Tracksmith’s 2022/2023 Winter Collection is Bringing the Heat

There was a time when Tracksmith was a small, “boutique” running apparel company – with a small yet loyal following. They made New England-inspired items that seemed to bridge the gap between historical time periods of running with a modernized feel and performance-forward.

In fact, their name itself even showcases this:

“TRACK” is a symbol of commitment to training and racing, while “SMITH” represents dedication to a specialized craft – an obsession with quality and function.

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Tracksmith recently released their 2022 Winter Collection and we are here for it – per usual. It is a collection that just screams Autumn – a concoction of yellows, muted blues, maroons, and your staples of black and grey. Their main items are geared for those cold temperatures, with mostly a variety of thicker, yet still functional, tops, pants, accessories to keep you warm and stylish – even though the weather outside is doing its best to destroy your comfort.

Downeaster Crew

In New England, “Downeast” is defined, casually, as the “never-never land always east of where you are.” They are apparently referencing a region that stretches from Maine into the NE Canadian provinces that no one can remember. A Run Oregon Road Trip may be in order as I have heard that some amazing trails grace this area. However, even without ever being there, just thinking about the farrrrrrr NE US states has me remembering that winters there are…not comfortable. So I would imagine that if you are there in the offseason, you need some serious layering and cold-weather gear. That’s just what the Downeaster Crew aims to do – combine the running-positive qualities of Merino wool with a functional and attractive body (the shirt’s body – not mine!).

A lot of thought went into the construction of the top. You can see the material listed at the end of this post, but I learned this from the previously unknown “polypropylene”.

Not only does polypropylene have the lowest thermal conductivity of any fiber, which means it holds onto heat the longest, it’s also hydrophobic, quickly pulling moisture (i.e. sweat) to the surface where it can evaporate, rather than be absorbed into the Merino. The end result is a warm and comfortable pant that you’ll hate to take off.

Really cool stuff there. And I will be honest, this top is comfy. Like I just want to sit in front a fireplace with a glass of wine comfy. This fits and feels like a sweatshirt, but operates like a running shirt as it is lighter than it feels it should be. There are five colorways available and, as with most Tracksmith items, we recommend generally going a size up unless you are firmly entrenched in your size.

Fells Tights and Shorts

Holy crap, there is no reason why running bottoms should this comfortable. Honestly, I don’t know if I have worn any more buttery soft pair of bottoms when running. Sort of like a creep, I couldn’t stop feeling the material on the interior and the exterior. I don’t know how they did it (OK they did it with 87% Recycled Nylon / 13% Elastane in the Tights and 80% Nylon / 20% Elastane in the Shorts).

Both the shorts and tights look great, and the blue and green colorways are a really classic look. The brief liner in the tights was surprisingly comfortable and has held up really well on multiple runs. I would say that these run true to size, though, and pulling out of the box, we thought there was no way we were going to be able to fit in these. They seriously looked like they were only potentially going to fit my 13 year old daughter. But, there is ample stretch and we got these on without issue. Phew.

Even with the ability to stretch, there was almost no noticeable constriction. I expected wearing the Tights that lifting the knee would provide some restriction, but honestly it felt like I was mostly wearing nothing. I was expecting a lot of needing to adjust at the waist, crotch, and feet, but this never came to fruition. During my first run, I distinctly remember thinking, after 5 miles, “how are these staying in place so well?” As a man with no butt, larger thighs, and athletic calves, sizing can be tricky, but these both held up, amazingly well.

We love these.

Off Roads GoCap (collab w/ Ciele)

I love a good hat. I am sort of a hat aficionado of sorts – with now about 25 casual baseball caps and a variety of “true” running hats as well. The Off Roads GoCap – a collab between Tracksmith and running-hat-super-company Ciele – is a super solid option in this latter category. It’s relatively pricy for a hat, but provides a really solid look and function. There are two colorways available (red logo on blue or blue logo on red) and we REALLY love the combo of the one we received.

This five-panel adjustable cap fits more like a “real” hat as opposed to a running cap – which is a strong preference for me. I could almost wear this in public without anyone taking note it was a running hat. It is made from 100% polyester and is machine washable. The recycled poly allows for better odor control and moisture-wicking and it is easily packable as well. Count me as all in on this supergroup hat collaboration!