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Tracksmith Cold Weather Gear Review

We have been really happy with the quality of the gear we have received from Tracksmith. The shorts and singlets are some of our all-time favorite apparel. This winter they sent us some of their colder weather goods so we took it on the streets of Baltimore to try it out.

The Good

Tracksmith Brighton Turnover

THOMAS: Tights are tough to get right so I wasn’t expecting too much from Tracksmith on their first try. Pulling the Turnover Running Tights out of their wrapping you will notice the cool details that help Tracksmith stand out from the rest of your running laundry. First, I love the double layer of material that helps keep the wind from freezing your sensitive parts off. This can be overlooked often when purchasing cold weather gear, but trust me it is worth it. The silicone waistband helps keep the tights from pulling down. It is surprisingly comfortable. There is one zippered pocket on the side that is a good size for a key or credit card. Tracksmith says it can hold a phone while keeping it from bouncing around. I did not try that on my runs. Let me know if you have the tights and have run with your phone in the comments. Tracksmith’s styling goes down to the zippers. My black pair of Turnover Tights has gold zippers running down the back near the Achilles. I am cautious about zippers on tights, if you are not careful a zipper can shred your skin over the tendon. Nothing to worry about in these tights. No irritation whatsoever. GOLD ZIPPERS!

Looks are one thing, performance is another. I ran in every temp from the teens to the mid 40’s. I was super comfortable. I ran in some pretty horrible winds with gusts up to 20 mph too. This is a tight for cold weather and I would not wear them for temps above 45º F. It is a personal comfort thing, but that is usually when I switch to shorts.

The other item from Tracksmith I tried out was the Brighton Base Layer, a soft wool fitted long sleeve top. This is one of those items that will make you want to workout. The shirt hugs and contours the body. Wool can be tough when it comes to skin comfort. The Brighton is luxuriously soft and warm. It has micro holes that help your skin breath when you start to warm up.

This shirt covers a wide spectrum of temps. Under a windbreaking jacket, it was all I needed for temps into the low 20ºs. If there was no wind the Brighton could take care of you on its own from high 30ºs.

women's tracksmith

MEAGHAN: I tested out the Bislett pants and Downeaster pull-over from Tracksmith.

I’ll start out with the pants. Since I live in tights, it’s nice to have another option for winter running. The Bislett pants are constructed from a Swiss-made, four-way stretch material. To the touch, the material feels a bit stiff, but once you put them on, they’re nothing but comfort. I love the fit. There’s a little room and give in the thighs and the lower legs taper to a snug fit around the ankle. There’s a zipper that runs down the calf so they’re easy to get on & off. My first run in the Bisletts was an easy 10-miler on a cloudy, 30-degree day. It was a cold 30, but the pants kept me warm. More so than your average pair of tights. The details are worth noting too. The drawstring waistband is super comfortable. No issues with rubbing. Tracksmith also incorporated a pocket on one of the pant legs. You wouldn’t notice it unless you’re looking for it. It’s perfect for a key or credit card.

The Downeaster pullover is a solid staple. It’s designed with the same Merino wool I talked about in the Tracksmith Harrier tank. It’s the magic material that somehow performs well in both cool and warm temps. It’s also great for casual wear. I found myself throwing this pullover on regardless if I was heading out for a run.

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The Bad

MEAGHAN: The only complaint I have is that the Downeaster shirt was snug so I didn’t want to wear anything underneath of it. This would normally be fine, but it’s pretty see-through. I would recommend sizing up if you want to wear layers underneath.

I brought this up on my last review, but I have to note it again. The price points of these garments are hard to wrap your head around. A pair of Bislett pants will cost you $148 and the Downeaster pullover, another $138. Their saving grace is the undeniable quality. This gear will last for years.

THOMAS: I kinda disagree on the issue with the price point that Meaghan noted. The gear is high quality and the materials will hold up. People will spend up to $200 on a pair of running shoes but have a hard time spending over $50 on a top or bottom that will outlast the shoes.

As far as drawbacks, the only one I have is that you better not be modest if you want to wear the Brighton top. I liked the way it looked on me, and if you are comfortable running shirtless in the summer you will fine. If you are not comfortable putting it all out there you may want something that isn’t as fitted.

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Conclusion

MEAGHAN: I’m kind of a Tracksmith fangirl. You can tell the people designing the apparel are runners. Fashionable ones. The details do not go unnoticed. I’ll be sporting the Bislett pants and Downeaster pullover for the remaining winter weeks and look forward to what’s next in the Spring/Summer lineup.

THOMAS: Like Meaghan, I love Tracksmith gear. Their marketing, branding, and gear are beautifully executed. I feel great in their products and that helps me get out the door and enjoy my miles.

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Comments

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  1. Neil Fishman says:

    Thomas, any thoughts on the Tracksmith Turnover Tights vs. Ashmei tights? Thank you

    1. Hi Neil, I can’t give an opinion between the tights because I haven’t tried the ashmei tights. All the ashmei products I have tried are very high quality, I would imagine it would come down to fit. -T

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