The best running gear 2019 – the best running shoes, kit and tech – Runner’s World (UK)

Welcome to the Runner’s World Gear Awards 2019. Everything featured is the best of its kind, whether it’s a pair of headphones to blast out your favourite motivational tune, a weatherproof jacket that’ll last you a decade or a midrace gel that’ll give you a boost when you need it. Over the year, the RW team tested a huge number of products and brands from the world of running.

Between us, we have almost a century of running experience, so we know what’s marvellous, what’s mediocre and what’s a misfire. We whittled each category down to a shortlist and the winners were decided unanimously – so you can be sure that what you see here is best in class.

The best headwear 2019: Ciele Go Cap (Century Highland)

In the space of only a couple of years, Ciele has come to be known as the preeminent force in technical sports caps. It has a mind-boggling variety of colours and designs on its website, but all of them offer the same features: UPF40 sun protection, low weight, one-size-fits-all adjustability, and they wick sweat and dry quickly. Ciele also offers a ‘one million miles guarantee’, which means you can get your money back if your purchase shows any signs of wear and tear (something we’ve yet to see).

The best men’s underwear 2019: Saxx Kinetic

These are a little pricey, but you can’t put a price on comfort. The nine-panel construction means the fit is nigh-on perfect, the anti-odour weave dries in no time and there’s a ‘ballpark pouch’ at the front to keep everything in place.

The best compression wear 2019: CEP Ultralight Calf Sleeves

These calf sleeves are tiny but mighty; light but compressive, they help to control muscle vibration on the run, which means less soreness and quicker recovery post-training. And the sizing is just right.

Best recovery product 2019: Hyperice Hypersphere Min

Think of this as a massage ball on steroids. It’s about the size of a large grapefruit and vibrates on one of three intensity settings (the top speed is positively teeth-rattling but it certainly loosens up your tight muscles). It can be used on almost all areas of your body, it’s portable and the grippy outer shell means it won’t slide around even if used on a smooth floor surface. Agonisingly effective.

Best earphones 2019: Jaybird Tarah Pro

These offer superb sound quality, are intuitive to use and exceptionally durable, and give a rock-solid fit. The battery life is 14 hours (a five-minute charge gives you two hours of run time), they’re waterproof and sweatproof, the audio profile can be customised on the simple accompanying app and if you forget to turn them off, they shut down automatically after 15 minutes to save power.

Best men’s running top 2019: Adidas Own The Run Tee

For this price you’ll struggle to find a tee that’ll give you better value for money; not only is it extremely durable and good at retaining its shape, it also stays impressively pong-free (considering it doesn’t contain any anti-odour treatment). It’s a standard cut, features 360˚ reflective detailing and the weave has some environmental credentials, as it contains almost 50 per cent recycled polyester.

Best grooming product 2019: Better You Magnesium Sleep Lotion

This silky body moisturiser will not only revive your dry runner’s skin, but it also offers a hit of magnesium, in which many of us are deficient and which can help tired muscles recover. There is also a soothing effect, courtesy of lavender and camomile.

Best men’s leggings: Arc’teryx Stradium Pant

For many male runners, protecting one’s modesty when wearing tights is a real concern. This trousers/ legging hybrid is the perfect solution: fitted enough to not flap around or get in the way, but sufficiently loose in critical areas to provide both comfort and a pleasing level of decency. They deliver an excellent combo of warmth and breathability, too.

Best running backpack 2019: Inov-8 Race Ultra Pro 2-in-1 Vest

RW gear editor Kerry McCarthy says this is the best long-run backpack he’s ever worn. The 10L pocket is roomy but can be packed down smaller using the exterior bungee cords (or unclipped if not needed). The two 500ml softflasks are brilliantly positioned at hip height and stay out of the way. The 10 exterior pockets are thoughtfully placed, there’s a built-in safety whistle and the whole thing stays still on your back with no irritating shifting around.

Best road shoe 2019: Reebok Floatride Energy

If Reebok was a horse in the Grand National, it’d be the 33-1 outsider that comes up on the rails to snatch victory. The company has produced a corker of a shoe here: wonderfully light, bouncy and responsive, it was universally loved by the RW team for its reliability, unobtrusive comfort and adaptability to different types of runs – all for a great price.

Best accessory 2019: Buff Polar Thermal

In the past few years Buff has branched out from its core offering of adaptable tubes of cloth (which can be used as snood, cap, headband, wristband and more) into items such as beanies and bobble hats. This new thermal neck warmer – made from recycled materials and available in a variety of designs – is half covered in Polartec fleece, which is snug and comfortable in the cold weather.

Best women’s leggings 2019: Lululemon Tight Stuff 7/8

‘The best leggings I’ve ever worn’, says RW deputy digital editor Jane McGuire. ‘I did all of my winter marathon training in them and they are still like new. The reflective elements on the legs work well, they have a phone/gel pocket on each leg that is easy to access, there’s a zipped waistband pocket and the anti-odour treatment works time after time. And they don’t move an inch on the run’.

Best running socks 2019: Falke RU 4 Short Run Socks

These ergonomically designed ankle-length socks come in men’s and women’s versions and in a range of five colours. They have all the features you would expect of a technical sock: excellent cushioning, anti-rub seams, arch support, a fast-drying, sweat-wicking material and superb comfort. But what is most noticeable is their exceptional durability.

Best sports bra 2019: Lululemon Enlite

This bra comes in cup sizes, like regular bras (up to 36E) and is super-comfortable, amazingly supportive and his criss-cross back detailing that looks cool under any vest. There are no seams – to limit rubbing – and the shoulder straps are wide enough to provide ample support while never digging in to your skin. Available in both back-fastening and front-zip versions.

Best women’s underwear 2019: Runderwear Running Hotpant

We could have picked any style from Runderwear’s women’s range, such is the uniformity of excellence. The hotpants are among the most popular designs, though, as they offer a little more coverage. They wick sweat superbly, are snug, super-soft and breathable, while the seamless design limits chafing.

Best trail shoe 2019: Inov-8 Mudclaw G260

Think of these as the Jason Statham of trail shoes: compact, unsubtle and tough. The 8mm lugs grip mud, sludge, snow and ice like no other shoe we’ve tried and the durable mesh expands nicely with your foot. Inov-8 has also used graphene (one of the world’s hardest substances) in the outsole compound. This will go on and on.

Best hydration product 2019: Precision Hydration

This is a hydration system that’s tailored to you, based on how much salt you lose when you sweat. It comprises effervescent tabs, powders and salt pills with a range of electrolyte strengths and you take them before, during and after exercise. Before you buy, you fill in a quick online questionnaire, after which you are given advice on which of the company’s products will give you the hydration strategy that’s best for you.

Best energy gel 2019: Huma Plus Gel

Vegan and gluten-free, these gels got our vote because not only do they give you a 25g jolt of carbs when you need it, but they’re also 100 per cent natural and taste fresh. They’re made from ingredients such as fruit purée, cane sugar and chia seeds (the fibre from which steadies the energy uptake) and come with electrolytes to help ward off cramps.

Best running gloves 2019: Under Armour Liner 2.0

Under Armour conceived these thin, fitted gloves as an inner lining to be worn under heavier ones – but since we don’t live in Alaska, such a need is unlikely to arise. What we like about them is that, as well as providing warmth and water resistance, they feel pleasingly light and nimble and because they don’t heat your hands until they reach the temperature of the sun, you don’t find yourself tearing them off after a couple of miles. They also have tech-compatible thumbs and fingers.

Best running watch 2019: Garmin Forerunner 45

In a market where top-end devices can cost just under a grand, here’s what you get for an enticingly low price: quick GPS lock; accurate data; user functionality that your gran could work out after a couple of sherries; clear colour graphics; wrist-based heart-rate monitor; a light, slim design; smartwatch notifications; and an ability to do the basics of speed, distance, cadence etc time after time. For many of you, this will be all you need.

Best women’s running top 2019: New Balance Heatgrid Hoodie

This stylish thermal top is roomy enough to be paired with a baselayer if it’s freezing outside, but worn alone it will cope well with your average British winter day. There’s some pleasing attention to detail, too: a raised, crossover neckline provides added protection (and is great for burying your face in while waiting for friends to show up), the sleeves contain built-in mitts and the hood has a ponytail exit.

Best sunglasses 2019: Cebe S-Track

The more high-tech sport sunglasses become, the more expensive they are, usually, but these buck the trend. The lenses are interchangeable, anti-fog and anti-scratch, the nose and temple sections are rubberised for stability and comfort, the frames are durable and resilient, and they offer excellent peripheral coverage. In short, they get the job done and you don’t have to handle them carefully.

Best running jacket 2019: Inov-8 Ultrashell Pro

This won Best in Test in our December-issue jackets review, thanks to the combination of preposterously low weight and incredible weather protection. Not a drop of water gets through, and it holds off strong winds with ease, without any of that running-in-a-bin-bag sweatiness you sometimes get with waterproof layers. It packs down small, the hood works a treat and it’ll last for years.

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