We spent three days checking out new gear at the Aug. 4-8 Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. The gallery of images below is a brief overview of running shoe and apparel trends based on 2016 products unveiled at the show.
RELATED: First Look at 31 New Shoes for 2016
VIDEO: First Look—Altra IQ High-Tech Shoe
Photo Gallery
1 of {count}
Back to Start
View Larger Image
More for Men
Expressive colors, fusion of form and function and intelligent details, long a cornerstone of women’s fitness apparel, are now more readily available for men. Traditional cuts and colors still rule the racks, but many collections now include pieces with color blocking and patterns, as well as generous pockets and media ports.
Pictured: Bold Patterns rule in Brooks Sherpa 5” Short ($54), while blocked colors and mesh accents give a new look to the classic track jacket lines in the Run-Thru Jacket ($110)
View Larger Image
Athleisure and Sport Blending
Whether it's running clothes that look good enough for a post-run beer stop, like the Icebreaker Strike Half Zip SS pictured above, or brands making gear that can work for multiple sports, apparel companies have embraced the runner-led concept that running isn’t just something you do, it’s part of your life. Pictured: The Strike Half Zip SS ($100) from Icebreaker looks like a respectable collared shirt when unzipped, yet performs like a beast on the run.
View Larger Image
Creative Fabric Combinations
It’s long been the norm that when a new fabric technology was introduced, it was used in whole garments. Now companies are using not just the latest or best technologies and fabrics, but the smartest combinations of materials. Wicking, cooling, mesh and compression may be incorporated into key areas of one garment for the best possible user experience. At the same time, materials also continue to evolve. New fabrics sheer enough to see through when held to the light, yet demurely opaque on body, dry faster and breathe better than ever. Jacquard knits added to high sweat zones look pretty and enhance moisture evaporation. Pictured: La Sportiva’s Speed T Shirt ($79) and Sprint Tank ($59) incorporate stretchy, abrasion-resistant fabrics (for under hydration packs), ruching and a chafe-reducing glide treatment in their latest crop of running tops.
View Larger Image
Take it With You
We’ve become attached to our handheld devices and manufactures have taken notice, making it easier than ever to take it with you. Smartly placed and generously sized, moisture-resistant media pockets and mesh pockets with plenty of stretch are becoming more common. Pictured: Merrell’s Capra Tech Tee ($90) for men has a reinforced and moisture resistant media pocket on the chest.
View Larger Image
Fashionable Finishes
Just because sewn seams are a necessity doesn’t mean they can’t be fun. Sewing and seam sealing technologies have advanced to the point of being able to incorporate functional design embellishments. Color contrast seams, pin stitches, zigzag stitching and marrow hems appear in unexpected places. Zipper pulls become media cable holders and reflective pops and stitching make it easier than ever to stand out in a good way. The advanced technologies also give more freedom to design. Traditional shirts take an unexpected turn with open backs, curved drop tail hems deliver extra coverage, as well as shirts that stay in place, laser cut venting gets rid of sweat in artful designs and pops of color give basic pieces a fresh edge. Pictured: Getting a new PR feels easier in New Balance’s sleek Precision Run kit (shorts $80, Tank $80, half zip $135) with laser cut venting, tacked leg seams, reflective pops, seam sealed hems and color blocking.
View Larger Image
Bold Prints and Patterns
Bold geometric patterns, nature inspired prints, bright colors and more subtle hues are joyously rampant. Mix and match, set them off with a solid, wear a little or a wear a lot—the days of boring basics are long gone. Salomon, Patagonia and even L.L. Bean have joined the ranks of Nike, Saucony, and Skechers among others, with their own eye-catching prints to help runners stand out from the crowd. Pictured: Bold patterns mixed with a flowy fabric and braided back strap make bold statement in Saucony’s Strider Tanks ($42).
View Larger Image
Multi-faceted Materials
New materials are helping run shoe manufacturers make big advances in how shoes are constructed, how they fit and what kind of protection and safety they can offer. Pictured: Nike has enhanced its weatherized line of shoes for the winter (LunarGlide 7, Pegasus 32, Free 5.0 and Structure 19), improving the water-resistant construction without infringing on the natural flex patterns and also a adding multicolored "Aurora Borealis" reflectivity pattern.
View Larger Image
Cushion Is Still King
Let's face it, most runners really like cushioning under their feet and the advent of maximalist shoes has only made us appreciate and crave it more. Advances in material science has led to the development of new cushioning foams that are both absorbent and resilient. Pictured: Saucony's new Everun foam is a lively new material that provides considerably more energy return than standard EVA cushioning foams and maintains its resiliency three times longer. The new material will be inserted over the strobel board (underneath the cushioned sockliner) as well as in the impact zone of the heel (highlighted in orange in this shoe) to enhance the step-in feel and ride in the Hurricane ISO 2 other many other shoes in Saucony's line.
View Larger Image
Speed Rules
The combination of more runners training for races and a continued push to lighter shoes has led to a new wave of lightweight performance trainers that can double as racing flats. Picutred: One of the key shoes in Hoka's new speed line is the Tracer, a 7.1 oz. (men's size 9) speed flat with a 4mm heel-toe offset and a low-to-the-ground feel.
View Larger Image
New is Better
Shoe brands are continuing to think outside the box in how they build shoes and that allows for innovations that lead to change. Pictured: The Brooks' Neuro lightweight trainer is one of the first shoes in the brand's Propel category, which is focused on a neutral ride with a balanced feel for the ground. Designed to be a fast performance-oriented everyday trainer for agile runners, the shoe completely decouples at the midfoot, offering maximum flexibility in all directions. The outsole and midsole are built on a series of unique cushioning pods that have softer foam interiors surrounded by columns of firmer materials. ($130, 6mm heel-toe offset, 9.4 oz)
View Larger Image
Trail Running is Rising
There are more trail running shoe offerings than ever before from more and more brands than ever before. Trail shoes are falling into three main categories: lightweight, agile short-distance racers, moderate do-everything models and more cushioned/protective long-haul shoes. And within each of those categories, shoes are being refined. Pictured: No longer carrying the 1210 numeric tag in its name, the new Leadville trail runner is about a 1/2 ounce lighter. It has a new outsole lug confirguration, a modern stability post (higher foam on the medial side) and new textile ripstop upper overlays. ($125, 8mm heel-toe offset, 10.8 oz.)
More Galleries
The post 2016 Running Shoe and Apparel Trends appeared first on Competitor.com.