"Run or Die is your inner mantra. Deal with it." (INKnBURN review & giveaway)

To say I didn't get a little giddy when the good people from INKnBURN contacted me last week would be an understatement.

To say,  a few days later when a box arrived from them, that I didn't jump up and down, barely make it two feet into the house from the front door before sitting down on the floor and tearing into said box like a kid on Christmas morning, would be a big fat lie.

As I mentioned previously in my holiday gift giving guide, I could not WAIT to get my hands on some INKnBURN.  Yes, some women want diamonds, or expensive shoes.  Not me.  Give me unique running gear and I'm over the moon!  And I kid you not, with in minutes of opening the box I had my sneakers & Garmin on, the new shirt, and headed out the door to get in a quick 6 miles.   I was THAT excited.

 Cliff notes version in case you don't read any further, know this: I truly was NOT disappointed. INKnBURN's performance absolutely matched it's design and appearance, just as I had hoped.  I know what I'll be racing the 2012 season wearing. I have, hands down, found a new favorite brand of running clothes. Hence, the very long gushing review....

So, let's review:

INKnBURN endurance wear caught my eye a few months back, through facebook.    Their gear kept popping up in various friends photos, and every time I would think "woah, that shirt (bra, shorts, etc) is awesome!" But I could never figure out where they were coming from.  Finally one day, I asked a facebook friend "hey where did you get that shirt?" and she told me, "INKnBURN".

And thus began my oogling.

I'm not necessarily a "black sheep" as my very tattooed, will rock bright green glitter eyeshadow at the drop of a dime,  and wears a necklace with a vial marked "poison" around her neck, little sister would say (actually, she often calls me a "grandma", but I digress). But I do like bright colors. Eye catching designs. Things that are DIFFERENT from what everyone and their brother buys at the mall.   Just look at my neon-sneaker collection. I don't intentionally try to stand out of the crowd, but I certainly don't try to blend in either. I am ME, and if I like something, I'm not afraid to rock it.  And that is exactly what appealed to me about INKnBURN designs.

Technical gear for girls AND guys...and even a kids line! From shorts, shirts, tanks, sports bras, 4 arms (arm sleeves) to jackets, they have just about everything you need to outfit yourself for your race or for training.

Here's their background story:

INKnBURN designs, cuts and sews all our athletic gear (100% made in the USA) to create the ultimate in workout clothes. The fabrics we use are moisture wicking, light and they breathe -- helping you stay comfortable as you achieve your peak performance. Our proprietary technique for getting art on our apparel creates vivid and powerful designs that you can’t feel, and that do not compromise the performance of the fabric. Our technical running shirts are great for cross-country races, marathons, ultras or trail-running. They also just feel great to lounge around in after a tough training session or race. We want to empower you to do your best, and our designs are all about personal strength and performance. 

Bottom line, the design, fit and feel of our INKnBURN performance tech shirts are second to none. Just ask the growing number of athletes who are wearing our shirts and enjoying our unique style, superior construction and design -- from runners to martial arts practitioners to golfers to tennis players. Our shirts have even been spotted on the well-sculpted backs of mixed-martial arts (MMA) fighters. Simply the best tech shirt on the streets, trails, or in the gym.

INKnBURN is composed of a small group of mavericks and rebels with a deep-seated addiction to innovate, create and constantly improve. We got our start designing shirts that endurance runners could wear for 100-mile races and still stay comfortable and cool -- and look cool, too.

All INKnBURN apparel is manufactured in the USA (Lake Forest, CA). We love what we do, and hope that you'll love our stuff, too!  Don’t disappear into the crowd... Distance yourself with INKnBURN and the Art of Running.

From the brazen "RUN or DIE" design (my favorite!) to the elegant Cherry Blossom designs there really are designs for everyone.

That is unless you prefer boring. In which case, INKnBURN is not for you.

Now, let's get technical:
 First up: Tech shirt. The shirt was incredibly light weight. Probably the lightest fabric in my entire closet full of tech gear. Almost like wearing nothing at all...this will be excellent in the summer! But as for this time of year, I put it on over the top of my under armor cold gear to go for a run, because unfortunately (?) it was 37 degrees outside. The shirt is breathable mesh made from 100% wicking soft poly. It is tag-less (hooray!) and has a very flattering cut.

My favorite part? (besides the design?) that a size SMALL was still LONG enough to cover my midsection.  Real talk time: I'm a mom. I have a strong core, but I also have some extra skin from those (luckily they are adorable) kids of mine and I hate when shirts are too short or ride up.  Thank you thank you thank you, INKnBURN, for that extra few inches in length. You have no idea how hard it is to find shirts long enough that aren't wide enough for two of me.

Nothing says "running supermodel" like a cell phone mirror shot in your parents bathroom...with a toddler head in the corner...

NEXT UP: SHORTS

When I was growing up I played soccer (I swear, I have a story for everything) and we always folded over the waistband of our shorts.  I remember my mom used to ask me why I did that, and I didn't have a valid answer. We just did. And it became habit. I pretty much roll the waistband over on every pair of shorts I own without even thinking.  Oh INKnBURN, you designed a pair of shorts just for me!

fold-over waistband

As far as design goes, they are shaped and fit very much like my lululemon run:speed shorts, which I love, but are much softer and move more freely than the run:speed shorts (sorry lulu).   There are two front pockets (not in the waistband either, I mean REAL mini pockets, I love it) and, as they say on the website "There is a wicking poly panty inside so you won't flash any of the fallen guys you have to leap over while racing for the finish." HA!  Seriously though, the built in panty was slightly thicker than you find in most shorts, and I found this to be incredibly helpful in having the short stay put, thus preventing the ever obnoxious wedgie (sorry, but it's the truth!)

Since, as I mentioned, it's cold enough to build igloos outside, I had to give the shorts an indoor sweat test.  I wore them to the gym tonight for a round of indoor track, weight lifting, and a rousing session on the AMT. The shorts passed all of the tests...especially the running. Comfortable, sweat wicking, and most of all, they stayed put. Really, that's all I need in a pair of shorts. The bonus feature, is they look this awesome:

Really, I checked myself out in the mirror about 345 times and said "these shorts are HOT!" ;)

Last up: 4 Arms (arm sleeves)

Composed of super soft poly and spandex, these sleeves are light weight and again, sweat wicking.

What INKnBURN says:

 The INKnBURN 4Arms are a light, soft and stretchy alternative to hauling around a bulky coat when you workout. Put them on when you are just getting started then, once you are warmed up, just stuff them in a pocket or pack. Great for sun protection, they keep you warm in the colder months and we have customers who water them down in the summer to stay cool. (I never would have thought of that!)  INKnBURN 4Arms come two to a pack, one for each arm.

Now, again with the "it's freezing, no really, 16 degrees this morning" it was TOO cold to test these out in the great outdoors. So, to the treadmill I went!

The 4 arms were very soft and, most importantly, STAYED PUT.

And did I mention...they LOOK amazing?


As I said earlier, INKnBURN has performance wear for women AND men, so guys, don't think we've left you out here.  In fact, my new friends at INKnBURN have offered not one, but TWO "4 Arms" arm sleeves up for grabs to two lucky readers!


That's right, one GIRL and one GUY will win a pair of "4 arms" in their choice of design and size !

Sadly...not my abs ;)

TO ENTER:

Open to all followers of my blog. Mandatory entry: Visit www.INKnBURN.com.  Look around!  Come back here and comment...let us know what product catches YOUR eye! Seriously, they really want to know what you think!  Bonus good karma points for detailed "why" answers :)

and if you want them...
BONUS ENTRIES! (leave a comment here for each please!)

- "like" INKnBURN on facebook.  **be sure to leave a comment on their wall!** Tell them how much you love their stuff and RunFasterMommy sent you ;)  Feel free to tell them over there what your favorites are as well!!  (As an added bonus, INKnBURN tells their followers FIRST when a new design is released, which they do often!)

- "follow" @INKnBURN on twitter!

-tweet, facebook, blog, dailymile, etc etc. this contest, up to once per day, per site please (leave a comment for each)

Contest open until Midnight, December 19th. Winner will be drawn December 20th via random.org and notified on this blog, twitter, and facebook (so pay attention!!)

GOOD LUCK!  And remember...DISTANCE yourself with INKnBURN!

**note, INKnBURN provided the clothing to me free of charge. However, the opinions and reviews expressed in this post are uncompensated and that of my own.