Athletic Wear Brands

Certified athletic trainers know that injury prevention is just as important as treating injuries. Knowing this, these health professionals will often recommend several athletic wear brands for athletic gear products. Professional or amateur athletes also know that some athletic wear brands offer merchandise that improves performance, whether it be in shirts, pants, shorts, sports bras, shoes, boots, armbands, leg bands, knee supporters, braces, helmets, shoulder pads and more. Who are some of the top athletic wear brands to be aware of?

Top Athletic Wear Brands

Nike offers well over 2,000 pieces of sports merchandise including their famous line of sneakers, gym wear and other apparel. The company gets its name from Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory. A fitting name, since Nike is currently the largest sportswear supplier in the world. Nike has nine divisions under its brand name: Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Air Jordan, Team Starter, Bauer, Cole Haan, Hurley International and Converse.

Another top selling company is Adidas, offering nearly the selection of Nike, and focusing on sports apparel. Adidas is a German manufacturer and owns Reebok Sportswear, Taylor Made Golf, Maxfli Golf and Adidas Gold. Adidas is the second largest sports manufacturer in the world.

Under Armour is described as performance apparel and was actually first to introduce form-fitting, moisture-wicking clothes, a practice now imitated by many apparel companies. Originally Under Armour created under-uniforms, such as baseball and basketball jerseys as well as football shoulder pads. However, the company has branched out into clothes beyond sportswear, such as sweat pants, T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts. Other top companies include Russell Athletic, Champion, Puma, Everlast, Danskin, The North Face, and Bally Total Fitness.

Factors In Choosing Athletic Wear Brands

There is much innovation and produce placement in athletic wear, so choosing the right athletic wear brands does not make for easy shopping. A degree of balance is required in choosing overpriced celebrity-endorsed products and in buying dirty cheap apparel that could hinder performance or even cause serious injury to an athlete.

Some general tips in choosing athletic wear include buying two sets of shoes for different occasions, knowing your body's measurements including tracking the changes in growth, buying comfortable fits and testing products before buying them, and replacing products when they serve their purpose. Some apparel, particularly shoes, come with splendid innovations, including freon, air, gel-filled or shock absorbers. While comfortable features are nice to have, remember that athletes are told to replace their running shoes every 350-400 miles. So balance your budget with your performance. While there is much available today in athletic wear brands, only you can determine what sports apparel will guide you to victory.