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Compare men's sportswear

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Your online fashion guide to 2012's most on-trend men's sportswear

Just because you’re hitting the pavement or the slopes it shouldn’t mean that you compromise on style. In fact, men’s sportswear has come on leaps and bounds since the days of fashion faux-pas fluro cycling shorts, and with so many styles, designer brands and colours to choose from in 2012 there really is no excuse not to look stylish as you work out.

And because we understand you’d rather spend your money on other things (après ski, anyone?) than forking out on expensive sportswear, we’ve scoured the best online haunts to bring you the latest deals and best buys money can get you. So browse our handy hints on picking your perfect womens sportswear then get shopping! With our comparison tables looking at designer, high street and cheap sportswear for men, we’ve done all the hard work for you so all that’s left to do is click, buy and wait for your shiny new sportswear to arrive.

Tips for buying skiwear

  • Waterproof and windproof skiwear is essential. Most jackets and trousers will come with a waterproof coating to keep you dry and comfortable. 
  • Look for a jacket with plenty of zips to keep your ipod, gloves and money safe. 
  • A jacket with a hood will shield your head and neck from the sun.
  • Shop for a ski jacket with a zip up front so that you can tuck your scarf in and keep your neck extra snug on the slopes. 
  • A jacket with glove clips at the end of the sleeves is also brilliant for keeping your mittens or gloves safe so you won’t end up dropping them on the ski lift!
  • Look for taped seams, where stitching is covered by a waterproof tape to ensure water doesn’t leak through. Most good quality sportswear in the UK should include taped seams as standard. 
  • Look for salopettes or ski trousers with extra padding on the knees and bum; if you’re a beginner you’re likely to be spending much of your time falling over!

Tips for choosing gymwear and tracksuits for men

  • Men’s tracksuits and sportswear should be comfortable and allow you to move about freely. 
  • Avoid multi coloured clothes and anything that doesn’t match. Just because you’re at the gym, doesn’t mean you can let your style guard down. Stick to solid colours: grey, white, navy and black are your best options. 
  • Discreet logos are fine but loud patterns or prints should be left at home.
  • Cotton gymwear is cheap and usually considered the most comfortable.
  • When doing cardio or leg workouts, shorts are your best bet for freedom of movement. Don’t go overly tight or overly baggy and shop for a pair that fall to just above your knee. 
  • Tracksuits are designed for wear and tear and can be worn as sportswear or as casual wear in the right instances (for example, tracksuit bottoms can be worn for a quick dash around the supermarket without losing too many style points!)
  • Steer clear of overly-tight tracksuits for men, or sports trousers that taper in at the ankle. They won’t fit well over your trainers and will make you look like an ‘80s reject.
  • Thicker fabrics such as nylon will give your tracksuit added durability and longevity.

Sportswear fabric features

Waterproof Make sure your mens sportswear is water-resistant to protect you against water and wet snow. Most new ski jackets and trousers will have a degree of water resistance and high-end ski jackets will often withstand more water than cheap jackets and can be a good investment if you’re planning on re-using the jacket on other skiing holidays. To check your new sportswear’s totally waterproof make sure the pockets and seams are covered.

Insulated Many ski jackets for men contain a layer of synthetic or quilted insulation to keep you cosy on the slopes. Quilted down jackets are a good choice for a warm and relatively light jacket whereas synthetic insulation is great for staying warm when wet.

Breatheable Breathable sportswear allows for moisture to pass through the fabric. This means that if you begin to perspire with all that working out you’re doing, your breathable shorts, top or skiwear will allow water vapor to escape from the fabric, keeping you more comfortable.

Gore Tex This is the gold standard of fabric for ski jackets and ensures that a jacket is windproof as well as being both waterproof an breathable. Look out for this when you buy your new mens sportswear.

Delivery and returns

It is always best to check online independent retailers’ delivery and returns policy before buying sportswear for men. UK policy states that any purchase made online comes with a seven day ‘cooling off’ period where you’re able, by law, to return any online goods. Many retailers extend this to 28 or 30 days so it’s always best to check before you buy.