‘The Next Frontier: The €300 T-Shirt?’

Andres Olivera Scollo, Business Development Manager for the Skyrunner World Series takes a stroll along the UTMB Expo in Chamonix and ponders the future of trail running:

With the prices of shoes and packs skyrocketing, I wouldn’t be surprised to see performance kits (shorts, shirts) hitting similar price points by 2026. A €250-€300 technical t-shirt? It’s not out of the question. Look at long-course triathlon, where competition suits can easily exceed the €800 mark. As factors like cooling technology become paramount, trail apparel is likely to follow this trajectory.

This trend more than anything will transform trail running for the worse. There’s nothing positive to gain if gear for trail runners increase in price to a point where it becomes a sport only the well-to-do can afford.