Essenclo Girls Athletic Set Review: a practical 5-piece outfit for active kids

I got this Essenclo girls athletic set in size 7–8 for my kid who lives in bike shorts and crop tops as soon as the weather allows it. We’ve gone through a bunch of cheap sets that either go see-through, lose shape after two washes, or the waistband twists and annoys her all day. So I wanted to see if this 5-piece pack was actually decent or just another fast-fashion set that looks nice on day one and sad by week two.

We’ve used it for a mix of activities: after-school gymnastics, messing around on the trampoline, bike rides, and just normal weekend wear. Basically, I didn’t treat it gently. Straight into the washing machine with the rest, no special care, and she’s worn each piece multiple times. I was curious about three main things: fit, comfort, and how the fabric holds up.

On paper, it looks good: high-stretch nylon/spandex, moisture-wicking, and a full set with 2 tops, 2 shorts, and a reversible headband. The price is usually lower than buying two separate outfits from big sports brands, so I went in thinking, “If this lasts one season without looking wrecked, I’ll call it a win.” I’m not expecting luxury quality here, just something that works and doesn’t feel cheap.

Overall, after a few weeks, my feeling is pretty positive: it’s not perfect, but it’s pretty solid for the price. There are a few small details that bug me (mainly sizing quirks and the headband), but for an everyday kid’s sports set that’s going to be sweated in, rolled on the floor, and washed non-stop, it does the job better than a lot of random sets I’ve grabbed off Amazon before.

Value-wise, the main argument here is that you get two full outfits plus a headband in one purchase. If you tried to buy two separate sports outfits from a big-brand store, you’d easily pay more for just one set than you do for this pack of five pieces. So, from a basic cost-per-piece angle, it’s already decent. Add the fact that the quality is better than random ultra-cheap sets, and it becomes pretty attractive for parents who just need functional sportswear that isn’t trash.

What I like is that you’re not just paying for looks. The fabric holds up, the fit is comfortable, and it actually survives regular machine washing. For kids who do gymnastics, dance, cheer, or just live in sporty clothes, having two interchangeable tops and shorts is handy. When one outfit is in the wash, there’s still another full set ready to go. That alone reduces the weekly laundry panic before activities.

There are a few things that keep it from being perfect value. The headband is more of a decorative extra than a real sports accessory, so I don’t count it as a big plus. Also, there are no fancy extras like pockets or higher-end technical fabric. You’re paying for basic but solid sportswear, not premium performance gear. If your child is super sensitive to synthetic feels and only likes cotton, then this won’t be a good buy for you.

But if you’re realistic about what you’re getting – a budget-friendly, decent-quality athletic set that your kid can thrash without you crying over the price – then the value is pretty strong. I’d buy it again in a bigger size when she outgrows this one, especially for everyday training and casual wear, rather than splurging on more expensive brands that she’ll also outgrow in a year.

Design-wise, this set leans clearly into the sporty and trendy side: cropped tops, biker shorts, and a bold animal print. If your kid likes loud patterns and the typical TikTok-style sporty outfits, they’ll probably be into this. My daughter saw the print and immediately grabbed it over her plain black leggings, so from a kid’s taste perspective, it’s a win. It doesn’t look cheap at first glance – the print is clean, not blurry, and the colours don’t scream low-budget.

The cut is quite flattering on a kid’s body without being weirdly adult. The racerback tops give a nice athletic look and actually make sense for movement. The armholes aren’t cut too low, so there’s no gaping or weird exposure when they raise their arms. The crop length is short enough to feel modern but not so short that it turns into a bra top. If you’re expecting full-length tops, though, you’ll be disappointed – these are genuinely crop tops.

One thing I noticed is that the waistband on the shorts is fairly smooth, with no bulky seams or obvious elastic band showing through. It gives a cleaner look under T-shirts if they wear the pieces separately. The shorts also don’t have any logos or giant branding slapped across them, which I like. They just look like simple, patterned sports shorts. The pattern itself hides minor marks and dirt, which is handy with kids; you don’t instantly see every speck of dust or grass stain.

If I had to nitpick the design, I’d say there’s not much subtlety: it’s either you like the animal print vibe or you don’t. There aren’t functional extras like pockets or reflective strips, so it’s clearly built for indoor sports or casual wear, not serious outdoor training. For our use – gymnastics, dance, and general play – the design choices make sense. It looks fun, it’s practical enough, and my kid actually wants to wear it, which is half the battle.

Comfort was the biggest test for this set, because if something rubs or rides up, my kid refuses to wear it again. The good news: she’s willingly picked this set from her drawer several times on her own, which is usually a sign it passes the comfort test. The tops feel snug but not restrictive. The racerback cut lets her move her arms freely, and she hasn’t complained about tightness around the shoulders or neck.

The shorts are probably the best part comfort-wise. The waistband sits flat and doesn’t dig in. There’s no drawstring to fiddle with, but the elastic inside seems sized right – tight enough to hold, not so tight that it leaves deep marks on her skin. During gymnastics class and long trampoline sessions, the shorts stayed in place pretty well. She did the usual kid thing of occasionally tugging them down or up, but not constantly. No wedgie complaints, which is rare with fitted shorts.

The fabric breathes reasonably well. She came back sweaty from gymnastics (as usual), but the clothes weren’t soaked or sticking in a gross way. The moisture-wicking claim is partly true: it doesn’t stay drenched like cotton, and it dries fairly fast once she cools down. We’ve used it on warmer days for biking, and she didn’t ask to change out of it immediately afterward, which she normally does if something feels clammy.

The only slight comfort downside is the headband. It looks cute, but in practice, it doesn’t grip that well. When she’s jumping around, it slowly creeps back and sometimes just pops off. For calm activities or just wearing it as a style accessory, it’s fine, but for actual sports we usually switch to a more functional headband. Overall though, for the main pieces, I’d rate the comfort as solid for everyday sports use. Not luxurious, but no obvious irritations, no scratchy seams, and no “I’m never wearing this again” drama.

The set is made from an 85% nylon and 15% elastane blend, which is pretty standard for stretchy sportswear. Out of the package, the fabric feels smooth and slightly slick, similar to basic gym leggings from high-street brands. It’s not thick like winter leggings, but not paper-thin either. I’d call it a light-to-medium weight – fine for spring and summer, and still okay indoors in cooler weather.

In terms of stretch, it’s genuinely high-stretch. The 4-way stretch claim isn’t marketing fluff; you can pull it in all directions and it bounces back without getting baggy. After multiple washes (standard cycle, 30–40°C, tossed in with everything else), I haven’t noticed any major shrinking or warping. The tops and shorts are still the same shape, and the seams haven’t twisted, which is something I’ve seen on cheaper sets.

The print and colour have held up better than I expected. No obvious fading so far, and no white lines when the fabric stretches over knees or hips. Some cheap nylon sets go slightly see-through when stretched; this one stays reasonably opaque. I still wouldn’t put them over bright, patterned underwear for a performance, but for everyday wear, it’s fine. My kid has done splits, cartwheels, and all sorts of nonsense in them, and I didn’t see anything show-through that worried me.

On the downside, the fabric does have that typical synthetic feel – if you’re expecting cotton softness, this isn’t it. It’s clearly performance fabric, slightly cool and smooth to the touch. My daughter didn’t complain about itchiness or rough seams, though, which is usually the first thing she mentions if something bugs her. For the price point, I’d say the materials are better than the ultra-cheap sets you see online, but obviously not at the level of premium sports brands. It lands in that “good enough for heavy kid use” category, which is what I wanted.

Kids are basically durability testers on legs, so I didn’t baby this set at all. It went straight into the regular laundry with jeans, towels, and whatever else was in there. No delicate cycles, no laundry bags. After several weeks of use and washes, stitching and seams are still intact. I’ve checked the usual weak spots – crotch seams, waistband, and armholes – and there’s no obvious fraying or loose threads yet.

The fabric hasn’t pilled much either, which surprised me. A tiny bit of texture change on the seat area of the shorts where she’s been sliding on the floor, but nothing dramatic. No holes, no thinning patches. The print is also holding up; it hasn’t cracked or faded badly. The colours look pretty close to how they were out of the bag, even after repeated washes.

One thing I always look at is whether the waistband twists inside the fabric tunnel. On some cheap leggings, the elastic flips or folds and never sits flat again. Here, the waistband is still flat. That makes a big difference for comfort and for how long a kid will tolerate the clothing. The tops have kept their shape too – no weird stretching around the neck or armholes.

Realistically, will this last for years? Probably not in perfect condition, but kids grow out of sizes fast anyway. For at least one full season of heavy use (and likely more), I’d say it’s good enough durability for the price bracket. Compared to random unbranded sets I’ve bought in the past, this one is holding up better. It still feels like a budget/mid-range product, but not disposable fast fashion that falls apart after a month.

In terms of performance, I looked at three things: movement, sweat handling, and stability during activity. For movement, the set does exactly what you’d expect from a nylon/spandex mix. My kid can stretch fully, do splits, climb, run, and roll around without the fabric pulling or feeling tight. The tops don’t twist around or slide off the shoulders like some loose T-shirts do, and the racerback cut helps keep everything in place.

For sweat, this isn’t top-tier technical fabric, but for a child doing gymnastics, dance, or bike rides, it’s good enough. The moisture-wicking is noticeable compared to cotton: the fabric doesn’t stay soggy, and it dries fairly quickly once she stops moving. After a full gym session, the clothes are damp but not dripping, and by the time we’re home, they’re already halfway dry. For parents, this means you’re not dealing with heavy, wet clothing in the bag.

Stability-wise, the shorts and tops stay where they’re supposed to most of the time. The shorts don’t roll at the waistband, which is something that drives my daughter nuts with cheaper leggings. The leg openings stay put reasonably well; there’s a bit of riding up during intense play, but nothing worse than usual. The crop tops ride up slightly when she raises her arms fully, but not to the point of exposing half her chest or anything. It’s just the nature of crop tops.

After multiple washes, the performance hasn’t dropped. The fabric hasn’t gone baggy, and the compression feel of the shorts is still there. Seams are intact, no unraveling threads so far. For everyday kid sports (gymnastics, cheer, volleyball practice, casual running around), the set does the job without fuss. If your child is in high-level competitive sports, you might eventually want something more technical from the big brands, but for regular classes and playground use, this is more than enough.

The pack is simple: you get 2 sleeveless crop tank tops, 2 biker shorts, and 1 reversible headband. The model I got (Set-15) has an animal print pattern, so it’s on the louder side style-wise. My kid liked that straight away, so from a child-approval standpoint, that part worked. Sizing-wise, I took the 7–8, and it fits like a typical slim athletic set – close to the body but not painted on.

The tops are cropped but not super tiny. On my kid (average height, slightly slim build), they hit just above the waistband of the shorts when she’s standing straight. When she lifts her arms in gymnastics, you do see a bit of midriff, but nothing more than what you’d expect for sportswear. The racerback cut is practical; straps don’t slip, and she doesn’t have to adjust it all the time. That’s one of the first things she commented on: no annoying straps.

The shorts are classic biker shorts with a hidden elastic waistband. No drawstring, just pull-on. Length is mid-thigh, not super short, which I prefer, especially for activities like tumbling and cartwheels. They stay in place fairly well; she’s not constantly yanking them up, even when she’s doing handstands or running around. They’re fitted but still stretchy enough that she can squat, stretch, and sit cross-legged without complaining about tightness.

The headband is the extra piece that feels more like a bonus than a real selling point. It’s reversible and matches the set, but honestly, it’s the least useful item. It doesn’t grip super strongly, so it tends to slide back if she’s really moving. For calm activities it’s fine, but for real sports, we usually swap it out for a more grippy sports headband. Still, having two full outfits plus a matching accessory in the pack is convenient – it means I’m not scrambling for clean sports clothes mid-week.