Seven final takes on the innovations, small business hustlers and surprises of TRE 2025
The Running Event (TRE) 2025 wrapped late last week and the final tally – more than 5,000 attendees from all 50 states and 33 countries walked a show floor packed with 357 exhibitors—including 124 first-timers. I logged 22,000 steps a day, ran an 8-minute-pace 5K in the mornings, drank many cold brews, ate an irresponsible amount of tacos, and came home fired up for a big 2026.
Looking back, San Antonio delivered. When compared to TRE Austin in 2024, I thought San Antonio really impressed and showed out. Their convention center is gorgeous and easy to navigate, the city is 100 percent walkable and the show floor was busy with eager brands, and attendees all connecting over a similar passion.
In no particular order, here are the things that stood out to me at TRE 2025.
If you were there, drop a comment—what did you think?
ACG is Back
The moment I stepped into the ACG booth, something felt different. There was an energy—an actual buzz—that ACG hasn’t had in years. When I talked with the product manager, he said it outright: “It’s been too long since ACG mattered. We lost focus.” But it wasn’t corporate spin. You could feel the hunger in his voice, the underdog mentality—something you don’t usually associate with Nike.
ACG looks ready to reclaim its identity, and if the vibe at TRE was any indication, they’re teeing up a big, loud 2026. The trail category is wide open again… and ACG seems eager to run straight through it.
Welcome, KIPRUN
Hand up — I knew nothing about KIPRUN before TRE. The French running brand, a spinoff from sporting goods giant Decathlon (think France’s version of REI), is officially entering the U.S. market in April 2026. They’re launching with three models: the Kipride Max, Kipstorm Elite, and Kipsummit Max.
KIPRUN — pronounced “Keep Run”, a cheeky nod to what we’ve all heard yelled at us during marathons — brings a very French approach to design: clean lines, smart materials, thoughtful detailing, and an emphasis on value without cutting corners. The craftsmanship and materials feel legit, not experimental or rushed, which is impressive for a brand making a U.S. debut.
It’s always fun when a new player enters the market with intention instead of noise and marketing dollars. I’m excited to watch their rollout over the next few months and see how their shoes stack up once they hit American roads and trails.
LightSpray Technology
This was the first time anyone truly got to touch, feel… or even run in the On LightSpray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper. And yes, that’s a mouthful for a shoe name, but let me be clear: this is the very definition of innovation.
They ran like a Cloudmonster trainer so nothing new there, but the fit was completely different. Instead of the traditional pressure from laces across the top of your foot, the LightSpray upper hugged my foot more like a compression sleeve, meaning it was secure, uniform throughout, and supportive. And one question I got was, but what about the toebox? The LightSpray material was roomy and somehow still gave me real room in the toebox. Hard to explain but after a short run in them, even harder to forget.
It left me genuinely excited to imagine running in these beyond a 5K demo loop. What On does next with this LightSpray technology is anyone’s guess, but it’s obvious they’re not just tweaking uppers — they’re trying to redefine what a running shoe can feel like.
Hidden Gems on the Outer Walls
My favorite part of any big show is always the outerwalls — the scrappy perimeter where the bootstrapped brands live. These are the founders pouring life savings into a dream, working multiple jobs, shipping boxes at midnight, and showing up with the kind of hunger you feel when you walk by their booth. They’ll talk all day, be on their feet and survive on a dream. They make TRE special.
bluubird – Unlike Amazon where you can’t trust any product review, bluubird is different. bluubird is building an app that helps athletes find the right gear with real reviews from people who actually do the thing. Founder Katie Levin told me:
“Imagine wanting to run Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim and having no idea what to bring. bluubird shows you exactly what athletes wore, ate, carried, and used to complete that adventure.” It’s simple, smart, and solves a real problem in an era of review fatigue.
JANUARY – A new upstart shoe brand from long time shoe industry vet, Wei-En Chang, this San Francisco based company is launching in May 2026. They asked that we didn’t post any pictures but we will say – very comfortable, cool branding, and colorways/design that is top notch. They’re up against huge odds but go support these folks and sign up for updates at their site. Because if we learned anything from Atreyu shutting down this year, it takes all of us supporting small brands to help them thrive.
CARBS fuel – One of my favorite TRE moments is when you realize the “sales rep” you’re talking to is actually the founder. That was the case with CARBS Fuel — two lifelong friends, two founders, two of the three people running their booth. Their company is just two years old, built on personal savings and a dead-simple idea: Make high-carb gels that athletes can afford, Not $5 Maurten packets. But One dollar for forty-five grams of carbs. They skip the fluff and marketing bloat, instead keeping it super simple, CARBS! The growth they’ve seen shows that meeting athletes where they actually are beats hype every time.
nerd belts – I’ve always loved the name and branding, but this was my first time hearing the full story behind nerd belts. Founder Steve McKenna — former pro triathlete and Ironman champion — is one of the most genuinely passionate founders you’ll meet. His mission is hilariously simple and incredibly hard: Build a running belt that has zero bounce. Zero. He walked me through every version from v1 to the latest prototype and even teased where he wants to go next. The obsession is real and expected from a former pro. But the the belief is real too. And if you’re going to bet on someone solving a problem every runner and triathlete deals with? Bet on McKenna.
Sock Heaven: CEP, Swiftwick, and Two New Surprises
What are runners without socks? I don’t know but I’m just setting up the fact that I love running socks that don’t move or make me blister and at TRE, there were more than a few. My true GOATs were out in full force this year: CEP and Swiftwick. CEP brought an entirely new line of compression socks, their newest shoes, and Swiftwick was—per usual—showing out with that perfect blend of comfort, performance, and Southern charm. One brand born in Germany, the other in Tennessee, but both responsible for getting us to countless finish lines without our feet revolting.
But the real surprises? Two brands I knew almost nothing about.
The Runderwear socks absolutely floored me. The inner liner was INCREDIBLE, a completely different feel from the outer layer. If these were soft on the outside, the inside was a fluffy cloud stuffed into a blender and mixed by baby angels on a perfect 75 degree day with zero humidity. I’m not wowed often but these were next level. Then there was Sockwell, another Tennessee brand which taught me something I probably should’ve known earlier: Merino wool works year-round. It keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. Sockwell isn’t just compression—their lineup includes different types of compression so runners can choose how snug they want to go. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach; it’s a “choose your comfort profile” system. Huge with healthcare workers, they’re really doubling down on running too.
Bottom line: CEP and Swiftwick remain kings, but Runderwear and Sockwell made me rethink what’s possible in a pair of socks.
Watts Saved
While we had our running hat on, it wasn’t the only thing on our mind. So when we hit the Compressport booth, we knew the Swiss brand had to have something up their sleeves. I can’t share details just yet, but let’s just say this: as we head into the 2026 cycling and triathlon season, keep your eyes on Compressport. What they’re preparing to launch has been wind and athlete-tested, and if early numbers hold true — could save athletes up to 20 watts without doing all that much work.
Community
I wrote about this earlier and if you talk to anyone – running and community are synonymous and that showed at TRE. Regardless if you’re a fan of running, an organizer, a retailer, or a brand, the entirely of TRE felt like one big community. Run clubs in the AM, business throughout the day, and then evening parties everyone attended. This didn’t feel like a tech show I grew so accustomed to when I was in the corporate world. This was more like friends and family getting together.
More of that. Keep the vibes going into 2026.
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