Dare2b helping me with my postpartum weightloss journey

I was recently contacted about trying out some new gym kit from Dare2b to review. This has come at a great time for me. As most of you know, I’m on my postpartum weight loss journey. I’ve got about a stone and a half left to lose before I’m at my pre-pregnancy weight. This means that all my workout clothes are currently packed away as they are too small. I didn’t want to buy new ones so I’ve still been wearing my maternity gym clothes!

It’s so nice to have some activewear that is in my size (thanks to Halocline for setting me up with some swimwear!)! I’ve not bought anything from the Dare2b brand before, so it was nice to discover a new brand.

Dare2b covers a range of sports. If you love to spend your vacation days in the mountains and snow, there’s a section for winter sports where you can buy your new ski jacket and salopettes. There are waterproof jackets and clothing ideal for hikes and walks. You can buy your running gear, cycle jerseys and yoga pants. There’s basically something for most sports or activities and all ages. There are items for men, women and kids.

Dare2b sizing

Before I move onto my Dare2b review – I just want to say one thing. The sizes are PROPER sizes. Like, the women section sizes are in size 10, 12, 14 etc. Sizes range from 6 to 20.

One of my pet peeves is when you go to order something and it’s in S/M/L and you’re not really sure what size to buy! Like a 10-12 could be too small but a 14-16 too big? I didn’t have this problem with Dare2b. The sizing was probably my favourite thing about this brand.

So, what did I order from Dare2b?

My Dare2b Review

Women’s Sprint City Lightweight Hoodie Freshwater Blue

The thing that attracted me to this hoodie was the colour. I love this blue colour that has a hint of green to it. Teal is my favourite colour. It also has pockets. Everyone loves pockets!

I didn’t realise until it arrived that it has thumb holes. Bonus for those cold days! Even in my garage gym, I’ve been wearing a jacket. The thumbholes come in handy when holding a cold Olympic bar as it offers some protection to your skin without needing to wear gloves.

It’s a lightweight workout hoodie that is very soft. It has UPF 40+ protection which means it protects you against about 97.5% of the sun’s rays so it’s great for outdoor workouts – but don’t forget to wear SPF under, just in case you get too warm and want to take it off and wrap it around your waist. This is exactly what I ended up doing when I went for a run with it. It tied nicely around my waist when I wanted to take a layer off. The sun suddenly came out and I overhead so easily, so off it came!

There’s also a hood too. Another bonus, especially when things get windy, rainy and cold! It has an anti-bacterial odour control treatment to keep you feeling fresh alongside its good wicking performance, and it dries quickly.

I really like this hoody and will be using it a lot over the next few weeks. Not just for my workouts and runs, but it’s good to pop on when taking Leo for a walk. The pocket is so handy for popping my phone in while I am pushing the pram.

Buy it here.

Women’s Defy Quick Drying T-Shirt Cameo Green

This is a bit different for me as I usually work out in a vest as I get hot very quickly. Luckily this has mesh detailing to let the airflow and your skin breath, so you can feel cool while working out in the hotter months. It pulls sweat away from your skin, dries quickly and has anti-bacterial odour control built-in. I loved how this fit, it wasn’t so tight that it showed all my post-pregnancy floppy bits but wasn’t baggy like a massive t-shirt.

It really did feel cool and comfortable on my run. It comes in different colours so you are sure to find a match for your current gym clothes.

Buy it here.

The Laura Whitmore Edit – Influential 3/4 Length Leggings Dragonfly Ink Print

I really liked these Dare2b leggings from the Laura Whitmore Edit. As soon as I saw them I knew I wanted them. I based my other clothing choices on the colour of these leggings. I don’t have any 3/4 length gym clothes in my size at the moment so these are very welcome in my wardrobe. It’s that time of year where I want to make sure I’ve got some summer workout clothes for something a bit cooler to workout in.

These keep you cool, are flattering and are very soft and stretchy. I got them in a size 14 and was glad I did. I was tempted to get a size 12 as I always want to get clothes for ‘when I lose weight’ which means I can never actually wear any. I cannot tell you how many gym leggings I’ve bought because I’ve gone for the smaller size and not worn them! It’s like I don’t want to admit to myself I’m the size I am. Even though the size I am is COMPLETELY okay. I’m just used to being a 10/12 so I don’t always feel like me.

Anyway. I’ve just had a baby so I am getting over it and ordering clothes that actually fit me. I know a lot of women who do this, it’s time to normalise buying clothes in the right size!

The only negative I have to say is they do that thing that all printed gym leggings do when stretched. They go a bit white/faded when you stretch the fabric. This isn’t unique to this brand though, every pair of printed gym pants or leggings I’ve owned I’ve done it. Unless it’s made with fabric of a particular colour, it happens.

Buy them here.

Overall I really liked these Dare2b items. I especially liked the quality of the hoodie and t-shirt. Next time I order leggings, I’ll order a solid colour rather than a print. My favourite thing was the sizing. They are true to size and it was easy to decide what size to get. That gives me confidence that I can buy from Dare2b in the future and not worry if it will fit me or not.