The matching set is the easy route, and there is nothing wrong with easy. You add one thing to the basket, it arrives, it matches, you wear it. That is a real advantage and we sell a lot of sets for exactly that reason.
But here is the thing nobody selling you a co-ord will say out loud: a set is two Core pieces in one bag. Buy those two pieces separately and you pay roughly the same money, choose your own shorts length, and get colour combinations a set will never offer you, because a set only ever offers you one colour twice.
This is the case for separates, with five worked outfits, every one costed, every one finished with a trainer. If you want the full range first, read the complete ASICS men's range guide, and for what every piece costs on its own, the Core range explained.
The maths, before the outfits
A Core T-Shirt is £34.99. Core Woven Shorts are £39.99. Together, £74.99. A Core T-Shirt Set is £74.99. The set is not cheaper. It is the same money for less choice.
The Aegean Blue Vest is £27.99 and the Aegean Blue 7in Shorts are £31.99, which is £59.98 against a £59.99 vest set. A penny. That is the whole price argument, and it means the decision comes down to what you actually want to own.
There is one place the set genuinely wins, and we would rather tell you than have you find out at checkout. Black Core Windrunner at £89.99, Black Core Woven Pant at £54.99 and Black Core T-Shirt at £34.99 is £179.97, against £164.99 for the Windrunner Tri-Set. Buy the tri-set. Everywhere else, separates.
Five outfits, built from separates
1. All black, but you chose the length
Black Core T-Shirt £34.99 and Black Core Woven 5in Shorts £39.99. Identical price to the black set, except you picked 5in over 7in, or the Black 7in if you prefer. That choice is worth more than it sounds, and our 5in versus 7in guide explains why.
Finish it with the Gel-1130 in White Silver, £149.99. All black kit wants a bright shoe.
£224.98 complete.
2. Tonal sand, which no set will sell you
Brown Stone Core Vest £34.99 with Sandstorm Core 5in Shorts £39.99. Two different warm neutrals rather than one repeated twice, which is the outfit the Brown Stone set cannot give you at the same £74.99.
Trainer: Gel NYC in Cream White, £189.99. The whole thing reads as one idea in three tones.
£264.98 complete. More on the vests in our vest guide.
3. Loud top, quiet bottom
Lazer Orange Core T-Shirt £34.99 with Grey Core Woven 5in Shorts £39.99. The Lazer Orange set gives you orange twice. This gives you orange once, which is how most people actually want to wear it.
Trainer: Gel-1130 in Wild Dove, £129.99, so the grey carries the bottom half and the orange does all the work. Swap in Vital Green or Aqua for the same effect. The Core T-Shirt guide covers what each colour matches.
£204.98 complete.
4. Long trousers, no tracksuit
Steel Grey Core Woven Pant £39.99 with the Black Core Half-Zip £39.99. Eighty pounds for a full covered-up fit, against £149.99 for the tracksuit, and the two halves separate into other outfits instead of only ever appearing together.
Trainer: Gel-1130 in Sharkskin, £169.99. Grey on grey with black through the middle.
£249.97 complete. If you want the half-zip cheaper, the Sport Half-Zip is £29.99, compared properly in our half-zip guide.
5. Three pieces, one grey, under the tracksuit price
Steel Grey Core Windrunner £59.99, Steel Grey Core Woven Pant £39.99 and the Smoke Grey Core T-Shirt £34.99. That is £134.97 for three pieces, against £159.99 for the Steel Grey Windrunner Tracksuit, and you have gained a t-shirt you will wear on its own all summer.
Trainer: Gel Kayano 14 in Fjord Grey, £199.99.
£334.96 complete.
The five side by side
| Outfit | Clothing | Trainer | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| All black | £74.99 | Gel-1130 White Silver, £149.99 | £224.98 |
| Tonal sand | £74.99 | Gel NYC Cream White, £189.99 | £264.98 |
| Loud top, quiet bottom | £74.99 | Gel-1130 Wild Dove, £129.99 | £204.98 |
| Long trousers, no tracksuit | £79.98 | Gel-1130 Sharkskin, £169.99 | £249.97 |
| Three-piece grey | £134.97 | Gel Kayano 14 Fjord Grey, £199.99 | £334.96 |
Prices correct at time of writing. Every one of these clears the £100 free UK delivery threshold, and Klarna and Clearpay are both at checkout if you would rather spread it.
The rule that makes separates work
One loud piece, one quiet piece. That is it. A set breaks this rule by definition, because it gives you the same colour top and bottom, which is why the black, cream and grey sets look better than the bright ones. Buying separately means you never have to make that compromise.
Two more habits worth having. Buy neutrals in the bottoms and colour in the tops, because you will own more tops than shorts. And buy the trainer last, once you know what the kit looks like, which is the same order we recommend in pairing Gel trainers with ASICS kit.
If you are building this out over a few months rather than in one order, the ASICS capsule wardrobe sets out the buying order, and the gym wear guide covers the same approach for training kit. Everything mentioned here lives in the ASICS collection.
Quick answers
Is it cheaper to buy an ASICS set or separates?
Almost always the same. A Core T-Shirt at £34.99 plus Core Woven Shorts at £39.99 is £74.99, and the t-shirt set is £74.99. The exception is the Black Windrunner Tri-Set at £164.99, which undercuts the three pieces bought separately at £179.97.
What do I get from separates that a set will not give me?
Shorts length, mixed colours, and pieces that work on their own. A set gives you one colour twice and one length.
Which ASICS colours go together?
Neutral with statement. Black, Grey, Steel Grey, Smoke Grey, Cream, Sandstorm and Brown Stone all sit under Lazer Orange, Vital Green, Aqua, Maroon or Aegean Blue. Avoid two statement colours together. Our colourways ranked goes further.
How much does a full ASICS outfit cost?
Around £75 for a two-piece fit and £135 for a three-piece, before trainers. With a Gel trainer, budget £205 to £335 depending on the shoe.
What size should I buy?
All apparel here runs S to XL, trainers UK 6 to 11 depending on model. Check the sizing guide or our ASICS sizing guide, and orders placed before 2PM go out the same day.
The full ASICS guide series
- ASICS Clothing UK: The Complete Men's Range Explained
- ASICS Core T-Shirts: Every Colourway, Fit and What They Match
- ASICS Vests: Core Vests, Sizing and When to Wear One
- ASICS Woven Pants and Trousers: Fit, Sizing and Colourways
- ASICS Shorts: 5in vs 7in, and Which Length to Buy
- ASICS Half-Zips: The Core and Sport Half-Zip Compared
- ASICS Gym Wear: Building a Training Kit from Separates
- ASICS Running Clothing: What Works for Road Running
- The ASICS Core Range Explained: Every Piece and What It Costs
- How to Build an ASICS Outfit from Separates, Not a Set