The Right Gear

Tops

A good piece of running clothing must transport moisture (sweat) away from the body towards the outside environment (wick & wicking), so even with intensive sweating you can feel comfortable and dry. The clothing should also be able to regulate body temperature; When the weather gets really cold or wet it is advisable to run in a gillet or a long sleeve waterproof top. These offer excellent wind-stopping and rain-resistance capabilities and can keep you warm and dry throughout any run. These types of tops are multi-purpose because they can be used casually as well and the ones at the top end are very high tech and guaranteed waterproof and windproof. Cheaper versions will be fine for most running conditions but they will sacrifice certain aspects like being 100% waterproof or windproof.

Being prepared for cooler conditions enables you to stay warm, dry and enjoy the run more. In warmer climates the new fabrics and technologies enable you to train harder by staying cooler and wicking away sweat and moisture from the body. Both of these mean you can’t blame the weather for not training anymore and you can get and stay fitter all year round now in comfort and style.

Short and long sleeve t-shirts have also benefited from technological advances. The mid to top range t-shirts all wick away sweat to keep you cooler and allow a greater air circulation through the fabric. They feel very light-weight but have the properties to keep you warm or cool depending on when and how you wear them. Running t-shirts should be reasonably tight but not figure-hugging and likewise they shouldn’t flap around when you run in them. It is a fine balance between well fitted and slightly baggy you should aim for. With long sleeve t-shirts, you should aim to get ones with cuffed sleeves so they stay down around your wrists. If there are no cuffs, then the sleeves often ride up your arms when you run, and this can be both annoying and cold.