Running Gear for Men 2019 – Men’s Essentials – Runner’s World

This is a list of gear beginning male runners will find most useful during the summer months: breathable socks, a quick-drying tech shirt, an airy singlet, durable shorts, a versatile jacket, UV-blocking sunscreen, non-slip running sunglasses, a breathable cap, carefully formulated electrolyte tablets, easy-to-chew energy chews, a firm foam roller, a waterproof storage belt, and an effective anti-chafe balm. Below you’ll find recommendations for each and the functionality considered when making the selection. Nothing here is absolutely essential (although an argument could be made for the socks and the UV protection), but each item makes the miles a little bit easier in its own way.

Running Hot

Stifling summer runs come with benefits and risks. Studies show exercising at high temperatures and heat acclimation can reduce working heart rate and core temperature, increase the blood’s plasma volume (enhanced cardiovascular output), and improve maximal oxygen uptake, lactate threshold, and overall performance. But, hard work turns dangerous if our bodies aren’t prepared for and protected against the harsh conditions. Improper nutrition risks dehydration and elevated muscle lactate levels. Over-exertion in the heat leads to elevated core temperatures and heat stroke. And, of course, exposure to the sun is exposure to cancer-causing UV radiation. These risks are easily managed, though, with just a few of the items below.

Discuss

This is merely touching the surface of summer essentials. I’m curious to know how this list compares to others. New runners: What’s proven useful? And what solutions are you still searching for? Seasoned runners: If you see something here you love, give it a nod. Is something missing? What can’t you run without? And what solutions are you still searching for? Comment below!

One More Thing

Most, if not all of the items below have female options, as well. So, if the woman in your life is looking to lace up, these should have her covered.

Apparel

Coverage that keeps you cool in the blaring sun.

Socks: Balega Hidden Comfort

Price: $13
Why you need it: Because you don’t have to wear blisters to become a runner

Quality running socks are most often the last piece of specialty gear new runners will try. Until we’re explicitly told there’s something better out there, we resign ourselves to the inevitability that our socks will deconstruct, mid-run, into shapeless wet tubes that will work their way over each heel and bunch around our toes. But better socks do exist and, after finding the appropriate shoes, they should be next on your list of essential gear. Balega’s Hidden Comfort socks are made using a proprietary mix of quick-drying performance fibers with an elasticity that noticeably hugs the arch and wraps around the heel. The thicker-than-average sole pads against abrasion, and the thin mesh top lets the foot breathe. Anti-blister features like a padded heel tab and seamless construction are also quite effective. Wear these socks for one run, remove them, and notice your feet are cooler and less raw. And then spread the word.

Shirt: Under Armour Tech Short Sleeve

Price: $25
Why you need it: Swampy runs are a bummer

Your greatest gains in comfort will come from swapping your cotton shirt for one made from a performance fabric. Cotton pulls in a tremendous amount of moisture and, once saturated, holds onto it. Miles of sweating in cotton makes for a shirt that’s progressively heavier, less breathable, and more likely to cause chafing. Polyester and nylon, the most common fabrics in tech shirts, absorb a negligible amount of moisture and, instead, wick sweat from the skin and allow it to evaporate. Under Armour’s Tech Short Sleeve Shirt is a high-quality, low-cost option. Buy two tech shirts at most—races nearly always include a swag bag with a tech shirt—and you’ll soon have more shirts than you can wear.

Singlet: Rabbit Champ Light

Price: $45
Why you need it: Can’t always run naked

Rising temperature and humidity eventually turn the lightest tech fabrics into a wet blanket. When you can’t lose your shirt altogether, look for options with less material. Rabbit’s Champ Light is a barely-there singlet made from a thin, quick-drying polyester cut to be both close-fitting and airy. An open racer back and low-cut underarms leave most of the upper back exposed and scoops low enough to prevent the seams from causing chafing along the inner bicep. If you prefer a bit more coverage, Rabbit’s Hulk singlet is made from the same fabric, but has smaller arm holes and a broader back.

Shorts: Brooks Sherpa 5”

Price: $48
Why you need it: These last (almost) forever

Here is an unfortunate truth: I once trained for and ran a marathon with only one pair of running shorts. Brooks made them. I still wear them. How can I recommend anything else? Brooks’s Sherpa short, the latest in a long line of well-designed shorts, have a 5-inch inseam—this puts the bottom hem midway down the thigh—and a solid side panel that prevents them from billowing like split shorts. Their mesh liner is moderately supportive and, like the rest of the short, breathable and quick-drying. And, finally, mercifully, the Sherpa shorts feature three pockets: two hip pockets hold keys, cards, and nutrition, and a sweat-resistant back zip pocket is large enough for a smartphone. If you want to wear them for every run, fill a hand soap bottle with liquid laundry detergent and leave it in the shower.

Outerlayer: Brooks Men’s Canopy Jacket

Price: $120
Why you need it: Weathers almost anything

We hold our running jackets to exacting standards. As our outermost layer, they must perform the delicate task of shielding us from the elements without trapping so much heat that we’re forced to shed them mid-run. Brooks’s Canopy Jacket is a feature-rich shell versatile enough to feel right in almost any condition. The ripstop polyester is a durable, wind- and water-resistant layer that moves well and breathes easy. When it’s coldest out, use the long thumbhole cuffs to cover your hands and close the chin-high front zip. If it rains, unroll the stored hood from the back collar. The right pocket hides a tight-holding inner pocket and the left pocket turns inside to allow the jacket to pack down into itself. Layering the jacket over a short-sleeved tech shirt will take you to temperatures around 40 degrees. Anything colder than that and you’ll want to add a long-sleeved middle layer.

Hot Weather Must-Haves

These UV-fighting accessories really are essential.

Sunscreen: Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen

Price: $15 for 3 oz and 5 oz, $28 for 8.75 oz
Why you need it: UV rays, man

Runners need to wear more sunscreen. Studies have not only shown that marathon training increases a person’s total sun exposure, but that sweating increases the skin’s sensitivity to UV rays and increased physical strain is correlated with higher markers for melanoma. Add to this multiple studies showing most college athletes, including runners, don’t use sunscreen. Dermatologists recommend sun avoidance—don’t run between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m—and, for athletes in the sun, a broad-spectrum (protection against UVA and UVB rays), sweat-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Blue Lizard Sunscreen Sport fits the bill. The lotion is a mineral-based physical sunscreen (zinc oxide physically blocks UV rays from penetrating the skin) rated for 80 minutes of water resistance. Plus, it’s made for sun-punished Australians, so it has to be good enough for the rest of us.

Sunglasses: Goodr Whiskey Shot With Satan

Price: $25
Why you need it: UV rays again, man

Running in the wrong sunglasses quickly leads to running with no sunglasses, and, because the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays on the eyes are cumulative (which means you’re cooking your eyeballs just a little bit more every time you head out without proper shades), running without sunglasses can eventually lead to one or many types of eye damage. Goodr makes shades that specifically address the discomforts of running in eyewear. Your eyeballs will like their polarized lenses that provide UV400 protection—optometrists recommend this because it blocks 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. You’ll appreciate the lightweight, bounce-free frames and the non-slip coating that stays grippy even when you sweat. The Goodr website features dozens of creative colorways—at only $25, you’ll likely end up with more than one pair.

Hat: Patagonia Duckbill Cap

Price: $29
Why you need it: Without sounding like a broken record, I’ll just leave this aside as is

A well-designed summer cap will protect your face from sun and sweat without holding in any heat. The Duckbill Cap from Patagonia does this with a short, water-repellent nylon brim, a sweat-wicking Coolmax interior headband, and four large-eyed mesh panels on top. The foam brim is designed to retain its shape after being folded and packed away, which means you can speed dry by wringing out any sweat the cap is holding. Elastic on the back snap makes for a snug fit and a dark underbill is easy on the eyes. For a longer, wider bill, check out Patagonia’s Duckbill Trucker Hat.

Extras

Items critical to summer fueling and recovery.

Hydration: Nuun Sport

Price: $7
Why you need it: To hydrate better

This is why you should drink Nuun instead of anything else. The American College of Sports Medicine’s position on hydration during exercise is clear: replace every bit of what you use. Sodium, chloride, and potassium are the critical trifecta for maintaining electrolyte balance during exercise. Magnesium moderates oxygen uptake in our muscles, increasing our endurance. Water is water and we sweat out a lot of it. Nuun Electrolyte tablets provide 360 mg of sodium, 100 mg of potassium, 25 mg of magnesium, 13 mg of calcium, 1 gram of sugar, and 10 calories. A popular 20-ounce sports drink comes complete with less of what you need and more of what you don’t: 270 mg sodium, 75 mg potassium, zero magnesium, zero calcium, 34 grams of sugar, and 140 calories.

Fuel: Jelly Belly Sport Beans

Price: $8 for 6 Packs
Why you need it: Refuel or when you’re about to bonk

I found it helpful to understand this physiology: Glucose, stored as glycogen, is a major fuel source for our muscles. Our glycogen stores, on average, can fuel a moderately paced run for 90 to 120 minutes. When the stores become critically low, sudden fatigue and weakness set in, reducing muscle capacity—this is “bonking” or “hitting the wall.” Midrun carbohydrates (30 to 90 grams per hour, depending on exercise intensity and duration) give our muscles enough readily available glucose to prevent depleting glycogen stores. Jelly Belly’s Sport Beans are convenient to carry and dose out. And when you’re dry-mouthed at mile 17, these small beans are much easier to chew than some of the larger, moisture-sapping gummies out there.

Recovery: TriggerPoint Grid Foam Roller

Price: $35
Why you need it: To fight pain with pain

Post-workout massage is one of the few non-drug—or even non-surgical—remedies we have for sore muscles, and foam rollers are convenient and torturous stand-ins for an in-home massage therapist. Size, texture, and densities vary. Denser foam rollers make for a deeper, more painful massage, but they last longer. Softer rollers might feel better initially, but their most-used areas will inevitably break down and sag until they’re ineffective. TriggerPoint’s Grid Foam Roller avoids this by wrapping a just-plush-enough foam around a rigid plastic frame. The plush-plastic combination strikes a nice (effective but tolerable) balance. Grab one of these and start with your IT bands—it’s pain-free and downright delightful.

Chafe Stick: Body Glide Anti-Chafing Balm

Price: $10
Why you need it: Somewhere, someday, everyone chafes

We all learn the hard way that salt, in addition to making our food delicious, is uniquely effective at abrading human skin. Body Glide’s anti-chafing stick is a non-oily, all-natural, allergen-free balm that can be rubbed like deodorant onto any hotspot to put a protective layer between sensitive skin and an ill-placed seam or, perhaps, the rigid upper of a new pair of shoes. Get this before you need it, and even if you think you won’t, because walking anywhere after the fact to buy a chafe stick will be the worst experience of your life.

Belt: SPIbelt + Waterproof aLOKSAK

Price: $30
Why you need it: To forget you’re schlepping so much stuff

Most running shorts and pants can hold nutrition, keys, an I.D., and a bit of cash, but few offer a smartphone-sized waterproof pocket for what has become a thousand-dollar running accessory. Against logic, low-profile running belts with a waterproof interior are just as rare. SPIbelt offers the next best by coupling an original belt with a waterproof pouch that attaches to the inside of the belt’s pouch. The straps are elastic, so they cinch tight enough to prevent bouncing but still sit comfortably on the hips. Twist the belt so the pouch sits on your lower back, and you’ll forget you’re wearing it within a mile.

Endnote: Concerning Items Not On This List

Shoes: Runners swear by maximalist shoes and minimalist shoes, stability shoes and lightweight racers, midsoles with gel technology, air technology and, lately, foam technology. Studies still debate the degree to which footwear affects running biomechanics and performance, but you can easily experience a shoe fitting just by trying on a few different brands and styles. Beginning runners should visit a local running store to be fitted for the shoe that best addresses their unique foot strike and gait. For most, this will be a neutral shoe like the Brooks Ghost 11, the Asics Gel-Cumulus 20, the 361 Degrees Spire 3, the Adidas Solar Boost, or the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v9.

Earbuds: Several factors discourage an earbud or headphone recommendation. Running convention says situational awareness is important for new runners, at least until they’re accustomed to sharing sidewalks and streets. Also, audiophiles aren’t the only bunch with particularities, here. We all want something very specific from our earbuds—where one will search out wireless and long battery life, another will want faultless audio and sweatproof design. If you want to read up, you’ll find plenty to think about.

Watch: A wiser and more experienced runner taught me this: Progress in running is too often reduced to numbers. Self-perception can too easily get tangled in mile splits and distance. Running relaxes the mind and energizes the spirit. When we replace these benefits with the high torque of anxiety and disappointment, we lose that quality in running that is so uniquely life-giving. For now, leave the watch at home, relax, and focus on running at a pace you can sustain. Push yourself when your legs and lungs feel strong. Dial down the tempo when your body needs a break. Run in a way that brings you joy—otherwise, you likely won’t come back tomorrow. When you’re more confident with your running and you have more ambitious goals in mind, there are plenty of affordable watches available for you to start recording your progress.