Introducing erne - Stylish and Affordable Pickleball Clothes

Q: How do you dress for pickleball?

Athletic clothes are ideal for pickleball because you need comfortable clothes that keep you cool. Supportive clothing like sports bras for women are recommended too. There's a lot of variation from sleeveless shirts to polo shirts, and skorts to shorts to dresses.

Q: What shoes do you wear for pickleball?

Check out my list of the best pickleball shoes for some ideas. You can also usually wear any type of tennis or court shoes when playing outdoors. For indoor courts, you can get by with any squash, badminton, or soccer shoes that have grippy soles.

Q: Why do pickleball players wear sleeves?

Compression sleeves protect your muscles from vibrations and offer support to your joints when swinging. Some players wear sleeves to prevent injuries like tennis elbow. They can also be used when recovering from injuries, or just for comfort and performance enhancement reasons.

Emily Reburn on the pickleball court wearing clothes from erne

Looking for a new outfit for the pickleball courts? You might have already heard about erne, one of the few brands offering high-quality clothing specifically designed for pickleball. Not only do they make some standout items like dresses and stylish polo shirts, but they offer great value too.

erne sent me some fresh gear to try. Read on to see how they fit, how they look, and—most importantly—how they perform on the courts. I'll also share a bit about this brand and how they're different from others on the scene.

Who is erne?

Fans of the sport might already recognize the name. An "erne" in pickleball is one of those advanced shots I'm always trying to hit. It's surprising, fun, and a little showy—exactly what erne, the brand, is bringing to the game.

Check out erne's apparel line

erne might be relatively new to the pickleball clothing scene, but I'm already impressed. They're one of the few brands offering clothes made just for pickleheads.

They stand out with pieces like their pickleball dress for women and this snazzy polo shirt for men that can be worn on and off the court. Their apparel is also generally more affordable than other new pickleball brands.

What they offer

erne makes pickleball apparel for both women and men. Their women's line includes sweatshirts, jackets, skorts, polos, shorts, dresses, and tops. Their men's selection includes tops, stylish casual wear, travel bottoms, and athletic shorts. They also make unisex hats.

I got my hands on a few of their products. Check out my initial thoughts here:

erne pickleball clothing reviews

I enjoyed getting a chance to test these products over several practice sessions. Read on for my honest thoughts on how they perform and whether I think they're worth spending your money on.

Vineyard Pickleball Dress

The cut is very flattering, with pleats that lay perfectly at the waist and give a nice fit-and-flare look. The material is soft and stretchy in the right places and there's a zipper in the front—a cute addition I've not seen in other pickleball clothing.

The material stays cool even after 2-hour sessions. Sweat does appear but it doesn't bother me. For high-intensity games, you might want the Erne biker shorts as well since the Vineyard Dress doesn't have built-in shorts.

Malibu Cropped Hooded Pullover

My first impression out of the box was "Wow, this is soft"! It reminds me of high-end athleisure from brands like Alo and Vuori. Erne designed this hoodie for warmups, which is what I use it for since it's easy to put on and take off. The raglan sleeves make it great for movement.

The cropped style is a fashionable upgrade from a typical hoodie for warmth off the court. It's a thicker material, so I can see myself using it more for cooler weather—especially before or after play—rather than during games.

Carolina Tank

This tank is a great option for long hot days on the court. I wore it for hours during a team challenge and the mesh back kept me cool while the moisture-wicking worked exactly as promised. It's a great fit too.

I do have to point out the seam that runs across the bust, as some players might find this annoying. Personally, I think it adds a nice detail and I didn't notice it during play. I wish there were more than three color options, though, as I'd get multiple.

Hamptons Pickleball Skort

This skort is so lightweight it almost feels like there's nothing there at all. While the material is very thin, I didn't worry about it being see-through with the jet-black color.

It has built-in shorts with two side pockets. I don't usually use them for balls, but I do slip my phone in the pocket on the way to the courts. There's a nice flare in the back like on the dress, though it doesn't have pleats.

Unstructured Poly 5 Panel Hat

The cap does well to wick moisture away during play. I'm a big fan of the light pink color as it coordinates nicely with the entire women's line. It's a great fit, is lightweight, and easily adjustable.

Fit

Overall, the fit was spot on. Everything I tried was true to size.

Style

The style was a big surprise, with the dress being a personal favorite. Having never worn a dress for pickleball before, I was surprised by the flexibility and movement it gave me. I like the pleats that erne puts in the dress and skort. They add a classy touch to the overall look.

While the color choices are somewhat limited, they do coordinate nicely across the line. No marks against them here.

Emily Reburn wearing the Vineyard Pickleball Dress by erne

The erne Vineyard Pickleball Dress

Performance

The most important feature of athletic apparel is how it feels during play and I would give erne a 9/10 here. I felt comfortable drilling and playing in the dress, skort, tank, and hat. I would probably leave the cropped hoodie for off-court warmth and comfort as the material is pretty thick. That said, it's very cozy.

I didn't feel uncomfortable wearing any of these, though I did notice sweat was visible on the blue dress after hours of play. This doesn't bother me personally, but I want to point it out.

Emily Reburn wearing the Malibu Cropped Hooded Pullover by erne

The erne Malibu Cropped Hooded Pullover

Price & value

The pricing is great. Comparing it to another favorite clothing brand of mine, PB5star, the erne Ribbed Tank Bra Top is $38 versus PB5star's Racer Back Sports Bra for $58.

These are good-quality clothes too. Everything I tried feels comfortable, durable, and far from cheap. I have worn and washed a few items several times now and they are holding up really well.

Emily Reburn wearing the Unstructured Poly 5 Panel Hat by erne

The erne Unstructured Poly 5 Panel Hat

Why shop with erne?

Like PB5star, erne is one of the rare brands designing clothes with pickleball players in mind. They're a bit more affordable (yet still very stylish), while PB5star has a specific style that comes with a higher price point.

erne is based in Seattle, so everything ships quickly from within the United States. You get free shipping over $69 (lower than many companies, often starting at $100), and you can contact them by phone or through their website.

If you're not happy with your purchase, you can return your items easily within 30 days for any reason. Unlike PB5star, though, you will have to pay return shipping.

Bottom line

I'm so happy I tried erne's clothing. These are now officially on weekly rotation in my wardrobe. I've got my first-ever pickleball dress and while I wouldn't exactly wear it in a social setting, it's so comfortable and stylish on the courts.

All of erne's clothes are designed just for pickleball. Their free shipping starts at $69—a nice price that can be reached with a couple of items. Their prices are great too, sitting in mid-range alongside brands like Nike and Under Armour.

If you want a more affordable alternative to high-end brands like PB5star, erne is worth checking out.

FAQs

How do you dress for pickleball?

What shoes do you wear for pickleball?

Why do pickleball players wear sleeves?

About the author

Emily Reburn

Emily is the Head of Partnerships for Pickleheads. She and her family are pickleball obsessed, playing several times a week on her local courts in Roanoke, Virginia, and traveling regionally for tournaments.

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Introducing erne - stylish and affordable pickleball clothes