Is Decathlon the new Ikea? Who has been to Ikea and come out with only the items they went in for? I have never managed this because I always see something I suddenly need or that I think will be the answer to some home or kitchen issue/problem. Most often I see an item that I think is amazingly clever and feel that my home would be lost without it.

And the same thing happens to me in the sports shop equivalent: Decathlon.

I have visited Decathlon several times with a short list of sports items on my list. I love their cheap liner gloves (I lose these like socks) and Decathlon is very useful for bike gadgets and replacement parts. Inevitably, I always see something else in the store that I hadn’t thought I might need but which jumps out at me as a must-have purchase.

And the Dacathlon designers are smart, too. Just like Ikea sells a host of cleverly invented gadgets for the home, so Decathlon sell lots of items that most of us would never have been able to dream up. But, then, when you see these things you can’t imagine how you could live without them.

Kalenji Kiprun winter running jersey

The Kalenji Kiprun running jersey is a perfect example of a clever Decathlon design. The jersey ticks all the boxes for practical running warmth, including long sleeves and long body, soft-on-the-skin stretch fabric and an over-the-head design with an extra long collar zip so it is easy to pull on yet still snug to wear.

In addition there are thumb loops to keep your hands warm when temperatures drop and for times when hands are super cold, the ends of the sleeves can be turned into cosy mittens. This is a brilliant idea and I now wonder why there are not more tops with this turn-over sleeve design.

Then there is the zipped smartphone or music gadget pocket that boasts a nifty inside-pocket hole so that the lead of your head phones can be run internally through the top and out of a second hole at the shoulder of the top. There are also two key pockets and lots of reflective detailing so that if you run at night you’re more likely to be seen.

If there is any way to improve this jersey I might suggest a fitted hood but to be honest for £39.99 I reckon this top packs in more features than you can ever expect.

Wide price range at Decathlon

What I also like about Decathlon is that many items come in a range of designs, from basic through to premium. I don’t think the basic kit is to be overlooked because sometimes you need an item that simply does the basics. There are also times when you want a sports item that includes lots of features and, for that, most people will pay extra.

I am curious about Decathlon’s higher end products and so I am testing some of their pricier sports clothes, such as cycle tights, running tights, walking jackets etc. None of these items are very costly but they are at the higher end of the Decathlon pricing scale. I will be reporting back over the next couple of months.

See www.decathlon.co.uk