How to choose a men's tracksuit?

A tracksuit is one of the popular types of clothing among men. A set of pants and a sweatshirt is great for training and very convenient as everyday clothing for home, outdoor activities, and walks. However, choosing the right men's tracksuit can be quite a challenge, especially for those who are doing it for the first time. Hoodies, sweatshirts, tracksuits, straight or tapered trousers, high or mid-rise, with or without cuffs, with a knitted or elastic waistband - the range is so rich that it is easy to "get lost". And if you add to this the material of the products, then for the "uninitiated" - the task seems generally "impossible". But comfort and convenience are at stake. Besides, things cost a certain amount of money, and you don’t want to regret wasted money and lost time.

For such cases, we have created a simple guide that will help you buy the perfect men's set for training or for everyday use at home and in the city. In it, you will find answers to the following questions:

• Types of tracksuits.
• Basic rules for choosing a tracksuit.
• How to choose the size of a men's tracksuit?
• Additional tips to help you make the right choice.

TYPES OF MEN'S SPORTS SUITS

Even before you start choosing, you should decide what you need a tracksuit for - for training in the gym, on the street, or as comfortable clothing for fashionable everyday looks in a sports style. It is the purpose of the purchase that determines the type of tracksuit you should look for.

Today, there are three types of sports kits:

1. Sports suits for indoor use.
2. Sports suits for outdoor training.
3. Sports suits for home or sports-style clothing.

1. Sports suits for indoor use.

Here, functionality and convenience are in the foreground, and design is in the background. Such things can increase the efficiency of movements, reduce the load on the muscles and joints of the athlete, and control the condition of the body. Sports suits for training in the gym are made mainly from sports knitwear based on synthetics.

It is superior to traditional in many ways, so it is also called functional. The material has good air permeability, vapor permeability, strength, wear resistance, hypoallergenicity. It has low weight, increased strength, good shape stability and elasticity. At the same time, things made of sports knitwear are not devoid of aesthetics and practicality of clothes in a sports style. Tank tops, rashguards, loose and tight T-shirts can be used as the top. And knitted and compression shorts, leggings, sweatpants can be used as the bottom. The choice of the set is determined by the type of sport or the intensity of training.

2. Sports suits for outdoor training

They, like tracksuits for indoor activities, are special sports uniforms. There is a clear division by season - summer, demi-season, winter and by sports - suits for running, cycling, crossfit, football, volleyball, mountaineering, figure skating, etc.

For summer, light and maximally open clothing is relevant - shorts, thin sweatpants, T-shirts, tank tops. And for the off-season and winter - closed equipment made of medium density, thick and insulated knitwear: hoodies, sweatshirts, pants, vests, with good protection from wind and moisture. For sewing sports suits for outdoor training, special knitwear with a special method of weaving threads is used: footer, biflex, stretch-cooler, stretch-cotton, diving, thermobiflex. Accordingly, clothing made from such fabrics has a unique set of characteristics and is designed for active sports.

3. Sports suits for home or clothes in a sports style

Such sets are not intended for sports or high activity, although, in a number of parameters, they are very close to sportswear. Design comes first, and comfort and functionality come second. The clothes look stylish, and sometimes glamorous.

It is characterized by a bright color palette and a large amount of decor. As a rule, it is made of synthetic or cotton (wool) based materials. The items have a clear seasonality and are comfortable for moderate activity. They are best suited for home, walks, going out into the city, picnics and club parties. The top is represented by a large number of hoodies, sweatshirts, sweatshirts, T-shirts, and the bottom - by all kinds of sweatpants: loose, fitted, straight, tapered, with low armholes.

BASIC RULES FOR CHOOSING A MEN'S TRACKSUIT

The main rule is that the tracksuit should fit well, not restrict movement and, if possible, hide flaws. Among other criteria, we will highlight three:

1. material,
2. quality of cut and sewing,
3. color.

Material.
A tracksuit is a rare case when the fabric of the product is more important than the style. It should not allow the body to overheat or overcool. That is, the fabric must be able to pass steam well, absorb sweat and quickly remove it to the outside, be durable, wear-resistant and retain body heat well (this is important for demi-season and winter sets). The material should be elastic and shape-stable - stretch well, but not stretch out, easily withstand frequent washings without losing shape and appearance. The texture should be soft and pleasant to the touch. Moreover, these requirements are equally valid for both purely sports suits and sports-style items.

Quality of cut and tailoring.
Everything here should be with the prefix "maxi". The cut should take into account the anatomical features of the male body as much as possible. The seams are as strong, neat and "flat" as possible (using the hemming technique). These do not rub or irritate the skin - you don't even notice them! The fittings are as strong and reliable as possible, withstanding multiple opening/closing cycles.

Color scheme.
A men's tracksuit should be stylish and not too easily soiled. A great option is a one-color or two-color set, for example, in gray. This color is distinguished by its practicality and versatility. Many people mistakenly consider it boring and unattractive, but this is not true. It is aromatic (between classic white and black), which makes it possible to combine it with many tones. It has an extremely large number of shades, from the lightest, almost white, to dark. Allows you to create a bright, unusual and dynamic image.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE SIZE OF A MEN'S TRACKSUIT?

When choosing a tracksuit in an offline store, you try the item on yourself and make sure that it suits you in size, color and style. And to make it convenient to make an online purchase, the sportswear website has size charts. For example, here is how it is presented on freever.ua in the category men's tracksuits.

The size of the top and bottom of the tracksuit is determined by 4 parameters.

For the sweater:

1. The length of the product is the size from the back from the bottom of the collar to the hem of the product.
2. The length of the sleeve is the size from the base of the neck to the end of the sleeve.
3. Half chest girth is the distance between the lower parts of the vertical seam (between the armpits) across the widest part of the chest.
4. Half hip girth is the distance on the hem from the far left point to the far right point.

At the pants:

1. Outside seam or length of pants is the size from the top of the waistband to the bottom of the product along the outside side seam
2. Inside seam or crotch seam is the distance from the crotch to the bottom of the pants along the inside side seam of the product.
3. Half hip circumference is the distance across the widest part of the hips, from the far left to the far right side.
4. Half waist circumference or waist width is the distance from the far left to the far right point.

To find out your sweater and pants parameters, you need to take measurements. You can take measurements from yourself or from an old tracksuit that fits you perfectly. In the latter case, lay the item on a horizontal surface. Straighten out the folds. Use a flexible tape measure to take measurements. Write the data down on a sheet of paper and compare it with the parameters in the brand's size chart. If your measurements do not match the table, round them up to the nearest next values. Determine which international size (XS, S, M, L, XL, etc.) your sweater and pants sizes correspond to.

It often happens that the size of trousers corresponds to, for example, XL, and the size of the sweater is closer to 2XL. What to do? In such cases, there are two options for solving the problem:

1. Choose a sports set separately, for example, take XL pants and a 2XL sweater.
2. Or buy a tracksuit as a set, choosing its size based on the most critical parameters. For example, if you have wide hips, then the determining factor will be the size of the pants. In the case of wide shoulders, the determining factor will be the size of the sweater.

ADDITIONAL TIPS TO HELP YOU NOT MAKE A MISTAKE IN CHOOSING A MEN'S TRACKSUIT

Choose a tracksuit that fits. The option "for growth" or a slightly smaller size (in the hope of losing weight quickly) is not for a tracksuit. In the right size, clothing provides an ideal fit, freedom of movement and a feeling of high comfort.

If you like a sporty style and are moderately active, but do not play sports, buy not a tracksuit, but its individual elements. This will allow you to combine the top and bottom with other clothes and get new looks every time. Good quality hoodies look great with jeans, just as sweatpants go well with long sleeves and vests.

• Tapered pants are contraindicated for overweight men - this style makes you look even fatter.
• If you have a thin figure, pay attention to sports pants of a loose or straight cut with an elastic band at the bottom - they visually add volume to the figure.
• The most practical are single-color or two-color men's tracksuits. They are not subject to fashion trends and are universal in use. The most controversial are models with bright prints and in the sport-chic style. These quickly become boring, as a rule, they are worn only in a set, because it is difficult to combine with other clothes separately.
• As for the season. For winter, choose a suit made of thick "three-thread" with a fleece or brushed lining, for the off-season - from medium-density knitwear, for summer - from cotton or high-tech synthetics.

What is better to choose: natural or synthetic fabric? For low activity (home, walk, picnic) - high-quality knitwear based on cotton, linen, wool. Their main advantages are vapor permeability, hygroscopicity, hypoallergenicity. And for sports, intense aerobic and strength training, only sets made of high-tech synthetics. The most common synthetic fabrics used to sew sports suits include: biflex, dazel, polytaffet, duspo, microfiber, fleece.

• The seams must be strong and durable, and the linings must be invisible (a special technique for hemming the seam).
• If the hem of the jacket, sleeves and bottom of the trousers are made on cuffs, they must provide good support for the suit without squeezing the body.
• There is only one requirement for the fittings - high quality. The central zipper with a fastener should always fit exactly into the lock and close with one movement of the hand. And the tying or tightening laces on the clips should stretch without resistance and be well fixed. Don't think that you can get used to some conveniences - they will very quickly start to irritate you, and at some point you will simply refuse to wear what you bought.

So, we have considered how to choose men's tracksuit. One question remains - where to buy it? A good option is tracksuits for training and active recreation FREEVER. A popular Ukrainian brand of outdoor clothing is stylish design, high-tech materials, high-quality cut and fittings, a large selection of styles and reasonable prices.