Running Clothes & Gear – Fall 2015 Edition
For the past week, the weather has consistently dipped below 60 degrees in the morning, which in my mind means… It’s time to break out the fall running clothes and gear!
Light Long Sleeve Shirts
I have at least a dozen long sleeve shirts. Most of them are tech-fabric shirts from some of my favorite races – the Boston Marathon (Adidas), the New York City Marathon (Asics), and the Parks Half Marathon (Brooks).
But, I have purchased a few long sleeve shirts over the years.
Nike Dri-Fit Long-Sleeve ($80). This shirt is my long-sleeve staple. I think I own four older models of it. The style changes from year-to-year but I’ve found the fabric is consistently soft and light weight. It also comes in a variety of colors. I noticed the latest version online has thumb holes (or as I like to call them “wrist chillers” since I don’t usually put my thumb through them.) It’s also a good base layer under a running jacket in the winter.
Lululemon Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve ($68). I bought this shirt earlier in the year to wear for Ragnar Cape Cod. I’ve worn it a lot since then because it’s perfect for the fall and spring temperatures we get here in the DMV. It’s also a nice base layer in the winter. It’s so light it’s like wearing a singlet. The fit is nice and the fabric breaths well.
Saucony Swift Long Sleeve ($58). This shirt might be a little warm for 50 degree temperatures but I like it. The fabric is so warm and cozy that I’m thinking of buying another one. It’s a little long in the torso but I’m on the tall side so it’s fine for me.
Brooks Essential LS 1/2 Zip ($65). I have a couple of these shirts. They’re good for the colder fall days. The fabric is soft, the fit is comfortable, and the fabric isn’t too heavy. But, in general, I’m not a big fan of the half-zip. I don’t normally want fabric around my neck outside of the coldest winter days. And, they fit a little loose in the waist and hips.
Arm Warmers
The arm warmer may be my favorite fall and spring apparel item. Long sleeve shirts are great but I like to wear arm warmers on chilly days when I want a little more arm movement – for instance, races or speed workouts. When I put them on, I instantly feel faster.
Asics Arm Warmers ($12). These arm warmers are no-nonsense. They’re a sleeve that goes around your arm. That’s it. Now, go run!
Oiselle Cable Knit Arm Warmers ($38). I bought these arm warmers because they were cute. The pair I have are an older model in a herringbone pattern. They’re very fitted. The cut around the bicep isn’t any bigger than that of the forearm, so they’re not for someone with more arm muscle up top. But, they have a thumb hole so they can also serve as a half glove.
Brooks Utopia Arm Warmers ($25). These have all the bells and whistles – thumb holes and a small pocket on the upper arm big enough for a house key or iPod Nano. They’re tailored with more room at the top, so they can accommodate someone who has bigger biceps than forearms. I have skinny upper arms so these don’t really fit well at the top.
Crop Tights
I don’t own a lot of crop tights because there’s a narrow window when I might wear them. I’m comfortable in shorts until the weather dips below 45 degrees or so. But, much colder than that, I want full length tights.
Lululemon Rebel Runner Crop ($88). These tights are great for carrying things on a run. They have two pockets on the thighs that are each big enough for a smart phone. They also have two key pockets and a back pocket roomy enough for a cards or gels. I think the fabric is a little heavy for running, though.
Lululemon Run for Days Crop ($98). I bought these tights at the end of spring last year and finally had a chance to run in them this week. They don’t have the side pockets that the Rebel Runner has but they’re lighter and less restrictive. They’re good for fall and even early winter speed workouts.
I also have a pair of the Lululemon Passion Crop (Discontinued). They’re very light and the pockets are zippered. It’s too bad they don’t make them anymore.
Saucony Bullet Capri ($65). These capris are very light. They have a lot of the features I want in running bottoms. They have a lot of pockets – two large pockets on the thighs and one zippered pocket on the back. They also appear to be discontinued.
Shorts
Saucony Impulse Short ($22.50 – $45.00). I bought these shorts because my Nike Embossed Tempo shorts are feeling a little baggy lately. I’ve only worn these shorts once but they fit great. There’s one zippered pocket in the back large enough for some cards and a gel. I like them so much that I’m thinking of wearing them for the California International Marathon in December.
Light Gloves
Asics Everyday Liner Gloves ($12). In the spring and fall, I wear my Asics New York City Marathon Five-Boroughs gloves almost every day. There are a lot of similar gloves out there, though, that don’t have the New York City boroughs on the fingers.
Visibility Gear
Petzl Tikka Plus 2 LED Headlamp (~$20). This is a nice headlamp. There are lighter, brighter headlamps on the market but for urban early morning running, this suits me fine and it’s stocked at popular outdoor stores like REI. There are three white light settings: high, low, and strobe; and two red light setting: steady and strobe. It’s also adjustable so I’ll point it high in high traffic areas where I want cars to see me and down when I’m in low trafficked area when I’m more concerned about footing.
Nathan Strobe Light (~$10). These small lights are great for clipping on anywhere. I clip mine on my back so approaching cyclist can see me on the multi-purpose trails. There are two settings – a steady light and an annoying blinking strobe light that no one could miss.
Amphipod Xinglet ($29.95). I don’t wear this very often because of the fit but this is an easy way to add some reflection to whatever I’m wearing.
Brooks Nightlife Essential Vest ($55). I don’t wear this very often either because of the fit but it’s a good high-visibility vest for low light conditions. However, it’s not reflective so if it’s dark, I wear a light.
Fall (and spring) in the Washington area are pretty short. It won’t be long before I’m pulling out my winter running gear.
