Most high-performance products are conceived in a corporate boardroom, only to be produced in a huge factory halfway across the world. When you walk into a clean and honest building in San Diego, California, you’ll find people who are actually cutting the fabric and sitting at a sewing machine making the products. This is what De Soto Sport has brought to the table for thirty-six years. They have been proving that the best way to address modern athletes’ issues is to stay small and independent.

Emilio De Soto is a pro triathlete who simply got fed up with performance gear that just didn’t get the job done. In 1990, triathlon clothing usually featured chafing seams, sagging pockets, and wetsuits that felt like they were strangling you rather than providing a snug fit. Emilio decided that if he couldn’t find a product that worked, then he needed to create one. Today, he makes products that put the athlete first.

The Art of Keeping Things Local

The industry is hyper-focused on outsourcing to boost profit margins. The brand refuses to follow the crowd. 98% of their products are designed, cut, sewn, and shipped directly from their headquarters in San Diego.

This means that they have a feedback loop. When a designer can decide that a product needs altering after they’ve just finished a morning run, the gear can be made better and shipped out faster. This ensures your product will last for years of training, rather than needing to be recycled after just one session.

There is actually scientific proof for why keeping things local yields superior results. This is actually known as the Quality Effect. A study by the Reshoring Institute shows that companies maintaining local production cycles experience lower defect rates and faster innovation cycles than those sourcing from overseas supply chains. The designers and architects are in the same room, which means the number of likely errors is significantly lower.

A Design for Freedom

De Soto has had a major influence on the world of athletes. They created the tri-suit concept, which is essentially tops and bottoms you can wear for all three disciplines in a triathlon: swimming, biking, and running. This eliminates the need to change your clothing in T1.

One of their most inventive ideas is probably the Transition Gear Pack. The brand treated the transition as a discipline, and he created a product that was perfect for every piece of equipment that you might need to lug around. Then there’s the T1 Wetsuit. This is the first two-piece design ever seen by the world. The top and bottom are two separate entities, which means that it provides a level of freedom that feels natural.

Style and Sustainability in Sports

“Sustainability” is a word that is often thrown around during marketing campaigns, and yet the products hardly ever live up to it. The Solana Run Shorts actually do live up to it. They don’t use high-end technical fabrics that end up in landfills. They use durable materials built for daily use.

• They are anything but flimsy because they use remnants of compression performance fabrics. This provides the shorts with structure and a supportive feel that won’t lose its shape after washing.
• This brand understands that runners need space to carry things. The pockets have been designed to sit high on the hip, so you don’t have to worry about your phone bouncing around on your leg.
• The inner portion of this gear is made from a soft, non-abrasive knit. The caution in the design reassures you that the person who made this product understands the struggles that come with running miles at a time.

Start Your Transition

The Transition Gear Pack (V8) has undergone extensive tweaking over the years. This pack is the best way to ensure you can carry all your essentials wherever you go.

• The bottom compartment of this pack is a waterproof zone for your wetsuit. This ensures that the salt and the sand do not get on your dry clothing. This is a feature that I’m sure you will come to appreciate.
• There is a specific, dedicated area for everything. It can hold your helmet, sunglasses, tools, and nutritional products.
• The V8 uses ergonomic straps and a waist belt that actually transfers the load to your hips. This makes it easier to carry around because you don’t experience as much pain.

The Advantage of Independence

De Soto Sport has faced many opportunities to move its production overseas, which would ultimately triple its profits. However, they are solely focused on the money-making aspect. Because they remain independent and athlete-owned, the only people they need to care for and answer to are their customers. This independence allows them to make unique, standout products like their Arm Coolers, designed to protect you from the sun and lower your skin temperature. They invest in the quality of their products because they actually care about the art of being an athlete.

Peace of Mind

When you decide to buy a product from a brand like this, it becomes so much more than just buying another piece of gear. You will choose to support a brand dedicated to solving the problems athletes endure. In a world that feels overrun by disposable gear, De Soto Sports makes you feel safe. This is a brand that understands, and that is reflected in the products they make. As an athlete, the last thing you should worry about is your clothing. This is gear built by a brand that has been through the experience. At the end of the day, De Soto Sports ensures your equipment doesn’t add to your routine stress. All you need to do is focus on the road ahead.