Buying Sportswear: Divisoria vs. Original Brands

All athletes have a problem with clothes. It's a constant struggle to find something to wear for the gym or on the court. Original, dri-fit clothing is hard to come by, especially since it comes out in the thousands. Female athletes have to worry about purchasing yoga pants and sports bras as well. If you're a student or short on cash, buying these expensive sportswear can be impractical. This is why some Filipinos opt to buy their sportswear at Divisoria.

Shoppers at 168 Mall, Divisoria, sportswear are generally available at some of the malls there. Most can be bought at a minimum of P100, and the prices go up from that point. But buying can be quite a task. One has to check for defects and inconsistencies in the designs. One tip is to always double-check the item. 

In Divisoria, sportswear can come in three types: factory overruns, local brands, and the ubiquitous imitations. Most people go for the imitation brands, which can look and feel quite real. Factory overruns are a rare find, and the closest thing one can get to a "legit" buy. People occasionally buy the local brands. The cheap prices and attractive features of the items are great deals to the common Filipino fitness enthusiast.

For the serious athletes, however, quality is a priority. Most sports call for uniforms after all. Triathletes need to have tri-suits, and while basketball players have their jerseys. Athletes need fabrics that can withstand the constant sweat and stress that they make. A lot of top-notch brands that sell sportswear (2XU, UA,  Nike, Adidas) can retail at P4000, minimum. Clothing from those brands can take a lot of stress. If you saturate your week with high-volume, high-intensity training, you can't expect your Divisoria bought dri-fit shirt to keep up with you. 

High-end brands found as imitations in Divisoria

The cheap fabric that Divisoria retailers use are not top-notch. They might look good, but they can't wick sweat away as efficient as an original. An imitation running shoe might feel good, but if you run a 10k with it everyday, the material won't be able to cope with the stress and will break.  That iron-pressed sticker can wear off. The fake Under Armour or Nike logo can stretch and fall off the shirt. After multiple washes, the color and design might look different. But all those factors depend on the quality. The life of the average Divisoria product will depend on the person’s sport and training volume. 

It's simple. If you like wearing dri-fit clothes for fashion, then go for it. If you're a casual gym-goer, a mountaineer, or the occasional runner and biker, go buy that Divisoria dri-fit. However, if you're a serious athlete, then you should already know that quality sportswear can affect your training. Your allowance/salary, and sports lifestyle are all factors on the choices you make. It all depends on YOU.