Short answer: This page lists five brands that sell athletic compression tops on their own US websites: 2XU, Gymshark, McDavid, Nike and SKINS. Each has a compression or base-layer shirt page that we opened on September 26, 2026, and every price, size, sleeve option and fit label below comes from that brand’s own US site. Medical, recovery and sleepwear compression garments are not covered.
Updated September 2026. Compiled from each brand’s own website; we did not wear-test these products.
How we chose
- The brand’s own US website has a collection or category page for compression or base-layer tops for training, running or team sports, and we could open it on September 26, 2026.
- Athletic tops only: tanks and sleeveless tops, short-sleeve and long-sleeve compression shirts, and base layers. We left out medical and graduated-compression garments, recovery and sleepwear tops, arm sleeves and bottoms.
- Facts come only from each brand’s collection page and its product data: US prices, listed sizes, sleeve options, line and fabric names, and the brand’s own fit wording. Where a page did not show something, such as fiber content, we say it is not stated.
- Some product copy on these sites makes health claims. We do not repeat them. Compression sportswear is not a medical device, and this page reports garment facts only.
- Brands whose pages we could not read this way were left out rather than described from memory, so this is not a complete list of the market. Brands appear in alphabetical order; the order is not a ranking, and we did not test fit, comfort or durability.
At a glance
| Brand | Known for | Price range as stated (US site, Sept. 26, 2026) | Sizes as stated | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2XU | Core Compression tops (sleeveless, short and long sleeve) and the Ignition long sleeve | Men’s $55–$80; women’s $56–$70 | Men’s XS–XXXL; women’s XS–XL, one style from XXS | Matching men’s and women’s tops from one line |
| Gymshark | Element Baselayer T-shirt, long-sleeve T-shirt and tank, all labeled “compression fit” | $24–$32; three colors reduced to $16.80–$28.80 | XS–3XL on all 16 listings | Lifting and conditioning tops under $35 |
| McDavid | Padded compression tops in its HEX and Rival lines, filed as protection gear | $19.99–$72.99 | Youth XS–XL and adult XS–XXXL, by style | Team sports where players want padding built into the top |
| Nike | Nike Pro “Tight” fitness tops, plus Jordan Sport and ACG base layers | $25–$75; full prices $30–$85 | Not stated on the category page | Tight-fit tops in three sleeve options |
| SKINS | SERIES-1, SERIES-3 and SERIES-5 tops | Tops $64.99–$139.99 (first 24 products) | S–XXL; one top also XXXL | Choosing among three named series |
Prices are in US dollars as listed on each brand’s US site on September 26, 2026, including sale prices where shown. Several of these stores list each color as a separate product, so the counts below are listings unless we say styles. We checked the men’s pages of Gymshark, Nike and SKINS, and both the men’s and the women’s collections of 2XU. Prices and stock change often.
2XU
2XU’s US “Mens Compression Shirts” collection listed 19 products on September 26, 2026, all tagged for men. The Core Compression line comes sleeveless ($55), short-sleeve ($60) and long-sleeve ($70), in several colors. The Ignition Compression Long Sleeve, tagged for cold weather, was listed at $80, or $56 reduced from $80 in one color; one version has a stand collar and a brushed PWX THERMAL fabric. Men’s tops are listed XS–XXXL, and many are tagged “Fit: Fitted”. Several Core descriptions name PWX MESH fabric and flatlock seams; fiber percentages are not stated. The women’s collection lists Core short- and long-sleeve tops ($60–$70) and the Ignition long sleeve ($56) in XS–XL, the Ignition from XXS. Both collections also include a recovery top, which is outside this page’s scope.
Good for: runners and gym-goers who want matching men’s and women’s compression tops from one line. 2XU men’s compression shirts
Gymshark
Gymshark’s US “Compression Fit Shirts” page for men listed 16 products on September 26, 2026, all in its Element Baselayer range and all labeled “compression fit”. There are three styles: a T-shirt ($28, eight colors), a long-sleeve T-shirt ($32, six colors) and a tank ($24, two colors). Three colors were reduced, to $16.80, $21.60 and $28.80. Every listing showed sizes XS–3XL. The page calls Gymshark’s compression shirts “ultra-tight workout tops that sit like a second skin” and says they do not provide any medical benefits; it suggests the long-sleeve style as a base layer under a workout shirt. Its activity filter lists conditioning and lifting. Fiber content is not stated on the collection page.
Good for: lifting and conditioning sessions, with a tee, a long-sleeve tee and a tank from one range in sizes up to 3XL. Gymshark compression fit shirts (men’s)
McDavid
McDavid’s US “Compression Tops” page listed 16 products on September 26, 2026, across seven styles, all tagged for men and filed under protection. Most are padded: the HEX Sternum Shirt, the HEX Viz 2-Pad Short Sleeve and 5-Pad shirts, the HEX Sleeveless Shirt/5-Pad, the HEX Basketball Tank 3-Pad, and two Rival 5-pad integrated shirts, whose description names high-density foam padding and machine washing. Prices ran $19.99–$72.99. Sizes come in youth (XS–XL) and adult (XS–XXXL) versions, depending on the style. Fiber content is not stated on the collection page.
Good for: football, basketball and other team sports where players want padding built into a compression top, including youth sizes. McDavid compression tops
Nike
Nike’s US “Mens Compression & Baselayer Shirts” page listed 15 products on September 26, 2026. Four are Nike Pro tops: Dri-FIT “Tight” fitness tops in short-sleeve and sleeveless versions ($32, some colors $25), a long-sleeve version ($37, some colors $31.97) and a Dri-FIT fitness mock-neck long-sleeve top ($37). The others are Jordan Sport base-layer tops ($30–$40, including a sleeveless tank and a long-sleeve golf top), ACG Wildsee base layers ($38.97–$67.97) and a quarter-zip hiking top ($75), a Nike Tech sleeveless top and Jordan two-packs of undershirts, tanks and T-shirts. The page’s Fit filter lists Tight (7) and Slim (5), and a Big & Tall filter lists two items. Sizes and fiber content are not stated on the category page.
Good for: gym and team-sport athletes who want Nike Pro tight-fit tops in short-sleeve, long-sleeve or sleeveless versions. Nike men’s compression and baselayer shirts
SKINS
SKINS’ US store, SKINS Compression US, has a “Shop Men: Upper Body” page, which showed 42 products on September 26, 2026; we recorded the first 24. SERIES-1 had long-sleeve ($89.99) and short-sleeve ($84.99) tops. SERIES-3 had a tank top ($64.99), short- and long-sleeve Active tops ($69.99 and $79.99), and long-sleeve and thermal long-sleeve tops ($129.99 each). SERIES-5 had a long-sleeve top ($139.99). The tops were listed S–XXL, and the SERIES-3 long-sleeve top in black also in XXXL. The page also lists arm sleeves and a sleepwear top, which are outside this page’s scope. Fit wording and fiber content are not stated on the collection page. The site menu also has Women’s and Youth sections, which we did not check.
Good for: buyers who want to choose among three named series, from a $64.99 tank to a $139.99 long sleeve. SKINS men’s upper body
If you are building your own compression shirt line
The tops above differ mainly in sleeve length, fit wording, named fabrics and size range, which runs from XS–XL on some women’s styles to 3XL or XXXL on some men’s styles. If you are a brand, team or gym planning your own compression tops, YOUMEGA (Xiamen Mega Garment Co., Ltd.) is an activewear manufacturer founded in 2017, with cut-and-sew and QC at its Xiamen headquarters and seamless knitting in Yiwu on Santoni 17–21″ machines, which allows seamless styles in 2XL and 3XL. You can start with stock styles with your logo from 100 sets, mixed colors and sizes, or go full custom OEM/ODM at 300–500 pieces per style per color. Samples take 7 days for a stock style with your logo, or 10–15 days for OEM development. QC is in-house to AQL 2.5. See our compression activewear manufacturing page and how compression wear is made; if you are buying for yourself, see how to choose a compression shirt for the gym. The brands above are listed for comparison only.
FAQ
What is a compression shirt? It is a close-fitting stretch top worn for training, running or team sports, on its own or as a base layer. Each brand describes the fit in its own words: Gymshark labels its Element Baselayer tops “compression fit”, Nike names its Nike Pro tops “Tight”, and 2XU tags many Core tops “Fit: Fitted”. These are sportswear, not medical garments; Gymshark’s page states that its compression shirts do not provide any medical benefits.
What types of compression shirts are there? The pages above offer three sleeve options: sleeveless or tank, short sleeve and long sleeve. Nike Pro, 2XU Core and SKINS SERIES-3 each list all three, and Gymshark’s Element Baselayer range has a tank, a T-shirt and a long-sleeve T-shirt. McDavid adds padded versions with foam pads built in, for team sports. Variations include a Nike Pro mock-neck long sleeve, a SKINS SERIES-3 thermal long sleeve and a 2XU Ignition long sleeve with a stand collar and brushed fabric.
How much does a compression shirt cost? On September 26, 2026, tops on these pages ran from $16.80 (a reduced Gymshark Element Baselayer T-shirt) to $139.99 (a SKINS SERIES-5 long sleeve). Full prices were $24–$32 at Gymshark, $32–$37 for Nike Pro, $55–$80 at 2XU, $19.99–$72.99 for McDavid’s padded tops and $64.99–$139.99 at SKINS. Several items were shown reduced, and prices change often, so check the live page before buying.
What sizes do compression shirts come in? On the pages we checked, Gymshark listed XS–3XL on all 16 listings, 2XU listed its men’s tops in XS–XXXL and its women’s tops in XS–XL (one style from XXS), SKINS listed its men’s tops in S–XXL, with one also in XXXL, and McDavid lists youth XS–XL and adult XS–XXXL, depending on the style. Nike’s category page did not show sizes, but its Big & Tall filter listed two items. Since the brands describe these tops as tight or compression fit, check each brand’s size chart before ordering.
Are there compression shirts for women? Yes. 2XU’s women’s compression collection listed Core short- and long-sleeve tops at $60–$70 and the Ignition long sleeve at $56, in XS–XL (the Ignition from XXS). Nike’s men’s compression page shows four women’s items in its gender filter, and SKINS’ site menu has a Women’s section. We checked only the men’s pages at Gymshark, Nike and SKINS, so women’s details for those brands are not covered here.
Can I wear a compression shirt as a base layer? Yes; several brands present them that way. Gymshark suggests its long-sleeve compression shirts as a base layer under a workout shirt, and Nike files these tops under “Compression and Baselayer”, including Jordan Sport and ACG Wildsee base-layer tops. For colder weather, 2XU tags its Ignition Compression Long Sleeve for cold weather, and SKINS lists a SERIES-3 thermal long-sleeve top.
Planning compression tops for your brand, team or gym? Send YOUMEGA your styles and quantities to start with a sample.
Sources
- 2XU US, Mens Compression Shirts: https://us.2xu.com/collections/men-compression-tops
- 2XU US, Women’s Compression (collection product data, tops only): https://us.2xu.com/collections/women-compression
- Gymshark, Compression Fit Shirts (men’s): https://www.gymshark.com/collections/compression-fit-shirts/mens
- McDavid, Compression Tops: https://www.mcdavidusa.com/collections/compression-tops
- Nike, Mens Compression & Baselayer Shirts: https://www.nike.com/w/mens-compression-baselayer-shirts-nik1zxg32
- SKINS Compression US, Shop Men: Upper Body: https://skinscompressionna.com/collections/men-upper-body
- SKINS Compression US, Shop Men (site menu): https://skinscompressionna.com/collections/shop-men
