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It’s very rare that I stumble across a running brand that I don’t know yet. With UVU, however, this somehow seems to be part of the concept.

Note: I bought all the products for this article regularly via the UVU shop. The article is freely written and only reflects my personal experience.

Who or what is UVU?

I noticed the eye-catching lettering on the tights of a runner who crossed the finish line as the winner of a race in the running series. But if you google UVU, you only get a few answers. Even if you have discovered the UVU shop, you don’t see much.

The brand was founded in 2017 by Adi Gillespie, a British fitness influencer. But according to a Hypebeast article, it was/is more likely the project of a whole group of friends (filmmaker Mac Scott, Hector Trend, photographer Andres Sanjuan, Henry Goodfellow and Alex Robson, muse Peter John and partners Jonny Wilson and Cole Buxton).

But the breakthrough didn’t come until 2023 with a pop-up concept around the marathon events in Milan, Paris, New York and London. UVU wants to be more than just a sports label and seems to have managed to get a big international community excited about its message.

“UVU” stands for “you versus you” and describes the central philosophy of striving for a better self. This is also emphasised by the claim “The graceful pursuit of a superior self”.

Pop-up collections

What you won’t find on the UVU website is a shop. At least that’s usually the case. New collections are only available as a pop-up for a short time (48 hours). And if you want to be aware of this or don’t want to miss it, you have to sign up to the e-mail distribution list.

This also means that there is no standard collection from which you can buy anything at any time. However, the pop-up collections seem to focus more on prints or colours of a manageable number of garments that are otherwise always the same.

What they all have in common is the rather minimalist design and the focus on function. They seem to emphasise high-quality and highly functional materials and consistently avoid superfluous features. In terms of price, UVU tends to be in the upper third: most items are priced between 80 and 100 euros.

UVU in training: function without compromise?

As I couldn’t find any information about the quality and the right sizes at UVU, I was cautious with my first order. In the end, however, I made several purchases and can report on the most important items of clothing for runners.

UVU Half Tight (79 €)

The description in the shop didn’t reveal much – especially not about the material. But the performance tight is probably intended for training and competition and is said to have four gel pockets.

It’s true that there are four pockets, but they are located inside the waistband and are about as deep as my index finger. So a gel pack won’t disappear inside them, but will stick out above the waistband and be easily accessible. However, this also means that the pockets can hardly be used for anything else, such as keys or even a mobile phone.

But I find other details of the UVU Half Tight much more exciting. The material is slightly ribbed on the outside and wonderfully soft on the skin on the inside. It feels relatively thick, but doesn’t trap heat even during the toughest training sessions. It’s quite the contrary: the performance of the material is outstanding! Added to this is the truly perfect fit, which is due in part to another detail: there is an inner brief. Although this adds another layer of material, it has great advantages, especially for men. 😉

One more note on size selection: I opted for L according to the UVU size chart. This is my normal size for all other brands and was also the right choice for UVU.

UVU S/S Running Top (85 €)

There was also only minimal information about the T-shirt in the shop. It was supposed to be lightweight, breathable and sweat-wicking and also have an antibacterial pre-treatment to prevent odours. The pictures suggested that it was almost transparent.

In reality, the UVU T-shirt is not transparent, of course, but it is definitely thin and airy. I immediately noticed the wonderfully soft material, which reminded me of merino wool to the touch. According to the label, however, it is made of polyester with a small amount of spandex.

Here, too, I have to tip my hat to UVU: the cut and functionality are simply superb. First of all, it feels almost luxurious to put the shirt on because it is so soft against the skin. I have always felt comfortable in it, especially on hot days with strenuous workouts. The sweat is quickly absorbed, causing the shirt to ‘stick’ to the skin a little – but this is exactly what creates the desired cooling effect.

With the UVU S/S Running Top, too, ‘regular fit’ meant that my usual size L was just right.

UVU L/S Training Top (97 €)

The second pop-up collection focussed on training. The available models seemed basically the same to me, but there are obviously differences in the material.

The material composition of the long-sleeved shirt differs only slightly from that of the running T-shirt. However, the material is noticeably denser and heavier. Clearly, the training shirt is intended more for the gym than for running.

Unfortunately, I misjudged the size: I ignored the advice in the shop that you should choose a larger size if you prefer a looser fit. In size L, the shirt was snug but wearable. But I was able to exchange it for size XL without any problems, which then fit like the running T-shirt in size L.

UVU Training Vest (91 €)

The same applies to the vest: training is not the same as running. I was too slow at the running drop to order the vest (it was no longer available after a short time). So I went for the training drop.

Presumably the material is again somewhat denser and heavier than it would have been in the running model. However, the cut and other features such as the large perforations appear to be identical.

The UVU Training Vest worked very well for running. In size L, it sits nice and loose and light for me. At first, the material hardly seemed to absorb any sweat, which meant that the vest allowed a lot of air to reach the skin for a long time. At some point, however, this changed and it stuck to the wet areas of the skin, providing pleasant cooling.

UVU Running Sock (13 €)

I almost forgot: I had also thrown the running socks into my shopping basket at the running drop. They are also amazingly good quality, thin and airy and fit very well. They successfully passed my “hole at the big toe” test. 😉

Can I recommend UVU products?

In summary, my enthusiasm for UVU is pretty high. Above all, I never thought that another brand could compete with SOAR for me. Or let’s say at least come close. But that’s exactly what happened with UVU products: they’re right at the front of my drawer, alongside my SOAR items, and I wear them regularly and with pleasure. Because they simply work well, are very well cut and also look good.

The sales model with the pop-ups is exciting because it creates a “natural exclusivity”. You can’t just buy the tight because you’ve read about it here. You have to sign up to the mailing list and wait. And even then you don’t know whether the tight will be included in the next drop. Or when it will even arrive.

The prices are definitely in the upper third of the scale. But for the quality offered, I think they are reasonable. Of course, I am used to SOAR prices. 😉 Purchasing in England adds additional costs, but these are already included in the shopping basket. So there are no hidden costs for customs or transport. Shipping is by express delivery, so I always had my goods in my letterbox the day after ordering. When I exchanged the long-sleeved shirt for a different size, I was given a return ticket so I could send the product back. However, I had to pay for the shipping myself, which at £25 wasn’t exactly cheap.

But that doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm. I didn’t buy anything from the Paris Drop because of the eye-catching print. But I’m still waiting for the split shorts that can be seen in pictures from time to time. I’m also interested in the Running L/S Shirt. So it remains exciting to see when UVU will reopen its shop and what new items will be available.