S

ure, all of the big running shoe brands will be on hand at The Running Event in San Antonio next month and they tend to dominate meeting schedules as running retailers check out the latest and great new styles and technologies and lock in their 2027 orders.

But there is a different aspect to the two days of exhibits and retailers need to make time for the dozens of emerging brands that will showcase their own latest and greatest products. Here are five of those brands among those dozens to check out – be sure to walk the aisles to explore the brands that will help to differentiate your store. You never know where the Next Big Thing can be found at TRE26!

No Sweat Here

Swair is a unique showerless shampoo haircare product that cleans sweaty hair in five minutes without residue or white cast. The product avoids using aerosol propellants and powders, instead focusing on safe and effective ingredients that break down sweat buildup at the scalp, resulting in softer and shinier hair.

The product was created by co-founders Carrie Sporer and Meredith Krill, two friends who met in 2007 while training for the New York City Marathon. They both shared frustration over having to wash their hair after every workout and not finding a product that eased not only their burden, but the burden of those who shared in the same frustration.

“We felt that a lot of women had to choose between working out and their hair, which sounds really silly, but it’s a real pain point,” Sporer explains. “So what we really wanted to do was remove a piece of friction between women and getting sweaty.”

Sporer says she and Krill are excited for the opportunity to meet attendees in person at TRE26 and demonstrate how the roduct works.

“It’s a really great opportunity for the stores to be able to sell something new, that’s a little bit outside of their traditional zone,” Sporer says.

Buckle UP!

Buckle Scrunchies is a hair accessory that quickly clicks open to release hair faster than a traditional elastic hair tie. The product was created and brought to life by Hannah M. Le, who came up with the idea when she was 13-years old. Le says that during her recovery from ACL surgery, she decided to bring her idea to life, and in 2024, she founded Buckle Scrunchies.

“This concept of a hair tie, or hair scrunchie that would click open and unwrap from your hair as easy as unbuckling your belt, untying your shoes, or unclipping your bra — If those solutions existed, why couldn’t we have one for our hair,” Le tells Running Insight. “And that’s how I started Buckle Scrunchies.”

Le’s passion for her business has shown up in the product and it has yielded success for her business. Le said that she’s received positive reviews from a diverse range of customers, including those who have longer and thicker hair, as well as customers with disabilities who aren’t able to use traditional hair ties.

Le said that she’s excited for TRE attendees to try the product and learn more about Buckle Scrunchies. In addition to partnering with local run clubs in San Antonio and different events throughout TRE, Le is also preparing buckle hair-tie samples in goodie bags that will be offered to attendees. She says the preparation ahead of TRE has grounded her.

“It’s a very humbling part of the process that really lets me reflect on how far I’ve come with Buckle Scrunchies,” Le says. “I am looking forward to what’s next — and that’s TRE.”

Get Wild

Wild Strides Paper Co. is a stationary company whose products are built specifically for runners and endurance athletes. It specializes in creating planners and training logs as well as funny and relatable greeting cards and stickers.

Professional mountain runner and two-time world champion Grayson Murphy developed the concept eight years ago, when she developed her own training logs and planners. That concept blossomed into the Wild Strides Paper Co. which officially launched in the summer of 2024.

Brittany Miller is the co-owner and managing director of the Wild Strides Paper Co. who says the training log and planners are foundational pieces for the company, but is has also found success with the other products in its catalog.

“(Training logs and planners) are what people come back to us for year after year after year, because it is a daily planner that’s specifically designed with runners in mind,” Miller points out. “But it was the summer of 2024 where we branched off into more stationery products, like our greeting cards and our stickers, and we’ve seen huge success with those in the past two years.”

Miller says that Wild Strides are featured in seven retail stores already and she is looking for that to increase after TRE26.

“I’m just so excited for retailers to see all of our offerings and I just hope that they can appreciate as much as the runners who see us at race expos do and just see how beloved a product like this is in the market.”

See The Light

Runsifly looks to provide consumers with professional, comfortable and lightweight products for runners and was founded in 2025 by LEO (yes, just LEO), an avid runner and former running shoe content creator. He set out to make a product that focused on the running market.

“I love running and know what the runners demand,” LEO says. “So I want to design different products in the running market, giving more options to runners.”

So far, the young company offers apparel as well as a racing shoe called the Flare Elite. LEO says he has long dreamed of attending TRE and feels that it will be great for his company and it

plans to release its first training shoe called Pivot at the show.

“I hope to meet different people, not only potential business partners but also industry participants,” LEO says. “That is greatly helpful in letting Runsifly face the global market.”

Crack Down

Canyon Crack is an adventure butter fuel designed for intensive high-energy activities that burn large amounts of calories, including running, cycling and hiking. It’s made with grass-fed free-range cookies and the base of the product is made with coconut butter, nut butter, cookie butter, chocolate and honey, as well as crunchy bits like cocoa nibs, chia seeds, espresso beans and ginger crystals.

The brand was created by Tom Richman, who is also a Grand Canyon backpacking guide and tour operator. He believes the fat, protein and carbohydrate ratio in the product sets it apart from its competitors.

“Most other gels and snacks made for running are all carbohydrates,” Richman explains. “Canyon Crack is about 50 percent fat for long-distance, slower release calories.”

Richman is excited to attend TRE26 and he will be offering samples to attendees that stop by his booth. He’s also looking forward to building relationships with retailers who are curious about Canyon Crack.

“We’ve received some really positive feedback from the running community so far – especially the ultra world, so we’re interested in connecting with more retailers interested in expanding their nutrition offerings,” Richman says.