Yes, Tracksmith is worth the price for a few cold-weather pieces you’ll wear often, but not for a whole running wardrobe. I own three Tracksmith items: the Fells Tights ($160), the Harrier Long Sleeve ($110), and the Inverno Gloves ($35). All three are good, and I’d buy each one again. Price is my only real complaint.
The short answer: buy Tracksmith for the merino pieces that make cold runs better, like the Fells Tights and the Harrier, and buy the cheap Inverno Gloves without thinking twice. For basics like tees, base layers, and shorts, there’s cheaper gear that does the job, and Tracksmith’s own sale section often takes 30 to 60% off past colors.
Is Tracksmith Worth the Price? Quick Verdict
Tracksmith’s prices are high, but the gear I own earns them in the places that matter to me: warmth, comfort, and fit. Here’s how each piece I own holds up.
| Piece | Price | My verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Fells Tights | $160 | Worth it if you run through real winters. Warm, comfortable, stay in place. |
| Harrier Long Sleeve | $110 | Worth it as one top. The nicest long sleeve I own, but I wouldn’t buy a drawer of them. |
| Inverno Gloves | $35 | Easy yes. Good to about 30°F, touchscreen works, no complaints. |
What Does Tracksmith Cost?
These are Tracksmith’s full prices for the men’s versions of some of its best-known pieces, from tracksmith.com.
| Tracksmith piece | Type | Full price |
|---|---|---|
| Inverno Gloves | Merino blend running gloves | $35 |
| Van Cortlandt Singlet | Mesh racing singlet | $75 |
| Van Cortlandt Tee | Mesh running tee | $80 |
| Session Shorts | 5-inch lined shorts | $85 |
| Twilight Half Tights | 8-inch half tights, 3 pockets | $90 |
| Brighton Base Layer | Lightweight merino mesh long sleeve | $100 |
| Harrier Long Sleeve | Merino blend long sleeve | $110 |
| Fells Tights | Merino blend winter tights | $160 |
| Downeaster Half Zip | 100% merino mid layer | $170 |
Shipping is free on orders of $200 or more.
Tracksmith vs. Bandit and Merino.tech Prices
Tracksmith isn’t always the most expensive option. Against Bandit, another premium running brand I wear, it’s close and sometimes cheaper. The big gap is against budget merino.
| Category | Tracksmith | Alternative I own |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-weather tee | Van Cortlandt Tee, $80 | Bandit Micromesh Run Tee, $75 |
| Singlet | Van Cortlandt Singlet, $75 | Bandit Shredder Shorty Singlet, $98 |
| Half tights | Twilight Half Tights, $90 (3 pockets) | Bandit Superbeam Half Tights, $118 (7 pockets) |
| Merino long sleeve | Harrier, $110, or Brighton, $100 | Merino.tech 165, $49.99 |
| Warmer merino layer | Harrier, $110 | Merino.tech 250, from $58.99 |
The takeaway: Tracksmith’s pricing is normal for a premium running brand. You pay the real premium on merino, where a 100% merino Merino.tech top costs less than half of a Harrier.
I own the Harrier and both Merino.tech tops. The Harrier is nicer, but the Merino.tech tops are the better value, and they do a different job. The Merino.tech 165 is a slim base layer that I wear under other layers, while the relaxed Harrier is a top I wear on its own in cool weather.
Cheaper merino alternative to tracksmith
Merino.tech 165 Lightweight Long Sleeve Base Layer
A slim, 100% merino base layer that handles sweat and odor well on cold runs.
What Are Tracksmith Clothes Made Of?
Most of Tracksmith’s cold-weather line is merino wool blended with nylon, rather than 100% merino. The nylon adds stretch and durability, and some pieces use 37.5 Technology nylon, which Tracksmith says helps with temperature regulation and moisture.
| Piece | Fabric |
|---|---|
| Harrier Long Sleeve | 50% Merino (17.5 micron) / 41% 37.5 Nylon / 9% Nylon, 205 gsm |
| Fells Tights | 57% Merino / 40% Nylon / 3% Elastane, seamless textured knit |
| Inverno Gloves | 41% Nylon / 40% Merino / 19% Spandex body, 420 gsm |
| Brighton Base Layer | 52% Merino / 28% Nylon / 20% Polyester (solid colors), 145 gsm |
| Downeaster Half Zip | 100% Merino body |
In practice, this is what I like about the pieces I own. The Harrier is soft from the first step, handles sweat well, and doesn’t cling or feel wet and heavy once I start sweating. The Fells Tights are warm and stretch and move well. The Inverno Gloves keep my hands warm down to about 30°F.
How Does Tracksmith Fit?
All three of my pieces fit true to size, so I’d order your usual size.
- Fells Tights: my usual medium fits well. They’re compressive, and Tracksmith suggests sizing down if you’re between sizes because they stretch so much.
- Harrier Long Sleeve: my medium fits with a relaxed cut and some room through the body. Tracksmith calls it its most relaxed technical long sleeve, so it isn’t a tight base layer.
- Inverno Gloves: they come in only S/M and L/XL. My L/XL fits comfortably. Tracksmith says the L/XL is for hands longer than 7 inches, measured from the tip of the middle finger to the bottom of the palm.
Getting the size right matters more than usual if you buy on sale, because sale items can’t be returned.
Tracksmith Return Policy and Warranty
Tracksmith’s policy is fine, but not generous.
- Returns: within 30 days of fulfillment, for items that are unworn, unwashed, and undamaged.
- Return fee: a flat $8 for U.S. returns and exchanges, and $25 for international returns.
- Sale items: final sale, with no returns or exchanges.
- Footwear: the Eliot shoes can be returned within 100 miles or 30 days, whichever comes first.
- Defects: Tracksmith covers damaged or defective items bought within the past 12 months. It can replace them or issue store credit.
- Refunds: U.S. refunds take about a week after the return is delivered.
There’s no lifetime or long-term quality warranty. That makes the try-on window your main protection, so wear new pieces around the house first, not on a run, if you think you might return them.
Does Tracksmith Have Sales?
Yes. Tracksmith runs a Silver Medal Sale and an Archive Sale for past seasonal colors, limited runs, and archived products. Markdowns are often deep. Recent examples on the men’s side include the Harrier Long Sleeve from $49 (full price $110), the Brighton Base Layer from $59 ($100), the Session Shorts from $49 ($85), and the Downeaster Half Zip at $109 ($170).
Two catches: the deals are on specific colors, and marked-down items are usually final sale. The sale works best for a piece you already know your size in.
Is Hare A.C. worth it?
Hare A.C. is Tracksmith’s membership, at $198 a year. It includes a singlet, free worldwide shipping, 10% off sale and archive items, early access to new products, and race perks like a bus to the start at the Boston, London, and New York marathons. It only adds up if you buy a lot of Tracksmith or run those races. For a few pieces a year, skip it and shop the sale.
Which Tracksmith Pieces Are Worth It?
These are the three I own and would buy again.
Worth it for real winters
Tracksmith Fells Tights
Warm, soft, seamless Merino blend running tights that stay in place and fit true to size.
The Fells Tights do the three things I care about most in winter tights. They’re warm, comfortable, and stay in place, so I’m not constantly adjusting them. At $160 they’re expensive, but I’d buy them again. They make the most sense if you’ll wear them regularly when it’s cold. See my full Fells Tights review.
Worth it as your one nice top
Tracksmith Harrier Long Sleeve
A soft, relaxed merino blend top that handles sweat well and stays comfortable as you warm up.
The Harrier Long Sleeve is the nicest long-sleeve running top I own. I wear mine on easy and long runs at about 45 to 60°F, and it stays comfortable as I warm up. It’s clearly better than my other long sleeves. One is worth it. A whole rotation at $110 each is hard to justify. See my full Harrier review.
The easiest tracksmith buy
Tracksmith Inverno Gloves
Comfortable, thin running gloves with working touchscreen pads that keep my hands warm down to about 30°F.
The Inverno Gloves are the best entry point to the brand. At $35, they’re one of Tracksmith’s more reasonably priced items, the touchscreen pads work, and I have no complaints. Below about 20 to 25°F, I pull a mitten shell over them. See my full Inverno Gloves review.
When to Skip Tracksmith
- You want a slim merino base layer. The Harrier is relaxed. The Merino.tech 165 is slim, 100% merino, and about $50.
- Your winters are mild. The Fells Tights are a dedicated cold-weather piece and too warm to wear all year.
- You carry a phone and gels. The Fells have one drop-in pocket. For long runs, I use the Bandit Superbeam Half Tights, which keep my phone and gels from bouncing.
- You run hot in summer. My warm-weather shirt is the Bandit Micromesh Run Tee, which is very light and breathable.
- You’d feel the price every time you wore it. If $110 for a shirt would bother you, cheaper gear will make you happier.
- You need one glove for well below 20°F. The Inverno works as a liner at that point, not on its own.
Tracksmith FAQ
Is Tracksmith worth the money?
For a few cold-weather pieces you’ll wear often, yes. My Fells Tights, Harrier Long Sleeve, and Inverno Gloves are all good, and I’d buy each again. For a full wardrobe at full price, cheaper brands do much of the same job.
Why is Tracksmith so expensive?
Much of its line is merino wool blends, which cost more than polyester, and it’s priced as a premium brand. Its non-merino basics, like the $80 Van Cortlandt Tee, cost about the same as Bandit’s $75 Micromesh Tee.
Has Tracksmith’s quality gone down?
I have no quality complaints about my three pieces, and my only complaint is price. If something fails, Tracksmith covers damaged or defective items bought within the past 12 months with a replacement or store credit.
Is Tracksmith true to size?
All three pieces I own fit true to size: a medium in the Fells Tights and Harrier, and L/XL in the Inverno Gloves. The Harrier runs relaxed, and Tracksmith suggests sizing down in the Fells if you’re between sizes.
What is Tracksmith’s return policy?
You can return unworn, unwashed items within 30 days of fulfillment for an $8 fee in the U.S. Sale items are final sale. Eliot shoes can be returned within 100 miles or 30 days.
When is the Tracksmith Silver Medal Sale?
Tracksmith lists Silver Medal Sale and Archive Sale items on its sale pages, with deep discounts on past colors. Sale items are usually final sale, and Hare A.C. members get an extra 10% off.
Does Tracksmith offer free shipping?
Yes, on orders of $200 or more. Hare A.C. members get free worldwide shipping on all online orders.
What is the best Tracksmith product to start with?
The $35 Inverno Gloves are the easiest buy. If you want one bigger piece, I’d pick the Fells Tights for real winters or the Harrier Long Sleeve for cool weather.
Is Tracksmith better than Merino.tech?
The Tracksmith Harrier is nicer than my Merino.tech tops, but Merino.tech is the better value at about $50 to $60. They also do different jobs: Merino.tech is a slim base layer, and the Harrier is a relaxed top worn on its own.
