Keep it casual with our handpicked selection of the best top-and-bottom tracksuit sets
Looking for an outfit for work, rest, and play? The best tracksuits for men have all three covered. They’re stretchy and breathable enough for hitting the weights, comfortable enough to slot into your WFH wardrobe, and cosy enough to handle weekend duties sprawled out on the sofa binge-watching the latest boxset.
These two-piece sport suits have their roots in track-and-field athletics. They were designed to be worn by coaches, or by players themselves during warm ups, but over time they’ve migrated from the playing field and found their way onto city streets. Bad press ensued, and tracksuits came to be viewed as sloppy at best, and the default uniform of thugs and criminals at worst.
That’s all changed now. Dress codes have loosened up a lot over the last few decades, and now tracksuits have all but outrun any negative connotations. In fact, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to call the tracksuit a modern wardrobe essential. It’s the sort of thing every man should own, and we’ve rounded up a selection of the best ones to buy below.
The best tracksuits for men: At a glance
- Best all-round tracksuit for men: Adidas Essentials 3-Stripes Tracksuit | £51
- Best value tracksuit for men:Nike Dri-Fit Academy Tracksuit | £39
- Best fashion tracksuit for men:Needles Webbing Trimmed Velour Tracksuit (top) | £315
- Best premium tracksuit for men:Sunspel Cashmere Lounge Pants & Zip Hoody (top) | £625
- Best classic jersey tracksuit for men:M&S Pure Cotton Zip-Up Set | £35
- Best mid-range tracksuit for men:Lacoste Hooded Tracksuit | £200
How to choose the best men’s tracksuit for you
What material is best for a tracksuit?
Not all tracksuits are created equal, and one key element that separates them is material. Traditionally, tracksuits were made from fleece-backed jersey cotton. This cosy fabric is soft against the skin, great at soaking up sweat, and surprisingly breathable. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a tracksuit to use as loungewear, but if you need something for sports then there are better modern alternatives. Sportswear brands like Nike, Adidas, Lululemon, and Under Armour all make tracksuits out of technical performance fabrics that have been specially designed with working out in mind.
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Does a tracksuit have to be matching?
Most tracksuits consist of a matching set of top and bottoms – the top is usually a track top or hoodie and the bottom, a pair of sweatpants – but, so long as the material and overall styling is the same across both pieces, tracksuits don’t have to match and certainly, the colours can be different. In fact, many brands sell their tracksuits as separate pieces so that people can mix and match.
How much should I spend?
How long is a piece of string? Tracksuits can vary in price from under £50 to over £1,000 and it’s all to do with where they’re made, what they’re made from, and whose name is stitched into the label. Generally speaking, a mass-produced high-street tracksuit will tend to set you back around £30-£70, a mid-range tracksuit from a designer brand might cost you £100-£200, and a high-end tracksuit from a premium label with special materials, like cashmere, could be anywhere from £500 to over £1,000. How much you should spend really depends on your budget and what you’re looking for.
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The best men’s tracksuits you can buy in 2023
1. Adidas Essentials 3-Stripe Tracksuit: Best all-round tracksuit for men
Price: £60 | Buy now from Adidas
This simple tracksuit from Adidas is about as classic as they come – matching black track top and bottoms, both featuring the brand’s iconic Three Stripes branding. It’s a throwback to the Adidas tracksuits of the early 1980s, which were popularised by hip-hop pioneers Run DMC, among others, helping to bring this style of clothing into the mainstream.
The fabric is stretchy, breathable, and great at wicking sweat, making it perfect for everything from relaxing to hitting the gym. Best of all, it’s made using recycled materials, and the price is pretty reasonable too.
Key specs – Material: 100% recycled polyester tricot; Sizes: XS-4XL
Buy now from Adidas
2. Nike Dri-Fit Academy Tracksuit: Best value tracksuit for men
Price: £39 | Buy now from Nike
Nike’s proprietary Dri-Fit fabric has a proven track record for performance and has graced the shoulders of many of the world’s top athletes as they glide across finish lines and stand atop podiums. It’s a high-performance microfibre polyester material that’s designed to wick sweat away from the surface of the skin to keep you cool, dry, and comfortable during high-output activities. This tracksuit covers you in the stuff from top to bottom.
The cut is slim, but the stretchy fabric keeps movement comfortable and easy. We love the simplicity of the design, the zip pockets, and, of course, the wallet-friendly price tag.
Key specs – Material: 100% recycled polyester; Sizes: XS-2XL
Buy now from Nike
3. Needles Webbing Tracksuit: Best fashion tracksuit for men
Price: £590 (set) | Buy tops from Mr Porter | Buy bottoms from Mr Porter
Japanese brand Needles has a cult following in the fashion world. It makes all sorts of edgy clothing with unconventional cuts and silhouettes, but the two things it is best known for are mohair cardigans and tracksuits. This one is cut from a textured velour fabric, with webbed stripes to the arms and legs, and the brand’s butterfly logo to the chest and thigh.
We like the fact that the jacket has a two-way zipper for adjustment, and the round-neck design makes it great for layering. Granted, it’s not cheap, but when has buying clothes from the hottest labels in fashion ever been a budget-friendly affair?
Key specs – Material: 77% cotton, 23% polyester; Sizes: S-XL
4. Sunspel Cashmere Tracksuit: Best premium tracksuit for men
Price: £1,150 (set) | Buy tops from Sunspel | Buy bottoms from Sunspel
British brand Sunspel is the place to shop for premium wardrobe basics; its clothes are simple, understated, and unassuming, with a focus on fabric quality and fit. This cashmere tracksuit is cut from some of the finest woollen material in the world, which is beautifully soft against the skin, warm and luxurious.
The top features a full-zip front, hood, and drawstrings, and the bottoms have ribbed cuffs, pockets, and an adjustable waist. The downside? It will set you back in excess of a grand for the set, making this a tracksuit the preserve of those with very deep pockets indeed.
Key specs –Material: 100% cashmere; Sizes: XS-XXL
5. M&S Pure Cotton Zip-Up Set: Best classic jersey tracksuit
Price: £35 | Buy now from Marks and Spencer
Back before all the high-tech performance fabrics, tracksuits used to be made from simple grey fleece-backed jersey cotton. This classic option from Marks and Spencer gives a nod to those original versions with a no-frills hoodie and sweatpants combo.
It has a slim, yet comfortable, fit that makes it perfect for lounging around the house, and the waist and hood feature drawstrings for adjustability. There are hand pockets on both the top and the sweatpants, and the cuffs are all ribbed for comfort. Best of all, it will only set you back £35.
Key specs –Material: 100% cotton; Sizes: S-3XL
6. Lacoste Hooded Tracksuit: Best mid-range tracksuit for men
Price: £200 | Buy now from Lacoste
French brand Lacoste is famous for popularising the polo shirt, but their tracksuits deserve some attention too. This particular one is nice and simple, consisting of a plain zip-through hoodie and a pair of matching sweatpants, with no branding or detailing other than a small crocodile patch to each garment.
The cut is nice and slim with ribbed cuffs and hem, and an adjustable waist to customise the fit. The fabric is a soft brushed cotton, which is comfortable against the skin and has a good amount of stretch to allow for the greatest possible range of motion.
Key specs – Material: 84% cotton, 16% polyester; Sizes: XS-4XL
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