Now that The 2014 CrossFit Games are over, and I’ve had time to reflect, I wanted to share with you a bit more about some of the pure awesomeness that is…The CrossFit Games. For you see, The Games are more than just, well…the games. There’s also a wonderful thing called The Vendor Village, and I decided to go on my very own Viking-style pillaging raid. Care to join me??
The Vendor Village is a huge spectacle of CrossFit gloriousness. Vendors from all over come to this event to show off their wares and believe me, more than one gets a few stares!
Yes, from drinks to protein bars, rigs to supplements, barbells to the perfect WOD shorts…it’s all here on display. In fact, you could get all your CrossFit needs and addictions met here in 1 day. So if you play your cards right and keep them close, you won’t get “rivered” on the last day. So let’s take a look at…The Vendor Village, because it’s time to pillage!
First up is the Reebok CrossFit Games Official apparel store.
This is (very appropriately) the very first booth you come to, and this thing is massive. They have all the shorts, shirts, and tanks of your favorite CrossFitters for you to buy. In addition, they have the newest nanos available, if you so desire. Some of these items will only be available here at The Games. They won’t even be available on the Reebok online store (though I’m sure in a few months you may be able to find them). Along with the clothes and shoes for sale, every year Reebok comes out with a special CrossFit Games hat and bag, which is only available here for a limited time.
Moving right along…if you thought this booth was huge, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Next up, the Rogue Fitness behemoth of a booth.
It seems like this thing gets bigger and bigger every year. Here you’ll find on display all of their shirts & apparel, their line of barbells, WOD accessories, and even demos of the various new Games equipment (like the sled used in the sprint sled WOD. Unfortunately, “Big Bob” was not there on display…cause you know me, I would have been all over that monstrous beauty).
This is a great time to test out any number of Rogue straps, wraps, ropes, bars (yes, those Rogue bars are quite nice. Just give the end a little whirl and you’ll be doing your best Chris Rock impersonation as you watch it: “They spinning!” “They spinning!” “They spinnnnnning!”), and even rigs! If you’re in the market for a home gym, then look no further than The Games to test out some quality product (and just an FYI, if you didn’t know: at the end of competition every year, Rogue sells off used Games equipment, so it’s a good time for not only box owners, but also home gym builders to get some quality stuff at a discount price).
Leading the supplement category for largest, mega-display at The Games was the Progenex booth.
Ever wonder what the sweet nectar of the CrossFit demigods tastes like? Well, wonder no further because at this booth they have every flavor of protein powder out and ready to taste. You can get your Strawberry Creme or your Loco Mocha on…or if you are truly daring, you can try their Flow (salmon-based protein powder…mmmm, yummy for my tummy. But seriously, it sounds a whole lot worse than how it actually tastes). Every year the Progenex booth also happens to have 1 or 2 cool Games posters to give away free to everyone. So get your poster collection going and make your bedroom look like a prepubescent crossfitters dream room.
Another aspect of the supplement category, and one that I’m sure many of you are dying to hear about, are the freebies!! Pretty much everyone here at The Games gives out free samples of their product. If it’s a supplement like protein or (naughty, naughty) pre-workout you’re looking for, well, this is your dream come true. You’ll find both in ample supply from numerous different supplement makers. They give out single serving sample packets by the handfuls.
So, make sure you have a backpack with you and fill up to your hearts content on: BSN, Quest Bars (yes, the awesome people at Quest Nutrition were giving out entire Quest bars, any flavor you wanted…and if you Instagram’d a pic of them, they would give you another…and this was each day of The Games!!!).
Nogii, Wfit Nutrition, MusclePharm, Con-cret, xendurance, Pursuit RX, and a host of others were there too. So, if you’re into taking pre-workouts, this is pre-workout Valhalla. You could come everyday and take loads and loads of samples and be set for a good half year!
These booths were definitely great, but as we all know, CrossFit is really about…the FASHION right?!? And it’s here at The Games in ample supply.
You have everything from your designer WOD shorts and shirts, to wrist wraps and compression socks, even designer kettlebells and designer weightlifting belts. And these vendors come with all of their latest designs…it’s like a New York Fall Fashion show…except with women who are extremely fit and able to beat me up! But seriously…it’s pretty awesome.
My advice: Before buying anything, make sure you have an opportunity to peruse through the entire vendor village and then go back and make your choices (unless finances are not a limitation for you, than by all means…buy awayyyyyyy!! Wheeeeeee!!). Also, you should know this… a lot of the smaller vendors will sell their products at a discount price on the final day of The Games. BUT, it’s a madhouse, and a lot of the “good” shirts you were angling for in the beginning may be gone by the end.
In addition to all the apparel, WOD accessories, and supplements, the Vendor Village is also known for awesome exhibitions, WOD contests, and seminars. Whether it’s a double under contest at RX jump ropes or RPM, or a seminar on mobility led by Dr. Kelly Starrett himself (yes, he was there…and yes, he led a seminar), or a gymnastics orientation, there’s always something going down in the vendor village.
The only problem you’ll have is deciding whether to watch your favorite CrossFitter compete in the stadium, or miss out on that action to participate in a seminar. Generally speaking, they are both going on at the same time. Either way, rest assured, you’re always going to get some action here at The Games.
There was lot going on in the village this year, and it was a great time. If I can give one shout out to a great company who really served the CrossFit community during the entire Games weekend, it would be the awesome people over at LifeAid Beverage Company (the makers of an awesome recovery drink called FitAid). These guys handed out cans, whole cans, of their product each and every single day of The Games for FREE! All you had to do was take a pic and Instagram it. They didn’t care if you came back multiple times in one day…they always had a smile on their faces and a can in their hands. Major props go to LifeAid Beverage Co for really serving the CrossFit community and helping us out on such a hot weekend.
As a side note: if you haven’t had the pleasure of trying FitAID yet… (or if you’re just ready for more awesomeness) our readers can get $10 off any purchase at their online store by using promo code WODPLANET at checkout.
The Games and the Vendor Village were awesome this year. I can’t wait for next year to see just how much more the community grows and what’s in store for CrossFit.
Other articles in our At The Games Series: Food at the 2014 CrossFit Games
