ASICS Sets: The Complete UK Buying Guide

An ASICS set is the easiest outfit decision you will make all week. Top and bottom arrive matched, the colours are already resolved, and you can put the whole thing on straight out the bag without standing in front of a wardrobe working out what goes with what. That is the entire appeal, and it is why the ASICS Core range has become one of the hardest-working things we sell.

This guide is the full picture. What a set actually is, the difference between a set, a tracksuit and a tri-set, what everything costs, how to pick your first colourway, how sizing works, which Gel trainers finish the fit, and where to go next. Every section links out to a deeper guide if you want to go further on one point.

If you would rather just browse, the whole range lives in the ASICS collection.

What an ASICS set actually is

A set is two coordinated pieces sold together: a top and a bottom, cut from the same fabric family and finished in the same colourway. On the ASICS Core range that usually means a t-shirt or vest paired with woven shorts.

The point is not that it saves you a fortune. It is that the two pieces are guaranteed to match. Anyone who has tried to pair a black tee with black shorts from two different brands knows that black is not one colour, it is about nine, and half of them clash. A set removes that problem entirely.

Here is the ladder, cheapest to most expensive:

What it is What you get Price
Set T-shirt or vest, plus matching shorts £59.99 to £74.99
Tracksuit Jacket or windrunner, plus full-length bottoms £129.99 to £149.99
Tri-set Three matched pieces £154.99 to £174.99

Prices correct at time of writing. If you are torn between the shorts set and the full tracksuit, we have broken the decision down properly in our guide to choosing between an ASICS tracksuit and an ASICS set.

The Core T-Shirt Set: the one most people buy

The £74.99 Core T-Shirt Set is the backbone of the range. It is the piece we sell most of, the one that comes back in the most colourways, and the one we would point a first-time buyer at without hesitation.

It runs across six colourways at the moment:

For a full breakdown of the cut, the shorts that ship with it, and the honest maths on buying the set versus buying the pieces separately, read our complete guide to the ASICS Core T-Shirt Set.

Vest sets, and when to pick one

The vest sets do the same job with the sleeves gone. They are the better call for the gym, for genuinely hot days, and for anyone who trains upper body and would rather not fight a sleeve.

If you are shopping specifically for warm weather, our roundup of the best ASICS sets for summer ranks the vests, the lighter tee sets and the shorts worth buying as separates.

Tracksuits, windrunners and tri-sets

Once the weather turns, the shorts sets go in the drawer and the windrunner comes out. The ASICS Core Windrunner is a light shell that layers over a tee without adding bulk, which makes it about as well suited to a British spring as anything gets.

You can buy it four ways. On its own as the ASICS Black Core Windrunner at £89.99, or the 'Steel Grey' Core Windrunner currently down to £59.99. As part of the Black Core Windrunner Set at £129.99. As the full 'Steel Grey' Core Windrunner Tracksuit at £149.99. Or as a three-piece, either the Black Core Windrunner Tri-Set at £154.99 or the 'Steel Grey' Core Windrunner Tracksuit Tri-Set at £174.99.

There is also the ASICS Black Core Tracksuit at £149.99 and its Tri-Set at £174.99 if you want the full-length look without the shell jacket.

We have pulled all of this apart, including which buy makes sense at which budget, in the ASICS Core Windrunner guide. The rest of the range sits in tracksuits and jackets and coats.

Picking your colourway

This is where most people stall. The short version: buy black first, buy your second set in a colour, and let the trainers do the talking.

Black works every day of the week and hides everything. Smoke Grey is the sensible second. Cream and Brown Stone read as more considered than sporty, which is exactly what you want if the set is doing double duty as an outfit. Maroon is the one that gets the most comments. The brighter options are genuinely great, just not as the only set you own.

We ranked all of them, honestly and with reasons, in every ASICS Core set colourway ranked for everyday wear.

Getting the size right

Set sizing catches people out because you are sizing two garments in one decision. Measure a t-shirt you already own and like, compare it against the official numbers on our sizing guide, and check the shorts length separately, because 5" and 7" wear very differently depending on your leg.

Our ASICS sizing guide walks through what to measure, what to do if you are between sizes, how the vest differs from the tee, and how the fit compares to Nike and Under Armour. If you get it wrong, the returns policy is straightforward and you can always ask us before you order.

Finishing the fit with Gel trainers

A set is two thirds of an outfit. The trainer is the part that decides whether it reads as gym kit or as a fit.

We stock three ASICS Gel silhouettes. The Gel Kayano 14 is the chunky, technical one that anchors an outfit and does most of the work for you. The GEL-NYC is softer and more everyday. The GEL-1130 is the cleanest and quietest of the three.

Which one goes with which set is a real question with a real answer, and we built a full pairing matrix for it in which ASICS Gel trainers go with which set. Browse the lot in ASICS footwear.

How to style it once you own it

Two rules cover most of it. Keep the tones close rather than clashing, and let exactly one thing in the outfit be loud. If the set is bright, the trainers go quiet. If the set is black, the trainers can shout.

For eight worked examples covering the gym, the airport, a summer BBQ and an evening out, read how to style an ASICS set. Everything ready-matched sits in full fits.

Building a wardrobe, not just buying a set

Five well-chosen ASICS pieces will get you through a fortnight without repeating an outfit. A black tee set, a contrast set, a windrunner, a woven pant like the ASICS Black Core Woven Pant at £54.99, and one pair of Gel trainers.

We costed the whole thing out, with a budget alternative for every slot and a three-payday buying plan, in building a 5-piece ASICS capsule wardrobe.

ASICS, or a different brand?

Worth asking honestly. ASICS is the strongest option here on coordinated sets and tonal colour, and the trainer crossover is unmatched because the clothing and the footwear come from the same house. Nike wins on recognition and silhouette. Under Armour is the pick if performance in the gym matters more than how it looks on the street.

The full comparison, with reader profiles, is in ASICS vs Nike vs Under Armour sets.

Quick answers

Are ASICS sets worth it?

If you want an outfit you can put on without thinking, yes. You are paying for guaranteed colour matching and a coordinated cut, not a discount on the separates. At £74.99 for a tee set that is fair.

What is the difference between a set and a tri-set?

A set is two pieces, a tri-set is three. On the ASICS range the tri-sets add an extra layer or bottom and land between £154.99 and £174.99.

Do ASICS sets come up small?

Rather than guess, measure a garment you already own and compare it against the sizing guide. If you are between sizes and want the relaxed streetwear look, most people are happier going up.

Can I wear an ASICS set to the gym and out afterwards?

That is exactly what the Core range is built for. Swap the trainers and add the Black Core Half-Zip and the same set reads completely differently.

Do I get free delivery on a set?

Free UK delivery kicks in at £100, so a set on its own does not qualify. Add a tee or a pair of shorts and you are over the line. Full details on the shipping policy page.

Where to start

If you are buying your first ASICS set, get the Black Core T-Shirt Set and a pair of 'Black/Pure Silver' Gel Kayano 14. That is a complete outfit that works for the gym, the shops and everything in between.

If you already own black, go for colour next. Brown Stone or Maroon are the two that get worn most.

And if you just want to look, the whole thing is in the ASICS collection, with the rest of the coordinated stuff in sets and anything just landed in new arrivals. There are reductions running in the summer sale. Same day dispatch, and free UK delivery over £100.

The full ASICS guide series