The 18 Best Thermal Shirts for Men

Un-thrillingly referred to as “long underwear” by our grandparents, thermal clothes have since been majorly leveled up by cool brands. At least, the 18 best thermal shirts for men, rounded up right here, have been. These souped-up options range from no-frills but exceedingly effective, to handsomely-designed and multi-purpose. Basically, they’ve got a lot more function and style than the average thermal top.

After all, as it gets colder out, you’ll definitely need insulation that’s more clever than just thick shirts and a million layers. Otherwise you’ll just go from too cold, to way too hot, and back to cold again. Fortunately, our choices represent a range of features and prices.

Buck Mason Vintage Thermal Henley 

What’s more flattering on a guy than an athletic henley shirt? The Buck Mason Thermal features a classic structured collar and three-button dip. The close-to-body athletic fit is flexible, providing a wide range of motion, but the tapered sleeve and rib cuffs give it a touch of vintage personality. They also let you easily roll up your sleeves, for those moments of impromptu manual activity (or when you want to show off the fruits of those barbell wrist curls at the gym). 

Relwen Micro Waffle Crew

The function-heavy Relwen Micro Waffle Crew is as tactical as a thermal shirt can get, perfect for you wood-chopping outdoorsmen out there. The exterior is durably textured, while the inside is a soft and comfortable jersey, resulting in a sweater-like double-faced construction. And for your gear and EDC, there’s a deep reinforced chest pocket with a snap closure. Other protective qualities include triple-needle coverstitching and bartacked end seams.

Olivers Alpine Thermal Long Sleeve

If you’re looking for a simple, no-frills thermal, the Olivers Alpine Long Sleeve Shirt is a true basic, but one that’s incomparably efficient. First off, the waffle-knit fibers come from Peru. Apparel brands turn to Peru’s mountain region for high-end performance cottons the way timekeepers turn to Switzerland for watch movements. Second, the 40 percent polyester makes this shirt as durable as it is sweat-wicking and cold-fighting.

Filson Waffle Knit Thermal Crew

While a lot of winter clothes are as suffocating as the snow outfit Ralphie’s brother wore in A Christmas Story, the Filson Waffle Knit Crew is a legitimately breathable thermal shirt. It’s made of 12-ounce cotton for warmth, but the special waffle knitting traps a layer of air between your skin and the fabric. This means you get both a cooling airflow and insulation. It has a soft feel, which is comfortable under a shirt, and rib-knit cuffs that stay put when you’re layering.

American Giant Thermal Crew

The American Giant Thermal Crew boasts superior stretch and flexibility, making it a great option for varied outdoor work. The continuous raglan sleeve also gives you a full, uninterrupted range of motion. Additionally, the slim-fit allows you to easily wear protective work clothes over it, and the moisture-wicking blended fabric includes spandex and rayon. Even if you sweat and move around a lot in this shirt, it’ll maintain its slim shape.

J.Crew Mixed Waffle-knit Crewneck

The ever-responsible J.Crew Mixed Waffle-knit Crewneck is made with sustainable goods, including recycled polyester, organic cotton, and fair trade materials. Knowing how eco-minded this particular shirt is will make you feel better about participating in the very J.Crew offering of monogramming. Yes, you can have your initials designed into the shirt. You can even do the extra fancy diamond-style, in which the middle initial is bigger than the first and last. Environmentalism and personalization aside, this crewneck is super soft and will definitely protect you from frigid temperatures.

Reigning Champ Flatback Thermal Crewneck

The Reigning Champ Flatback Thermal is an all-around high-quality and upscale option. However, it flaunts two specific features that really make it stand out. First off, the heavy waffle knit cotton is fully brushed. Combed cotton is stronger, softer, and more luxe than uncombed cotton. And before you take your hairbrush to your closet, “cotton brushing” is a special process that the fibers undergo before it’s even made into yarn, so it’s too late for your already-made shirts. The second quality is in the stitching. Flat reverse stitching fortifies the shirt’s construction, while the flatlock seams eliminate chafing and increase durability. This shirt is soft where it needs to be and strong where it needs to be.

United by Blue EcoKnit Thermal Crew

United by Blue’s EcoKnit Thermal Shirt is so cozy, that you can wear it while out and about, or while vegging out on your couch as you warm up with a whiskey on a cold winter’s day. This snuggly shirt features a 250-GSM waffle-knit, which just means it’s thick and cushy, and that you’ll feel like you’re wearing your favorite bed comforter around the house. It’s also equipped with convenient ribbed cuffs to keep the warmth in, and a straight hemline which provides loose comfort, whether they’re tucked into sweatpants or hanging over them.

Outdoor Voices Waffle Longsleeve

The magic ingredient in Outdoor Voices’ Waffle Longsleeve thermal is the brand’s Sweatee fabric, which is both feather light and wicks away sweat. It’s a technical cotton blended mesh that takes moisture from your body and moves it onto the fabric where it disperses and supports the airflow between you and the shirt. This performance thermal will keep you warm during winter, but it won’t overheat you, even during heavy activity.

The North Face All-Season Waffle Thermal Shirt 

As it indicates in its name, The North Face’s All-Season is a thermal shirt that you don’t have to pack away with your heavy coats when the winter ends. Indeed, it’s a waffle shirt designed for insulation on cold days. However, the cotton and elastane combination makes it lightweight and resistant to sweat for warmer times. It also sports a droptail hem, otherwise known as an “elongated back,” so that you’re fully covered even as you stand, bend, sit, and jump.

L.L. Bean Men’s Unshrinkable Mini-Waffle Henley 

Once your thermal shrinks past your size or loses its shape, it’s finished with, and there’s no going back. The L.L. Bean Unshrinkable Mini-Waffle Henley will do neither of that, no matter how many times you wash it. Exclusive to L.L Bean, the shirt’s distinct 100 percent cotton fabric construction also happens to be fade-resistant and pill-resistant.

ALLSAINTS Muse Long Sleeve Thermal Henley

For you fashion-conscious fellows, the ALLSAINTS Muse is a functional long sleeve thermal, with a stylish flair that doesn’t take away from its “basics and essentials” status. The subtly uneven slub knit on the surface of the shirt adds an effortlessly distinct aesthetic. It partners well with the true-to-size fit and the military-style three-button henley placket, for a balance of uniquene and standard.

Everlane Men’s Waffle Long-Sleeve Crew Tee

The Everlane Waffle Long-Sleeve Crew Tee is a versatile thermal shirt. If you wear it on its own, it feels well-ventilated, allowing air to flow between you and the organic cotton fabric. When you combine this shirt with layers, it’ll effectively keep warmth in there. Tuck that thermal shirt in with the layers over it, and you’ll outright trap that warmth all day. Plus, the flatlock stitching down the sleeves gives this shirt durability and a pretty cool look.

Vuori Waffle Crew

Vuori is known for building clothes meant to be moved in and sweated in, so it’s no surprise that their Waffle Crew thermal is enriched with modal. Modal is a breathable and absorbent cotton alternative that you’ll typically find in high-end silk-like bathrobes, sheets, and pajamas. So not only is this pullover shirt soft and comfortable, but durable enough to handle high-impact work days. 

Billy Reid Mini Waffle Crew

If you want to make a cotton shirt elegant and classy, the key additive is luxurious cashmere. That’s exactly what Billy Reid does with this Mini Waffle Crew, aka the classiest thermal shirt ever. The brand is known for their creative and custom-developed blends, and this blend takes the plush factor over the top. It’s woven to be light and breathable, perfect for layering, though I couldn’t imagine why you’d want to cover this guy up. It’s adorned with dapper leather elbow patches and a stylish jersey roll at the hem.

Columbia Men’s Pine Peak Waffle Long Sleeve Crew

Looking for a thermal to wear on that next snowshoe adventure or ski trip? Everyone’s favorite outdoor brand, Columbia, serves up the Pine Peak Crew, a waffle long sleeve top that you can wear during your mountain adventures, but don’t have to change out of when you’re drinking hot cocoa (Irish, of course) during the après-ski. It’s a regular fit shirt that’s soft to the touch, and just overall super cozy.

ATM Anthony Thomas Melillo Waffle Knit Long Sleeve Crew Neck Tee 

While most store-brand basics tend to be generically fitting, basics from hip new brands can go too far with their “sexy” modern fits. The Waffle Knit Long Sleeve Crew Neck by Anthony Thomas Melillo, or ATM, isn’t too slim but it isn’t too loose either. It’s a happy medium, relaxed without looking or feeling sloppy. On its own, this shirt sports a moderate drape, and a subtly lustrous finish thanks to the viscose construction. When layered, there’s still room between you and the thermal, but it won’t bunch up if you’re partnering it up with fitted layers.

Mack Weldon WARMKNIT Waffle Long Sleeve Crew

Mack Weldon’s WARMKNIT Waffle Crew is a long-sleeved thermal, built with raglan sleeves so that you can do anything in it, from pitching a baseball, to operating a chainsaw, to sticking that gymnastics routine. It also gives the shirt a fun sporty look. This top also has Mack Weldon’s Thermolite tech, which provides warmth through teeny-tiny waffles, instead of extra weight and bulk. 

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