What I’m NOT spending money on
For myself, anyway.
After telling you how much money I spend on races, and reading a cold weather running gear article in Competitor, I thought I should share what I am apparently NOT spending a lot of money on – expensive running gear.
I read this article and added up the cost for the outfit for each model – the men’s was $548 and the women’s was $479. Neither included underwear (in case you’re in to wearing them, ha ha). The women’s didn’t include a bra. That seems like a lot for one outfit! (click image to see larger)
Of course, you wouldn’t buy that all at once. And they are definitely high quality investment pieces – you could use them over and over again. But a jacket for $200 or $130? $100 dollar tights? Why does that seem so high to me? Oh, because I mostly shop at Kohl’s and JCPenney and feel like I’m living on the edge when I get a $50 Under Armour Cold Gear Mock Tee, or get those Smart Wool socks (which they did include) . Ha ha. Or spend $50 on any one item.
What is the most you have spent on a piece of exercise apparel?
I am actually planning on spending $100 on a new jacket soon (ha ha, hypocrite!) for my multisport club. And I have spent more, on other people, for gifts.
And I didn’t include shoes. Ugh, when mine come out new they are over $100! But I have been getting the older model for around $55 for awhile now.
Themocracy
I just did a post on cold weather gear and listed out prices. My most expensive piece of gear, to date (not including shoes) is my Athleta Headwinds Jacket which was approximately $99. That being said, I bought it like 5 years ago and it still looks brand new.
I can’t buy tights that aren’t long so my tights are always kissing $80. Oh and I bought a pair of CW-X insulated tights for $125 but they were too short so I’m getting rid of those. I guess they count too though.
This stuff is expensive!
Oh man! What a bummer that your CW-X ones were too short. Do they not make longs?! And that is great your jacket is still going so strong! I bet my stuff will only last a bit longer since it’s cheaper. I bet I spend the same in the end 😉
I have one super warm, awesome running jacket that I received as a gift last year. It probably cost $150 and while I’d probably never spend that on myself, the jacket is worth it and I’d recommend it to others who tend to spend more on fitness gear.
One thing I do to save money is mainly wear long sleeved tech tees from races under my jackets in the winter. Then I only need to spend money on base layer stuff.
I wouldn’t mind if someone got me something like that! LOL 🙂
I think that is the method I follow – spend money on the base then just pile layers on. Sigh. My oldest UA cold gear top from 2007 is getting QUITE smelly though 🙁
I’m right there with ya. I get a lot of gear at Kohl’s and Target and thanks to you, I know about and love JCPenney gear too. The lower priced stuff works great for me so why spend more for the brand?!
It seems to work well for me too! Sometimes I might look at a nicer brand because I like the design 🙂 But I hardly ever get it. LOL
Yeah that is nuts. No way would I pay that much for an outfit. The most expensive thing I have is my CWX tights…. and they were so expensive I wouldn’t buy them for myself. I waited and asked for them for Christmas one year. I buy a lot of my gear at TJ Maxx…. i got a great pair of fleece lined tights there Monday for $18. The only time I splurge on something “fancy” is when I get a gift card.
Oh! I have heard great things about TJ Maxx! I do have to admit I am curious about the CWX! Do you love them?!
Kohls had tights on sale for $15 this week!!!
I want to love them, but I can’t get the sizing right. My legs are really short, but I have pretty big thighs and hips. I wanted them to be the right length so they provided the muscular support in the right places so I had to get a XS. But they are so tight that it is a little uncomfortable and it makes me feel like I always have to pee when I wear them!
Plus, the seams on the inner thighs all came apart after a year. They replaced them and I’ve had this pair now for 2 years.
Aww man! That is a bummer! I hope they fix that in the future! It is good that they replaced the messed up pair!
LOL @ feeling like you always have to pee.
I just bought 2 pairs of tights from REI on super clearance this season, under $50 for the two combined. I feel like they were a great buy because I wear them to tailgates (and around the house a lot!). It still seems so strange to buy winter clothing, after being in AZ for so long. Luckily, it seems like winter gear lasts a bit longer, but it may just be because I use it less 🙂
I have spent between $60-80 on a piece like CWX tights or Nuu Muu dresses, but I feel like I get a lot of wear out of them. And if I can find a coupon I am all over that. I’ve gotten great deals at Goodwill too. Nike and Brooks for $5 is hard to beat. Obviously,I’ve got to head over to Kohl’s now (with coupon).
And those dresses are SOOOOO cute! I need to remember to look at Good Will. I am loving the throw away jacket I got there and didn’t throw away at Naperville!
Let me know what you find at Kohl’s! (The tights I referenced in the comments were men’s online but I just got a cool FILA pair online that they might have there!)
I was going to respond with the Goodwill option, as well. You don’t get to choose colors or type of clothing but when you find something, buy it! They often don’t know that it should be in the Activewear section so you have to spend some time looking thru all womens’ shirts, but I have found some awesome deals on UA thermal shirts ($3). Heck yeah!
Do you go to the one on 83 in RLB? Or the one on 60 in Mundelein? 🙂 I have to try to be patient to look through the racks! I am not very good at that! 😉
Typically I go to the one on 83 in RLB. And yes, you need TONS of patience. I have to get myself mentally prepared to be there for 2 hours when I go.
My most expensive pieces are the 30 I spent on a running jacket and the 28 I spent on a compression shirt. My pants baselayer was 20 for Costco, the shirts are usually from races haha. (That may not be a pro-answer lol, but most of my running gear is from races…my coldest piece of gear is my fleece from the polar dash if it’s too cold for my running jacket. All of my tech tops are from races.) My headband for my ears is from a race, my scarf was a gift, and the only gloves I can stand are the cheapie $1 magic gloves because I hate gloves and inevitably stuff them in my pocket. Even my shoes I’ve never spent more than 55…running can be done economically, but like anything else you can go to the other extreme too. Even then I can’t imagine a 600 outfit…think of all the races you could do! 😮
That is awesome you use the shirts you get from races so much! 🙂 And those ugly ones are a great base layer for the winter! Ha! Why didn’t I think of that before I ditched most of them (I still have a ton, lol)? 😉
Now you have me thinking! I have some pieces that I would consider ‘expensive’ but I got them for such great deals. Like my Sport Hill jacket from REI outlet I got for 30ish bucks – I think it was over 150 regular price! (I also have a couple other tops from that brand that I’ve got for great prices)
Also my Nike tights were about 50ish, but I had a $50 gift card, so I paid like 5 bucks total. Me=cheap.
I think the most I’ve spent is on a sports bra, and even that was only $40 something. (Not counting shoes. If we are counting shoes, then I’ve spent over $100)
I spent about $160 on cycling shoes and about $85 on cycling shorts this year. I’d really like to invest in some winter cycling clothing, but just can’t see spending the large sums of money to get out and ride in the frigid Ohio winter.
Hmm, I wonder if my cycling shoes were more $$$ than my running shoes! Cycling apparel is SOOO expensive. But they make SUCH COOL stuff! I wish I could buy it all! 🙂 And I don’t even ride that much! 🙂
I saw some cute stuff at Kohl’s when I made an emergency stop for a sports bra for BodyPump. (Note: I didn’t think it was professional to free boob a class.)
I don’t think I’ve ever spent a ton of money on clothes. I bought some Mizuno tights on sale over Black Friday weekend that were just shy of $70 but otherwise it’s sales racks, outlets, Old Navy and TJ Maxx.
I once bought a pair of Underarmour lined tights for full price at Dick’s Sporting Goods because I needed them last minute to go skiing. Turns out I don’t even like to wear them skiing because the ankles are too tight.
Normally, though, I try to look for deals. I actually only own two pairs of running tights so I asked for some more for Christmas. I’m REALLY picky, though, so we’ll see 🙂
It probably helps that you and I don’t mind running “cold” so we don’t need the $300 windproof, lined, super-insulating breathable jacket. Although, the North Face one I ran in as a demo a few years ago was pretty nice…
Yeah, I think that is a huge help! I was actually too WARM on yesterday’s run and felt annoyed!
I have found if you hit up running stores around the 4th of July, their winter stuff is super cheap. That is how I bought my two pair of tights. I heard Santa bought me a jacket at Target…
well since lululemon owns my soul, i’ve spent way more than i ever should have on athletic apparel. but, but, i did get a super awesome lined jacket from there in about april for 50% off that has saved me this winter. (mind you that 50% off was still about 90 bucks)
i’ve got a few craft, smartwool, and mizuno pieces that i bought at cost only because i work at a running store…if not i would still be sporting my 1990’s cotton t’s. something that i have found is worth the investment is GLOVES!
instead of investing my money in stocks and bonds, i seem to invest it in luon and spandex.
LOL! I will have to try a lulu item one day and see if I love it as much as the people I know who wear their stuff do! 🙂
I did ask for gloves for the holiday! I wear the cheapie target ones but think a legit running pair might be nice 🙂
Well you know I coupon/discount-stalk everything – if I were to say full price (versus what I actually paid), it’d be my running raincoat, which was $100. But I got it with 40% off and $10 coupons, so it was only $50. Hmmmm, I’d guess the most I’ve actually spent on anything is $60 for a bra from Athleta. But it’s a really sweet bra, and I’ve had a hard time finding good sports bras (for me, I know they exist!) that aren’t crazy expensive.
I guess I feel kind of silly spending a ton of money on clothes that I’m just going to sweat in, you know? I mean I want them to be good quality and functional (e.g., a rain coat that actually beads water, cold-weather gear that actually keeps me warm), but I could care less about fancy brands. I buy most of my stuff at Kohl’s, Target and Old Navy. My MIL buys me one single lulu top each year for my birthday. I usually have to exchange for size, and am like WTF, why did she just blow $50 on a tank top?! That $50 could have gotten me like 2 pairs of capris and a tank at Kohl’s, since I’m assuming there’d be a 30% off coupon and sale happening.
Oh man! That is great that you found a bra you love but too bad it’s so $$$. Did you buy several of them? I like to have a lot of sports bras, but mine are just over $20.
Ha ha. I didn’t think about it that way! LOL. Don’t you want to look cute when you sweat? Oh wait, we can still look cute without spending our entire paycheck.
What do you think of the lulu tops? Do you like them? 🙂 (disregarding the huge price tag)
I think the most I ever spent on running stuff was for shoes…although my next highest is probably an Under Armour cold gear item. You know me..I’m a bargain hunter! 🙂
I love the Nike 1/2 zips I get at Dicks when they’re on sale for 25% off plus I use the $20 off apparel coupon that’s often in race bags and bonus if I have some Dick’s cash.
I remember gagging when I spent $$ on UA Coldgear mock and tights but 7 years later, they’re as great as ever.
The most I ever spent was $185 on a Sugoi jacket. But if I amortize that over time, it was well worth it. Ugh 185 though.
Buah! I love that you used the word amortize! Hee hee hee! We are always talking about payback period, etc. at work. Love it. That is what we should really be tracking 😉
Every time I go somewhere that sells running gear and has sales racks I take a quick second to browse. I am yet to pay fullprice for aanything but shoes! I’m not brand loyal, which helps a lot in the money/selection dept, but I do own a fair amount of brand name gear. I also own a lot of random brands I don’t recognize…that gear still gets the job done!
I have a bunch of ebay alerts set up, and have been able to score some good prices on good winter running pieces and sports bras. My best deal was probably Craft tights for $25, pretty sure they were brand new.
As for most expensive, my guess is race stuff, probably the Ragnar zip-up I got at the start line. So, $60-70 for one piece?
Nice gear is expensive as heck! I’m totally guilty of occasionally jumping on the Lulu bandwagon and splurging on some of their clothes. I’ve had pretty good luck there so far with the few pieces I own…it still looks (and smells!) brand new. While I do believe that it’s necessary to invest in some running staples like jackets and tights (and socks), I often browse TJ Maxx and Marshall’s for great running clothes. There is just no way I can afford to fill my running/exercise wardrobe with all expen$ive gear, it’s just not possible! Plus, there is great affordable gear out there if you look hard enough, right?
I buy a ton at Sierra trading post- last years fancy gear for deep discounts. I recently discovered the running section at swim outlet.com – awesome. Also, active gear up and The Clymb. And I use ebates and active junky for cash back. Check my found links page for tons of suggestions. I hate to pay a lot for workout clothes!!
I feel like I’m always playing the “Florida card” lately, but I don’t need a thick running jacket. I have my favorite light jacket that I got from H&M actually. When I go somewhere where it’s cold I just dress inappropriately with too many long sleeved shirts and some $2 gloves from Target then claim that I don’t know how to dress for the cold. Seeing all this snow people are running in boggles my mind. I can imagine the varying climates would require a different (and more expensive) wardrobe.
Yeah! I didn’t even think of that! It would be a lot less expensive if you lived somewhere that was warm most of the year! 🙂
I think my most expensive item is a Brooks running jacket. It is supposed to be windproof or something like that. I don’t think it is true because even with two other layers and one being a Nike Pro Hyperwarm layer, I was STILL cold.