Odlo Activewear for getting the kids outdoors Review

Reviewed by Louise Totton

Over the last few weeks, we have been spending lots of time outdoors as a family, sometimes going to the park, sometimes taking ourselves off for a nice stroll through the countryside and on occasion, doing some real hiking and activities. My eldest daughter (aged 9) is what you might call a chip off the old block, and she and I share an interest in outdoor pursuits. We are both big fans of indoor and outdoor top-rope climbing, and she is also hugely into outdoor assault courses and high-ropes. Now, one thing that we have come to realise is that having the right kit makes a big difference to how much you can enjoy your sport as well as how comfortable you are when you’re taking part.

One issue that we do sometimes have is that she does seem to get incredibly hot – she is the child who strolls out of school in November without a coat or jumper and can’t bear to have the radiators turned up in her bedroom. So, when it comes to sports and active pursuits, she really can overheat quite easily and really can’t tolerate heavy or thick clothing. There seem to be lots of brands on the market selling all manor of outdoor wear for adults, but we haven’t found anything to date that has all of the technical properties we were looking for to keep her cool as well as actually looking ‘cool’ and being something that a style-conscious pre-teen actually wants to wear.

That is until we were asked to try out a couple of items from Odlo – an activewear brand that if I’m honest I had never heard of until about a month ago! We were sent a pair of girls’ yoga tights (BL Bottom long Girls Light AOP, RRP: £35) and an ultra-lightweight girls’ crew-neck top (BL TOP Girls CERAMICOOL Blackcomb, RRP: £30) to try out.

First of all, the tights – these are available in either black or navy, and both options feature a very trendy abstract flower pattern within them. I say abstract as I though the image was a tie-dye pattern to start with, and it was my daughter who pointed out the flowers! We were sent the navy ones and she fell in love with them as soon as we opened the parcel. To say they are lightweight would be a massive understatement – these feel like they have no weight at all, yet they still manage to feel substantial and high-quality when you hold them. They have a thick, flat waistband which she really liked as it spreads the pressure from the wait – they do not dig into the skin at all. They are also very, very stretchy. I was concerned initially that they might not fit as my eldest has quite a strong, athletic build, but the material stretched just the right amount and they look fabulous on. The elastic has held its strength fantastically well too, as on lots of cheaper tights and leggings, it can start to sag – not so with these and they are as perfectly fitted today as they were the day we arrived.

Because these are so light and are super stretchy and supportive, they are perfect for outdoor pursuits like climbing. They allow full movement and at no point do they stretch to the extent where they look see-through, so her underwear is hidden at all times. Even though they fit so closely to the skin, she has not suffered any itchiness or sweat rash at all whilst wearing them, and we have tested them on some super hot days too.

If I thought the tights were lightweight, the t-shirt is on another level entirely! It honestly feels like nothing at all when you pick it up, and my daughter has said exactly the same about when she’s wearing it. This one is available in a pale purple colour (quail) as well as white and orangey-red (chrysanthemum), all of which also have a self-coloured flower pattern within the fabric. We were sent the quail option to sample and it looks fabulous with the navy tights.

My daughter said that it was the comfiest t-shirt she had ever worn, and I have been struggling to get it off her to wash it! It features Ceramicool, which is a very, very fine mesh fabric. This allows the skin to breathe and stay super cool, all whilst maintaining the appearance of a very trendy and attractive item of clothing. The Ceramicool actually actively cools the skin by around one degree Celsius, which probably explains why she likes it so much – it keeps her cool on days when other tops would heat her up. Finally, it also has anti-odour technology – very important for when kids are starting to feel a bit more self-conscious and it is more important than ever to stay fresh all day.

We were really impressed by these clothes – they aren’t cheap but the quality and comfort is absolutely worth the extra cost. They are also not worn all of the time, only when I feel she particularly needs their lightweight and cooling properties, so on this basis, I think they will last quite some time and are well worth the investment. It is so important that we get our kids away from their screens and enjoying the outdoors, and these clothes encourage them to do so because they can stay cool whilst looking cool!

Rating: 5/5

For more information or to buy visit www.odlo.com.