What Bandit Running does

Bandit Running is a Brooklyn-based premium performance running apparel brand founded in 2020, operating a direct-to-consumer model supplemented by owned retail and selective wholesale. The company designs, develops, and sells technical running apparel organized around proprietary fabric technologies including Stamina™ (360° stretch compression), Vento™ (breathable training shorts), CoolGrid™ (thermoregulating singlets), Specter™ (ultra-lightweight race fabrics including a graphene variant), Superbeam™ (Italian-sourced anti-chafe tights), Micromesh™ (breathable long sleeves), Drift™ (fast-drying training tees), Vanisher™ (sweat-stain resistant compression), Flopack™ (embedded storage), and Reverso™ (reversible run bras). Pricing spans $36 for accessories to $250 for collaboration eyewear, with the year-round Steady State™ core line complemented by seasonal capsules (Spring/Summer/Fall 2024-2026) and limited-edition drops tied to major marathon events.

Revenue is generated through DTC e-commerce at banditrunning.com, three owned flagship stores in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago (the latter opened January 2026 in Bucktown), marathon-anchored pop-up activations at Boston, London, NYC, and Washington DC, and selective wholesale at END. clothing and ASICS retail channels. A $125/year Membership program contributes recurring revenue through 10% discounts, free shipping, early-access privileges, and partner discounts across footwear, fuel, recovery, and wellness brands. The customer base spans serious and recreational runners, fashion-conscious activewear consumers, and running clubs/community organizations, with the brand's Unsponsored Project supporting elite athletes at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Portland Track Festival, and Bandit Grand Prix as an organic marketing channel.

Bandit is Series A-backed, having raised approximately $14.25M from Collaborative Fund in September 2023, with additional capital from Sideline Group's $155M Fund I (deployed April 2026). The brand has been recognized by TIME (Best Innovations 2024), GQ (Fitness Awards and "11 Indie Brands Injecting a New Aesthetic into Running"), Business of Fashion (Notable DTC Winner 2024), Men's Health (2026 Fitness Awards), InStyle (Best Activewear 2025), and Outside Online (2026), with headcount in the 11-50 range and operations across the United States and a developing international footprint via the London Marathon pop-up.

Name

Bandit Running

Legal name

Bandit Running

Website

https://banditrunning.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bandit Running is a Brooklyn-based premium performance running apparel brand founded in 2020 that sells proprietary technical fabrics (Stamina, Vento, CoolGrid, Specter) directly to serious and recreational runners via e-commerce, three flagship stores, and marathon-anchored pop-ups, supported by a $125/year Membership program and collaborations with ASICS and Research Studio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performance Running Apparel

NAICS

Shoe Retailers (45821), Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)

SIC

Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Performance Running Specialty Retail (CRAMACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Running & Endurance Wear (CRAAAEAD), Outdoor & Active Lifestyle Apparel Retail (CRAAABAL)

Keywords

• Performance running apparel
• Athletic clothing
• Compression sportswear
• Marathon running gear
• Running accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer Apparel Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling performance running apparel (tops, bottoms, accessories) directly to consumers through banditrunning.com and physical retail stores. Products range from $36 to $250+ with pricing tiers.
2. Bandit Membership Program: Annual membership at $125 providing recurring revenue through 10% discount on all orders, free shipping, early access to drops, member-exclusive products, annual gift cards ($50 year 1, $75 year 2+), and partner discounts. The membership is described as 'the most value-packed membership in running.'
3. Physical Retail / Flagship Stores: Revenue from three owned flagship stores (NYC, LA, Chicago) with community-oriented design, cafe partnerships, and direct engagement with local running communities. Store design includes cement stadium seating and local coffee partnerships to deepen community engagement.
4. Marathon Pop-Up Activations: Temporary retail activations at major marathon events (Boston, London, NYC, Cherry Blossom 10 Miler) featuring limited capsule collections tied to city identity, driving urgency and foot traffic. Exclusive online drops for Bandit members at pop-ups.
5. AI-Optimized Commerce Operations: AI tools from Swap help compress the signal-insight-action loop in business operations, optimizing customer journey and driving conversion rate improvements (cited industry data shows 2x conversion rate increases and 20% reduction in return rates with agentic commerce solutions).
6. Footwear Collaboration (ASICS): First-ever sneaker collaboration with ASICS (NovaBlast 5, and NB6), marking entry into the footwear market. Revenue from co-branded shoe and apparel capsule sales through ASICS retail channels and Bandit channels.
7. Eyewear Collaboration (Research Studio): Performance eyewear collaboration with Research Studio, featuring full-rim and semi-rim sunglasses at $220-$250 price points, expanding the brand beyond apparel into accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Bandit Running designs, develops, and sells premium performance running apparel (tops, bottoms, accessories) for men and women, anchored by proprietary branded fabric technologies (Stamina™, Vento™, CoolGrid™, Specter™, etc.). The brand sells through its own e-commerce site, three flagship stores (NYC, LA, Chicago), seasonal collection drops, marathon-aligned pop-up activations, and limited-edition collaborations with ASICS and Research Studio.

Product overview

Bandit Running is a Brooklyn-based premium performance running apparel brand founded in 2020, operating a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform complemented by physical retail locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The product portfolio centers on the Stamina™ and Cadence™ compression lines, Vento™ breathable training shorts, CoolGrid™ cooling garments, and Micromesh™ performance tops, alongside accessories including Lite Run™ socks and HumoFit™ hats. The company operates under a seasonal collection model (Spring, Summer, Fall) plus the year-round Steady State™ collection, augmented by limited-edition collaboration products with ASICS and Research Studio. The business model includes a $125 annual Membership program offering 10% discounts, early access to releases, and partner benefits, alongside the community-focused Unsponsored Project supporting elite athletes without major brand affiliations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Steady State™ Collection Year-round core performance apparel line marketed as Bandit's flagship racing and training gear, including singlets, compression tops, shorts, tights, and running accessories available continuously.
• Stamina™ Line Compression apparel line using 360° stretch fabric that moves with the body, including compression shorts, race crops, run bras, high-waist leggings, and a Brushed Stamina™ variant for cold weather.
• Cadence™ Line Performance rib compression line with extra compression support, including strappy run bras, compression shorts, and compression sleeves with mesh overlay designs.
• Vento™ Line Lightweight training and running shorts with breathability and moisture-wicking properties, including 2-in-1 run shorts, split shorts, and wave shorts for men and women.
• CoolGrid™ Line Training singlets and split shorts featuring grid-pattern cooling fabric technology for temperature regulation during workouts.
• Micromesh™ Line Lightweight performance tops and tanks using breathable micromesh fabric for enhanced airflow and moisture management.
• Vanisher™ Sweat-Stain Resistant Line Sweat-stain resistant compression apparel that manages sweat before it appears, minimizing visible sweat marks during workouts.
• Superbeam™ Line Sleek anti-chafe fabric running tights and shorts sourced from Italy, featuring 7-pocket configurations for storing essentials during runs.
• Shredder™ Race Singlets & Tops Race singlets and tops with lightweight performance fabrics, gradient designs, and integrated Flopack™ storage for race-day essentials.
• Drift™ Training Tees Performance training tees and singlets using feather-light, fast-drying Drift™ fabric for everyday training wear.
• Specter™ Race Tops Ultra-lightweight race singlets and performance tees featuring Graphene-enhanced Specter™ fabrics with integrated Flopack™ storage.
• Lite Run™ Socks Performance running socks featuring CoolMax™ moisture management technology, available in quarter, stripe jacquard, and mesh quarter options.
• HumoFit™ Run Hats Nylon running hats with HumoFit™ technology, including dad hats, run hats with sunglasses holders, and mesh options.
• Bandit Membership Program Annual $125 membership offering 10% discount on all orders, free shipping with no minimum, $50–$75 annual gift card, 24-hour early access to drops, member-exclusive products, and partner discounts across footwear, fuel, hospitality, and recovery brands.
• ASICS x Bandit Collaboration (NovaBlast 5 / NB6) Co-branded running footwear (NovaBlast 5 and NovaBlast 6) and an eight-piece running apparel collection with ASICS, featuring athlete personalization elements and designs inspired by artist Isamu Noguchi.
• Bandit x Research Studio Performance Eyewear Performance eyewear collaboration with Research Studio featuring full-rim and semi-rim sunglasses at $220–$250 price points in colorways drawn from the Summer 2026 palette.
• Summer 2026 Collection Technical summer running apparel line paying homage to architect Luis Barragán, featuring structured silhouettes, sculpted seams, and asymmetrical paneling in desert-inspired colors, delivered in two waves with 73 SKUs priced $36–$128.
• Spring 2026 "Quiet Miles" Collection Spring 2026 performance apparel collection "Quiet Miles" featuring thermoregulating fabrics, anti-chafe mesh designs, and embedded storage solutions for spring running.
• Fall 2024 "Stay the Course" Collection Fall 2024 collection "Stay the Course" featuring 92 apparel items inspired by self-reflection and community, priced $36–$125.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cart abandonment reduction: 20% drop when adopting agentic commerce solutions (industry benchmark cited by Bandit co-founder Nick West)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature21 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, minor and core.

• Red BullsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Bandit x Red Bull collaboration announced in B-Mail: 'World's First Can-Am Jump Over Runners,' signaling a high-profile partnership in the extreme sports and running crossover space.
• Research StudiosupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026Bandit x Research Studio is a performance eyewear collaboration featuring full-rim sunglasses ($250) and semi-rim sunglasses ($220) with colorways inspired by Bandit's Summer 2026 palette. The collaboration is highlighted in the B-Mail blog as a key product release.
• Bullish (Operator-in-Residence Program)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 May 2026Bullish, a New York-based early-stage consumer venture capital and marketing firm, welcomed Catherine Wolpe (CMO of Bandit Running) as part of its inaugural Operator-in-Residence cohort for a six-month residency starting May 2026. Catherine brings extensive brand-building experience from Casper, Wayfair, and Apple.
• Soloway CoffeeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2026Local partner operating the café inside Bandit Running's 2,200-square-foot Chicago flagship store in Bucktown, enhancing the community-oriented store experience.
• HardgoodsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2026Design collaboration partner for Bandit Running's Chicago flagship store, contributing to the store's community-oriented design with cement stadium seating.
• Forbes (Series A Coverage)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 September 2025Forbes coverage of Bandit Running's Series A and inroads with track and field athletes, positioning the brand in the business and athletic press.
• Portland TrackcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2025Portland Track renewed its partnership with Bandit Running for the 2025 Portland Track Festival (celebrating its 17th year), with initiatives including a free live stream for fans and support for unsponsored athletes. This is a multi-year partnership demonstrating Bandit's commitment to the track and field community.
• ASICScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Bandit Running collaborated with ASICS for its first-ever sneaker release (NovaBlast 5, followed by NB6), marking a new venture for the brand into the footwear market. The collaboration also included an eight-piece running apparel collection combining aesthetics with performance. ASICS provided METASPEED racing shoes to over 20 athletes at the Boston Marathon pop-up. The partnership emphasizes ease of movement and modern style, with shoe designs inspired by artist Isamu Noguchi.
• Protine StudiosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProtine Studios in Shoreditch, London hosted Bandit's pop-up activation from April 22-25, timed to the London Marathon. The pop-up featured an airport departure lounge-themed space with interactive elements including passport photo booths and a world map pin wall.
• Pacers RunningminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPacers Running co-hosted Bandit's popup event at its location near Logan Circle in Washington DC, featuring cherry blossom-themed limited edition merchandise coinciding with the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler.
• SwapsupportingTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce software provider Swap is rolling out AI-powered agentic storefront tools. Bandit Running's co-founder Nick West described how AI tools have helped the company optimize the customer journey and compress the signal-insight-action loop in their business operations, contributing to improved conversion rates.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tracksmith: Boston-based premium indie running apparel brand with a community-led, classic-Americana aesthetic. Closest direct peer to Bandit Running, competing in the same premium, performance-focused, design-forward niche for serious recreational and competitive runners.
• Rabbit: California-based indie running apparel brand built around a community of elite and everyday runners. Directly comparable to Bandit in DTC-led growth, premium price points, and event-driven activations tied to U.S. running culture.
• Satisfy Running: Paris/LA-based premium running brand with a fashion-forward, tech-driven design ethos. Closely comparable to Bandit's emphasis on proprietary fabric technologies and a distinctive aesthetic appealing to style-conscious runners.
• Oiselle: Seattle-based women-led indie running apparel brand competing in the same premium performance niche with strong community engagement and athlete ambassador programs. Directly comparable to Bandit's runner-community-led positioning.
• Vuori: California-based premium performance and athleisure brand that has expanded from apparel into a broader active lifestyle offering. Comparable to Bandit as a digitally native, premium-priced, community-rooted performance apparel brand scaling into physical retail.

Broad incumbents

• Nike Running: Global incumbent in performance running footwear and apparel with massive marketing budgets and athlete sponsorships. Sets the baseline competitive frame Bandit must navigate in performance credibility, distribution, and brand awareness.
• ASICS: Global incumbent in performance running footwear and apparel and Bandit's collaboration partner on the NovaBlast sneaker releases. Relevant both as a competitive incumbent and as a strategic distribution partner.
• On Running: Swiss-based premium performance running brand that scaled from a niche running shoe label into a global public company. Useful comparable for premium performance running brand scaling, IPO trajectory, and category extension.
• Hoka: Performance running footwear brand owned by Deckers that has rapidly expanded into apparel and lifestyle. Comparable incumbent competing for the same performance-conscious runner consumer with greater capital and global distribution.
• Brooks Running: U.S. performance running footwear and apparel incumbent focused exclusively on the run category. Sets the standard for specialty run-retail distribution and athlete credibility that Bandit must compete against for shelf space and consumer trust.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=9qbvMyjSgmc&ra=m
• Xx.com/banditrunning
• Facebookfacebook.com/banditrunningnyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bandit Running