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Under Armour HeatGear Compression Shirt
Under Armour HeatGear Compression Shirt Review Facts
If there is one thing that you need to know about compression gear right from the word go, it is that it is designed to be form-fitting. It is the intent of its design. However, when it comes to the Under Armour HeatGear Compression Shirt, it takes it to an entirely different level.
Indeed, this is a performance-based shirt that has been engineered by one of the enormous juggernauts in the game. However, to say that it is tailored toward athletic and fitness buffs is almost an understatement. While you do not need to be built like Arnold Schwarzenegger in is prime to don this bad boy; you may want to have somewhat of a fitness-based physique going.
From the ground up, this shirt is well-designed, but it is tight. And, when we say tight, we mean tight. As in several users have recommended going as much as two full sizes up to get a comfortable and tolerable fit. When it comes to straight performance, though, this Under Armour compression shirt has got your back, literally.
Under Armour is definitely a brand that is popular as it has proven throughout the years that it invests in the quality of the products. This t-shirt is definitely worth checking. So make sure you take time and read our detailed review!
Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
The material wicks away sweat from your skin
Features stretch-mesh under the armpits
Designed with anti-odor technology
Ideal flexibility due to the four-way material
Sports a good dose of elastane
Features UPF 30 protection
Has the benefits of compression
Offered in an array of different colors
Cons
It is massively undersized
Not the best if you have soft spots
The white color option is somewhat see-through
Just a little too tight overall
Breathability
In spite of the tight fit of this shirt, which will be looked at later, this remains a highly breathable garment overall. Most users will attest to this, and there are a few reasons why. The most important is the fact that it was engineered with Under Armour’s signature HeatGear fabric. Though the name would indicate it would be ideal for winter conditions, it is actually the opposite.
You see, not only does this fabric wick away sweat from your body at an elite level but it also manages to keep your body cooler during hotter weather. It really is a remarkable technology presented by Under Armour. Of course, what also helps are the implemented mesh zones.
Both on the back of the neck and underneath the arms, there is mesh paneling that significantly enhances the ventilation you will experience. And, lastly, anti-odor technology has been implemented. Admittedly, however, when it gets humid outdoors, this shirt will still struggle to keep you dry and cool. Extreme weather conditions can always overtake man’s creations, however.
You see, not only does this fabric wick away sweat from your body at an elite level but it also manages to keep your body cooler during hotter weather. It really is a remarkable technology presented by Under Armour. Of course, what also helps are the implemented mesh zones.
Both on the back of the neck and underneath the arms, there is mesh paneling that significantly enhances the ventilation you will experience. And, lastly, anti-odor technology has been implemented. Admittedly, however, when it gets humid outdoors, this shirt will still struggle to keep you dry and cool. Extreme weather conditions can always overtake man’s creations, however.
Flexibility
There are two significant reasons why this Under Armour compression shirt is highly regarded when it comes to its flexibility and overall freedom of movement. Both of which, for the record, is vital when it comes to performance-based garments. After all, your body is likely going to be moving a lot with this type of shirt on.
Anyway, back to the point at hand, the first feature to thank is the four-way stretch construction. This is more of an engineering method than a feature, but the point remains the same. What this means is this shirt has the capabilities of recovering itself both with its length and width. When it stretches, it is going to regain its form in all directions, in other words.
What also attributes to this is the implementation of elastane, which is a part of the four-way stretch construction. Also known as spandex or Lycra, this fabric is known for its excellent elasticity, and it is on full display here. The main body has 10 percent of it integrated (which is quite a lot).
Anyway, back to the point at hand, the first feature to thank is the four-way stretch construction. This is more of an engineering method than a feature, but the point remains the same. What this means is this shirt has the capabilities of recovering itself both with its length and width. When it stretches, it is going to regain its form in all directions, in other words.
What also attributes to this is the implementation of elastane, which is a part of the four-way stretch construction. Also known as spandex or Lycra, this fabric is known for its excellent elasticity, and it is on full display here. The main body has 10 percent of it integrated (which is quite a lot).
Comfort
When it comes to garments, one of the most subjective areas of analysis is comfort. No matter how many people say one particular article of clothing is comfortable, it still may not be in your eyes. Everyone has different standards, and everyone’s body is diverse. This is what makes it tough, but there are some points of emphasis that one can make.
For the HeatGear Shirt, it is compression-based and very, very form-fitting. Specifically, Under Armour advertises it as being a second-skin fit, and they are not exactly wrong. When you get an appropriate size, it does produce a locked-in type of feeling. This is also where the compression benefits come into play.
Additionally, the design is seamless, and this is something that most of you will appreciate as this will result in little to no skin irritation. With all of that being said, some of you will still find this too darn tight and suffocating to wear. For fitness, though, this could be a welcome sight.
For the HeatGear Shirt, it is compression-based and very, very form-fitting. Specifically, Under Armour advertises it as being a second-skin fit, and they are not exactly wrong. When you get an appropriate size, it does produce a locked-in type of feeling. This is also where the compression benefits come into play.
Additionally, the design is seamless, and this is something that most of you will appreciate as this will result in little to no skin irritation. With all of that being said, some of you will still find this too darn tight and suffocating to wear. For fitness, though, this could be a welcome sight.
Size
If you have not noticed already, this is an excellent work of art by Under Armour. However, this is where things can get a little dicey. It has already alluded to a few times that this is a super tight t-shirt. It is time to take a look at that “problem” further.
No one is going to argue that a compression t-shirt should be loose-fitting. At the same time, there is a point where even compression can be too tight. That is arguably the most common complaint with this shirt. Under Armour has been known in the past to design undersized garments, and that appears to be the case here too.
More than a handful of reviewers have made mention of the fact that they had to order two full sizes up to get an appropriately-fitting size. For example, if you typically wear small, then you would need to order a large. Now, not everyone has felt this way, but if you stick to your standard size, expect this shirt to be to the point of suffocating.
No one is going to argue that a compression t-shirt should be loose-fitting. At the same time, there is a point where even compression can be too tight. That is arguably the most common complaint with this shirt. Under Armour has been known in the past to design undersized garments, and that appears to be the case here too.
More than a handful of reviewers have made mention of the fact that they had to order two full sizes up to get an appropriately-fitting size. For example, if you typically wear small, then you would need to order a large. Now, not everyone has felt this way, but if you stick to your standard size, expect this shirt to be to the point of suffocating.
Use
Here are the best situations to use this Under Armour compression shirt; when you need a shirt that can wick away sweat and keep you dry when you need a shirt that will not restrict your movements, and when you require a shirt that provides you with compression performance.
It is the definition of what a fitness-based article of clothing needs to provide (almost to a T). If this is what Under Armour was aiming for, which we can assume it was, then they succeeded massively. Past this, however, there may not be much use for this garment.
That is not to say that you can’t wear this casually as if you find it comfortable to relax in, go for it. Most people will not feel this way. In a way, you could consider this shirt a one-trick pony, but you better believe that it does that one trick better than most.
It is the definition of what a fitness-based article of clothing needs to provide (almost to a T). If this is what Under Armour was aiming for, which we can assume it was, then they succeeded massively. Past this, however, there may not be much use for this garment.
That is not to say that you can’t wear this casually as if you find it comfortable to relax in, go for it. Most people will not feel this way. In a way, you could consider this shirt a one-trick pony, but you better believe that it does that one trick better than most.
Protection
Not everyone enjoys working out indoors, as sometimes doing so with the natural beauty of the outside world surrounding you is easier (in terms of motivation). Under Armour understands this philosophy, so to speak, and designed their HeatGear T-shirt with an exceptional feature. While it will not offer much protection against most of the elements, it will combat the heat of the sun.
This is thanks to the fact that UPF 30 protection was designed into it. In case you did not know, not all UPF protections work the same, and UPF 30 is pretty solid overall. Basically, the higher the number is, the more sun (in specific, the harmful UV rays that are emitted from the sun) the fabric will block.
In the simplest of explanations, UPF 10 will allow 1/10th of the UV rays to reach your skin, UPF 50 1/50th, and so on. So, this shirt will only let 1/30th, making it highly efficient when it comes to blocking UV rays.
This is thanks to the fact that UPF 30 protection was designed into it. In case you did not know, not all UPF protections work the same, and UPF 30 is pretty solid overall. Basically, the higher the number is, the more sun (in specific, the harmful UV rays that are emitted from the sun) the fabric will block.
In the simplest of explanations, UPF 10 will allow 1/10th of the UV rays to reach your skin, UPF 50 1/50th, and so on. So, this shirt will only let 1/30th, making it highly efficient when it comes to blocking UV rays.
Brand
Under Armour is one of those unique brands where virtually everyone has heard of them. When it comes to performance apparel, there are many out there that would argue that they are the cream of the crop. If nothing else, they are the Godfather of performance gear, and they deserve respect because of it.
Most of the time, they are on top of their game, and you really can’t go wrong with buying from them. With that being said, recently, their stocks have fallen a bit. Some even believe that their quality is diminishing when compared to what they used to engineer.
But, regarding their compression t-shirt, it is proof that they can still deliver the goods. At the end of it all, it is still hard to bet against a company that has been so highly regarded for so many years.
Most of the time, they are on top of their game, and you really can’t go wrong with buying from them. With that being said, recently, their stocks have fallen a bit. Some even believe that their quality is diminishing when compared to what they used to engineer.
But, regarding their compression t-shirt, it is proof that they can still deliver the goods. At the end of it all, it is still hard to bet against a company that has been so highly regarded for so many years.
Durability
Yes, you can find cheaper shirts at your local Wal-Mart store, but the little extra price is going to be worth it for this Under Armour compression shirt. Going back to what was just talked about, this is one of the reasons why so many consumers love Under Armour. As is evident with their HeatGear Shirt, they typically design articles of clothing that are built to last.
Even after years of wearing this shirt, you should still be able to notice the compression benefits that it has to offer. Clearly, it is not going to last forever, but the polyester and elastane fabric blend are going to hold up very well over time. This is no surprise as polyester itself is a very durable synthetic fabric. And, given it makes up 90 percent of the main body, it makes for a highly durable garment.
The more you wear and wash this shirt, though, the quicker it is going to wear down. However, that can be said about anything, so there is no surprise there.
Even after years of wearing this shirt, you should still be able to notice the compression benefits that it has to offer. Clearly, it is not going to last forever, but the polyester and elastane fabric blend are going to hold up very well over time. This is no surprise as polyester itself is a very durable synthetic fabric. And, given it makes up 90 percent of the main body, it makes for a highly durable garment.
The more you wear and wash this shirt, though, the quicker it is going to wear down. However, that can be said about anything, so there is no surprise there.
Colors
Something that many of you will appreciate is the vast array of color options that Under Armour offers their HeatGear Compression Shirt in. From black to blue to forest green to gold, there is a color option for just about anyone out there. Each of the available options, also, has Under Armour’s signature logo and decal to appeal even better.
One color option that does need to be discussed further is the white shirt, however. It is not as if this specific color is unappealing or anything like that. Instead, it is more of a warning to let you know that this color is see-through. The gray logo and decal can also be seen through some layers when this is used as a base layer. This will not bother some of you, but if you know, it will then avoid this specific color.
One color option that does need to be discussed further is the white shirt, however. It is not as if this specific color is unappealing or anything like that. Instead, it is more of a warning to let you know that this color is see-through. The gray logo and decal can also be seen through some layers when this is used as a base layer. This will not bother some of you, but if you know, it will then avoid this specific color.
Bottom Line
It is not too hard to see why this specific Under Armour compression shirt has been raved by so many across the globe. For the most part, this praise is warranted, and it all comes back to the ability of this garment to perform day in and day out. That is what it does best: perform.
Whether you want to point to the sweat-wicking nature of the HeatGear fabric, the ability for this same fabric to keep your body cool when the weather is not, the incredible freedom of movement you are provided, or even to the implementation of mesh paneling, it all contributes. Oh yeah, and do not forget this offers excellent compression benefits.
But, the one major flaw holding this back from being on another level is its size. As noted before, compression-based clothing should be tight, but this Under Armour compression shirt is just simply undersized, and few would disagree. It may even take you a few attempts to get the size you prefer, and even then, you need to have somewhat of a decent physique for this to work.
All in all, though not enough good things can be said about this t-shirt. If you are in the market for a high-performance compression shirt, you should give this one a lot of thought.
Whether you want to point to the sweat-wicking nature of the HeatGear fabric, the ability for this same fabric to keep your body cool when the weather is not, the incredible freedom of movement you are provided, or even to the implementation of mesh paneling, it all contributes. Oh yeah, and do not forget this offers excellent compression benefits.
But, the one major flaw holding this back from being on another level is its size. As noted before, compression-based clothing should be tight, but this Under Armour compression shirt is just simply undersized, and few would disagree. It may even take you a few attempts to get the size you prefer, and even then, you need to have somewhat of a decent physique for this to work.
All in all, though not enough good things can be said about this t-shirt. If you are in the market for a high-performance compression shirt, you should give this one a lot of thought.
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