A Word about Tracksmith

Might be they have moved. But a 2014 Runners World article says they produce their gear in Massachusetts. It would be a good thing if they still did, but i wouldnt be surprised if they flagged out to a low cost economy, like most manifacturing companys do.

From my perspective the negative on tracksmith is that their overall Ivy League collegiate style does not have wide appeal from a geographical or demographic standpoint and there's going to be a lot of people who aren't going to relate to that style and coupled with the price point, think the overall concept is ridiculous.

As a 35 year old runner in California I'm not looking to dress like a college guy that just got done with Heps. I think their plain stuff (no larger logos/text or stripes) looks clean, for example the Harrier shirt. However, $70 is hard to justify for a shirt. Personally, I'd pay no more than half that for it.

I hope the company is successful because it seems like they have good intentions and care about the sport but it's a very very small niche of consumer they are catering too.

I like their stuff, but man.. that is a stiff price for a t-shirt. I like my running gear to be pretty disposable, so if I drop off a shirt on a hot day and forget it I don't feel like I made a huge mistake.

My $10 Target shirts or some generic race shirt aren't a major loss.

Yeah, pretty bummed to see that they farmed out ALL of their manufacturing to Malaysia now. I was at their store in Boston during marathon weekend, looking to buy some new shorts, and was dismayed to see "Made in Malaysia" on all of the tags. I own a bunch of Tracksmith shirts and shorts that they used to make in the US, and was fine with paying the higher price tag b/c of that, but now that they changed manufacturing locations, I'm not sure I'm still ok with their price structure. It's certainly costing them much less to have this stuff made overseas.

Wow, interesting to see this pop up again. I had to read halfway through the first post to remember writing it.

So two years later all I can really say is that I have some of the harrier shorts and they were worth the money. I probably ought to buy some more. I would never spend the $$$ on a gray t-shirt but I like that the option is there. I mean, you can walk into Barney's and buy a $300 cotton t-shirt, too. I wouldn't do it, but some people obviously do.

Hate to hear that they moved their manufacturing overseas but that is what happens... I did find Janji, which I like. I would LOVE them if their liners were a bit tighter, but maybe I need to get a bigger butt.

Obstinate wrote:

So two years later all I can really say is that I have some of the harrier shorts and they were worth the money.

Sorry, I meant the Van Cortlandt shorts.

yep, i have a bunch of the van cortlandt shorts, too. easily my favorite running shorts.

This^

I'm a 26 y.o. affluent male, grew up in a suburb of Boston, and ran at a NESCAC school and this shit barely appeals to me at all. Can't imagine it having a mass market appeal

Hey I don't know things! Is this advertising?

Obstinate wrote:

Why do that? Why do you want to limit your choices?

In the case of most posters, they do not think businesses are allowed to make money. They think that the clothes should be free.

Now Nike has an $80 singlet to compete with Tracksmith.

My theory is that there are now too many enthusiast triathletes and runners who think they can buy speed from shoes and clothes that will make them faster, just like the cyclists think they can buy a bicycle that makes them faster.