If it’s been a while since you checked in here, welcome to the golden age of the mesh tank top. Personally, this is phenomenal news. I love a mesh shirt (and own many of them, because I can’t help myself), breaking ’em out as soon as meteorologists start peppering the words “heat index” and/or “dew point” into the forecast. Practically, though, the mesh tank‘s ascendance is even more phenomenal. As much as I love mesh shirts, their sleeveless counterparts are better, for obvious reasons (no sleeves) and less obvious ones, like the emotional lightness wearing a tank top engenders.
These days, there’s no dearth of solid options (and at a whole range of price-points), from the paper-thin to the surprisingly hardy to the tastefully slutty. Are any of them absolutely essential? Probably not. But man, are they nice to have in times like these, which is exactly why we rounded up the best on the market—grabbing a couple of knit tanks (and one pared-down jersey) in the process. If you’re even just a little mesh-curious, you’re in the right spot.
8 Mesh Tanks for Bigger Fits and Freer Nips
The Everyday Pick: Gardenheir Cotton Mesh Tank Top
When it comes to mesh tanks, you’re looking at an all-timer. (I’ve been wearing my Gardenheir basically non-stop since the middle of June and won’t quit soon.) It’s made from 100% cotton, is insanely soft from the jump and, with its gardening-apparel DNA, surprisingly tough. The mesh doesn’t feel flimsy, but it’s still super lightweight and plenty porous. It’s certainly a bit see-through, but the weave is tight enough to leave the rest to the imagination. It also layers under a button-up real well, for those into that sort of thing.
The Knit Pick: Todd Snyder Open-Knit Tank
Todd Snyder’s riff on the genre is more of a knit tank than a by-the-book mesh one (though the designer makes a great version of that, too), but it’s plenty see-through and feels, both intrinsically and practically, like it belongs here. It’s crafted from a lightweight cotton-blend yarn knit with a wide-open stitch that shows off enough torso to make a statement without scaring off passersby—which is probably why it’s a favorite among A-listers.
The Sub-$50 Pick: Abercrombie Crochet-Style Layering Tank
Abercrombie’s crochet-style tank is also technically a knit, but the stitch it employs functions eerily similar to mesh, so we didn’t think too hard about including it here. It’s made from a slinky cotton-blend yarn, sits slightly cropped on the torso, and tucks in seamlessly to shorts, chinos, and all manner of higher-waisted trousers. If you’re trying to test the waters, it’s price is basically impossible to beat.
The Linen Pick: S.K. Manor Hill Tank Top
There’s nothing more cooling than linen, and this perennial hit from S.K. Manor Hill is, quite simply, made from 100% linen. This means that it does all the cool linen things—it gets more porous in the heat, doesn’t cling, and dries very fast—but also all the cool mesh things, as outlined above. Coming in a pretty tight knit, it’s also a bit cropped, a bit baggy and has a funky notch at the sides of the hem, which is one of those details that seems slightly innocuous until you see it in action. In regards to layering, it does so as well as any other on this list, but it also hits like a damn battering ram on its own.
The Eco-Minded Pick: Industry of All Nations Netty Tank
Unbleached, undyed, and made entirely out of organic cotton, the Netty Tank is for the real Earth heads out there. (For anyone with sensitive skin, it’s ideal for that, too.) But it wouldn’t have made our list if those were the only commendable data points. The fit, for instance, is amenable to both layering and solo journeys, the gauge on the mesh is airy without venturing all the way into peep-show territory, and, because it’s undyed, the unevenness of the fibers provides a visual texture that more saturated tones often lack.
The Retro Runner Pick: Jungmaven Marathon Mesh Tank
If you’ve ever seen old Steve Prefontaine photos—or 1998’s Without Limits—you know that runners in the ‘70s were sartorially locked in. Sprint forward to 2024, and Jungmaven’s Marathon Tank, a riff on that decade’s source material, will wear just as well with hard pants as it will on the track. It’s made from an all-natural cotton-hemp blend, and while we wouldn’t recommend training in the footwear of the era, there’s nothing wrong with running up your Strava stats in a tank like this.
The Modern-Day Track-Star Pick: Satisfy Space‑O Tank Top
If you’re working out in this heat and not wearing some form of perforated top…stop it. Like, immediately. Swapping your tee for a tank not only cuts down on fabric weight, but also allows for maximum ventilation when you’re at your stickiest. Few do that coveted form-and-function combo better than the team at Satisfy, who made this breezy tank out of an exquisite fabric they dubbed Space-O—micro-perforated, quick-drying, and equipped with just the right amount of stretch. Perfect for race day, or just a really hot weekday.
The Ball-Is-Life Pick: Reigning Champ Shootaround Jersey
Look, we’re well aware this is technically a jersey. But if we’re nit-picking, all jerseys are technically tank tops, too, and because this one happens to be blank its inclusion on this list felt warranted. For starters, you can wear it to the gym and your back won’t look like a Rorsharch test when you’re ready to towel off. In fact, the only part of it that’s distinctly jersey-coded is the side-stripes, which means it’s guaranteed to layer far more smoothly than its graphics-laden counterparts.
