Why India’s Runners Are Turning to a Brand Built for Function, Not Flash

While training for a marathon, Manoj Thakur, a retail professional with over a decade of experience in apparel, realised that most “high-performance” running gear wasn’t made for Indian conditions. In Pune’s heat, humidity, and traffic, the fabrics didn’t breathe, the fits didn’t sit right, and moisture lingered longer than it should. What began as a personal frustration quickly evolved into a bigger idea.

In the wake of the pandemic, India has seen a notable rise in health consciousness, with more people embracing fitness, running, and joining local running clubs, mirroring a global trend of community-led wellness movements.

Founded in 2018 and recently relaunched with a fresh logo and a direct-to-consumer focus, Aguante is built for runners who train in real-world conditions. The brand obsesses over details that often go unnoticed, from how fast a fabric dries on a muggy morning to whether seams or threads cause chafing over longer runs. Aguante is about gear that works where it matters: on the road, under pressure, and mile after mile.

Each product is tested by everyday runners, some amateur, some semi-professional, who treat the gear not as fashion but as functional kit. The brand’s name, Aguante, is borrowed from Spanish football slang, meaning endurance or grit, a term that’s slowly found its way into India’s running lexicon.

While most players in the activewear market compete through visibility, Aguante has taken a quieter route, growing its base organically through trials, feedback loops, and product refinements. There’s no celebrity ambassador or aggressive campaign. Instead, there’s a photo archive of early customers crossing finish lines in Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gurugram, and other cities.

“The Indian running ecosystem doesn’t just need more brands, it needs gear that works,” says Manoj Thakur, Co-founder and CEO, Aguante. “We’re not trying to sell a lifestyle or an aesthetic. We’re trying to solve the problems of people who wake up early and put in the work.”

The focus going forward is measured - expanding the community, refining core products, and quietly building trust. Aguante may not look like a startup in scale-up mode, but its approach reflects something many endurance athletes live by: show up, improve slowly, and let the results speak.