In high school sports, the right gear can make or break your game. Whether it’s about performance, comfort or looks, athletes selectively choose their gear from the brands they most trust: the brands that they can rely on day in and day out. From Nike and Asics to Adidas and New Balance, sports gear isn’t just about function but about representing your identity through what you use to dominate your sport.
The properly stringed racket or the warm socks can give that extra boost of confidence in a stressful game, or a pair of matching shoes can give a sense of unity among athletes. But, with so many options available, athletes have to choose among many brands. Do they prioritize style but lose out on reliability, or do they prioritize comfort and lose out on identity? Six U-High athletes share their choices and how they feel they made the correct decision.
Shivan Shachdev, ninth grader who is part of the boys tennis team, chooses Asics. He feels that Asics makes products specifically designed for tennis, which gives him that competitive edge when he needs it.
“They have gear designed for tennis, which I think makes me play a little bit better than if I were to use some other gear from another brand that’s just designed for any other sport,” Shivan said.
Maya Pytel, a senior who is a part of the volleyball, indoor track and soccer teams, chooses Adidas. She really appreciates Adidas’ quality and versatility for the three sports she plays and finds that their German design gives them a boost in reliability and quality.
“Adidas has good quality stuff all around other than their running shoes, but I think that they are really good and then things just like sweaters and shorts are really good,” Maya said.
Isabella Huang, a junior who is a part of the volleyball team, chooses Nike. For volleyball, the brand of gear is limited, and the gear that Nike offers is at a good price point and has many options for both quality and style.
“I think that Nike is a really common volleyball gear store that people always tend to gravitate to, especially their shoes, because there’s a lot of color and design, and I feel like that kind of facilitates a lot of the younger audiences … It’s more accessible than other brands as well as being better pricing wise,” Isabella said.
Bryce Poston, a sophomore who is part of the boys soccer, indoor track and baseball teams, chooses Adidas. The comfort that Adidas offers is the main reason that he gravitates towards the brand, as the time he spends utilizing the equipment can range from an hour to an entire day with practices and games.
“I have a little bit wider feet, and the fit that they are makes them comfortable and makes them stand out which gives them that extra versatility,” Bryce said.
Osvaldo Carretero, a junior cross country, indoor track and outdoor track runner, chooses New Balance. The wide variety of products that New Balance offers compounded with their style and quality makes it the most appealing brand.
“My favorite gear is probably New Balance, I like their training shoes because they are very comfortable and last a long time and their spikes for racing. I feel like they also look very nice and are just overall very comfortable and versatile,” Osvaldo said.
