Maggie Guterl making fast work of a hill in Durango, Colorado. Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
The operating attire trade has modified so much within the final decade relating to the most effective operating attire manufacturers. Consumers are not restricted to what’s on the market on the specialty operating retailer of their space. The direct-to-consumer period of web retail has meant that new corporations can launch with only a web site and social media, and established manufacturers should keep on their toes and react to buyer wants and developments rather more rapidly.
From model to supplies to performance, adjustments in attire have led to runners having extra decisions than ever earlier than. Corporations have continued to make use of sponsored athletes and group leaders to showcase their gear on various kinds of individuals and our bodies.
With this abundance of alternative, we used the iRunFar workforce’s collective expertise to select ten path operating attire manufacturers we repeatedly use from varied value factors and completely different positions available in the market. On this group, you’ll discover the heavy-hitter manufacturers and smaller ones packing their distinctive punch.
Finest Working Attire Manufacturers
Excessive-quality operating attire can maintain you snug and searching good. Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Location: Ventura, California
In style Fashions: Strider Professional Working Shorts, Limitless Run Tights, Houdini Jacket, Capilene Cool Light-weight Shirt
What We Like: Patagonia is without doubt one of the greatest manufacturers for considerate particulars, from the exterior drawstring on their shorts to the built-in operating vest design of the Storm Racer Jacket to their use of planet-friendly supplies.
What We Don’t: The items may be an costly funding, however they’re constructed to final.
Patagonia’s path operating historical past has been full of stops and begins with their footwear, sponsored groups, and attire, however the previous few seasons have proven an actual dedication to the class.
The Strider Professional Working Shorts alone will put Patagonia within the operating attire model’s corridor of fame for many people, however the firm additionally has many different very considerate outerwear elements just like the Excessive Endurance Equipment, with its standout Storm Racer Jacket.
The light-weight Houdini Jacket is the go-to choice for a lot of runners and adventurers, particularly in alpine areas. Patagonia’s dedication to environmental advocacy makes supporting the model a no brainer for path runners, and the prime quality of their objects makes them nice to make use of.
For extra on what’s occurring at Patagonia, take a look at our Storm Racer Jacket and Excessive Endurance Equipment opinions.
iRunFar’s Craig Randall checks the Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket in, ahem, stormy circumstances. Picture: iRunFar/Christin Randall
Location: Santa Barbara, California
In style Fashions: FKT 5″, EZ Tee LS, UtiliBra-vo
What We Like: Rabbit helps many high-level runners, however their emphasis is on enjoyable for everybody. The comparatively younger model has many colourful items for each women and men, and purists will love the brief inseam choices.
What We Don’t: Some ladies desire longer shorts than rabbit provides. We’d additionally like to see fashions and colorways stick round just a little longer to advertise sustainability.
Rabbit was based by two ladies in Santa Barbara, California. Just like the pacesetter their title evokes, their aim is to be out entrance and push limits within the traditionally male-oriented operating enterprise. Being out entrance goes past cutting-edge attire for the model; it additionally contains the inclusion of all individuals and sizes. Their shirts have confirmed to be useable by many ladies all through their being pregnant, stretching to suit a rising stomach and nonetheless being useable post-partum. You possibly can learn extra in regards to the rabbit EZ Tank high and the rabbit EZ tee LS (hyperlinks?) at our greatest maternity exercise garments information. The model gained early traction with path runners and has a definite presence in monitor and discipline and street marathons.
RabbitRELAX material is a standout materials, incomes rave opinions from all who slip into items made with this buttery gentle materials. New collections emerge each season, however some staples embody button-front shirts just like the Low Tide and the cutout Vert Shirt HP, impressed by the Western States 100 and Scott Jurek. Earlier than Hoka launched its attire traces, rabbit was the producer of the Hoka equipment utilized by the shoe model’s professionals.
See rather more about rabbit in our ladies’s chilly climate attire evaluation and ladies’s heat climate attire evaluation.
The model rabbit makes nice attire for runners, together with this rabbit Excessive Nation SS worn by Kyle Curtin. Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Location: Ashington, U.Okay.
In style Fashions: , , ,
What We Like: Glorious high quality merchandise with an endurance focus, a great deal of choices for tops, pants, and equipment like hats and gloves, merchandise appear to be very sturdy
What We Don’t: Hardly any choices for operating shorts
Montane is without doubt one of the few manufacturers dedicating its whole product line to high-output endurance mountain actions. And we’re right here for it. The U.Okay.-based model has quickly develop into one in every of our favorites, because of its high-quality and high-performing lineup. Merely put, we’ve cherished each Montane product examined. The is a wonderful piece that serves as a next-to-skin base layer or a stand-alone piece. Similar with the , which is a bit heavier and may deal with temperatures into the 40s as a stand-alone piece.
The is an revolutionary high layer for colder runs because it options strategically positioned insulation on the chest and air flow beneath the arms and on the again. However maybe one in every of our favourite items, not simply within the Montane product line however of all attire we’ve not too long ago examined, is the . The absolutely weatherproof jacket is extremely waterproof, packs down right into a wad most individuals can palm whereas operating, and has confirmed to be a wonderful “simply in case” piece for us on mountain missions, from path operating to mountain biking to fly-fishing.
We have now two notes to level out. First, Montane presently doesn’t have many — or any — severe choices for operating shorts. We’d like to see the model take a dip into that class. Secondly, as a typical European model, the lower and match of most items are slim and athletic. Personally, we like that, nevertheless it received’t be as inclusive for all physique varieties, and you must in all probability go up one measurement in comparison with the everyday American clothes manufacturers.
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
In style Fashions: AFO Center Brief, 7/8 Groundwork Tight 2.0, Helio Tech Tee
What We Like: Janji is thought for daring and wild prints for women and men whereas standing for terrific causes like international clear water entry.
What We Don’t: It’s a critique you’ll see in a number of locations on this information, however slower mannequin and colorway switches would promote a extra sustainable method to operating attire.
Janji exploded on the path operating attire scene a number of years in the past with extraordinarily daring patterns and prints, discovering early distribution within the huge outside retailer, REI Co-op. What’s behind the title? Janji means “a promise or declaration” in Indonesian, and their dedication to environmental and humanitarian causes is immense. The corporate donates 2% of the proceeds of each buy to wash water initiatives within the particular nations they use for inspiration for his or her seasonal collections.
Native artists create Janji’s seasonal collections, and two notably cool ones are designed by Arwin Hidayat and Soni Irawan, two gifted artists from the island of Java. The Batik prints are used notably successfully on the Groundwork Lengthy Bra 2.0, 7″ Tempo Brief, and the Helio Tech Tank. There are numerous extra examples of Arwin and Soni’s designs on a few of Janji’s hottest types, just like the 5″ AFO Center Brief and 7/8 Groundwork Tight 2.0.
In our ladies’s attire evaluation, you possibly can study extra about varied items from this model.
iRunFar’s Kristin Zosel carrying the Janji Groundwork Tempo Sports activities Bra and Janji 6-inch Groundwork Tempo Brief. Picture: iRunFar/Kristin Zosel
Location: Seattle, Washington
In style Fashions: Ingredient Shorts (classics which are not in line), Dare Cross-Again Run Bra, Distance Lengthy Sleeve
What We Like: Excessive-touch customer support and an superior 90-day satisfaction assure, so for those who don’t love what you acquire, you possibly can return it at no cost.
What We Don’t: Whereas path operating isn’t an afterthought, Brooks is definitely most energetic within the street operating scene.
Brooks is the self-proclaimed “Run Completely happy” firm, and their legacy in path operating footwear is firmly established with classics just like the Cascadia. Along with their well-loved footwear, the corporate additionally has a deep and high-quality attire assortment for every type of operating.
Again in 2008, iRunFar founder Bryon Powell stated that the Ingredient Shorts, the basic shorts which are not in line, have been the most effective operating shorts he had utilized in his then-15 years of operating. One can longingly recall the easier days of ultrarunning when a youthful Bryon Powell would have been operating in these shorts and commuting to cowl races in his trademark Toyota Prius. The Journey Prius stays, and so does Brooks’s glorious attire.
The corporate has taken actual management in high-visibility clothes meant for staying vibrant and noticeable in darkness. Whereas that is definitely extra of a priority with street operating, the identical concentrate on particulars extends to the path. Items just like the Sherpa 5″ 2-in-1 Brief and Distance Lengthy Sleeve are extra sturdy than related merchandise from different manufacturers, constructed to face up to snagging tree branches or the occasional catch-a-toe crash on laborious singletrack.
Brooks has received over iRunFar’s ladies’s testers with its Dare sports activities bra assortment, a set of high-impact, encapsulation-style bras with seven completely different fashions obtainable. You possibly can study extra about these bras at our Dare sports activities bra assortment evaluation.
Brooks has lengthy made operating attire, together with the Brooks Dare Excessive-Neck Run Bra from their Brooks Dare sports activities bra assortment. Picture: iRunFar/Annie Behrend
Location: Ziano di Fiemme, Italy
In style Fashions: Freccia Brief M, Drizzle Overpant M, Timing Brief W
What We Like: Technical supplies and revolutionary textiles with a broad vary of attire for each women and men spotlight what this model creates. Items are a superb funding and may be crossed over with different sports activities.
What We Don’t: The match is certainly European sizing however not as inconsistent as La Sportiva’s footwear may be. Clients ought to evaluation attire measurement charts earlier than shopping for.
It’s a pure transfer for La Sportiva, which makes world-class mountaineering, climbing, and snowboarding merchandise, to supply a set of mountain operating attire that may cross over into any, or generally all, of these different sports activities. And fortuitously, attire for all sports activities advantages from being breathable, quick-drying, and simple to layer.
La Sportiva’s operating attire for women and men contains every thing from shirts to sports activities bras to shorts and skirts and light-weight packable overpants for wet runs. The match is extra European than American, with tighter traces, silhouettes, and vibrant and daring colours. La Sportiva is a part of a dwindling group that also provides an iRunFar favourite: the half-zip operating shirt with raglan sleeves — at the very least for males. The Limitless T-Shirt M makes it straightforward to control physique temperature whereas operating.
La Sportiva has lengthy used the outstanding anti-odor and -bacteria know-how Polygiene, which might maintain your operating attire from smelling and preserve water and power by requiring fewer washes.
Working in Colorado at dawn. Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Location: Annecy, France
In style Fashions: Bonatti Waterproof, S/Lab Velocity Bob
What We Like: Salomon provides one of the crucial in depth attire assortments on this information, with many choices for women and men.
What We Don’t: Provide chain points hit Salomon laborious the previous two years and stock has suffered.
Ever since Kilian Jornet tore across the Western States 100 course in 2010 donning a skimpy pair of white Salomon half tights (extra like quarter tights) with a skin-tight high, Salomon’s path operating attire has stood out. The S/Lab vary, the place Killian’s aforementioned tights got here from, has repeatedly pushed the boundaries of technical efficiency and match. A previous favourite from that period was the boys’s Exo S/Lab Twinskin Shorts, which have been tremendous stretchy and cozy paired with an over-short with pockets for gels and different small objects.
Salomon is now synonymous with the likes of Courtney Dauwalter and François D’Haene, two athletes on the high of the ultrarunning world. The corporate has used these two runners’ distinctive types, together with their love for lengthy shorts, as inspiration for brand new items of attire.
These days, items just like the technical Bonatti Waterproof and the S/Lab line pair with one of many broadest ranges of shorts and shirts of any model on this information. Their affordability can be glorious, with many attire items starting from $40 to $50.
iRunFar’s Ben Kilbourne checks operating attire on a morning run in Colorado. Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Location: Seattle, Washington
In style Fashions: Roga Shorts, Flyout Wool Half Zip, Tremendous Seamless Bra, Flyout Brief Sleeve
What We Like: Oiselle is really a for-women, by-women model that has positively grown via the enter of its clients {and professional} athletes by repeatedly fielding suggestions from the general public.
What We Don’t: Generally, the sizing is inconsistent throughout the product traces.
Oiselle got here on the scene in 2007 as a woman-founded model producing attire distinctly by ladies and for ladies. A lot of our testers often comment on the sturdiness and longevity of the items. Oiselle has famously tussled with huge establishments within the sport, like USATF, over brand placement and allowances for its sponsored athletes. The model received loads of followers for daring to vary the paradigm for all athletes, notably feminine ones, since sponsorship wages are lean and laborious to return by.
The Roga Shorts debuted in Oiselle’s first yr and have stayed within the line ever since. They’re every thing you’d need in a pair of shorts for day by day operating, with daring colours and prints that make them stand out and a flat waistband, giant again zip pocket, and semi-fitted model. The corporate continues to create items of clothes which are as enjoyable to put on as they’re useful.
The Flyout Wool Half Zip combines a half-zip entrance with a brilliant snug wool mix that wicks moisture, breathes, resists odor build-up, and stays reasonably heat when moist from rain or sweat. iRunFar tester Kristin Zosel says Flyout Wool is the lightest weight wool and polyester mixture material she’s ever worn.
Learn extra about Oiselle in our greatest operating shorts for ladies information and greatest operating shirts for ladies information.
The Oiselle Featherweight Roga Shorts are a wonderful companion to any run from the model Oiselle. Picture: iRunFar/Abby Levene
Location: Powder Mountain, Utah
In style Fashions: Sykes PX – 5″ Brief, Lynx PD – 3″ Base Liner, Cascade SS T
What We Like: The shorts use a layering system consisting of a boxer transient paired with an over-short, a mix that is without doubt one of the most snug operating setups we’ve ever used. Offered direct-to-consumer solely, Path Initiatives’ retail costs are extremely aggressive.
What We Don’t: The styling is a bit subdued and understated, so followers of daring and vibrant prints received’t discover the choices satisfying. In addition they solely make males’s merchandise.
Path Initiatives walks the road between path operating performance and a classy look higher than anybody else. They make merchandise designed for sturdiness that also have fashionable options like cellphone pockets. Not fairly Lululemon, however equally high-end in its product growth, Path Initiatives has a number of the best-priced operating attire available on the market.
The corporate was based to be direct-to-consumer, constructing the model totally on-line. Particular collaborations with group leaders like ultrarunner and filmmaker Billy Yang and an curiosity within the quickest identified time scene have proven that Path Initiatives is dedicated to the core of the game.
To study extra, see our greatest operating shorts for males information, the place we named the Graves PX – 5″ Brief the most effective worth brief.
Path Initiatives is a small firm making nice males’s operating attire, together with the Path Initiatives Graves PX – 5″ Brief. Picture: iRunFar/Christin Randall
Location: Boulder, Colorado
In style Fashions: Rain Trekker Jacket, Tachyon Parka, Cool Mild T
What We Like: Montbell flies just a little beneath the radar in comparison with a number of the flashier and hyper-marketed manufacturers on this information, and but they’ve persistently produced class-leading operating jackets in addition to a full assortment of path operating merchandise.
What We Don’t: The widespread operating attire items, like shirts and shorts, are restricted to only one or two choices.
Montbell is a staple amongst hikers and ultralight backpackers, and whereas it doesn’t do so much to place itself particularly inside the path operating class, the attire provided is a number of the greatest obtainable for our sport. Runners who spend loads of time tromping across the mountains in troublesome climate circumstances usually flip to Montbell merchandise to maintain them snug and secure.
A number of of Montbell’s jackets are high picks in our latest jacket guides, together with the Rain Trekker Jacket in our greatest operating rain jackets information and the Tachyon Parka in our greatest operating wind jackets information.
iRunFar’s Meghan Hicks wears the Montbell Tachyon Parka. Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
The place to Purchase Working Attire
In contrast to trainers, which generally line the partitions at retail outlets, operating attire tends to be simpler to return by straight from manufacturers’ web sites and different outside specialty on-line retailers, like REI Co-op, Backcountry, and Working Warehouse, moderately than in-person. You’ll discover the larger manufacturers like Nike, adidas Terrex, and Brooks generally on the retail ground, however for those who’re on the lookout for a number of the smaller gamers like La Sportiva, you’ll wish to go to their web site. Different merchandise, like these made by Path Initiatives, are solely offered on-line.
Different Working Attire Manufacturers
Our high 10 decisions for greatest operating attire manufacturers barely scratch the floor of the operating attire manufacturers obtainable. Listed below are another manufacturers we’ve examined and luxuriate in utilizing, shared alphabetically.
Soar Working makes numerous glorious operating attire, together with this Soar Working Sizzling Climate T. Picture: iRunFar/Christin Randall
Name for Feedback
- What are your favourite operating attire manufacturers?
- Why do you just like the manufacturers you do? Due to the attire made? Due to the corporate’s environmental and social practices? Due to your historical past with them? For another cause?
