We recently talked about 5 Pieces of Gear to Save on for Endurance Athletes and 6 Pieces of Gear to Splurge on for Endurance Athletes. The save/splurge camps were pretty simple to divide, but there are a few types of gear that I kept waffling on, because for some people, things like fit and material would matter significantly more. So, I wanted to make a list of the pieces of gear that *could* be bought on the cheap for some people, but there were others who really should focus on buying based on quality and not focusing on the price tag.
To be clear: We DO NOT mean that you need to buy the most expensive version of all of these things, even if you’re in the “splurge” side of these categories. We simply mean that for these pieces of gear, you shouldn’t opt for the cheapest ones available because they’re more likely to break fast, wear out, or be uncomfortable enough that you need to replace them almost immediately.
OK, here we go!
Sports Bras
- Splurge: If you’re busty and need the compression/need to keep the girls stabilized, you don’t want to cheap out here. I know quite a few runners and cyclists who are more well-endowed, and they’ve told me time and time again that not only do fit and comfort matter, compression is key, and cheap sports bras—even ones that fit and are comfy initially—tend to break down after just a couple of wears.
- Save: If you have a smaller chest and don’t have any issues with pain from bouncing when you run/ride, you can definitely get away with cheap sports bras + bralettes. (I prefer a really lightweight $6 bralette for cycling and running, since between bibs, heart rate strap, jersey, vest, etc on the bike and a shirt + hydration pack on the run, there’s already a lot of compression happening without the bra being compressive!)
Run/Ride Food + Drink Mix
- Splurge: For racing and for training-for-racing prep, especially if you have a sensitive gut. I like Tailwind for racing since I can get my fuel and hydration in one sip, so I use it for races and for long training runs that are serious race prep, so that my gut is used to it for race day.
- Save: For endurance rides and casual rides, if money is tight, use regular food as ride food. We use a flask of maple syrup with a pinch of salt for most rides and runs, plus cheap stroopwaffles from the grocery store, homemade cookies, etc. and save the Tailwind and gels for key training days and racing.
Winter Cycling/Running Coats
- Splurge: If you live in a winter climate and train outside a lot—a good winter coat can be a huge help and make it much more possible to actually get out to run/ride. Often, you have to go to higher-end brands just to get the pockets that you want, the good warm-but-breathable materials, and zippers that will actually last for years.
- Save: If you don’t often train in super cold weather, you can just add a couple layers under a raincoat for those few freezing days. That’s what we do when we travel in the winter rather than toting around a winter coat and a raincoat.
Gloves, Hats, Other Accessories
- Splurge: Again, if you live in a winter climate and train outside a lot, having gloves that actually are comfortable and work well in different conditions is a big help.
- Save: If you don’t train in bad weather often, honestly, I’ve spent years training with dollar store gloves and hats, and Peter swears by $1 bricklayer gloves for riding in a lot of crappy weather conditions (the rubber grips help keep your hands on the bars!). And now that we’re up in Canada more often in cold weather, I do appreciate having merino wool hats that are designed for running / being worn under helmets.
