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Our monthly dispatch of the best things brewing in run culture
The past month’s best running drops, collaborations, and special releases
Literary Sport, Tracksmith, Bandit, Unna, Optimistic Runners, Adidas, Nike ACG, Currently Running, 247 Represent, Soar, and WDYR
Bandit SS2026
February just passed by like a high-speed train, with no time to get on board. After our sneak previews during Paris Fashion Week, it’s good to see brands starting to release their first spring-summer items. I still find it strange to think about shorts when most of the northern part of the planet is still covered in snow or even worse, ice!
Over the past two weeks, the internet has been full of debate over the Satisfy vs. Currently Running situation. If you are not familiar, just do a quick Google search, and you will get the scoop. But what surprised me most was that the debate moved beyond the usual “running only” threads. I saw fashion influencers and marketing analysts posting their take on the story.
The year is just getting started, and these were the most notable items dropping in the month.
Well Read
Literary Sport’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection landed with a campaign shot at the Amalia Hernández House in Mexico City. The palette mixes bone, charcoal, and navy with punches of scarlet red and verdant green. Key pieces include a semi-sheer Japanese nylon running jacket, a knee-length navy car coat (a reworking of a 1930s silhouette), loopback terry sweatpants, and tights in French-milled wool.
Major Leagues
Tracksmith has rolled out its annual Marathon Collection for 2026, covering the spring majors Tokyo, Boston, and London. Per tradition, each city gets its own commemorative kit, all rendered in colorways specific to each race. Tokyo gets nods to Edo purple and cherry blossom tones. Boston references Boylston Street. This time, the Van Cortland singlet is also reversible, so you get 2 for one. The collection went live alongside Tracksmith’s Tokyo pop-up, where runners could also pick up in-store exclusives in collaboration with cult brand Noah.
Speed Thrills
In Milan, Nike ACG and Mental Athletic transformed Spazio Maiocchi into the “Exhibition of S.P.E.E.D.” (Sweat, Pain, Endurance, Euphoria, Discovery). The installation functioned as a “backyard-style” ultra racecourse, with 26 athletes completing up to 666 laps on a repetitive 150-meter indoor dirt loop. The event served as a live test for the new ACG Ultrafly Trail SP, stripping trail running of its scenic dopamine and focusing purely on the mental delirium of repetition. Spectators watched through glass as runners navigated rocks and elevation bumps in near-silence, highlighting a shift in how brands are presenting endurance sports as performance art.
Not Satisfied
California-based Currently Running celebrated the grand opening of its Los Angeles space. Dubbed Currently Running Studios, the flagship is positioned as more than a retail destination; it’s set up to host creative workshops and running sessions alongside carrying the full collection in-store. The brand, which grew from a surf magazine into a premium running apparel label, has kept its visual approach rooted in film and photography. The LA studio formalizes the brand’s community dimension in its home state.
Pro Trail
Optimistic Runners’ Spring/Summer 2026 collection expands into distance running and trail, with lighter materials but protective enough for varied conditions. On the product side, this includes a hydration vest, running belt, protective cap, and updates to their current line of shorts, tops, and accessories. The campaign, shot in their home base of Berlin, was created in collaboration with creative director Max Henri van Christensen.
Swedish Swag
Swedish brand Unna, famous for its unique vision of running, has always come up with interesting ways to present its product. Their latest videos for their Spring Summer campaign show a funny behind-the-scenes look at what happens when shooting for spring in winter. The campaign showcases the new purple colorway of their striped long-sleeve, as well as new colorways of the Smiles Windstopper, Wavy tee, and socks.
Represent the Past
Represent’s performance arm 247 launched its SS26 collection, a 42-piece range built around the visual language of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Star motifs, torch graphics, sun-bleached washes, and a cayenne-accented palette pull from that era’s California athletic aesthetic. The collection covers outerwear, apparel, and accessories, including an 80s-inspired duffle bag and a running belt.
Weird Sisters
Hong Kong-based Wyrd Running released the Nova Tee as part of their ongoing performance lineup. The tee is built from a 3D fabric-structured mesh designed to wick sweat and enhance breathability, machine-dyed with the brand’s “Nova” — or “New Star” — insignia. It’s positioned as multipurpose: wearable under or over other layers, or on its own. Available for preorder with a June dispatch.
Spring Things
Bandit dropped the first delivery of its Spring 2026 “Quiet Miles” collection. The full season spans 69 products across two deliveries, and this first batch leads with transitional pieces: water-resistant jackets, compression shorts, tank tops, two new sports bras, and accessories. The color palette runs from navy and brown into creams and pinks, darker tones to start, with the lighter spring colors expected to follow in the second drop.
Rock Star Status
Pharrell and adidas dropped the Humanrace Evolution Pro, a $1,000 concept shoe built on the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 chassis. The shoe includes a mono-mesh upper with a raised 5D dot pattern, a wider sole than the original Evo Pro 1, and “haptic” touch-reactive elements across the outsole. Lightstrike Pro midsole underneath. The shoe was released in ultra-limited quantities via adidas.com and select retailers.
Rock Star Status
February brought another release from Minted New York with several notable product drops. The headline piece is the Nexus Shell, a waterproof, breathable jacket featuring 100% nylon construction, light-reflective striping, and an ergonomic three-way-adjustable hood. The brand also released the ThermoKnit pieces and their amazing two-in-one tee shirt line, LinoCotton, which is a mix of two shirts and two materials, linen and cotton.
Springing Summer
Soar launched the first drops of their Spring-Summer collection. It includes the brand’s graphene-printed vest in new colors. The vest is a featherweight singlet with a printed graphene circuit that conducts heat away from the body. The X Race category also includes an updated ADV race vest with a looser fit and new colors, as well as ADV shorts. For their xRun category, there are also new colors of their Eco Tech Tee, Long-sleeve tech tee, and running shorts.
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Alfredo is a runner, writer, creative director, and cultural analyst based in Berlin. After years as a casual runner, his move to Berlin transformed his running into a vital practice for mental health and a source of tranquility during cold, early morning runs. His interest in clothes comes from uniforms and sportswear, combined with a love for innovation and research—which might explain why he meticulously charts his winter running gear.
More from Alfredo
Good article, thank you! Double check the “Shop Soar” link?
Thanks, fixed!