Vanderkitten Womens Cycling Kits – Cost Per Wear – Review
When I started cycling, I was absolutely astounded at the price of cycling wear, so I quickly tried to calculate a cost per wear.
Then I learned – and there really are four distinct reasons, one of which is environmental, why to invest in quality cycling wear.
1. The first reason is type of wear.
We need attire that wears well. With thousands of repetitions of the same movement – for
No other item of clothing in your closet can hold up to that five times a week or more on a bike, and without chafing anywhere. So, that’s why showing up for group bike rides in my normal workout gear; running shorts and a tank top – wasn’t working. I never understood why cyclists on the road looked like they had sponsors. Now I know. Gear designed specifically for cycling wears best.
Vanderkitten Review: After a year of use; my kits have not had a single irritating chafe point, creeping problem, or wear mark, and I am highly visible.
2. The second reason is amount of wear.
Add to the three short rides a week, your two longer rides, and suddenly, you realize your bike riding gear is in
Five times a week, 50 weeks… that’s 250 wears! If you have five complete kits; then each one is worn 50 times a year. This would be the equivalent of owning five work outfits, and wearing them each week, all year long, except for your two vacation weeks. Can you even imagine doing that?
That is a huge amount of wear and tear on clothing items, not to mention a lot of washing and line drying to be done, which also ages the articles.
Vanderkitten Review: After a year of wearing and washing, my kits have not had a single seam ravel, zipper failure, color fade, or other failure.
3. The third reason is aesthetics.
It’s more fun to look forward to a ride when you know you are going to be appropriately dressed for the occasion; comfortable garb, attractive looks, and some high visibility as well. Some people even like to coordinate their outfit colors with those of their bike! You are more motivated, you look more serious, you look like you “belong” to the “cycling tribe,” and you fit in with the crowd.
I find, as a beginner, it’s easier to blend in when I’m wearing a serious kit when I’m on my bike. Wearing mismatched hand-me-downs, I looked amateur, and felt amateur. I didn’t even own a matching cycling kit – nothing matched, and it barely coordinated. It’s a psychological boost to head out knowing you are visible and looking great!
Vanderkitten Review: VK is all over the aesthetics – with mix and match designs, colorful graphics, shocking colors, and that adorable kitten “Ophelia” watching your back from your shorts to
4. The fourth reason is ethics.
Back to that cost per wear, since it’s a current topic of rising awareness and an ethical decision on how you exist on Earth.
I read several articles about clothing, and for day wear, 30 wears seems to be the goal to reduce waste, be ecologically less of a burden, and better for the environment.
The analogy is that if you purchase a $20 pair of jeans, and wear them 20 times, you cost per wear is $1. They shrink, stretch, fade, fall apart. However, if you purchased a $40 pair of jeans, and wear them 80 times, your cost per wear is .50 cents; actually lower, and you are halving the amount of waste in the landfill.
There is so much to this topic, and some writers have covered it wonderfully. Rather than restate their research and findings, I’ll leave the links below. Several of these articles are astounding!
Vanderkitten Review: Their gear is 100% printed, cut, and hand-sewn in California by a manufacturer with over 30 years in the industry. It lasts. They support and promote women in athletics.
Most of their technical athletic apparel is made right in California and their casual apparel is hand printed in Pennsylvania by independent screen printing artists who make a living wage producing their products. I can feel good about that!
I am so happy to have been chosen as a brand ambassador for Vanderkitten – I now have a tribe of my own; inspirational, fierce, real women who are riding bikes and inspiring each other.
I’d love for you to join our family! Plus, your cost per wear will be even lower if you use my link here to get 15% off your cycling, triathlon, running, lifestyle wear at Vanderkitten – Clothing for Women Who Kick Ass!
What to read next: How to Deal With Aggressive Dogs While Cycling – Review of the Dazer II Ultrasonic Aggressive Dog Deterrent Repeller Dazzer by Dazer
Here are some additional links I found that had fantastic cost per wear information as well as incredible statistics about everything and anything wear-related.
Discussion on CPW from You Look Fab
Women Ditch Clothes They’ve Worn Seven Times from Daily Mail
The Real Reason a Woman With 103 Items in Closet Has Nothing to Wear from Daily Mail
