Rabbit may be better known on the west coast but this year Big Peach Running Co. started carrying Rabbit in our stores. I became familiar with the brand through Instagram and was curious to try out some of their gear. The brand has a sense of humor and it can be seen in the naming of the apparel. After a couple of months with several pieces, I can now provide a full review of Rabbit running apparel.
By Dave Martinez
First of all, Rabbit is a fairly new independent apparel company based out in California. The company launched through Kickstarter in December 2015 and was founded by two women. After being unhappy with what other running brands were producing, they decided to start up their own running apparel line. Their mission, their clothes had to fit well, feel good, and function the way runners need them to. As for feeling good, without a doubt, your first touch of the EZ Tee (men’s or women’s) will stop you in your tracks. It’s so soft, you’ll just want to lounge in it all day.
Running Shorts & Tank
You may recall from a previous post my trip out to Utah. Before the trip, I purchased the “Welcome To The Gun Show” tank and the “Daisy Dukes 2.0” shorts. I was going to put in quite a few miles each day so why not test out a new top and bottom on the trails. As I already referenced above, Rabbit has a sense of humor in naming their clothing. It’s not required to have bulging biceps to wear the tank but if you do, why not? The shorts were nothing like I remember growing up when Catherine Bach wore those shorts on Dukes of Hazzard. I’m not sure why you would name these shorts this, as they’re not as tight or as short as “Daisy” wore them on the show. So don’t let the name keep you from giving these a try. If you can get past the name of the short, you’ll be pleasantly pleased with them.
Rabbit Tank: Welcome To The Gun Show
The tank is not the lightest in weight. Or at least it doesn’t feel light at first touch. I never weighed the tank or compared the weight to other tanks in my closet. Black would not have been my first choice but it was what was available in our store at the time (maybe the others had sold out). They do have other color options. The tank has the Rabbit logo as a mesh pattern throughout and the pattern had a more open mesh which was great for ventilation. Sizing is true to size as I can usually wear a small and that’s the size that fits me perfectly.
My run in Utah (actually Arizona) started around 45º and finished at around 75º and I wore a hydration pack for a 10-ish mile run. There was no chafing and the ventilation was very good. Typically, a shirt or tank will be completely soaked in sweat (especially with a pack) but due to the open mesh pattern, the tank did not retain moisture as much as other technical fabrics. I’ve done several runs in this tank since and it’s been comfortable every time, even better without a pack. However, most of my runs have been in the Fall/Winter in temps between 60º – 75º. I’ll have to wait until late Spring and Summer to see how it feels in 85º – 90º but I feel that I’ll still be happy with this tank. I’d prefer not to run in a black tank in the heat, so I may look at a lighter cooler next year to add to my running wardrobe and compare it to the all black.
Rabbit Shorts: Daisy Dukes 2.0 Shorts
For several years now (5 years?) my favorite shorts have been from Pearl Izumi. I have at least 3 different models from them and unfortunately, they no longer make running apparel. They all had a zippered back pocket that could hold an iPhone (smaller models) and in a couple of models had small stretchy side pockets to hold gels, keys, or any small item. I recently had to retire one of these shorts as they were coming apart from the seams. Needless to say, while I paid a premium price for them, they’ve held up for at least 5 years of continuous use. I was already in the market for new shorts when we started carrying Rabbit so the timing was perfect.
My first impression upon feeling the material of the shorts reminded me of Pearl Izumi. While feeling technical, they also felt light and had a smooth and soft texture. These are a 3 inch short with just a small side slit on each side. The leg openings are slightly larger than most of my other short but that allowed for a less restrictive feel for a longer stride without having to go to a true split short. The zippered back pocket will accommodate an iPhone 8 as I had no issue using mine while running and paired to my AfterShokz headphones. In shorts, I can be a size small but I chose to go with a medium as they looked to run small. I had no issue with running in a medium, however with the phone in the back pocket, I had to lace them pretty tight to keep the weight of the phone from pulling the shorts down. Maybe going with a size small would have been better.
As far as running with the phone in the back pocket, you do notice it at first but after a few minutes, you hardly notice it’s there. The less I have to bring with me on my run the better. With these shorts, there’s no need for an armband or waist belt. There’s an inner pocket to fit a key with no additional outer pockets. As long as you’re doing shorter distances or running loops for access to hydration or gels, you won’t need anything else. The Daisy Dukes 2.0 short is perfect for everyday running. I still wouldn’t call these Daisy Dukes, they’re not that short but you’d have to be comfortable wearing 3-inch shorts. I think most runners prefer 5-inch short.
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Shirts & Joggers
For the Fall I picked up the EZ Heather short-sleeve, long-sleeve, and Jogarounds. If there’s one item that I would recommend to turn anyone onto the Rabbit brand, it would be the EZ Tee (short or long sleeve). All you have to do is touch it. It feels amazing. It is so soft, you’d rather sit and binge TV all day than want to go run. That’s weird to say in a shirt that’s designed to be used for running but that’s how soft and comfortable it feels. Imagine a bunny’s fur caressing your skin. That’s how it feels. I dare you not feel it and not buy it. I double-dog dare you. I bought the short sleeve and long sleeve… and I’ve run in both of them. The Jogarounds also have a nice soft touch to them and they’ll feel pretty good while sitting on the couch binging a few of your favorite episodes. They have two open side pockets but I wouldn’t recommend running with anything in the pockets as they may bounce out.
Rabbit Shirts: EZ Tee
I’ll admit, I wore both of these shirts casually before I ever ran in them. Did I mention how soft and comfortable they feel? (Okay, you get the point.) I went with the size medium for the short sleeve for a looser fit that I can wear casually. I went with a size small on the long sleeve for a tighter fit for those cold runs. I’ve worn the short sleeve for mild days (60º – 75º) and the long sleeve for cooler days (35º – 55º) along with a wind shell or fleece pullover for those colder temps. Because they’re so soft, you won’t even feel like you’re wearing a shirt. It goes without saying, it would be very difficult to get any chaffing from the EZ Tee. Both did a great job of absorbing sweat but also drying out enough not to retain it and feel heavy after a run. I’ve yet to run in 85º – 90º with this tee so I’ll have to give that a try next Spring/Summer.
Rabbit Jogger: Jogaround
I’ll be honest, I haven’t run in these but I don’t typically run in joggers anyway. If it’s cold, I’m running in tights. I’ve got a few “Joggers” from a couple of brands and I always use them during the winter before runs and remove them to run in tights or shorts if it’s above 45º. I also use them after a run on the drive home. The Rabbit Jogaround is perfect for those casual days where you just want to be comfortable as you run errands, go to the coffee shop, or work from home. I went with a size small and they’re true to size. The fit is flattering with a tapered leg. Since I’m a bit short, they’re just a bit long but since they’re tapered and the leg cuff is a soft material, I don’t notice this part at all. As for the front open pockets, they’ll hold my phone or wallet and I can sit down without either falling out.
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Conclusion
Let’s get right to the point. Would I recommend these items? The answer is “YES”. I don’t know how they do it but the material used makes Rabbit stand out from the rest of the apparel brands. On several of the product descriptions, they list a “Magical Combination of” polyester & spandex in various percentages. I can’t say that I’ve ever felt material like this in any other brand. As far as price, I’d say they’re very reasonable compared to other brands.
Tank – Welcome To The Gun Show – $42.00
Shorts – Daisy Dukes 2.0 – $50.00
Tees – EZ Tee $45.00 (short-sleeve) & $50.00 (long-sleeve)
Jogger – Jogarounds $ $85.00
While these are not the most inexpensive items, I’ve seen others costing as much as $10 – $20 more from other brands that didn’t feel as comfortable as these did. If they’re anything like my Pearl Izumi shorts, they should last more than 5 years and I’m okay paying this much for this quality and durability. As you can tell, I’m excited about this brand and I’ve already got 2 pairs of their 3-inch FKT shorts and I’ll be getting the 5-inch FKT shorts next year as well. So keep an eye out for those reviews next year. I’m also hoping to get the female perspective from some of our team members as well. In the meantime, stop by any of our 7 Big Peach Running Co. locations and check Rabbit out for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.
