Somehow I’ve got this notion that Craft’s garments aren’t well made, and they’re not very good quality. I don’t mean top of the line kind of quality, but even good quality. I kind of have the same idea for Sugoi. I don’t know why, other than I never heard of them before coming to triathlon and they don’t advertise like some others. There also isn’t the kind of word of mouth that DeSoto or Kiwami gets.
I realize it’s rather illogical, but is there any truth to my personally unfounded notions?
I was also wondering if anyone has been wearing Hincapie Sportswear and if big George got it right? I think that stuff launched just this year.
I am asking this, because Bonktown has been tempting me.
Craft started in XC skiing and branched out to cycling & triathlon several years ago. To talk about their sponsor dollars, they’ve clothed CSC and then Saxo bank for years and therefore have probably spent more ad $$ during that time than Desoto, Kiwami, LG, Hincapie & Sugoi combined. Their stuff is top-notch, like anything else certain brands fit certain people better, but i’ve found that especially if you ride in the cold weather, Craft is unmatched for function & quality.
Sugoi is owned by the same company as Cannondale now and my team’s gear was made by them this year for the first time. Very good quality and the attention to detail in materials was impressive (3 or 4 different materials in the tri top to address fit, venting, aerodynamics, pockets, etc.) The shorts didnt fit me great but that was my only complaint. Their top-end bike kit is very nice too, super lightweight and great “pro” fit for racing, i used it all summer training and for a 100-mile mountain bike race and it performed as it should (unnoticeable for the 9 hours in the saddle.)
I love sugoi stuff–probably my favorite overall tri clothing brand. It fits me exceptionally well. I have nothing but props for them.
Hincapie has been around awhile, our cycling team has used them fr a few years. Personally, I have difficulty fitting in the stuff. Nothing against its quality at all, I just found the women’s jerseys to be too narrow through teh shoulders for my taste.
I love Craft gear. I use their base layer systems and especially like the Windstopper long sleeve for cold, windy rides. I’ve got several of their running shirts, shorts, tights, and the balance hoodie which is extremely comfortable. I often will give Craft stuff as gifts to my athletic buddies and I’ve never heard anything bad at all. It’s pricey but the quality is excellent.
I’ve found that the fit tends to be more European: slim and athletic cut rather than relaxed and loose.
I highly recommend that you check out their Closeout page, where you can find some pretty decent deals.
I kind of have the same idea for Sugoi. I don’t know why, other than I never heard of them before coming to triathlon and they don’t advertise like some others.
You state this like it’s a requirement for a company to be good or to grow. I can tell with absolute authority that Sugoi grew from a small company in the mid 90’s to over $20 million in sales in the early 00’s without placing or buying any advertising at all. Much of Cervelo’s growth in the early days was the same - no advertising at all.
x2. you’re basing this off of how much they advertise? quite odd indeed. all of the brands you list make quality stuff. as mentioned above, it just comes down to fit. my team kit is by LG and i like it though the shorts come up a bit too high. other than that, i like it a lot.
A tri team I belonged to a few years ago bought LG gear. From day 1 we all had problems with zippers that didn’t open or close without using force we knew would eventually ruin it and did. Also, whatever they used in the fabric disintegrated over time and became threadbare and transparent. I have older Sugoi gear with a lot more wear and tear that has stood up beautifully. It’s a no brainer for me.
Craft is a nordic company that IMO, gets it right regarding COLD weather apparel. Something about personal experience with the elements, Maybe???
Sugoi, IIRC, is a Japanese word that loosely translates to “awesome”. The owners are Canadian and had a little fun with this, I think. Having sold their gear when I owned a sporting goods store, I can attest with some authority that both companies make very high-quality apparel.
As to Hincapie, I saw the line 3 years ago at the Tour of Missouri, so you are equally ill-informed on that as well. My signature shorts are my new favorite for pure cycling, as the pad is robust enough to use as a pillow and stands up to an 8-9 hour ride. Big George, definitely got it right on the biking shorts-I wonder how he knew
From Craft I only have a baselayer (which worked great) and a clearance jersey (nothing special).
I love Sugoi stuff. Our team got a kit from them one year and the fabric and fit and chamois were all very high quality. I liked it enough that I purchased other items from them as well (bibs, trisuit, jacket, running shorts) and with the exception of the running shorts, each item has been spot on. The bib shorts are probably my second favorite pair despite my owning a couple others that cost a bunch more (giordana, rapha, etc.). The jersey that came with the team kit too was nice in that the sleeve openings were slim but didn’t have those really constrictive elastic bands. I wish they did custom jerseys with fullzip though.
I can’t speak with that much authority on Craft although all the pieces that I’ve worked with seemed to be pretty good quality and I do love some of their styling.
Sugoi, on the other hand I’ve worked with for years both in the sense of actually working with them and then for them and simply just wearing their products over the years. On the advertising front I do wish Sugoi would advertise a bit more. As Fleck noted they’ve done really well over the years even without much advertising but there are still a lot of people who don’t really think of them when asked for the first tri company to pop into their minds. Quality wise Sugoi is a very solid company and you’ll find some of the best uses of fabrics and design in the industry as well as a fun use of color and some creative flair. Sugoi tends to make a bit more impact in the cycling market right now with their, okay, i need to start saying “our” top notch RS cycling short and just wait till you see the new RSE cycling line coming out for 2010, AWESOME stuff.
Sugoi Velocity Tri suits - lighter than pretty anything you’ll find out there. Ultra light and sleek hydrophobic fabric. Dual entry bounce free rear mesh pocket. Killer stuff all around.
Sugoi is also a huge presence in the custom apparel market, tri and otherwise and our custom program is second to none.
Kiwami, Desoto and everyone else are awesome companies as well. Everyone’s got their own little niche in the tri community and the most important thing is to figure out who’s design, construction and fit philosophy works best with what you’re looking for. Nice stuff all around, good luck!
Hello, I would hate to be Craft and Sugoi, having someone hammer me behind my back. Why not write to them with your concerns, see if they offer you a return guarantee? That way if they reply and say, “yes, sure, buy the product and test it or a month…and if you don’t like it you can return it for a complete refund…no questions asked,” then you will having nothing to loose.
Of course if they do not reply that way, that pretty much ought to answer your questions and concerns.
