While Spanx is known for its sculpting shapewear, the brand has an expansive range of clothes our editors love. In fact, it recently launched BoostUp, a new line of athleisure made with cooling fabrics to boost comfort throughout warm weather months and sweaty workouts alike.

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The collection includes activewear staples like sports bras, tank tops, short-sleeve shirts, leggings and shorts, plus a tennis dress for court sports and beyond. Each of these pieces is made with the brand’s proprietary StayCool Tech fabrics, including Wincool yarn that absorbs moisture and releases heat throughout high-intensity workouts and hot temps.

Ranging from $58 to $138, the pieces are a bit of an investment, so our editors wanted to see if they’re actually cooling, flattering and comfortable, as well as how they compare to its shaping pieces. To do so, we tested the clothes out during sweaty gym sessions, yoga classes and outdoor cardio. Here are our takeaways and honest thoughts on if the Spanx BoostUp line is worth adding to your wardrobe.

Tops

Spanx BoostUp Low-Impact Sports Bra With StayCool Tech

This sports bra offers more coverage than most, as it runs up to the collarbones and down to the mid-torso (depending on how tall you are). While it’s designed for low-impact workouts, its two straps provide impressive chest support for more intense activities. I wore the bra for various weight-lifting sessions and during a heated Pilates sculpt class. While it showed my sweat stains, it kept me as cool as possible during those fiery workouts and gave my chest a subtle but flattering lift.

$58 at Spanx

CNN Underscored home and gifts editor Amina Lake Patel also liked the style. She especially appreciated the bra’s longer length and strappy back, which eliminated the need to wear a shirt on top. “It kept my chest supported and prevented any irritating boob-bouncing throughout a one-hour yoga class,” she said. “I didn’t feel like my clothes were soaking wet even though I was definitely sweating a lot, though I did see a sweat mark right in the middle of my chest. It probably would’ve been less noticeable if I had gotten the black color instead of the blue.”

Spanx BoostUp Crewneck Tee With StayCool Tech

A classic crewneck T-shirt is a year-round staple, offering coverage without any risk of overheating in the summer sun. Unlike all-cotton versions from competitors, the Spanx tee is designed to release rather than trap heat. In fact, CNN Underscored associate editor Jillian Tracy was shocked by how cool this tee felt when she first tried it on. “The material is inherently cooler than my basic cotton tees, and compared with my other performance athletic wear, which tends to be compressive and more body-hugging, this tee was lightweight and easy to move in.” CNN Underscored associate lifestyle editor Rachel Dennis echoed this sentiment, noting that the shirt’s lightweight construction, relaxed fit and comfortable texture stood out to her.

$68 at Spanx

While the top was a bit more cropped than Tracy expected, her midriff only showed when she was jogging or lifting her arms above her head during weight-lifting sessions. All in all, she loved the temperature-regulating design. “As a sweaty gal, I typically strip off any tees or tanks I’m wearing within five minutes of starting an intense workout, but it was nice to be able to throw this shirt back on and not feel like it was adding to my well-earned body heat or annoyingly sticking to my damp skin,” she said. It comes in four colors, ranging from a vibrant pink to a muted black.

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Spanx BoostUp Scoop Neck Shelf Tank With StayCool Tech

When you want to throw on a top and get out the door as quickly as possible, this tank should be what you reach for. It’s made with a built-in adjustable shelf bra that can withstand medium- and high-impact workouts. One of our testers wore it during CrossFit and said it kept her chest secure throughout intense classes.

$68 at Spanx

“As a small-chested person, the shelf bra is supportive enough and convenient because I can just throw on the tank without having to find a separate sports bra to wear underneath. I also haven’t had any problems reinserting the cups after washing,” CNN Underscored associate home and gifts editor Nikol Slatinska said. However, people with larger chests might need to add a sports bra under this tank for enough coverage and support. She didn’t notice if the StayCool Tech and Wincool yarn actually released a ton of heat while working out, but she loved the light, quick-drying fabric and appreciated that the tank had a tight but not too tight fit that didn’t ride up during her workouts.

On the other hand, CNN Underscored senior lifestyle editor Tamara Kraus said the straps closest to her neck were loose and lifted off her shoulders during a dance cardio class, so she wished it had adjustable straps. She didn’t feel like anything was going to fall out of her top, but it was annoying regardless. She also noted that the top color didn’t exactly match the Cinched Run Shorts of same color name that she tried below.

Bottoms

SpanxShape Booty Boost 7/8 Leggings With StayCool Tech

These leggings offer the kind of sculpting you’d expect from Spanx products. “They’re very compressive, so they’re great for people who like to feel held in while they’re exercising,” Patel said. She tried these out during hot yoga and dance classes, and she said they felt “cool and slick” throughout.

$110 at Spanx

Meanwhile, I wore these during strength-training and cardio workouts, and the compression was a bit too intense for squats and lunges but felt fine for sculpting sequences like fire hydrants and leg extensions. Because of the tighter fit, I didn’t notice any camel toe or slipping throughout my movement, which is a plus. I wouldn’t wear these for running, but for walks and Pilates workouts, they function just fine. I noticed some sweat accumulating around my glutes and pelvic area, especially during workouts when I sat between reps and the fabric would bunch, but the fabric did an adequate job drying quickly and wicking away any excess moisture.

Another bonus? They provided a lot of confidence-boosting smoothing in my midsection, as well as some shaping in the rear area. All in all, they made me feel very confident.

Spanx BoostUp 3-Inch Cinched Run Short With StayCool Tech

These shorts received mixed reviews from our editors. Kraus, who’s 5 feet, 5 inches tall and strength trains regularly, said the small size barely covered her bum, and she would have liked a more flowy fit for running shorts (she later tried a medium and it was better, but the sizing still felt off compared to other workout brands she wears). Meanwhile, Slatinska said they were too long on her petite frame. Dennis and Tracy, however, really liked the fit. Tracy said they were a “tasteful length” and fit her “thicker thighs” perfectly, and Dennis said the shorts were her favorite clothing item she tested. “I’m on the curvier side, so I did find them a bit short in the back,” Dennis said, “but if you don’t mind the shorter length, they could be a solid option.”

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$88 at Spanx

One thing our editors agreed on was that the shorts could benefit from a drawstring at the waist. Because you couldn’t personalize the fit, Kraus felt the waistband was unflattering and a bit bunchy, and Tracy refrained from running in these and stuck to her tried-and-true Lululemon bottoms, which offer more support and security. Kraus also flagged that the supershort length wasn’t suitable for her high-intensity dance class, especially because the liner didn’t offer enough coverage. During high kicks, jumps or low squats, she said they rode up and revealed the lower part of her bottom and other areas she didn’t want exposed. If anything, they were breathable but not any more cooling than some other bottoms she wears during this class.

Despite her sizing qualms, Slatinska was impressed by the shorts’ light, quick-drying material and unobtrusive built-in liner. Tracy noted that as soon as she slipped these shorts on, she didn’t wear anything else around her apartment for days. “They might not be replacing my standard running shorts, but they’ve been a new favorite of mine for sleeping, general lounging and running errands on sweltering days,” she said.

Dresses

SpanxShape BoostUp Scoop Neck Dress With StayCool Tech

Exercise dresses are the unsung heroes of summer dressing. They’re often made with sweat-wicking fabric, have built-in shorts and look good during workouts and errands alike. This Spanx style is no different. In addition to all those comfort-boosting features, the dress’ built-in shorts have large pockets on each side and a compressive, sculpting fit.

$138 at Spanx

CNN Underscored fashion and beauty editor Sophie Shaw said this dress felt like a blend of the brand’s smoothing undergarments and its workout clothes. “It definitely has a cute, sporty look from the outside, but then the built-in shorts have pretty heavy compression,” she said. “The material was also a lot stiffer than I was expecting. It wasn’t soft and stretchy like the workout dress I have from Halara, but I think that had to do with the cooling tech.”

While she said it wasn’t the most comfortable workout dress she’s ever tried, the cooling fabric makes it a good option for active days walking throughout the city.

Bottom line

This Spanx lineup received mixed reviews from our editors. Some pieces, like the tennis dress, leggings and shelf-bra top, received solid marks for shape, compression, cooling capabilities and fit. Others, like the shorts and tank top, fell short of our expectations. For a product line that runs up to $140 per item, our team expected every piece to wow us. Instead, we were left wanting more from the brand known for boosting women’s confidence. If these pieces had more adjustable features, flattering style choices and comfortable cuts, we could’ve justified the price tags. Instead, only some are worth the expense.

If you’re looking for cooling clothing to wear in the summer, our team recommends opting only for the tennis dress, crewneck shirt and bra top. The leggings are solid, too, but don’t expect them to be sweatproof in summer heat, especially that blue color that shows moisture buildup. While the shorts are suitable for leisure activities, we’ll stick to our Lululemon biker shorts and favorite running bottoms for more intense workouts. The tank is a bit of a toss-up, but given its $68 price tag, you can likely find something similar (and cheaper) from a different brand.

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CNN Underscored editors and writers ensure every product included in an article is thoroughly vetted and something we ourselves would feel comfortable buying and using. Our team has many decades of collective experience researching, testing and recommending products across every category — from fashion and food, to home goods and health, to electronics and everything in between — and we’re committed to using that expertise to help you make the most of your money and live a better life.

For this article, CNN Underscored health and fitness editor Summer Cartwright and several other editors tested new pieces from the Spanx BoostUp with StayCool Tech collection.

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