I like water bottles and stickers.

Events usually give a shirt or hat (or both) so I usually don't buy any of that. If there isn't a shirt with entry, I might be inclined to buy one if I'm proud of the event and I like the design.

Otherwise I stick with at the bare minimum a sticker as I collect stickers and a water bottle (I e. For the bike if it's a tri).

T Shirt or Hoodie from "big' events (usually in the entry price).
And as per the previous reply, water bottles at tris always useful.

I've had a couple of day rucksacks (20-25 litres or maybe a bit larger) at full distance races (Outlaw full and Lakesman full in the UK) which have had a lot of subsequent use.

I got swim tow float too at one lake OW end to end swim (early days of tow floats before being common) - that is still in use as the OW venues I go to want them now for all swimmers - so an excellent 'spend'.

Otherwise not a lot - I've the bought one or two hoodies in the past, and a stress-purchase pair of arm warmers when the weather changed from sunny to winter monsoon the day before a July race.

Problem is it ends up with a lot of wasteful tat that ends up in landfill if not careful if you end up with a cheap technical T at every single 10k or sprint race.

I like to get stuff that i'll actually use. Otherwise it'll just end up in a drawer. Like finisher medals. Some finisher shirts and hats are nice. If it's nice quality and design i'll use it in training. Merch i still use are running shirts, cycling kits, windbreaker, arm warmers, buffs, huge towel, cycling rain coat, hoody. Bottles and swim caps are good, but i have so many allready. Last tri i did i got a belt for race number, the one i allready have is better so never going to use it. Think of stuff that everyone uses and needs to be replaced from time to time.

Pint glasses and T shirts. I am a sucker for both.

It's all junk with most of it going straight to the landfill, or with a stint in a bottom drawer before heading to the landfill.

I prefer consumables. Beverages, gels, brownies, bars, sunscreen, fancy chain lubes, etc.

Edit: if anything, I wish there was an opt-out option at registration

Socks, I love me a new pair of running socks in my packet.

Race shirts can be nice when tech fabric and not gaudy. Some race shirts are the most obnoxious things. Crazy ugly with giant stiff screenprint on the chest.

Running hats can also be great (again, not obnoxious) but understandably can be pricy.

That being said, one trail race I did came with a pop tart pack. Big fan of that.

I like a quality T- shirt and, as mentioned already one you can train in, or use as a hot weather base layer. That means lightweight and breathable.

Consumables as mentioned above are good as little of this usually ends up in the landfill.

Otherwise I like a good lunch included like road bike events provide.

Beer mug.

I won’t enter if there is not a medal 🙈 - other than that I’m not bothered, but I just got a towel for the Geneva Triathlon, that’s pretty cool.

The race I put on - http://www.SmileySprintTri.com - competitors got a gender specific (ladies love this!) tech race shirt, 2 water bottles, great race medals, shoulder sling bags for packet pick-up materials, and embroidered ball caps. But the best was the complimentary top notch catered food and craft draft beer. Our athletes loved everything!!

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

Consumables and socks are my faves (socks are pretty consumable around here with all of our dogs...). Pint glasses are fine. T-shirts, hats - I already have a ton. Medals - not really interested. Oddball stuff is always appreciated. Once I got a large-ish bottle of Shave Secret - something I never heard of before and like. A base layer would be great. I have a couple of expensive, name brand ones (they are good) and one knockoff, no-name brand (seems just as good and maybe in range of the race budget for giveaways)...

If you're talking things to sell, here is my list:

Good water bottles, Stickers, Hats, Socks, Day Pack, Bottle Opener, good hoodies and/or long sleeve shirts.

If you're talking for the swag bag:

Tshirt, Snacks/bars/gels, Sunscreen.

If you're looking for other things to spend money on for the Après-Race, better food (And enough food for even the super slow people), gatorade or something similar in addition to water at the end, good beer, shade/cover.

Two questions:

1. Is this merch that is included in the race packet (i.e. free), or would this be additional items for purchase?

2. How "epic" is the race? Folks are more likely to buy merch for a highly memorable event (ex. Roth) than a local 5k.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

He asks if price or quality is important so I read that as genuine merchandise, i.e. additional items for sale.

For me the race that does it for me, and I think was already mentioned, is the Outlaw -

https://www.raceskin.co.uk/.../outlaw-merchandise/

I agree with you about the epicness of the race but I'd say epic is highly personal. My local regular 5k highly encourages non runners so for some people it's a huge achievement. They do a good trade in merch I think. If a race is your pinnacle then I think you're motivated to want to show that off, which let's face it is what it is.


But what works for me about the Outlaw is a) a strong brand design, imho and b) an atmosphere about the race that makes you feel part of it.


In terms of what stuff, it would be what I'd wear anyway. I wear a technical tshirt most days so why not a race brand one. So look at your participants, what are they wearing - that.

To me quality is important--not that it needs to be fancy, but it needs to be something I will use. After that, it just needs to be similarly priced or not too much more than the equivalent. Some examples: I don't like thick stiff cotton shirts, nor one with a plastic-y print. Even if you give me a free shirt, I'll never wear it. Ironman has done well with this over the past 6-8 years with the soft thinner material. I buy a t-shirt at every IM and 70.3, and almost my whole closet are race shirts. I also like the pint glasses, and we buy one at any race we can. ALL our glasses in the kitchen are from races. Similarly, I only use insulated bottles (I prefer the Camelback ones). So I won't buy a basic one with a race logo, but I'd be tempted to get a Camelback one with the race logo, assuming it isn't too much more expensive.

It might just be me and my family, but I realized a while back that I need t-shirts, glasses, bottles, etc. I'd rather have race ones than something from the mall that costs about the same. Oooo--one thing to add: really big logos can be a turn off. I'm at St George right now, and as much as I really like the design of the cycling kit, I'm not sure that I want to be that guy that rolls up to the group ride in the 70.3 World Championship kit. Especially since I'm going to be pretty slow tomorrow!!!

Thank you all for the insightful—and sometimes unexpected—feedback. Much appreciated!

i just recently did a race that gave out honey to finishers, instead of t-shirts. it was in a race-branded jar - very cool.

it got me thinking, a lot of the buying done at expos is not by the athletes, i bet, but by the friends/family waiting around for them. my mom, for instance, would buy a jar of race honey (or something) looooong before she'd buy tech gear.

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

Flat As A Pancake (sprint in Staten island) gave out shirts that were so over the top (neon yellow cotton with a giant screen print) that I've hung onto them, but man are they something.

If it's water bottles, good bottles (CamelBak Podium, etc.) and not the super generic ones that forever taste like plastic.

Dry bags

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https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney

Backpacks are nice, but usually are inferior zipper quality.

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https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney

Bike racing perspective: this, assuming it's good quality bottles for the bike. (I don't think we need stand-alone waterbottles so much - most people have plenty since they don't wear out so easily). Stickers are fun and cheap.

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http://www.jt10000.com/

High quality, cool looking socks. Everybody always needs these.

It's hard to say what is good merch, but it's got to be really good event that I would want to project (because the only reason to buy/wear event branded merch is you want to present the event to others, tell them they should do it or tell them some story about your experience) to get me to consider buying merch. And even then it has to be a good design, which is really part of quality (you either spend the money for good graphic design or you don't). And yes, quality over price in general.

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Socks x2

Tank tops. Only 1 race I've ever done had a tank. I have tons of long-sleeve in every color(and fabric) and even more t-shirts.

The best hat I got was a personalized one for a 50 miler with my name stitched. Unfortunately my boy dog chewed the brim a bit, but I still wear it.

I like lip balm, chamois butter samples, etc.

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Swim - Bike - Run the rest is just clothing changes.

I have way too many bottles, coffee mugs, and hats. Nope, nope, nope.

T-shirts and socks are always cool, provided they are made with premium fabrics.

I like bougie race fit kit, so anything event merch is usual mid-grade, relaxed fit... and I never buy it.