Is Gymshark REALLY The Best? Honest Review:Gymshark Vs JustStrong

I don’t know about you, but if there is one brand I can always count on being plastered all over my instagram feed, it’s Gymshark. It’s one of the most publicised and ambassador-led brands out there, I would say. Everyone raves about it, everyone is strutting around my gym in it, and nearly everyone I know asks for it for Christmas/Birthdays. Is it really worth it though? Last year I got sucked into the hype. Sucked in HARD. (Damn you leggings with the Tiffany blue waistband). Over the last year and a bit, I have developed quite the collection of Gymshark garments, but I have also noticed some reoccuring imperfections with them. At the end of last year, I was lucky enough to become a brand ambassador for JustStrong, a sportswear brand for women, and after being super impressed by the quality of their clothes, I decided to put them both to the test once and for all.

Whenever I wear my gymshark leggings with the admittedly large name on the waistband, I do feel more confident in the gym as they are a renowned brand. That being said, if I don’t wear them and see someone else dressed head to toe in Gymshark, I automatically think they’re a bit of a knob. This negativity and ‘we’re the coolest because we’re in Gymshark’ attitude is one thing I really don’t like about it as a whole, but the products are still good. The outfits are a bit sexy, especially the new plunging crop top, the focus seems to be more on what you’re wearing than what you’re doing at the gym. Most of the new releases, especially the ones they plug on instagram are all matching sets compiling of a teeny crop top and high waisted leggings. I like that all of JustStrong’s clothing is motivational and not especially revealing, comfort and style. All the models on the Gymshark website wear highwaisted leggings and crop tops, and while this is a nice look, the majority of people don’t look like this or wear this outfit to the gym. I don’t think i’ve ever seen a girl in the gym wearing just a tiny crop top and leggings. I like that JustStrong caters to everybody, not just experienced and ‘fit’ people.

Crop Tops:

I really like my Gymshark crop tops, they all fit nicely and don’t show sweat patches. However, they are a little showy even for a member of the IBTC (Itty Bitty Tittie Committee), and I have to wear another crop top underneath my purple one so my nipples don’t show as it is just t-shirt fabric, so I imagine bigger boobed ladies will have to do the same. I’m not sure if they edit this out on their websites, but the models that definitely have bigger boobs than me don’t seem to have any nipple-pokage going on. I also found that the label has faded on one of my tops, and I haven’t washed it because I bought it and didn’t realise how thin it was, so don’t really wear it. There are also loose threads on my other one. 

I bought one of the ones with a string that you wrap round your middle and tie, and stupidly I put it in the dryer and all the writing came off. I know that this was my own fault, but I think for the price of it, surely SOME of the writing should have lasted… *cringe*.

The Just Strong crop tops are super nice. They’re thicker than the Gymshark ones, which are really stretchy and almost swimming costume-like. (Well mine are anyway). The pink one actually is this bright, I haven’t edited it. The black one is stretchier and more lycra-like, but not at all tight on the waistband like the Gymshark blue one. I also have a couple of t-shirts/vests which I love, one is stretchy fabric with mesh on the sleeves. It also has a handy tie at the waist so it doesn’t ride up while you’re exercising.

Leggings:

I’ve got 5 pairs of Gymshark leggings, the classic ones as well as some cropped ‘dreamy leggings’ and pink ones in different fabrics. Whilst I do love how pretty and comfortable they are, I have had a few reoccuring problems with the FLEX leggings. I am an XS in all Gymshark and my first pair of Flex leggings ripped in the seam towards my ankle on the second time I tried to put them on. I tweeted them and thankfully they sent me a replacement pair, and while these didn’t rip, both pairs have gone all bobbly and thin along the inside seam. I thought, ‘it must just be this type as i’ve never seen anyone else mention this’, so ordered a pair of the newer black Flex leggings. The same thing happened! There’s little white bobbly bits all over them, and loose threads and pulls, AND the waistband seems to go crinkly, and they’re not even a year old.

They’re still wearable, but it’s a bit annoying. However, this hasn’t happened to my dreamy and dry sculpture leggings, so it’s just the marl fabric used I think. I honestly think no one has mentioned this openly because the Flex leggings with the waistband seem to be the most popular and most sought after. I do really like the body contouring on the grey ones though, I think that is really flattering. On my dry sculpture ones (pink), there is also a couple of handy phone pockets, in the back and on the leg, although there are again loose threads on the back one.

The Gymshark ones are also extremely long and bunch up at my ankles. I’m 5″5, so average height, and they seem to be made for someone about 5″8. This is true of all my pairs, except the cropped ones.

The Just Strong ones are great, can’t fault them. I love how the hint of yellow with the blue makes it near impossible to see through them, no VPL’s, and the waistband is super sturdy and well-made rather than just a strip of stretchy fabric with the name emblazoned on, it actually serves the purpose of sucking everything in.

Pros and Cons:

Gymshark Pros:

• Trendy
• Flattering
• Largely good quality
• Comfortable
• New releases all the time

Gymshark Cons:

• EXPENSIVE
• Hard to get hold of, sell out fast
• Few restocks
• Legging issues
• Too hyped up. You feel you have to panic buy stuff because it sells out so fast, rather than thinking about whether you really need it or reading the details of the products.
• Slow deliveries due to amount of orders of new releases
• Everything is cropped and high waisted, not many full length tops.

JustStrong Pros:

• Good message behind the brand
• Affordable
• Good quality
• Comfortable
• Personal touches to deliveries/emails
• Not all crop tops and high waisted leggings
• More accessories than just clothing available

JustStrong Cons:

• Only available to women
• Slow deliveries
• Delivery is quite slow, but all garments are printed on order
• XS is the smallest size which is an 8 (a small 8 though as I am a 6 and everything fits), for anyone smaller than me, you might struggle.

Ultimately, i’d have to really love something in a new release from Gymshark if I ever bought anything else. It’s such a faff having to sit and wait for stuff to release, and i’ve come to realise that my time is more valuable to me than being sat for ages refreshing the page until a new pair of leggings becomes available. There are only a couple of items I own from them that I have had no problems with. Also, hardly anything they release ever comes back into stock, a naughty tactic to sell more. If you like something a bit, you kind of have to buy it because it will never come back. They love to say this on instagram. I think i’ve got enough items to form an unbiased opinion of the brand, I have tried several of everything, and I still like my clothing I just think it is overrated for what it is. Just Strong on the other hand, really doesn’t have enough coverage. I made sure that I tried their clothing out for a while before I publicised that I was an ambassador as I didn’t want to lie to anyone about the quality but I’m seriously impressed with them. I hope this has proved to other people just how good their stuff is!

If you fancy anything from JustStrong, please add GKINIRONS10 to your order for 10% off.