Tracksuits for the gym, the club and everyday wear

For the club, a presentation (walkout) or polyester tracksuit is standard: light, quick-drying, with zips at the leg and in a colour that can be reordered for the whole team. For the gym and everyday wear, softer joggers in a cotton blend or double knit are more comfortable. If you want one tracksuit for both, choose smooth polyester with a mesh lining, which still looks tidy after training.

What types of tracksuit are there?

• Presentation tracksuit: smooth, light woven polyester, often with a mesh lining. For warming up, travelling to matches and medal ceremonies at the club.
• Training tracksuit in polyester knit or terry: a little thicker and stretchier, for training on the pitch or in the sports hall.
• Joggers and sweatsuit: cotton or a cotton blend, soft, for the gym, the sofa and everyday wear.
• Comfort tracksuit: special elastic fabrics, popular for exercise classes, rehab exercise and seniors' sport.

Which tracksuit is best for a sports club?

At a club, three things matter: a fabric that forgives rain and mud on the way to the pitch, zips at the ankle so the trousers fit over your shoes, and a collection that can be reordered for years. More on a typical teamwear brand is in Jako as a teamwear brand.

The Jako Classico presentation trousers are made of quick-drying fabric with a mesh lining, and have zipped side pockets, zips at the ankle and an elastic waistband with a drawcord. The Jako Classico training trousers are made of hard-wearing polyester terry with a ribbed calf insert. A matching top is, for example, the Jako One polyester jacket, which is in stock in many sizes.

Presentation trousers or training trousers: what is the difference?

Presentation trousers are made of a smooth, light woven fabric and are often lined with mesh. They rustle a little, dry quickly and still look tidy after the journey. Training trousers are made of knit or terry, sit closer to the leg, and are stretchier and warmer. If you run and stretch a lot during the warm-up, choose training trousers; if you mostly stand on the touchline or travel, choose presentation trousers.

What are short and long sizes?

Many trousers come not only in S to XXL but also in short-fit and long-fit sizes. Short sizes are a separate, proportionally smaller cut for shorter people; long sizes are one for tall people. Each brand sets its own height thresholds for which version fits; there are no universal limits. A retailer guide by Outdoor-Renner (in German) gives as a rough guide short sizes for men under about 168 cm and women under about 163 cm. In the middle of the range, the number of a German short size is often about half the regular size, so short size 26 corresponds roughly to regular size 52. Long sizes have their own numbering, for our Jako trousers, for example, 94 to 110. The brand's own size chart is always what counts.

From Jako, there are the Classico presentation trousers in short sizes, the Classico polyester trousers in long sizes in an easy-care fabric with a zip at the ankle, and the women's Classico presentation trousers in sizes 34 to 46. According to Jako, the women's trousers can be put on and taken off with shoes on, thanks to the ankle zips.

Which tracksuit suits the gym and everyday wear?

At the gym, soft, stretchy fabrics are more comfortable than rustling woven polyester. For everyday wear, the trousers should look good when you go shopping or sit in the car. That is where joggers with a tapered leg and zip-up sweat jackets are the norm.

The Nike Primary joggers are made of double knit that is smooth on both sides, with Dri-FIT, flat seams, zipped pockets and a tapered leg. Schneider describes the Schneider Horgenm trousers in Elastosoft as easy-care, shape-retaining and non-shrink, with zipped welt pockets and an adjustable drawcord at the hem. The full-zip Under Armour Rival Terry jacket is made of French terry with 80 % cotton and 20 % polyester, smooth on the outside and soft on the inside.

What should you consider when ordering for a whole team?

With club orders, it is less about the individual piece than about uniformity. Agree in advance which colour and model the club wears, whether a club crest or initials should be added, and whether players may choose between regular, short and long sizes. Children grow fast, so one size of extra room is usual for youth teams. A list with names, sizes and the chosen version helps before you order. Make sure trousers and jacket come from the same collection, so that shade and cut match, even when you reorder later.

What should I look for in the fit?

• Waistband: a drawcord inside or outside, so the trousers stay up without a belt
• Leg length: when standing, the hem should end just above the shoe; measure again for short and long sizes
• Ankle: a zip for pulling on over shoes, ribbed cuffs for a sporty fit
• Jacket: sleeves long enough when you stretch your arms forward, room for a layer underneath in winter
• Pockets: zipped pockets if your keys and phone come along

For questions about fit, especially between regular, short and long sizes, it is worth trying things on in Bitburg or Prüm.

How do I look after a tracksuit?

Polyester tracksuits are easy to care for: wash inside out, close the zips, no fabric conditioner (fabric softener) and do not tumble dry too hot. Cotton blends usually tolerate a little more but are more likely to shrink. The care label is what counts. More detail in how to wash gym clothes.

Checklist: the right tracksuit

• Club: presentation or polyester tracksuit from a collection that can be reordered
• Training on the pitch or in the sports hall: training trousers in knit or terry
• Gym and everyday wear: joggers or a sweatsuit
• Size: regular, short or long size according to the brand's chart
• A zip at the ankle if the trousers need to go on over shoes