As the owners and reviewers of a medium-sized running website, we are forced to be multitaskers in pretty much every way, and we love it when our clothes follow the same philosophy. Decathlon makes clothes that are comfortable, functional, and have some valuable “built-in” features. You’ll get several options in one with their gear and their company, which is environmentally conscious but also concerned with providing quality products for an extremely fair price.
Decathlon has been around since 1976, and they make products for a variety of sports and activities. Cycling, boxing, exercising, skiing, surfing, camping. . . basically anything you do that gets your body moving has a Decathlon clothing option to keep you covered.
Matt:
Note: Each one of these runs small – so make sure to size up at least one level! I am generally a L in all apparel and receiving an XL Tee, 2XL (!) Kiprun Shorts, and XL Kalenji Shorts all fit like Larges.
The Kiprun Care Tee was surprisingly the most expensive item I reviewed – and that’s with two shorts to try. And even then, at about $25, this running top is below or at least in line with many running shirts out there. And it fits and feels as good as most out there as well. The fabric blend is soft and I haven’t experienced any chafing yet. It’s also super lightweight – with a medium at under 4.5 ounces!
The Tee comes in three colors – neon lemon lime (reviewed, blue, and black. There is a subtle difference in the designs on the top and the bottom – but the neon colorway makes it the least visible. This is due to ventilation zones in strategic locations – chest armpits, and back.
Personally, I really like this top. The bicep-length tight sleeves are a fun change, as long as you don’t mind tightness on your arms.
The Kiprun Lightweight Shorts have been around for a bit, but modifications have been made to meet the needs of runners. They have been lengthened (~6 inches) to minimize chafing and the breathability was improved on the backside. The waistband was updated and the only pocket – on the rear – was made a little larger for more robust phones. I didn’t feel that the pocket was strong enough for a phone, so I pretty much only filled this with a gel or two.
Even with all that, the shorts are light at 4.2 ounces for a large! They look pretty basic and minimalistic – and that’s by design. Outside of a small accent of “Kiprun” and the Decathlon logo on the bottom back of the right leg, you are getting a black short. No frills. No flamboyance. Just a solid running short for less than $20!
Speaking of inexpensive bottoms, The Kalenji Light Shorts are an eye-dropping $12.99 – a pretty much unheard of price point for any pair of running shorts. These are constructed a little simpler than the Kiprun (the entire short – liner and outer – are made from a 100% Polyester cationic) and you can tell they aren’t as breathable as the Kiprun variety. There is just a small internal pouch pocket that can hold a key or a single gel – but that’s about it.
These fit decently well, but they are a step below the Kiprun shorts and – while they can hold up as a solid pair of inexpensive running shorts – you may want a little bit more performance for your more serious runs.
Annette:
The first thing I noticed about the Decathlon products was the affordability. Despite the low pricing, the quality is better than I expected. I tested the Kalenji Light Running Tank Top and the Kiprun Light Shorts and clearly both were created for runners with both function and comfort in mind.
While I usually wear a size medium, I ordered a large pair of shorts as suggested on the website. They fit great! The Kiprun Light Shorts have 2 small front pockets on the waistband that you can easily slip a gel or key (or something small) into. On the back is a larger zip pocket. The shorts have built in briefs that fit just right and stayed put as I ran. The legs of the shorts are super light – great for summer running. in fact, they are so light I had to check a couple times to make sure they hadn’t flipped up because I could hardly feel them on my legs.
The lightweight nature of these shorts allows them to dry quickly after your run. A definite bonus! The only negative about these shorts was that the comfortable waistband bounced up as I started running. They weren’t falling down, but instead bouncing up then settling back in place. It was really distracting initially, but once I settled into my run and got a sweat going, my shorts settled as well.
The Kalenji Light Running Tank Top is a long, loose fitting, flowy tank. Based on the description and the photos, I decided to go with my usual size medium – instead of sizing up as suggested – since I like my tops a little more fitted and not as long. I was happy I made that choice. The top fit great. It is slightly longer than I prefer, but it wasn’t an issue for running. Like the shorts, this tank was super light. In fact, I didn’t think about it at all on my run. In my book, that’s a sign of good running gear.
One thing I really appreciated about both the top and the shorts, was that the tags were attached with a light piece of fabric that could easily be cut off. No accidental seam rips or tags that are still half on and itchy. What a great idea for running wear! There is nothing worse than being annoyed by a tag while you run. So, thanks, Decathlon for coming up with a novel way to attach tags to your clothing for easy removal.
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Products & Price:
- Kiprun Care Tee | $24.99
- 47% Polyamide / 53% Polyester cationic
- Kiprun Lightweight Shorts | $19.99
- 12% Spandex / 88% Polyester cationic
- Back = 14% Spandex / 86% Recycled Polyester
- Liner = 100% Polyester cationic
- Kalenji Light Shorts | $12.99
- Main fabric & Lining =100% Polyester cationic
- Kalenji Light Running Tank Top, Women’s | $19.99
- Main Fabric 87% Polyester cationic /13% Spandex
- Kiprun Light, Lightweight Running Shorts, Women’s | $24.99-$29.99
- Main Fabric 92% Polyester cationic / 8% Spandex
- Lining 21% Spandex / 79% Polyamide
Thank you to Decathlon for providing us with test items. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
