Exercise clothing recommendations please :-)

[RedPandaFluff]

Hello everyone - I'm trying to get back into running after having a baby but have been demotivated by ankle injury. Shopping always makes me feel better so I'd like to buy some new kit, but I'm not sure where from, or which brand is best. My old stuff is a bit of a hodge-podge collected over the years.

I love the look of Sweaty Betty clothes but OUCH - it's pricey!

My dream gear would:

Consist of running tights (long or capri-length) and vest tops
Wash well over and over again
The tights/leggings wouldn't be thin and see-through in the bum
Not cost a fortune
Look fab

Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

Final update - do NOT buy clothing from LAP Activewear. The vests finally arrived (ordered on the 9th June!) and they're so rubbish - cheap vests that have clearly just been bought in and then printed with a logo. I'm not impressed at all.

They did agree to exchange the short leggings for long ones but I'm just writing it off as I can't be bothered packaging them up and then manhandling my six-month-old to the post office. I've posted a photo of part of the leggings - you can see that one side of the seam is nice and black, whereas the material thins and goes whiter on the other side.

Definitely an expensive mistake - £100 for cheap tat. @Hollywhiskey you must have had a better experience with this stuff than me! I'm gutted because I could have got a pair of Sweaty Betty leggings and a top in their sale for that money.

Nike Pro and Under Amour.

Looks expensive initially but it's indestructible.

I have run for 7 years and some of it still looks brand new.

Washes well, no issues with see through leggings and lots of funky colours and prints if you wish.

I agree with the under armour stuff lasting forever

I love decathlon leggings and tops, the leggings I buy are big enough to fit a mobile phone in one of the pockets.

My fave ever running tights are karrimor ones from sports direct. They are slightly thicker than standard and I feel like they hold me in and up nicely. They also have a drawstring so they stay up. They're the grey marl ones (Capri) and I'm looking to buy some more so I can wear them every time lol

Oh what a shame OP but thanks for the warning!
FWIW the best stuff I have is Nike.

The best stuff I have is Nike too. I have a pair of black capris that are indestructible. Must be a decade old and I've done probably 20 OCR's in them and apart from a bit of bobbling on the inside of the thighs you wouldn't have any idea what I've put them through. They are pricey though, you're looking at £70+

Brooks do good 'hold you in' leggings - their greenlight tights have a wide firm waistband and a massive pocket that fits your phone and a smaller one for keys. Good quality material, nice and thick, I wear them for climbing and you get in all kinds of unflattering positions but no hint of see through. These are more £50 ish.

The next best is Decathlon. Cheaper materials so they won't last forever but they are tremendously good value. I have loads of stuff from Decathlon but sometimes you have to be careful with the leggings as the material can be thinner and not so squat proof. Their fleece lined winter leggings were the best thing I bought last year - big pockets on the thighs, so big I could fit a rolled up rainproof firm material to hold you in a bit, nice and reflective and the fleece was so cosy. If they do them again this year snap them up!

Don't buy from Sweatty Betty would be my advice, at least not online. I bought from them during their sale a few weeks ago and still haven't received anything. Their customer service is non-existent, it took them forever to reply, and only once I started leaving narky comments on their Facebook and Instagram feeds!
Today I was told that apparently, Hermes have 'lost' my order, so they are sending out another one, but of course some of the things I ordered aren't available anymore.

I'm going to sound like a dick here, so apologies in advance. But when people come on asking for sportswear recommendations, it's not helpful when people pipe up recommending shite like LAP, H&M and Karrimor. This stuff is well known to be useless if you put it under any serious training (and no, c25k and the odd Hiit class doesn't count as serious training).

@TeaAndHobnob has it spot on.
Nike and Brooks stuff is brilliant. As is inov8, but it's pricey. Ronhill is a bit cheaper but almost as good.
For cheapy stuff that's good quality, always go for Decathlon. It's just in a different league to high street stuff that's made for posing in the gym rather than running proper miles.

So, sorry for being a knob. But when people ask for running kit recommendations, please stop first and consider whether you've done any serious running in the stuff you're recommending

I have amazing Brooks shoes, @fellrunner85 - the only ones I've ever had that don't give me blisters and I'm pretty convinced they've helped me come back from this injury - so I can well believe their clothing is good too.

I'm running 6km every other day now, so maybe when I hit 10km I'll treat myself, having learned a valuable lesson from this thread! The LAP Activewear crap will do for lying around the house

Honestly you won't go wrong with any dedicated running brand for clothes - Asics, Adidas, new balance, ronhill, saucony, so on and so forth. Most outdoor brands are good too but don't buy North Face, it's cheap crap these days. I've bought stuff from all of them at one time or another. The only non brand I will buy stuff from is decathlon. If you have one anywhere near you, go. You'll spend £200 on stuff you didn't realise you needed but you'll have kit that will last you and in terms of cost per wear I don't think you can beat it.

Like @fellrunner85 says, it's not snobbery it's wanting kit that just works, that doesn't rub, doesn't fall apart washing it three times a week, doesn't bobble or pull or shrink or have rubbish pockets. Learn from our experience 🤣

Like @fellrunner85 says, it's not snobbery it's wanting kit that just works, that doesn't rub, doesn't fall apart washing it three times a week, doesn't bobble or pull or shrink or have rubbish pockets

YES!!! What she said

Decathlon is also the only non-running brand I'll ever buy. For everyday vests, socks, capris etc you can't beat it. I spend money on good shoes and bras; buy Nike, Ronhill and inov8 stuff in the sale, and buy everyday kit at Decathlon.

The "crap pockets" comment really resonated with me @TeaAndHobnob. What the FUCK are those running tights about that have a slot on your leg for a phone? You can't run with a phone on one leg!! You need a proper zip pocket. Or at a push, a tiny key pocket if the shorts are v short fell runner style ones nods sagely

Pockets are incredibly important 😂

I do have a couple of pairs of the ones with the 'thigh slot' lol - I quite like them as it means everything is easy to access, they work if the material is firm and the pocket is deep enough so your phone doesn't jiggle out. A zip would be the holy grail though. Someone needs to make those tights!

Right, here's a question for you two, @TeaAndHobnob and @fellrunner85 - you sound like professionals! My phone is too big for a pocket - it's one of the iPhone plus ones - but I have to take it with me for music. I've tried an armband (but it's like running with a telly strapped to my arm) and a waist belt (which gradually pulls up my vest and becomes uncomfortable). Is there another solution? Or should I just get a smaller phone next time so I can fit it into a pocket?

Obviously my problem would be solved if I could just download music from Spotify onto my Apple Watch, but no, not possible

Nike has good running tights. The full length ones seen to fit best.

Domyos brand from Decathlon are not bad either (and very cheap).

I won't be much help, OP, as I hate running with a phone. I always used to run with it when I was starting out, but over the years I've abandoned running with music as I prefer to listen to what's going on around me.

That said, I know most people swear by the Flipbelt, which is also great for carrying gels, keys, etc:
www.runnersneed.com/p/flipbelt-flipbelt-zipper-M4714119.html?channable=e59462.MjMxNDIxXzE0MQ&colour=141&gclid=CjwKCAjwmMX4BRAAEiwA-zM4Jk4zCpatOlHo3ummVTIhQ3SawygUxrzIpuc-h0FEKz2E2zo7MF8JLRoCqJoQAvD_BwE

If I need to carry my phone (say I'm going off road for 2 or 3 hours and might need it for safety) I run with a Camelbak and put it in the pocket. But that's only on runs when I'd be using the Camelbak for water anyway

@RedPandaFluff

Right, here's a question for you two, *@TeaAndHobnob and @fellrunner85* - you sound like professionals! My phone is too big for a pocket - it's one of the iPhone plus ones - but I have to take it with me for music. I've tried an armband (but it's like running with a telly strapped to my arm) and a waist belt (which gradually pulls up my vest and becomes uncomfortable). Is there another solution? Or should I just get a smaller phone next time so I can fit it into a pocket?

Obviously my problem would be solved if I could just download music from Spotify onto my Apple Watch, but no, not possible

I've just had a look at the size of the iPhone plus models and it's only 2mm wider and longer than the phone I currently have.

So I reckon all the outfits that fit my phone will fit yours. I don't like belts or arm bands either! I do take a small bag sometimes though if I need to carry water.

So these are my recommendations for shorts:

www.decathlon.co.uk/run-dry-shorts-print-id_8553387.html

Your phone will fit, the back zipped pocket is stretchy, it might be a bit of a squeeze but I can get phone and keys in there. If you do the drawstring tight it won't jiggle.

www.amazon.com/Baleaf-Womens-Control-Workout-Pockets/dp/B074SJRT54/?ascsubtag=3435181%7Cn568fcfcb9ea24154b6afbb10e8f4e47415&psc=1&th=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I bought these on a whim but they've turned out to be a good purchase. These have the thigh slot pocket on each leg, I really like them, nice thick material. You can stash all sorts in there and there's a key pocket in the waistband.

It looks like Brooks have changed the design of their tights, the ones I have don't have leg pockets. But the waistband looks the same. Looks like they've moved storage to the leg so depends how you feel about that!

www.sportsshoes.com/product/bro1864/brooks-greenlight-women%27s-running-tights/