that quickly absorbs and disperses sweat, so sweat is less likely to stay on the skin side and a dry feeling lasts longer. On top of that moisture-wicking, quick-drying function (a feature that absorbs sweat and helps it evaporate faster), it is also described as having antibacterial and odor-control properties.
Structurally, mesh holes (clusters of tiny openings) are placed where heat tends to build up and sweat tends to collect, which helps with breathability. It also uses a special knitting machine to reduce the number of seams in an ergonomically designed construction, and the cuffs and hem are knitted rather than sewn, so they feel softer against the skin.
The material is mainly polyester-based synthetic fiber, but there are several versions such as men's, women's, unisex, and printed editions, and the blend differs by model. If the exact composition matters to you, the safest move is to check the listing on the product page before buying. As for sizes, XS, XXL, 3XL, and 4XL are available online only.
How it feels during a workout
The first thing I noticed when putting it on was how thin and light the fabric is. Even when raising my arms, there is little pulling, and it does not get in the way of movement.
As for how it clings when you sweat, it is clearly different from a cotton T-shirt. With cotton, the back and chest get heavy and stick to you, and it feels unpleasant every time you move. With DRY-EX, I get the sense that sweat is absorbed and spread across the fabric, so the time it spends plastered to my skin is shorter. Of course, if you sweat a lot it still gets wet, and it is not that it never clings at all. It simply means the uncomfortable stretches are shorter.
How quickly it dries in practice
The benefit I felt most was in the time after finishing a workout. Somewhere in the flow of stopping exercise, stretching, and getting ready to change, the dampness in the fabric had quietly faded.
With a cotton T-shirt, it stays wet long after the workout, and you can end up getting chilled in an air-conditioned space. A fast-drying fabric makes the trip home much more comfortable. That said, on humid days, or when you have sweat heavily, it naturally takes longer to dry. Results vary with the environment, so it is better not to expect it to always dry instantly.
Mesh, odor control, and fewer seams
On the mesh sections, I will be honest: the difference is not dramatic enough to say it feels noticeably cooler. Still, heat seems less likely to build up around my back, and the stuffy feeling during sustained cardio seems reduced. I would call it a feature that works quietly in the background.
As for the antibacterial and odor-control function, this is purely my own impression, but it helped that odor was less noticeable while the shirt sat in my bag on the way home after training. How you perceive odor depends on your body, how much you sweat, and the conditions that day. It is not the kind of thing that makes odor disappear completely, so it is safest to assume you should wash it as soon as you can after sweating.
The reduced-seam construction was a difference I could clearly feel while wearing it. Because there are no stiff seams pressing into the underarms or shoulders, chafing is less of a concern even during exercises that involve repeated arm movement. The cuffs and hem are knitted rather than sewn, so they feel gently snug rather than tight. In a shirt you wear for long stretches, these small details matter.
Is 1,990 yen worth it?
I think the greatest value of this T-shirt lies in being able to buy several of them.
If you go to the gym two or three times a week, one shirt is definitely not enough to keep the rotation going. There will be days when the laundry is not done, and you end up settling for a cotton T-shirt. At 1,990 yen, you can put together several shirts for the price of a single high-performance one. Once you have a proper rotation, you lose one more excuse along the lines of "the laundry isn't done, so I'll skip the gym today." As a system for sticking with the habit, that is a big deal.
One thing worth knowing: UNIQLO runs limited-time pricing on a regular basis, so depending on when you shop you may find it below the regular price — handy if you're planning to buy several at once. Prices can also be revised, so check the current price before you buy.
Honest downsides and who it may not suit
It is not all upside. First, because the fabric is thin, sweat marks tend to show up clearly. Depending on the color and how you wear it, some people will find this bothersome, and there were times when I wanted to throw something over it.
Also, if you want to wear it around town and not just at the gym, its purpose may be a little too obvious. The texture reads as athletic wear, so whether it blends naturally into everyday outfits comes down to taste.
Regarding feel, anyone who loves the soft touch of cotton may find the smooth, synthetic-fiber sensation a bit lacking. That is a trade-off against performance, so I would recommend touching one in a physical store first.
And because it is UNIQLO, you will occasionally run into someone at the gym wearing the same thing. If that does not bother you it is a non-issue, but keep it in mind if you dislike matching with strangers.
Who I would recommend it to
This T-shirt suits people who have just started going to the gym and do not want to spend too much on clothing yet. At the stage where you are unsure whether training will become a habit, prioritizing ease of continuation tends to work out better in the end.
Even for people who have already built the habit, it is an easy option for stocking up on spares for laundry rotation. Having several shirts you can use hard without worrying about stains or wear makes daily preparation much simpler.
On the other hand, if you draw motivation from design or the feel of a brand, high-performance gear from a sports brand may leave you more satisfied. "It gets me excited, so I keep going" is a perfectly valid reason, so choose based on your own personality.
I have no intention of dismissing expensive workout gear. But for how I use it, this 1,990 yen T-shirt was more than enough. Rather than stalling on clothing choices and drifting away from the gym, buying a few of these and simply starting to go seems far more worthwhile.
