💬 Friday Thread: Are tariffs impacting your running gear?

Have they changed how/when/what you're buying?

The other day, I stumbled across this deep dive into how the new tariffs on imported goods to the U.S. will impact the prices of running shoes and gear by Zoë Rom, editor-in-chief of Trail Runner magazine.

In the piece, which I highly recommend reading, she focuses primarily on how trail running gear will be affected. But it’s not hard to see how all running-related gear — and, by extension, all other fitness-related gear — will eventually be affected:

With a pre-tariff retail price of about $155, roughly the industry median, a single pair of trail running shoes could soon cost closer to $220 at checkout.

We are likely to see tariffs affect the cost of other gear, too. Most running packs rely on materials like nylon, polyester, buckles, and zippers sourced from these same countries. A pack that used to cost $150 may now be priced at $219. Apparel isn’t spared, either: a $75 pair of shorts becomes $109.50, a $55 shirt jumps to $80.30, and a $150 rain shell spikes to $219.

In short, if you’re a runner buying two pairs of shoes, one pack, and a few pieces of apparel per year, your annual gear budget could climb by more than $300, all without upgrading a single item.

So my question is, are you seeing any impacts from the tariffs where you shop? You may not just yet; they haven’t quite kicked in for most of us. But once they do, how do you think they’ll affect you?

Will you change what, or when, you buy new shoes or gear or clothing? What are you thinking/feeling about it all? — Terrell