A few months back, we highlighted Ciele’s all new performance line, IKON. And it’s really been our most favorite apparel of 2026; especially in the Texas heat.

Yes, Ciele.

So today, when the Montreal company dropped a brand new Elite Collection, we’re paying attention and believe it’s worthy of being on your radar too.

What Is It

The 2026 Elite Collection is Ciele’s most technically refined race-day and high-output training lineup to date. At the center of it is a new elite-tier woven fabric called COOLmatic | EXP TERRAperf™ and that’s what makes this drop different.

The fabric uses graphene to actively disperse heat as intensity builds, rather than just wicking moisture after the fact. We too had to ask about graphene and its basically a supercharged heat conductor at the atomic level. The short version: it moves heat away from your body faster than your body can produce it at race pace. That’s the idea, anyway.

Ciele’s Production and Sourcing Manager Meagan Smith calls it a “thermal super-highway.” It doesn’t just manage heat but it’s engineered to master thermoregulation. And that’s a meaningful distinction when you’re deep into a long run or mid-race and your kit is fighting your body instead of working with it. Remember when Dri-Fit was the holy grail? Yea, that’s got nothing on this.

What’s In the Collection

The lineup covers both apparel and headwear across men’s and women’s styles:

For Apparel, the RCDTShirt 2, RDSinglet 2 (men’s), and RDCRPSinglet 2 (women’s) use a perforated version of TERRAperf ™ to push airflow in warm conditions. More ventilation, less trapped heat.

The CRGTightShort is built on COOLmatic | PLUS KLOSfit™ — a compressive, cool-to-the-touch fabric and integrates secure, bounce-free storage for fuel and gear at pace.

Think of it as the ‘no more lost gels’ issue.

The RDShort brings back carbon fiber yarn, last seen in Ciele’s 2022 Elite collection. It moves with the body, thermoregulates, and features the only fully welded brief liner on the market, all finished with embedded ionic silver for permanent odor control.

So much tech and jargon in a short.

The Headwear includes the award-winning FSTCap – Ethereal returns, pairing graphene and carbon in an advanced fabric system built for temperature regulation and moisture management.

And lastly, new to the lineup is the TRLBucket Elite. A buclet that provides full-spectrum sun protection, a HOLLOWphorm brim that covers front and sides, and an integrated neck protector for complete coverage. They promise no bulk and its built for those long efforts in exposed conditions, all trying to keep your skin safe and happy.

Our Thoughts

Ciele has always made headwear that punches above its price point but their apparel is catching up fast and should be a serious consideration.

The trail-to-road design philosophy here is about taking rugged durability and stripping it down to something fast and lightweight. It’s smart product thinking and we always love as a B Corp-certified brand, every piece incorporates recycled materials without using sustainability as a crutch for performance trade-offs.

Where to Get It

The Elite Collection is available now at CieleAthletics.com, their flagship Montreal store, and select retailers globally.

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About Ciele Athletics Inc.
Founded in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 2014 by Jeremy Bresnen and Mike Giles, Ciele Athletics offers high-performance, durable and lightweight headwear and apparel collections designed for runners around the world. The brand is available in more than 1,300 stores in 43 countries. Ciele Athletics is a B Corp-certified company committed to continuously working toward better solutions, from product development to manufacturing partners to community action.