Essenclo Girls Athletic Set 5-Piece Review: practical gym outfits that kids actually wear

I bought this Essenclo 5-piece set (size 9–10, Set-14) for my daughter mainly for gymnastics and general after-school sports. I was looking for something that wasn’t going to fall apart after three washes and that she would actually want to wear, not just once and forget at the bottom of the drawer. We’ve had it in rotation for a few weeks now, used for gymnastics, school PE, and just hanging around the house.

My first reaction when I opened the package: the colors and pattern are pretty loud, but in a way kids usually like. It’s very much an “activewear” look, not something you’d dress them in for a family dinner, but for sport and play it fits the vibe. My daughter’s reaction was basically, “Cool, can I wear it now?” which already put it ahead of a lot of stuff I’ve bought that never leaves the hanger.

In practice, this set is about two things: comfort and ease of use. The tops and shorts are pull-on, no zippers, no buttons, nothing complicated. I don’t have to help her get dressed for practice, and she can change herself quickly before and after activities. That sounds basic, but when you’re juggling bags, snacks, and schedules, simple clothes that work matter more than fancy designs.

Overall, my feeling after several uses is: it’s pretty solid for active kids. Not perfect, not luxury-level fabric, but it does the job: fits well, stretches, survives the wash, and the kid actually likes wearing it. If you want something functional for sports rather than fashion photos, this set is in that lane.

When you break it down, you’re getting 2 tops, 2 shorts, and 1 headband in this pack. So, two complete outfits plus a small accessory. Compared to buying single pieces from bigger sports brands, this comes out quite reasonable per item. You’re not paying for fancy branding or packaging here; you’re paying for functional gear that your kid can wear several times a week.

For me, the value shows up in how often it’s actually used. Some clothes look nice but never get picked. This set keeps ending up in the “favourites” pile. My daughter reaches for it for gymnastics, PE, and even just playing in the garden. That alone tells me the money wasn’t wasted. If it sits in the drawer, it doesn’t matter how cheap it was – it’s still a bad buy.

Is it the cheapest thing on the market? Probably not, but there’s a big difference between ultra-cheap sets that fall apart and something like this that seems to last. Considering the good fit, decent materials, and solid durability so far, I’d call it good value for money, especially if your kid does sports more than once a week. You’re basically getting reliable training gear without paying premium-brand prices.

If you’re very budget-focused and your kid only needs something for the occasional school event, you might manage with a cheaper single outfit. But if you want two rotating sets that can handle regular washing and actual sports, this Essenclo pack makes sense. It’s not luxury, but it’s practical and earns its keep, which is what I care about as a parent.

Design-wise, this set leans fully into the sporty / gymnastics look. The pattern on Set-14 is on the louder side (animal print style), with bright colors that my daughter instantly gravitated toward. If you prefer super plain, minimalist stuff, this might feel a bit much. But for activities like cheer, gymnastics, and dance, it fits right in with what other kids are wearing in the gym.

The crop tops are racerback and fairly fitted. The armholes are cut high enough that there’s no weird gaping on the sides, which I appreciate, because some cheaper sets leave too much open and it looks sloppy. The neckline is a basic crew neck, not too high, not low. My daughter can tumble, stretch, and hang upside down without anything shifting, which is the main point for this kind of clothing.

The biker shorts are more like compression shorts. They’re snug, but not sausage-tight. There’s a hidden elastic waistband, no drawstring. On my kid, they stay up during running and cartwheels, and she doesn’t need to keep tugging them, which is a big plus. The length is decent – they don’t ride up into shorts that look like underwear, but they also don’t feel like cycling shorts to the knee. Somewhere in the middle.

From a practical angle, I like that everything is pull-on and there are no logos slapped all over or scratchy tags on the outside. Inside tags are small and haven’t bothered her so far. Overall, the design is simple but thought-through: it looks like proper sportswear, not costume-y. Not mind-blowing, but it gets the essentials right – coverage, movement, and a style most active kids will be okay with.

Comfort was the main test for me, because if something scratches, rides up, or digs in, kids refuse to wear it, no matter how cute it is. I had my daughter wear this set for multiple gymnastics sessions, about 1–1.5 hours each, plus a couple of full days where she kept the shorts on after practice. Her feedback was pretty simple: “It’s comfy, can I wear it again?” That’s usually the best sign.

The waistband on the shorts is snug but not tight. She can bend, stretch, and sit cross-legged without red marks on her waist after. The legs don’t roll up constantly, which drives me nuts with some other brands. They might move a tiny bit during intense tumbling, but nothing that had her stopping to adjust them all the time. The tops are fitted enough that they don’t flap around, but there’s no digging around the armholes or neck.

From my side, I also watched to see if she was constantly tugging at the hem or trying to pull the top down. That usually means it’s either too short or she feels exposed. With this set, she mostly ignored it, which tells me she felt covered enough. The crop top + high-waist shorts combo leaves a small gap of skin when she raises her arms, but she didn’t seem self-conscious about it at all during class.

One small thing: because it’s synthetic, if she puts it on right after a shower and her skin is still damp, it can feel a bit cool and clingy at first. After a few minutes of moving around, she forgets about it. Overall, in terms of comfort, I’d rate it as very wearable for active kids. Not like lounging in soft cotton pajamas, but for sports, it hits the right balance between snug and comfortable.

The set is made from 85% nylon and 15% elastane (spandex). In practice, that means it’s very stretchy, smooth to the touch, and clearly in the synthetic activewear category. If you’re used to cotton, this will feel more like swimwear or proper sports leggings. My daughter didn’t complain about the feel at all; she actually prefers this type of material for sports because it doesn’t cling when she sweats.

The fabric is on the lightweight side. Not see-through in normal conditions, but if your kid is bending over under bright light, you can slightly see the outline of underwear with lighter colors. With darker prints like Set-14, this isn’t a big issue, but I wouldn’t pair it with neon underwear and expect it to be invisible. Still, for a kids gymnastics/cheer set, it’s perfectly acceptable and better than some cheap sets I’ve tried from random brands.

Stitching is decent. Seams are flat enough that my daughter hasn’t complained about itching or rubbing, even during longer practice sessions. After several machine washes (cold cycle, regular detergent, air-dried), the colors haven’t faded and the fabric hasn’t pilled. That’s honestly better than I expected at this price point. The elastic at the waist and around the armholes also hasn’t warped or twisted so far.

On the downside, because it’s a full synthetic blend, it’s not the most breathable thing on a super hot day compared to thin cotton. But then, cotton also tends to sag and stretch out, and this doesn’t. So it’s a trade-off: you get good stretch and shape retention, at the cost of that typical synthetic feel. For active sports, I think they made the right call on materials, but if your kid has very sensitive skin or hates nylon-type fabrics, this might not be ideal.

Durability is where a lot of kids’ active sets fall apart, literally. With this Essenclo set, I’ve done multiple machine washes already (cold cycle, normal spin) and usually air-dry on a rack. So far, there’s been no shrinking, no loose threads, and no obvious fading. The print still looks bright, and the fabric hasn’t gone fuzzy or pilled, which is usually my first sign of cheap material.

My daughter is not gentle with her clothes. She slides on mats, sits on rough playground surfaces, and occasionally uses her knees as brakes. After a few weeks, I checked the knees and seat of the shorts carefully. No thinning or shiny patches yet, which surprised me a bit, because lightweight nylon blends sometimes show wear quickly. The seams at the crotch and sides are holding up fine too.

The elastic in the waistband and the overall stretch has stayed consistent. Some budget sets I’ve bought in the past from random brands start to feel looser after 4–5 washes and lose that snug fit. This one still fits like day one. I also haven’t noticed any twisting of the waistband, which is something that really annoys me with other kids’ shorts.

Obviously, I can’t speak for a full year of heavy use yet, but based on what I’m seeing now, I’d say the set is solidly built for regular use. It doesn’t feel indestructible, but for the price and considering it’s kids’ sportswear that gets washed a lot, the durability so far is better than “meh”. I’d be comfortable buying another set from the same brand if this one keeps holding up like this over the next few months.

In terms of performance, I looked at three things: freedom of movement, how it handles sweat, and whether it stays in place. My daughter used this set for gymnastics (lots of tumbling, stretching, handstands), school PE (running, basic games), and just playing outside with friends. In all those situations, the fabric stretch and cut did their job. She can do splits, cartwheels, and backbends without any pulling or restriction at the shoulders or hips.

The brand mentions moisture-wicking, and while I’m not going to pretend this is high-end technical gear, it does dry quicker than cotton. After an hour of intense practice, the fabric feels slightly damp but not soaked, and it doesn’t cling in a heavy way. When she comes home and changes, the clothes dry on a chair in less than an hour. No strong smell buildup either, as long as you don’t leave them balled up in a bag for days.

The “staying in place” part is where some cheaper sets fail, but this one is pretty good. The shorts don’t slide down, and the top doesn’t ride up excessively. During a full gymnastics session, she might adjust herself once or twice, but nothing constant. I’ve seen worse from more expensive brands, to be honest. For jumping, running, and stretching, the fit stays consistent.

Overall, performance-wise, I’d say it’s reliable and practical. It’s not going to replace specialized competition leotards or pro-level sportswear, but for regular training, PE class, and casual sports, it gets the job done without drama. If your kid is in a club a few times a week, this is the kind of set you can throw in the bag, wash often, and not stress about.

The product page talks about a 5-piece set, and that’s accurate. In the bag, I got:

• 2 sleeveless crop tank tops (racerback style)
• 2 biker shorts
• 1 reversible headband

All the pieces match in terms of style and pattern, which is nice if your kid likes coordinated outfits. In my case, my daughter mixes these with other plain black shorts and leggings, so the mix-and-match idea from the description is real. She’ll wear one of the tops with random leggings from another brand and it doesn’t look weird.

The size I picked is 9–10, and I’d say it runs true to size with a snug, athletic fit. My daughter is average height and build for that age, and the shorts hit mid-thigh, not too short, not knee-length. The tops are cropped but not crazy short: with the high-waist shorts, there’s a small gap of midriff when she raises her arms, but nothing I’d call inappropriate for sports or gymnastics.

The headband is basically a small bonus. It’s reversible, stretchy, and stays on reasonably well, but it’s not some high-tech piece. My daughter uses it sometimes for gymnastics to keep hair out of her face, but it’s not the star of the set. If it disappeared, we wouldn’t cry about it. The real value is in the two full outfits (top + shorts) that you can rotate through the week.

From a parent point of view, the presentation is straightforward: one plastic bag, clothes folded inside, no fancy packaging, no extra nonsense. It feels like something aimed at being used, not presented as a gift box. If you want “wow” packaging, this isn’t it. If you want grab-and-go sports outfits, the content is exactly what’s advertised.