IntroductionThis study examined how Filipino university students prioritize sportswear attributes and whether these preferences vary across sociodemographic groups within the context of Physical Activity Towards Health and Fitness courses (PATH-Fit). Framed within behavioral economics, the study treats sportswear purchasing as a form of everyday consumer decision-making shaped by functional need, budget constraint, and identity-related preference.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 401 students at a public higher education institution in the Philippines. Descriptive statistics were used to identify the most valued product attributes, while independent samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to examine differences across sexual identity, age, year level, geographic area, and monthly average expenditure.ResultsResults showed that comfort, quality, and affordability were the most strongly prioritized attributes, indicating that students evaluated sportswear primarily through practical and value-sensitive considerations. Significant group differences also emerged. Women placed greater importance on several functional attributes, LGBTQIAP+ students assigned higher value to fashion and promotional cues, freshmen showed stronger preferences for affordability and durability-related features, and brand considerations became more salient among higher-spending students.DiscussionThese findings suggest that sportswear choice among university students reflects not only product utility, but also variation in financial capacity, identity-linked preference, and consumer valuation across groups. The study contributes context-specific evidence on attribute prioritization and heterogeneity in consumer choice within a sports-related educational setting.