I found the Under Armour Vanish Elite Seamless Tee to be aptly named – just slip it on and you forget it’s there.

Men’s Fitness verdict

UA’s lightweight, form-fitting training tee is as comfortable as they come, with great moisture management; it’s an ideal choice for warm-weather workouts.
Pros
  • Lightweight and comfortable
  • Excellent coverage
  • Minimal seams
Cons
  • Fairly expensive
  • Doesn’t offer much insulation

Under Armour has a great track record when it comes to producing functional workout wear – especially gym shirts, workout tees and compression gear. The Vanish Elite Seamless Tee continues a tradition of combining both: its UA RUSH fabric uses infrared technology to reflect your body’s energy. That supposedly helps you train harder and recover better. I spent a month of strength and cardio sessions in the top to see if did the business for me.

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At Men’s Fitness we pride ourselves on delivering information that serves a singular purpose: to improve some aspect of your health, fitness or wellbeing. For almost 20 years, we’ve been publishing authoritative health and fitness content – written by our expert editors and contributors. We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. The Under Armour Vanish Elite Seamless Tee was tried and tested by regular MF contributor, Laurence McJannet. Find out more about how we test.

The Under Armour Vanish Elite tee provides plenty of lightweight coverage

Under Armour Vanish Elite Seamless tee design

I had previously tried the Under Armour Rush Legacy Short Sleeve Tee, which was the Vanish Elite’s predecessor. That was one of UA’s first gym shirts to use the RUSH infrared tech also found in its recovery wear. The Vanish Elite builds on that foundation, offering a lightweight, well vented tee in ten attractive colorways and sizes ranging from extra small to 3XL.

When I first slipped it on I noticed immediately how slimline yet flattering the cut is – there are no flapping hems or seams here. It seemed to mould to me rather than hug me, and with a decent hem length there’s just the right amount of coverage. You’ll struggle to find many seams on the Vanish Elite (no surprise, given the Seamless in the name). It’s a bit of a misnomer, though, as there are a couple round the shoulders. However, they’re not very pronounced and extremely soft, so I didn’t think they’d cause an issue.

The soft knit 52% nylon / 48% polyester features engineered mesh across the top of the chest, around the arms and along the top and bottom of the back of the shirt. These looked to me like the zones you’d want the best ventilation; other portions of the shirt feature a closer knit, offering some kind of insulation. Given how thin the material is, I didn’t hold out much hope of it providing much though.

Under Armour Vanish Elite Seamless tee performance

I wore my striking orange version of the UA Vanish Elite tee during strength work and HIIT sessions in the gym and for track and off-road runs, as well as indoor cycling at home. That lightweight feel and the large vented areas served it really well in my tests. No matter how much of a sweat I worked up, the UA Vanish Elite never clung or stuck to me, and any moisture that did build up dissipated impressively quickly.

Those minimal seems were, as I suspected, nothing to worry about. During lifts or pull-ups in the gym or duringhigh-intensity running efforts I barely noticed them, and they certainly didn’t rub. The four-way stretch fabric was super comfy, always moving with me, and the well-fitted hem offered enough coverage not to ride up during stretches either.

Under Armour Vanish Elite Seamless tee verdict

Having worn the Under Armour Vanish Elite Seamless tee during all the training I tend to do regularly, I can safely say it’s one of my favorites. It’s light, well-vented and quick drying, with a flattering fit and good coverage. There are plenty of color and size options and it offers comfort levels that are second to none. You’d probably want to team it up with a base layer for cooler workouts as it offers little in the way of insulation. And it’s on the pricey side where workout tees are concerned. But can you really put a price (within reason) on disappearing comfort like this? Having worn it almost every day for a month, I’d say it’s worth every penny.

Under Armour Vanish Elite Seamless tee technical specs

Materials52% nylon, 48% polyester
FeaturesInfrared CELLIANT technology, seam-free design, ventilated zones, iridescent logos
ColorsTen colors available
SizesXS to 3XL

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