Gymshark vs Madewell: which top wins?
Both land in the mid tier — the Gymshark Vital Seamless Crop Top at $38, the Madewell Brightside '90s Tank at $38. Here's how they stack up, head to head.
| Gymshark | Madewell | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $38 | $38 |
| Material | A seamless-knit 96% nylon, 4% elastane blend that owners describe as thin, stretchy, and soft against the skin. | Ribbed jersey knit listed as 95% Supima cotton and 5% elastane on the current retailer listing. |
| Fit | Body fit and deliberately cropped, with a waistband that hugs tight. Some owners report the hem riding up during lifts, so shoppers wanting more coverage should size up or choose one of the longer Vital styles. | Fitted and streamlined — it hugs the body, with a crew neck and slender '90s-style straps, ending between the bellybutton and high hip. Retailer sizing feedback reads true to size; anyone wanting a looser drape should size up. |
| Quality | The knit itself draws few complaints, but workout functionality is polarizing: one long-term reviewer stopped wearing hers over the ride-up issue, while others keep it in regular gym rotation. | Ratings run four stars or above across the listings surveyed, with over 150 reviews on a single retailer colorway, and no recurring complaints about bagging or pilling surfaced in research. The elastane in the rib is there to help the tank hold its shape. |
| Best for | Gym sessions and casual errand-wear for shoppers who want a matching seamless set and accept a cropped, body-hugging cut. | Anyone who wants one fitted, non-tee first layer that works on its own with high-rise jeans or under a blazer or cardigan. |
| Care | Machine wash cold with similar colors, and skip bleach, fabric softener, ironing, and dry cleaning to protect the seamless knit. | Machine wash, and skip high-heat drying to protect the elastane in the rib knit. |
Both tops land at exactly $38, so the question is not about price but about purpose: one is a seamless nylon gym crop, the other a Supima-cotton ribbed casual tank. The fabrics, intended use cases, and durability profiles are meaningfully different despite the identical sticker.
- The case for Gymshark
- The Gymshark's seamless nylon-elastane knit is purpose-built for movement and pairs into a matching gym set, which the Madewell cannot offer.
- The case for Madewell
- The Madewell's Supima-cotton rib holds its shape without reported functional failures, reads as versatile enough to wear from a workout to a blazer, and carries a cleaner review record with no recurring complaints about ride-up or coverage loss.
The bottom lineWhich should you buy?
Buy the Gymshark if the priority is a matching seamless gym set and the cropped, body-hugging cut is acceptable — but shoppers with any concern about coverage during lifts should note that ride-up is a documented and recurring issue with this specific style. Buy the Madewell if the goal is a fitted, reliable first layer that moves between casual and semi-polished contexts without functional complaints; at the same price, its Supima-cotton rib and consistent sizing feedback make it the lower-risk purchase for everyday wear. The gap is zero dollars, so the choice is entirely about use case, not value.
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