Running is hard. It requires physical and mental endurance, determination, and a bit of stubbornness. One way to make it a little bit easier is to find the right gear that makes you feel comfortable and excited about hitting the trails.
No two runners have the same gear. It is a very individualized sport and that includes personal preference for gear. These are my favorites.
What I Wear
When I pick out running attire, I pay attention to the fabric used. Picking the right materials can prevent chaffing, keep me cool or warm, and can help keep me dry. Some of my favorite choices are:
- Nylon – Wicking, breathable, and super stretchy
- Polyester – Durable, lightweight, and breathable
- Merino Wool – Great for hot and cold weather, temperature regulating, extremely breathable, wicking, and anti-bacterial
Constantly Varied Gear
Constantly Varied Gear (CVG) is a small women-owned business out of New Bedford, Massachusetts. CVG is my go-to clothing for most of my runs. Their tanks are a blend of polyester and viscose fabric and are very lightweight. Plus they have some amazing sayings on them.
I wear CVG full-length leggings for cool-temperature workouts and their 5-inch shorts for warm temperatures. Both come in beautiful and fun patterns. They are very soft, stretch, and stay in place while I run. They are also squat-proof and have deep pockets.
In the winter, I often find myself grabbing my CVG hooded sweatshirts as a top layer to help keep me nice a warm (but not too warm) in the single-digit temps.
Most importantly, I have never had any problem with chaffing with any of the CVG apparel.
Under Armour
Whether hiking or running, there’s no brand I trust more than Under Armor to help keep me warm when temperatures dip into single digits. I wear both the ColdGear leggings and ColdGear tops as base layers. The downside – no pockets. And sometimes the top rides up and needs to be tucked in.
XOSkin
XOSKin is a relevantly new brand in my arsenal. I took a risk and bought a pair of their toe socks about a year ago and fell in love with them. I have not been a fan of toe socks in the past, but with these, I couldn’t even tell I was wearing toe socks. They help keep my toes from getting squished together, keep my feet dry, and I don’t get blisters.
Toe socks aren’t my only XOSKin gear. I also love their leg compression sleeves. I own two pairs – one for running long distances and one for post-run recovery. They are comfortable and work great.
Balega
Balega socks have been a part of my gear for both hiking and running for a few years now. Despite having hundreds of miles on them, I still have the first pair I ever bought. They wear amazingly well, prevent blisters, and are great at regulating the temperature of my feet. And they are so comfortable. I love these socks.
Hydration & Fuel
It took me a long time to start finding favorites for hydration and fuel. There are A LOT of brands out there to try and even more flavors. My stomach is very particular about what foods and drinks it can handle so once I find something that sits well and I enjoy the flavor, it gains a permanent spot in my fuel rotation.
Gnarly
Gnarly is my go-to brand for liquid fuel and hydration. I discovered it during my first 50K and haven’t looked back since. I use Gnarly Fuel2O on all of my long runs and Gnarly Hydrate on my shorter runs and hot runs. I have recently added Gnarly Creatine into my daily diet as well.
So why Gnarly? Well, it has excellent flavor, isn’t super sweet, sits well in my stomach, and Gnarly products are NSF Certified for Sport.
What does NSF Certified for Sport mean? It is an independent, third-party certification that says what Gnarly says is in the product, is actually in the product. More importantly, it also means there isn’t anything in the product that shouldn’t be in the product.
Looking for products that have this certification is a great way to pick a brand to try.
Honey Stinger
Honey Stinger was one of the first products I had ever tried. They have multiple products but my favorites are their energy chews. These are organic soft chews made from honey. They are easy to pop into my mouth while I’m on the move.
The energy chews come in many different flavors. Some don’t sit well in my stomach while other’s are perfectly fine. My preferred flavors are Pink Lemonade, Fruit Punch, and Acai Pomegranate.
Real Foods
I’m constantly experimenting with new foods to try. Right now my favorites are cinnamon applesauce pouches, nutterbutter cookies, peanut butter m&m’s, and peanut butter-filled pretzels.
HydraPak
HydraPak is the only brand I trust for carrying my water and liquid calories. I use both their reservoirs and their hydraflasks for hiking and for running. They have a variety of different lids and sizes for their soft flasks, which allows me to customize them to my needs. They are easy to clean, long-lasting, and most importantly, don’t leak.
The Shoes
Finally, the big question. What shoes do I run in?
Out of all of the gear, the shoes of a runner are the most individualized. What works for me, won’t work for others. If possible, I recommend going to a shoe store that specializes in running to get fitted properly. Even then, it can be a bit of an experiment.
After trying dozens of shoes, I landed on the Saucony Peregrines. I love these shoes. I have ran thousands of miles in peregrines, including multiple 50Ks and a portion of my 50 mile race. I love how grippy they are on the trail; that they provide enough cushion to keep my feet comfortable but not so much that I can’t feel the trail below me; and that they last.