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Online stores allow easy access to a large variety of running gear choices — and are sometimes the only option for specialty products, products sold in other countries, or for last season’s shoe model. This is especially true for gear specific to trail running and ultrarunning, which you may only be able to access from the largest online stores. They can be the only reasonable option for people who live in smaller towns or areas without a local running store.

We compiled this list of our — and your — preferred online stores for running shoes, apparel, and gear because we love sharing a good find. We recommend our favorite online shopping options and highlight what makes each store stand out. As far as pricing, there were some outliers, but for the most part, pricing across websites was consistent.

Without further ado, here are the six top stores. Click on any of them to learn more about the running gear they carry and the services they provide.

Best Website to Buy Running Gear Online: REI Co-op

Pros:

• Large store and site with a vast selection of gear and clothing
• Virtual outfitting services to assist with shoe fitting, ski fitting, apparel recommendation, and more
• In-person stores located throughout the country that will service relevant purchases for free or discounted rates
• Excellent customer service
• 10% back on purchases for members ($30 for a lifetime membership)
• Consistent deals and discounts for members throughout the year

Cons:

• Once an item sells out, it’s less likely to be restocked
• Free shipping can sometimes take up to a week or more

REI Co-op carries gear for most outdoor recreation — so whether you’re running a road 10-kilometer race or looking to outfit for alpine expeditions, you can usually find something suitable for your needs at REI.

If you have an REI lifetime membership, you qualify for free standard shipping, 20% off shop services (at your local REI store), and 10% back annually on most of your purchases. REI also has a program for buying and trading in used gear. REI also carries the prior year’s models, so it can be a good site for finding discontinued items — though they tend to sell out of these items quickly.

REI has an excellent one-year return policy on most items (90 days on outdoor electronics), and their customer service is easy to contact and work with on returns or any issues you might have with a product.

Selection: Carries a lot of running shoes and GPS watches, more limited on apparel and other gear

Shipping and Returns: Free standard shipping if you are a member

Shop Run Gear at REI Co-op

Best Website to Buy Running Gear Online: Running Warehouse

Pros:

• Over 100 brands offered by large and small companies
• The site is easy to navigate
• The filter function is very thorough, and search results are well organized for navigation
• Comprehensive sizing guide for shoes
• Site-specific, in-depth reviews provided on some items

 Cons:

• The search function doesn’t accommodate misspellings
• Customers tend not to leave reviews on items
• The selection from each brand is not comprehensive and varies

Running Warehouse is the best running-specific online store, offering the greatest variety of running apparel and gear. The company has fast and free shipping, and each shipment includes a pre-printed and free return label, which is excellent for those without a printer. If you have to return or exchange an item, it’s straightforward and requires little additional time and effort.

The site is easy to navigate, and products are easy to find — whether you’re looking for a specific item or browsing products from a particular category or brand. The filtering options are extensive, covering function, fashion, brand, and style. While the site doesn’t have robust customer reviews on items, Running Warehouse conducts very in-depth shoe reviews on a large percentage of its selection.

Selection: Offers both men’s and women’s shoes and apparel, nutrition, and gear such as GPS watches, headlamps, and hydration packs

Shipping and Returns: Free two-day U.S. shipping, international shipping offered at cost, free returns with a pre-printed shipping label with each order

Shop Run Gear at Running Warehouse

Best Website to Buy Running Gear Online: Backcountry

Pros:

• Large site selection that is easy to navigate by type of gear, sport, or brand
• 15-20% discount codes for most purchases are usually available or easy to find
• Students are eligible for a 20% discount on full-price Backcountry brand gear and apparel
• Easily accessible customer service by phone and online chat
• Unused gear can be returned anytime to the original payment, 30-day returns on used gear for store credit
• Reviews, when available, are usually thorough and more helpful than other sites
• The Backcountry site has a great library of informative how-tos on apparel, gear, and activities

Cons:

• Returns are not free ($6.99 UPS label), and the cost will be deducted from your refund

Like REI, Backcountry has an extensive gear selection for most outdoor sports and adventures.

The site is easy to navigate; shipping is usually free and relatively fast. Backcountry often offers a 15-20% off coupon code for most items on its site any time of the year.

Backcountry has a great online chat feature for any questions you have — which can be easier when trying to find answers to a question about a product or reconcile an issue with an item versus hanging out on your phone on hold. Most of all, gear and apparel reviews on Backcountry tend to feel genuine and informative.

If you live in West Valley or Park City, Utah, Boulder, Colorado, or Seattle, Washington, there are local Backcountry stores to help with in-person advice and services.

Selection: Like the first- and second-place websites Amazon and REI, Backcountry carries more shoes and GPS watches for runners than apparel and other gear

Shipping and Returns: Usually free

Shop Run Gear at Backcountry

Best Website to Buy Running Gear Online: Amazon

Pros:

• A familiar site for online shopping
• Wide variety of gear, clothing, and more
• The site is not season-specific and may offer past-season colorways, discontinued products, and other hard-to-find items

Cons:

• Site selection and pricing are inconsistent and can vary drastically by size and color
• Searching may be a bit more difficult, as there may be multiple versions of the same product with slightly different names — which makes comparing items across small online stores selling under the Amazon umbrella a bit challenging
• Although returns are often easy, Amazon’s customer service is notoriously challenging to contact

You can get nearly anything on Amazon; running gear is no exception. If you have Amazon Prime, most items include free two-day shipping and easy returns. As a website, Amazon dwarfs the other stores on this list, but gear and clothing inventory can be a bit inconsistent, and the selection can be harder to navigate because you’re not always buying directly from the retailer or Amazon.

Though Amazon is known for its reviews, in the case of athletic apparel, the reviews tend to be sparse and less informative than other running-specific sites.

Selection: Carries a lot of shoes and GPS watches but less running apparel and other gear

Shipping and Returns: Free two-day shipping; easy returns for most Amazon Prime items

Shop Run Gear at Amazon

Best Website to Buy Running Gear Online: Fleet Feet Sports

Pros:

• Free returns (online orders can be returned via mail or in person at a store)
• Free U.S. shipping when you spend over $99
• Large selection with comprehensive offerings
• Customer reviews and Fleet Feet-specific gear reviews on some products

Cons:

• While Fleet Feet has a very extensive in-store fit process (you can even schedule an appointment) to help you find a shoe to suit your body and needs best, there isn’t great support online through any comparison calculators or descriptions
• Free shipping only applies to orders over $99
• Must be able to print a return label

On December 16, 2021, JackRabbit merged with Fleet Feet Sports, the United States’ largest run-specialty retailer. Questions about the merger are available here. Fleet Feet has stores nationwide and is a run-specialty staple. The retailer offers free shipping for orders over $99 and free returns.

Selection: Offers both men’s and women’s shoes and apparel, nutrition, as well as gear like GPS watches, headlamps, and hydration packs

Shipping and Returns: Free U.S. shipping on orders over $99, free returns, no international shipping

Shop Run Gear at Fleet Feet Sports

Best Website to Buy Running Gear Online: Road Runner Sports

Pros:

• 40 stores across the country, allowing for additional support for local customers
• Online shoe fit-finder
• Customer reviews and site-specific product reviews
• 10% off everything for members

Cons:

• The search function is not very exact
• Member program is a bit pricey, especially if you don’t shop there frequently

Road Runner Sports is an online store with 40 brick-and-mortar stores across the USA, mostly in coastal states. For some readers, Road Runner Sports may be your local running store. While the retailer has an extensive in-store shoe fitting system, they also offer an online support module that helps provide options based on your body and activity needs.

Road Runner Sports has a comprehensive run-specific selection and extensive customer reviews, and if you’re a member, there are many great perks (10% off everything, 90-day free returns, free and fast shipping). But the membership cost, even at the lowest membership level, can be a bit steep if you’re not a frequent shopper.

Selection: Men’s and women’s shoes and apparel, nutrition, and gear without some brands that are more frequently found in trail running and ultrarunning, such as The North Face, Patagonia, and La Sportiva.

Shipping and Returns: Free five- to seven-day shipping for non-members, free three- to five-day shipping for members, international shipping offered, 60-day returns on new and used items — customer pays the return shipping

Shop Run Gear at Road Runner Sports

Comparing the Best Websites to Buy Running Gear Online

Best Website to Buy Running Gear Online, Honorable Mentions

These six running-specific online stores are much smaller but are so much more specific to certain niches or geographies within the global running community that they might be the best online running store for you:

• Wiggle — Cycle, run, swim, triathlon, fitness equipment, and more. One reviewer referred to Wiggle as the “Amazon of fitness stuff.”
• SkyRun — Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, this site stands out for carrying more mountain-specific brands and comparison features that allow you to view several pieces of gear and compare them by price, availability, reviews, weight, and more.
• Pete Bland Sports — This U.K.-based site carries over 50 gear, apparel, and nutrition brands.
• i-run.fr — Based in France, this site is the partner store of the UTMB race festival.
• Gone Running — Based in China, this site carries gear, apparel, shoes, and nutrition, including Coros, Garmin, Hoka, New Balance, Salomon, and Gu.
• Run Boys! Run Girls! — Based in Japan, this site carries about 50 brands, including Salomon, Arc’teryx, Black Diamond, and On.

Final Thoughts

The value of being able to shop for running shoes, apparel, and gear in person can be difficult to match. However, many online sites have adapted to provide excellent customer service and advice to align as closely as possible with an in-person experience.

The sites highlighted here can be great options for finding what you want if you don’t have a local option or if the product is from a past season or a bit harder to find.

Call for Comments

• When you need to buy running gear online, where do you shop?
• Besides the six smaller online running stores listed in this article, what other smaller websites do you visit for your specialty running gear?

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