From Tracksmith and Ten Thousand, there’s no shortage of athletic wear brands out there that make technical apparel for runners. They all make great stuff, provided, of course, you want to look like a serious athlete training for a competition. While there’s nothing wrong with that, some folks just want the technical benefits without looking like they’re trying all that hard. You know, you want to look like that guy in the park wearing a Metallica tee with cut-up denim shorts on their morning run. If that’s your aesthetic, you’ll definitely want to check out the pieces from the Roark Run Amok collection.
Described as gear “for the runner who doesn’t necessarily identify as a runner,” the collection gives you running clothes that look like regular, everyday pieces. You know, the kind of clothes you picked up at Walmart for wearing comfortably around the house. Except, they’re endowed with the technical qualities needed to support your movements, whether you’re running on a treadmill, the city streets, or the backcountry trail.
The Roark Run Amok Collection consists of a variety of pieces that include five short-sleeved tees, two long-sleeve tees, one cut-off tee, seven shorts, one anorak jacket, and even a strapback hat. All the pieces are designed to look like regular casual wear, all while bringing technical benefits that should be well-appreciated by runners, such as moisture-wicking, four-way stretch, and anti-odor treatments.
To get a good idea of the collection’s range, here’s a few of our favorite pieces.
Mathis Celestial Tie Dye Knit
Roark calls it a defining piece in the collection. We have to agree, as tie-dye has never been something anyone ever associated with running apparel. Unless, of course, you’re a 1960s hippie or something. It’s made with a technical poly-cotton blend from DriRelease that, the outfit claims, is quick-drying, highly moisture-wicking, and free from any kind of potential irritants, so there’s no itching, no matter how dusty the trails may be.
Willow Runnin On Empty Knit Shirt
This punk-inspired shirt gets a skeleton graphic out front similar to the classic Social Distortion logo, albeit with the bone figure running instead of having a cold cocktail. The shirt itself is made from the technical Polartec fabric, which provides excellent moisture management and anti-odor properties, while ripstop knit mesh panels deliver ventilation to keep you cool in the hottest weather.
Alta Shorts 5”
This 5-inch inseam running shorts boast four-way stretch nylon construction to support the longest strides, as well as a moisture-wicking brief liner to hold your dangling crotch in place through the most dynamic movements. Clad in a black color with a brown drawstring, it gets a variety of hand-sketched graphics on the left side to give it that casual, everyday aesthetic.
Serrano Shorts 8”
A cross between board shorts and running shorts, this piece has an 8-inch inseam and an external drawstring for that board shorts aesthetic, all while coming with four-way stretch construction to support you on the running path. Sadly, it doesn’t come with a brief liner, so you’ll have to make your own arrangements for family jewel support. While that last element doesn’t make us particularly excited about using it for running, the hand-draw graphics print really makes it quite the standout.
You can also check out the full collection from the link below.