Grams matter, seams matter more

Track and field: the lightest kit we make, and the one that must not chafe

A racing singlet weighs almost nothing and is worn for a few minutes at maximum effort. Every other garment we make is judged on how it looks and how long it lasts; this one is judged on whether the athlete notices it at all.

That puts the specification in an unusual place. The fabric is the lightest in the factory, and the seams — bound rather than hemmed, flat rather than raised — are where the work goes.

Get a quote for track & running kit

Track & Running kit in other colourways

The same track & running garments made up in different colours. Yours is produced to your own design.

Product photographs from the ZEE Sports Wear range. Every order is made to the program's own colours and design.

Why the armhole is the whole garment

A singlet chafes at the armhole or it does not chafe at all. A folded hem at the armhole has an edge, and over a 5,000 metre race that edge rubs. A bound armhole — a separate strip of stretch fabric wrapped around the edge — has no edge to speak of. Every singlet we make is bound, in the design colour rather than a stock black.

The same goes for the neckline and the shorts. Split-leg shorts have a liner, and the liner seam sits flat. It is unglamorous work and it is the difference between a uniform a distance runner wears and one they cut the liner out of.

Fabric follows the same rule. A racing knit is chosen for weight and for how quickly it stops holding sweat, not for how it photographs, and the argument for specifying by what a garment has to do runs through our guide to the fabrics we knit to.

Track kit, piece by piece

Singlet: The racing top. Bound armholes and neck, in the lightest knit we run.
Split shorts: A short inseam with a split side seam for stride, and a brief liner that sits flat.
Briefs: For sprinters and jumpers who prefer them to shorts, in the same stretch knit as a singlet.
Cross country set: The same singlet and short in a slightly warmer knit, because the season runs into November.
Club running shirt: Short sleeve, moisture-wicking, for road races and training — the piece a club sells to members.
Warm-ups: Jacket and pants for the hour before a race. $59.99 a piece as a matched set.

Relay squads and the colour problem

Track programs order in small quantities and reorder often, because the roster changes every season and events have different needs. That makes colour matching across orders the real problem. A singlet ordered in April and a short ordered in September come from different dye runs, and a slight difference shows on a podium.

We keep the print calibration for a program on file so a reorder matches the original, and we recommend ordering shorts and singlets together in the first place. Our note on why a reorder matches the first run explains what is kept and for how long.

Getting the sizes right

Fitted, but not compression

A racing singlet is fitted so it does not flap. It is not a compression garment, and sizing it as one produces a top nobody can breathe in.

Men’s and women’s blocks

Drafted separately, with a different armhole and length. State which on the roster.

Spares in the middle

Athletes join mid-season. Hold two or three singlets in the commonest sizes from the same run.

Youth from a youth block

Middle-school track is a large part of what we make here, and those singlets are patterned for the age, not scaled down.

What we make for track & running, and what it costs

Prices are per piece and include the design work. Every garment has a minimum of 10 pieces; sizes can be mixed within it. A garment shown as from $26.99 is quoted per order, because its cut and design coverage change the work — $26.99 is the lowest per-piece price we charge on anything, and the quote starts there.

Track Shorts

Split-leg or inseam shorts with a brief liner, in a five-inch or shorter length.

From $26.99 per piece · min 10

Track Jackets & Warm-Ups

Jacket and pants as a set, the pieces a squad wears for the hour before its race.

$59.99 $84.49 per piece · min 10

Garment	What it is	Per piece	Minimum
Track & Field Uniforms	Singlet and shorts or briefs, sublimated as one set for relay and field squads.	From $26.99 quoted per order	10 pcs
Track Singlets	Lightweight racing singlet in a breathable knit, with bound armholes so nothing chafes at speed.	From $26.99 quoted per order	10 pcs
Cross Country Uniforms	A slightly warmer specification than the track set, because cross country is run in November.	From $26.99 quoted per order	10 pcs
Running Shirts	Short-sleeve club shirts in a moisture-wicking knit, for road races and training.	From $26.99 quoted per order	10 pcs

Get a written quote Design your kit

Track & Running questions

Are the armholes bound?

Yes, on every singlet, in the design colour. It is the single thing that decides whether a singlet chafes.

Do you make split shorts with a liner?

Yes. The liner seam is set flat, and the split depth can be specified.

Can we order a cross country set separately from track?

Yes. It is the same design in a slightly warmer knit, and it can be ordered as its own job.

What do warm-ups cost?

$59.99 a piece for a jacket or pants, reduced from $84.49, in the team design.

Will a reorder match?

Yes. We keep your print calibration on file, and we recommend ordering shorts and singlets together so they come from one run.

Is there a women’s block?

Yes, drafted separately from the men’s, with a different armhole and length.

What is the minimum order?

Ten pieces of one garment. Sizes can be mixed within the ten.

How long does a track order take?

Two to three weeks from approved artwork. Warm-ups run the same.

Keep reading

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