Hey, remember when I ran the Marine Corps Marathon as Plaid Pants? I liked letting my race day outfit speak for me so much that I returned to the source. Let’s revisit Constantly Varied Gear!
WHY AM I WORKING WITH CONSTANTLY VARIED GEAR?
I am extremely choosy about working with brands because I value your trust. I never want to be in a position where I have accepted a brand campaign only to discover that the product kinda sucks. I’ll burn a corporate bridge with the truth but I won’t lie for a buck. If nothing else, the cognitive dissonance sounds incredibly stressful. 😅
So when Constantly Varied Gear (also known as CVG) reached out offering to send me a workout set in exchange for promotion, I accepted because I have already used and enjoyed the brand AND I knew why and who specifically I would encourage to try out CVG. Therefore I was confident I could approach this post with integrity and insight.
WHAT DO I GET OUT OF THIS?
I received one sports bra (Butterfly Bra in Knockout) and one pair of running shorts (5″ inseam in Knockout) free from Constantly Varied Gear in exchange for my review and Instagram post. I will also be reviewing three additional items that I purchased under a different, private account with my own money.
Additionally, you will see in the section right below this one that I have a discount link for you. If you use it, I will receive a 10% commission on your Constantly Varied Gear purchase.
WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF THIS? (15% OFF IF YOU WANT!)
If you do choose to use my discount code, you will receive 15% off your order. You can only use one discount code (including rewards points) per order; alas, no stacking. But in my experience discount codes do apply across the entire site, including on items in the sale section.
Whether or not you elect to use my code is up to you. Note that in order to obtain the 15% discount, you’ll need to accept it in the popup that initially displays on the site.
So go get that discount with the link below! Or don’t; this blog is Choose Your Own Adventure, baby:
https://www.constantlyvariedgear.com/JENN58722
SO WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT CONSTANTLY VARIED GEAR?
I covered an introduction to Constantly Varied Gear in my initial review post on the brand, so do check that out first if you’re unfamiliar.
In the modern era, there are almost as many workout clothing brands as there are athletes. The first and most important thing to know about CVG is that they DO NOT PLAY about side pockets. The shorts have side pockets; the leggings have side pockets. And you know what I always say: no side pockets, no sale!
Arguably their biggest claim to fame, however, is the prints. CVG has tons of unique, colorful, noticeable prints available in multiple mix ‘n match styles across sports bras, shorts, capris, and leggings. You can choose from all sorts of motifs: cats, dinosaurs, skulls, landscapes, cephalopods, and much, MORE more. There are even holiday collections for your themed 5K needs.
As I said above, I enjoyed my spectator and even fellow runner compliments during my time as Plaid Pants in the 2025 Marine Corps Marathon. It made me wonder: could a CVG ‘fit replicate my success?
CHOOSE YOUR RACE DAY OUTFIT FIGHTER
With that in mind, I selected the Knockout set I reference above as my gift from CVG. It’s loud, colorful, and fun – everything I’m potentially looking for in my kit of the 2026 Marine Corps Marathon.
But I didn’t stop there. I’m already thinking ahead to runDisney race costumes too. With ideas forming, I used my own private account and money to purchase the Vista sports bra and Day Dream shorts in Unleashed, a tiger stripe pattern.
I didn’t notice any difference in shipping times or packaging between the products I was gifted versus those I purchased outright. If anything, the turn around time for the NON-gifted items was a little faster.
Everything I received was true to the design and color of the photos on the website. Mind you, running gear is not exclusively about form – we must also have function. Let’s see how my new athletic wear held up under a 7 mile run.
COMIC BOOK COUTURE (GIFTED)
Readers of my original CVG review post may recall that I had a little trouble with the fit of the longline bra. I have a small-medium chest and a smallish ribcage, and I found the longline bra a little loose in the back. It looks great (I wore my plaid set to Halloween Horror Nights!) but I don’t love it for longer runs.
Well, no such problem exists between me and the Butterfly sports bra model. In fact, when I first took it out of the package I worried it might be too small. As it turns out, this baby fits me perfectly. No bouncing, no squeezing, no chafing. Score!
Keep in mind my qualifiers above, though – small ribcage, small-medium boobs. Those more generously endowed would do well to consider sizing up or looking at a different model. I also enjoy the cups for shaping purposes, but they’re removable if you don’t want them. There appear to be removable cups across all sports bra types.
As for the shorts, I might have been able to go a size down, but it wasn’t strictly necessary. The nice thing is that the inside hem of the legs as a hefty strip of rubber around the inside to prevent the inseam from riding up. Despite my powerfully thick thighs, the leg opening didn’t squeeze, pinch, or move. I also appreciate a high waist. Yeah, I like these.
TIGER, TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT (PURCHASED BY ME)
So in my estimation the longline bra runs a skosh big and the Butterfly model a skosh small. The Vista sports bra, by contrast, seems pretty well true to size. It has some interesting design features including double back straps and a windowpane front cutout.
I found the Vista sports bra model very stretchy, forgiving, and easy to take off and on, which is great in a sweaty environment like Puerto Rico. This did mean that the band wasn’t quite as snug as the Butterfly. Some might like this, especially for low impact workouts like yoga and pilates. For running, I preferred the Butterfly’s security.
I was particularly intrigued by the Day Dream style of shorts. The Day Dream is a twofer: a high waisted split short sewn over top of a 5.5″ bike short. The undershorts have the same rubberized no-slip strip at the hem and side pockets as the regular bike shorts.
Once again I think I could’ve potentially gone down a size… then again, maybe not. The waist wasn’t tight enough to snatch, but that kept it completely comfortable and chafe-free. Another one of those things that comes down to personal preference and intended use, I think.
The bike short layer felt a bit less compressive than the regular bike shorts, yet the rubber strip kept them from riding up. You do get that swish-swish noise from the outer shell; pair it with some thwacking Alpha Flys and you’ll have a little running symphony on your hands. (Well, more like your thighs and feet. Rim shot!)
BONUS! 2″ INSEAM SHORTS (PURCHASED BY ME)
For non-rewards members and lower rewards tiers, the free shipping minimum clocks in at $100 even. I was so dang close with my tiger set that I caved to capitalist psychology and threw one more item into my cart for that sweet sweet free shipping deal. Behold, the Reindeer Games shorts in – gasp – a 2.5″ inseam. (Many models also come in a 7″ inseam if you like more coverage; check an individual product page to see your options.)
Fear not – I never intend to run in these shorts. The chafing alone…!!! Nah, I bought this pair exclusively for strength training. Working out out in Puerto Rico is a damp business year round; the less fabric you have to contend with, the better.
The primary thing to know about the 2.5″ inseam vs. the 5″ is that the 2.5″ inseam does NOT have the rubber strip around the inside of the hem. Other than that, they’re the same soft, accommodating material as the 5″ Knockout shorts. I would not recommend them to any runner without a thigh gap, but as gym clothes, they work just fine. Yes, the 2.5″ inseam model still comes with pockets!
I’m less precious with my strength training gear than running gear, so after washing I took a chance and ran these through the dryer. They came out looking the same as they went in, both in shape and pattern.
WHICH CONSTANTLY VARIED GEAR ‘FIT SHOULD BE MY WINNER?
Where were we? Oh, yes. Circling back to the main thrust of this post: which running outfit should I wear for the Marine Corps Marathon? Do you have the eye of the tiger, or do you prefer a comic book queen? Remember, we’re trying to get noticed by spectators here! The cheer-o-meter must go crazy. That’s where the speed comes from. It’s science!
Feel free to weigh in via the comments, or you can comment on the corresponding Instagram post. There are no wrong choices – both function well, which means it’s all down to form.
Not to put a proverbial thumb on the scale, but I can tell you Pat’s answer: the Knockout. He never notices my running clothes, but after seeing the comic book print hanging out to dry, he asked me where I got them.
SHOULD YOU BUY RUNNING CLOTHES FROM CONSTANTLY VARIED GEAR?
As I said before, there’s no shortage of running gear brands out there. So why should YOU purchase from Constantly Varied Gear?
I think CVG is specifically for the runner who is looking to stand out and/or express themselves through their workout gear, whether that’s in a gym, at a race, or just chilling at home. They do offer solid colors as well, but it’s the fun patterns that truly define the brand. I also appreciate the side pockets, fast shipping, and responsive customer service (I emailed them once and got a response in well under an hour). And if you have any questions you’d like to pose to someone who is NOT an employee, I’m happy to answer to the best of my ability!
Here’s my discount link one more time in case you’d like to use it, although I’d never begrudge you a quick search for a higher percentage off:
https://www.constantlyvariedgear.com/JENN58722
I’d love to see what you get if you buy something! There are so many prints the one you pick is practically a personality test. 😂 Which I guess makes me a comic book tiger…?
Don’t forget, you can follow FRoA on Threads @fairestrunofall and on Instagram @fairestrunofall. If you have any questions or thoughts, leave a comment or email fairestrunofall@gmail.com. See ya real soon!