The following review featuring gear from Ciele Athletics was written by trail runner and ATRA gear wrangler Sarah Barber. Product was provided at no cost for the test and review.
If I say, “Montreal,” and your first thought is poutine, you’re not wrong. And if your second thought is the Notre Dame Basilica, that’s still okay. But if you’re a runner, even in in the United States, Ciele Athletics better be somewhere in the top five things that come to mind.
Ciele: Performance and Protection
Let’s start with the basics. Say it: “see-ELL-ay ath-LET-iks.” This Canadian company, founded just over a decade ago, began by making lids for your noggin. From bucket hats to beanies, Ciele Athletics committed to a “focus on performance and protection,” and in doing so created a movement to support movement—especially of the outdoor adventure variety.
Flash forward to the present, and Ciele now offers a full line-up of apparel for humans of all types, once again supporting athletic performance while protecting bodies from the elements encountered enroute. With cold weather capsules, mountain racing ensembles, and technical fabrics for training on trails, Ciele handles it all with grace, style, and remarkable attention to detail.
Barber sporting the HLSLongsleeve Sorino top.
Ciele: Attention to Detail
What detail, you ask? Take the HLSLongsleeve Sorino top, for example. The enigmatic name of this garment describes its composition: a blend of silk and merino wool. The result? A deliciously soft and layerable running shirt complete with long-enough sleeves (this is a thing for someone with the wingspan of a swimmer like me) and thumbholes to help facilitate pulling on overlayers. And if you think this fancy fabric has to be dry-cleaned, think again. Machine wash and air dry to uphold a lifetime warranty—it doesn’t get any easier.
Ciele FRD Wintertight
Or does it? Ciele also makes a smart lower-body layered system, beginning with the FRDWintertight. Firm compression pairs with strategically placed wind-resistant panels from knee to waist to ensure snow and sleet don’t stand a chance against the quads of a runner. However, thanks to a waterproof zippered pouch on the backside of the waistband, phones and electronics DO stand a chance against both weather and perspiration, which gets wicked away by the patented COOLMatic PLUS interlock knit fabric. A drawstring assists the elastic waistband to help accommodate the, uh, seasonal variability in belly size. Reflective accents on the calves round out the FRDWintertight’s perfect package.
But speaking of “package”… Ciele’s ATWPant is a unisex shell that is an apt accompaniment to the FRDWintertight, and its odd little detail is a false fly that mimics the look of a functional opening without actually inviting a cold breeze. Perhaps it contributes to the clean appearance of an outdoor pant that is otherwise purely purposeful, even in its figure-flattering silhouette.
Loose enough for a warm base of underthings, the ATWPant has a hint of stretch in the wind-resistant weave, along with articulation at the knees and hidden vents to let your sweaty steam escape. The pockets are deep, and one even has a zipper! The only catch is that your own pockets might have to be a bit deeper—Ciele Athletics produces incredibly high-quality outdoor attire with prices to match. Most likely, that speaks to their trademarked “million miles guarantee.” And chances are you’ll wear yourself out long before you wear out anything made by Ciele—thank goodness for their classy and timeless style!
Editor’s Note: Read more articles and reviews from Sarah Barber here.
