High performance, soft, irresistibly comfortable, lightweight, and flattering only begin to describe the Ella Merino Wool Racer Back Tank Top by WoolX.  This shirt stays in place, doesn’t rub the upper arms, dries fast, and will NOT stink even after repeated high intensity workouts.  This lightweight performance tank for women is the perfect piece for Spring/Summer/Fall.

Around Town (Jill)

Right away, I was struck by the versatility of this tank. I was able to wear it on a long walk through the woods, and then throw a blouse over top for a nice layered look at my son’s ball game. I was so happy to be able to wear exercise clothing while I was exercising, but to not have to change before my next event. Throughout my whole crazy day I was comfortable, and didn’t feel awkward about wearing workout clothes outside of the gym. From a totally superficial point of view, I really love the look of this tank. The detailing is interesting, and the contrasting lining around the top and arms makes this functional piece of gear look pretty.

At the Gym (Raina)

Sweaty workouts are no problem!  I primarily tried this during a series of boxing training classes where I remained comfortable the entire time.  In a 9-minute drill of throwing nothing but hooks, the fabric never rubs or irritates my arms.  For mountain climbers, plank, burpees, and push-ups, the shirt stays in place.  I do look down on occasion to be sure I’m not flashing the trainer, but every time, I am completely covered without having to make adjustments.  Add to that, the tank dries fast and keeps you feeling dry and comfortable throughout your workout.  During class, I can see sweat on the tank, but I never feel it.  A few minutes following class, when my shoulders, face, and hair are still wet, all evidence of sweating through the shirt has vanished.

Post-boxing, I usually head out for a run.  Much like throwing non-stop hooks, the repeated movement during a jog could spell disaster for friction on my upper arms.  This has never been a challenge with the Ella tank.

What’s really incredible about this tank is that it DOESN’T SMELL!  I tried.  After one particularly grueling workout, I threw a long-sleeved performance top over the tank and went for a 3 mile walk in the woods with a 30 pound pack.  When I got home, the long-sleeved shirt (which was freshly laundered prior to that walk) stunk like I hadn’t washed it in months.  The tank, by contrast, had NO odor.  It was so amazing, I decided not to wash it and repeat the experiment again a few days later with a different long-sleeved shirt.  Same outcome.  During the downtime, I kept the Ella tank in my closet and never once caught a whiff of the stale gym smell that might have otherwise permeated the surrounding clean clothes.  My takeaway is that washing this shirt is more to satisfy a mental feeling of cleanliness; running the risk of alienating strangers with your post-workout stench will never be a concern.  I would like to pinpoint this shirt’s odor threshold, but I might have to live in the woods for a few months to make that happen.  I’ll report back if I ever manage to get it to stink.

If you’re in search of a flattering, high performance tank that you can exercise in, then meet friends for lunch without changing, this is the one.  At this price point, it’s worth snatching up several for your summer collection.

Camping (Jill)

View from camp

The weather this spring has been so miserable that it took me a while to really take this tank for a test drive. I finally got to wear it on a cub scouts camping trip as part of my base layer. If you’ve been on a Cub Scouts camping trip, you know that it’s a very unique kind of endurance event. It’s everything camping normally is all while being surrounded by five dozen elementary school aged boys who are all very hyper and are dressed identically. Oh, and did I mention it was 50 degrees and raining? We hiked, practiced archery, cooked for all the boys and their families all in the cold and rainy outdoors. I tell you, I did it all with a smile on my face because I had the pleasure of wearing my nice, soft merino wool tank top under all my clothes. When we got home almost everything I owned smelled like either mildew or wet campfire, but my tank, that I had been wearing close to my soggy skin for two days, didn’t have any odor at all. I can’t wait until it warms up so I can wear this tank alone.

Summary

✅ Extremely comfortable for intense workouts
✅ Versatile – not just a workout shirt
✅ Wicks and dries fast
✅ Stays in place
✅ Doesn’t rub
✅ Doesn’t smell!!!

NOTE: We feature the Blue Salt tank in this review, though WoolX offers a variety of colors to meet your preference and needs.  This shirt runs true to size, so order based on the measurements WoolX posts.  Also, this tank does not have a built-in bra, but it covers sports bras nicely.

Disclosure: WoolX provided us with the Ella Tank for this review publication.  All opinions are our own.