Select BITR Apparel On Sale. Shop Now
Running Apparel • October 11, 2019

Spruced Athletics Apparel Review

Spruced Athletics - feature

Jarrett: You may not have heard of Spruced Athletics… yet. They are a small boutique running apparel company out of Washington, D.C., our companion city to the southwest

Before Spruced Athletics was born, the founder, Ben, was running races in Hawaiian Aloha shirts, because, hey— why not. However, running in cotton sucks. I know because I’ve done it in a pouring-rain trail race where as part of a relay team. The nip pain was real and raw.

Anyway, Ben wanted to make his own running shirts that showed off his personality. After an injury kept him from running for an extended time, he took to sewing. Soon after, Spruced Athletics was born.

Today, all of their shirts are made with an imported 100% polyester fabric and receive a ChitoSanté treatment. For you non-technical folks, that means it’s got all the good qualities of an athletic shirt— breathable, fast-drying, odor-resistant, etc.

Enough technical talk. Let’s get into the gear!

Canoe Dig It? Collar

Jarrett: Spruced Athletics sets itself apart from the rest of the running industry by making collared running technical shirts, and they do a damn good job.

First off, I appreciate a good pun, so I enjoy the hell out of the name of the shirt. Second, it’s hard to ignore the actual art that’s present.

Spruced collaborated with a local watercolor artist to come up with a true representation of the great outdoors, namely the nearby Shenandoah Valley. The result is a design that’s funky and fun, but not obnoxious.

The shirt is very comfortable. My size medium felt true to size and fit great. It wasn’t bouncing around or making me feel like a sausage.

Spruced Athletics Feature 2

Canoe Dig It? Collared

Now, it’s not as light as some other technical shirts out there, but it excels in other areas. For example, after runs in the excessive Maryland heat (that finally broke this week), I wasn’t wringing sweat out like a sponge. It was also surprisingly breathable for the weight.

Two things I noticed were 1) how sophisticated I felt, and 2) the number of compliments I got. If you’ve never run in a collared shirt, you gotta try it. It’s many steps above wearing a tuxedo t-shirt, and right below wearing an actual tuxedo.

Finally, a small detail I appreciated was the tag at the bottom. It added an extra touch of class. Like a nice pocket square.

My only complaint was that while running into headwind I noticed the collar points flapping a bit. A possible fix could be having a small plastic snap to keep them down and in place. It wasn’t anywhere close to a deal-breaker for me though.

You can pick up the shirt for $65.00 and save 10% by using code BELIEVE10.

Shop Canoe Dig It? Collared

Peak Bloom Men’s Tank

Springtime in D.C. means one thing— the cherry blossom bloom. Tens of thousands of people flock to the city to catch the bloom around the National Mall, which varies wildly depending on the temperament of the weather. There’s even a hugely popular race dedicated to the peak cherry blossom bloom— the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler.

And now there’s a running tank.

First off, I love the idea and the design. I took this through a few runs, and while it’s not the lightest of materials, it’s nevertheless comfortable. I call these types of singlets my “spring singlets.” Which works perfectly for a cherry blossom design.

The design, by the way, is also done by DC-based artist Vicky Chao, who has done a lot of the designs for Spruced.

Spruced Athletics peak bloom Tank

Peak Bloom Tank

Like Jarrett, I also love small touches of branding on running gear. Spruced Athletics puts their nice little tag on the bottom hem, which is exactly where it should be.

For the quality, design, and craftsmanship that Spruced puts out, you can’t beat the price either.

The design also comes in collar and long-sleeve versions. You can get the tank for $48, and save 10% by using the code BELIEVE10.

Shop Peak Bloom Tank

 

Hibiscus Business Women’s Tank

Meaghan: As someone who is typically wearing head to toe black running apparel, the Hibiscus tank is a bold statement piece in my collection. And that’s exactly what Spruced intended. Their mission statement is to “liven up your athletic apparel!”

Spruced Athletics Hibiscus Women's Tank

Hibiscus Tank

The Hibiscus tank was a collaboration with Vicky Chao, a DC-based artist. The material is light, breathable and it fits true to size. It’s not a snug fit, but it’s also not overly loose. It’s a good option for a warm summer day, or if you’re looking to stand out in a crowd.

I also love the name, “business” tank. The tank retails for $48, but you can snag it on sale for $40. And save 10% by using code BELIEVE10!

Shop Hibiscus Tank
0
Comments

Have something to say? Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Post
Next Post
Previous Post
Read Article spibelt roundup
Running Accessories • October 11, 2019

SPIbelt Running Belt Roundup | Fall 2019

Next Post
Read Article Hemp Daddy's - Caleb Simpson