why is running apparel so expensive

first off, never spend money like that. not worth it. secondly...well, there is no secondly. dont spend money like that. not worth it.

i hope you're a girl if you're wearing tights.

chuck d wrote:

i hope you're a girl if you're wearing tights.

So i assume you run in shorts all winter?

I would spend the money on yourself, your worth it. 70 bucks or 700, whatever keeps you running man. Those loose fitting tights are plenty masculine, wouldn't sweat wearing those anywear. As far as why the stuff is expensive...middlemen.

you almost never have to pay seventy bucks for runing stuff. Shop around, look for sales. Its amazing how many things you can find for really cheap.

example: SHOEBACCA- they sale their shoes on ebay, but you can buy many shoes and spikes fo under ten bucks! a little shipping. But it is way better than paying eighty at some running store

Nike has an outlet near where I live where I got 4 Dri-Fit long sleeve shirts for $19.99 each, I wouldn't buy them otherwise.

That's ridiculous. You can buy tights from Eastbay for $20. Did you deliberately buy the most expensive?

Who do you think pays for all those expensive endorsement contracts???? (i.e. LeBron James = $90 million+)

Rule of thumb.....take the manufacturer's suggested retail price ($70.00) and divide by 4 to get the cost to NIKE/others charged by the factory to manufacture the garment/shoes. Add in a bit for shipping/duty/warehousing charges and the rest is overhead/indirect labor/profit.

In the case of your running tights you got $17.50 worth of product for your $70. (Just to make you feel any better now go ahead and figure that you are paying with after tax dollars. In reality you had to earn around $100 to buy those tights.)

Have a great day!

One more thing.....the mark up on the apparel/footwear also includes all of the retailer's overhead and profit. The pipeline to get you the product is long and expensive....on line purchasing reduces some of that overhead which is why you generally can get things for less $$$ on line than in a bricks and mortar retail store.

Sometimes you can get much better buys by going to non-running specialty stores. For Polypro underwear, gloves, and all manner of other stuff I've used campmor.com. Some of their bargain buys are great. Also, check on places that sell close-outs, overages, or blems. I just picked up a couple of SportHill Insulator fleece tops for my wife and I at REI-outlet.com. Last year's model/colors at half price (around $33 vs. $70). Performance Bike and Nashbar also have some good bargains as does Sierra Trading Post. Just remember that bikers, hikers, x-c skiers, etc. all need the same sort of gear that runners do during the winter. Inexpensive isn't always a bargain though. I've had very good luck with SportHill products, so if they have something I want, I'll go for it (but I always check the outlets first!)

They cost that much because enough people are willing to pay it. It's supply and demand. If people stopped demanding running gear at high prices, the prices would fall.

I'm with you, though. I will not pay $70 for running gear (shoes excluded). I also will not pay $25 to run a 5K. It's just too much. By not paying those prices and searching for better deals (both on gear and races), I'd like to think I'm doing my own little small part to fight running cost inflation. It ain't much, but it's all I can do.

Running apparel has gotten ridiculously expensive, but you can find deals. Try the discount sties JimFiore suggested, as well as

http://www.onemoremile.net/online-store/scstore/home.html

I haven't tried any of their stuff, but it is extremely reasonably priced. $25 for running pants! Support the small businesses, and you keep costs down.

I have an extensive amount of running gear from Marshall's (or TJ Maxx). I bought a running jacket there for $25 and later found an identical one at the running store for $60. That stuff is harder to find, but $15 Nike dri-fit or coolmax shirts are always available. You just can't be too picky.

Absolutely. I get most of my apparel from Sierra Trading Post or Campor. I sometimes stop by a trashy ValuePlus that's near where I work. They have crappy shirts and sweats, but if they're flimsy and a 50/50 blend, it's fine for layering or for the gym. Sometimes, I get a boys L or XL and it's even cheaper.

I get my Asics from RRS when they go to Clearance.

I used to manage a store, and always felt bad when the owner would send us clothing priced that high. Usually, shorts right around 20 bucks, or less would fly, but the more expensive stuff wouldnt sell as well (asics has a pair of shorts for 50!). I personally like the more basic stuff. I mean, a 60 dollar long sleeve top? That only costs the store 30 bucks usually. I'm just glad I worked at one so I got a lot of free/cheap stuff, b/c there is no way in hell I'll ever pay 70 bucks for running pants, or 130 bucks for shoes, knowing what you can actually get them for. I mean, if you use an employee purchase form, you can get a 130 dollar pair of shoes for about 50 bucks i believe.

Buy at the end of the season, the store will often give you 30% or so off the price. Of course, that does not keep your legs warm this winter, but next March, you can buy the same tights for about $50. I believe that you should buy quality. Some of the stuff out there is garbage. I've mentioned to the Hind rep in my area that I feel badly whenever I buy one of his products becuase they are so expensive, but I've NEVER regretted it after the fact - Why? Because they hold up better than virtually anything else I own. Spend for quality, but don't be crazy about it.

Wayne

I'm with you mate. You get what you pay for. Your stuff is likely to last a while and not make you look like some cheapskate plodder.

If you are a runner with any ambition spend the cash and get some decent running stuff.

The shit is so expensive cause were not a mainstream sport. First the shit is hard to find just like a running specialty store, and when you do get it, not enough people buy the stuff to keep the prices down.

chuck d wrote:

i hope you're a girl if you're wearing tights.

What is up with this attitude? I have heard this from numerous male runners. I don't get it. What, exactly, is feminine about tights?

I can't run fast in sweatpants, or windpants (the swishing is so f'ing annoying), so I can't see any alternative to tights. Is there something else out there that is comfortable, warm, and NOT bulky?