Run Janji Apparel Review

I originally became acquainted with the Janji brand by reading a review on Believe in the Run. After some back-and-forth emails, Janji was kind enough to send me a shirt and a pair of shorts to review for my blog (Note: I received these samples for free to review).


I received these samples in February, and did not get much of a chance to run in them until about Mid-March and early April. This review would have been up sooner, but my last semester of my master's degree turned into extremely time-consuming ordeal. Since then, I've run a lot in the Run Janji gear!

About Janji

Janji intrigued me because it is a Boston-based company located very close to the school I attend, Boston University. This is a company built on a model somewhat similar to the mission statement of the popular hipster shoe brand, Toms, but instead of focusing on shoes and giving shoes, Run Janji is focused on selling apparel to provide food and water to countries that lack these most basic needs. Here is their mission statement:

Through each purchase of Janji’s distinctive running apparel, a portion of proceeds funds organizations that are alleviating the worst problems related to food and water.  By funding solutions and raising awareness through our apparel, Janji wants to create a nation of runners that run for another and eliminate the global food and water crisis.

Those who purchase Janji gear "run for another". What does this mean? Essentially, the founders of Janji, Mike and Dave, both collegiate runners, wanted the philanthropic nature of running to not just be a race day event; rather, they wanted runners to be cognizant of the food and water needs of others all the time. It's not just on race day that we can run for another, but we can run for another with every run.

I really like this idea a lot. Purchase some Janji gear, and when you hit your Track Tuesday, Hump Day Wednesday, or LSD miles on the weekend, you can "run for another" in the process.

Janji supports food and water efforts in 7 countries currently, including Peru, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Tanzania, United States, Kenya and Haiti. What's really cool is that the colors and designs of the running apparel is representative of the these countries.

Janji Long Sleeve T (Haiti Flag)

from runjanji.com

One of the items I received from Janji was the Haiti Flag Long-Sleeve T. Across the front of the shirt is a stylish rendition of the Haitian flag, as well as the slogan "Run for Another. Haiti". I was excited to receive the Haiti flag since the physician-anthropologist's Paul Farmer's medical and anthropological work in Haiti was what initially inspired me to pursue premedical studies. (I'm finally starting medical school this summer!)

Here's some the technical aspects of the shirt:

• 92% polyester, 8% spandex
• 3M moisture wicking technology
• classic crew new and ragland sleeves with ergonomic on-seam thumb holes
• Asymmetric wrapping and flatlock seams provide maximum comfort
• Subtle drop-tail hem
• Cost: $44.00

First off, these fit fairly true to size. I wore a medium in this shirt, and I generally wear mediums for my shirts.

I wore this shirt underneath my The North Face Animagi jacket for a lot of runs. It was just warm enough as a base-layer to keep me nice and toasty without being too warm and without sweating too much on those -10*F to 20*F days during this cold winter. I also use it as a stand alone shirt on days when it is warmer than about 40*F - 45*F, but wouldn't recommend it for days when it's hitting mid-60*F. As a stand alone shirt, it keeps you just warm enough on cool mornings, and it keeps you just cool enough on those warmer mornings. I really love how it wicks sweat away from me without feeling "Drenched" mid-run (I hate that feeling!). 

I did notice, however, that it tends to stink up pretty quickly. I would wear this shirt on two runs before washing it, and even that was pushing it! I usually don't have that problem with shirts. Also, when you start to sweat, the shirt clings to your body and doesn't leave much room for imagination. If you're self-conscious abut your body, then you might not want to wear it as a stand alone but rather as a base layer. 

Overall, this is a super comfy, well-made running shirt that definitely serves a wide temperature range depending on how you use it and at a really good price ($44.00) relative to similar products. 

Proceeds form this shirt go to "Medika Mamba," which is "a peanut butter based nutritional medicine that can cure a child of malnutrition in as little as 6 weeks. Madika Mamba is produced by" a Janji partner in Haiti, Meds & Foods for Kids.

Haiti Running Shorts

from runjanji.com

Here are some of the specs:

• Sleek, lightweight fit
• Colors echo the colors of the Haitian flag
• Emblem on shorts is an artistic rendition of the Haitian flag
• 100% polyester moisture wicking outer shell and inner lining
• 4 inch inseam with interior pocket
• lightweight and breathable
• Cost: $38.00

First off, these run true to size. I generally wear a medium in shorts, and I wear a medium in Janji running shorts, too.

Alright, these might be one of my favorite running shorts to date. I like shorter running shorts, and the 4in inseam is just long enough to not be too obscene (got to save those for race day, right?), but short enough to give my thigh and legs lots of breathing room. Just the way I like it!

The polyester feels really lightweight and comfortable on the legs. I recently ran about 10 miles in a steady downpour in these, and they are even really comfortable when wet.

from runjanji.com

As a disclosure, I tend to chafe a bit on the inner thigh on longer or really sweat or really wet runs. I do not chafe in these shorts, and I don't even have to use BodyGlide when running in these shorts. I also ran in these shorts for a few days without washing them (ew, I know, but someone has to test it...) and they did not really retain any smell until about 3 days. That's a win, right? Obviously, I wouldn't recommend doing that, but if you're on vacation or cannot wash as frequently....

The inner pocket is big enough to hold a few bucks, my house key, and my MBTA rail pass in case I need to get home if I'm not feeling too well on an out and back. 

I also really like the waistband. I have a strong core, by my groin and lower abdomen area need some strengthening as these areas start to fatigue more quickly on hard or long runs. The waist band is a little bit thicker and longer than other shorts that I have, but I feel it provides the support I need. It's my favorite waist band to date, too.

Overall, this is a great pair of running shorts for any temperature above about 30 degrees. (I don't wear tights unless it's SUPER cold.) I even wore these shorts on a day when it was -5*F with the windchill. That was a mistake, but they kept my male anatomy warm the entire run! Even more oddly, I ran in them recently on a 79 degree and the male anatomy felt cool and comfy. There's some kind of magic going on with these Janji shorts to have a wide range of comfort.

Proceeds form this shirt go to "Medika Mamba," which is "a peanut butter based nutritional medicine that can cure a child of malnutrition in as little as 6 weeks. Madika Mamba is produced by" a Janji partner in Haiti, Meds & Foods for Kids.

Conclusion

Before a cold winter run in Janji gear; also wearing the Skora Running Form (one of the best shoes ever)!

You cannot go wrong with Janji. They make great quality running apparel for a competitive price. The benefit of buying from Janji is that proceeds from your purchase goes to helping provide food and water in about 7 countries around the world at the moment. If you want to "Run for Another" in training and in racing, check out Run Janji here.