All The Gear: Running kit for women
The good the bad and the ugly of running kit.
For the past year I have been the Reviews Editor for Women’s Running magazine, which means that I pick and choose the kit that we review each issue, get it to the reviewers and compile all the reviews. Before this I reviewed kit for the magazine and website and was part of The Run Testers doing shoe reviews on YouTube.
I sometimes feel conflicted in these roles because always buying new running kit is not sustainable for the planet and often the running kit we review is out of the price range of many runners. However, I’m unlikely to persuade the masses not to buy new gear, so I see my role as steering them towards better choices and by that I mean things that do the job well so you’re likely to use it for longer and not throw it away in search of something better.
It’s my strong belief that the world doesn’t need more running apparel brands and yet they keep coming because running is booming and there’s money to be made in running kit. Some new brands start up as a way to address a real issue such as female specific, because for a long time running kit has been designed based on men’s needs and body shape shapes, then shrunk to fit the female frame. And this is a good thing. We could probably all get by with the kit that is currently in our wardrobe, but if you can have something that does the job better and that you’re more likely to use for longer, than that’s great. However I also encounter lots of brands that start up or move into running kit with items that just aren’t cut out for the long run and it feels either ego driven (having your own brand) or just wanting to capitalise on the running boom and I have no time for these.
What is All The Gear?
I’ve always stayed away from putting running kit content here on Substack, but as I’m uniquely placed to offer insights into what running kit works well (because I get to try a lot of it) I thought I would let you guys decide whether that’s something you want to hear about. For example, I recently tested 10 pairs of shorts, which is a lot of pairs of shorts. Not all of them were great. Some of them I loved, but that doesn’t mean you would love them. I can tell you why I think they’re good options though, so my idea is that once or twice a month I will send out a roundup of some of the great gear that I’ve tested - the bits that didn’t get taken to the charity shop because I kept them and kept running in them. You can ignore it if you like or you can dive in and see what I’ve been wearing and testing. There will never be any sponsored content here!
Stuff I’ve had forever and still use: Garmin
To kick things off, I thought I’d tell you about the piece of kit that I use EVERY run. I’ve always been Team Garmin. I bought my first in 2009 after I’d been running for a year to replace a simple digital watch and to encourage me away from the treadmill. In 17 years of running I’ve had just three Garmin watches, which I think is good going. I’ve been sent various smart watches over the years to test but none have nudged out my own. The Apple Watch I was sent as part of a paid partnership with a brand I gave to my partner.
Currently I use a Garmin Forerunner 245 (discontinued but some still available) for all of my training. I bought it in 2001 for £219 because my previous model was getting a bit slow and I wanted something I could more reliably use in the pool to count laps. It’s a pretty basic in terms of Garmin models you can now get, but it does what I need it to do. I’ve trained for three marathons with this and it hasn’t let me down. So although there is always new tech with even more bells and whistles on it, ask yourself “do I really need it?”. Often you don’t.
Tell me your kit conundrums
If you have any kit issues you want solving, or any pieces you want to shout about, drop them in the comments below. I’d also love it if you clicked on the poll below to tell me whether you’re into hearing about the kit I think is worth your cash.
Pants please! Knickers, underwear, whatever we’re calling it - I would like to hear your views on running underwear! Willing to pay for something that is comfortable and fits but no idea where to start!
I need to bite the bullet and buy a new sports bra for running. I'm on the bigger side of things with a narrow band and my preferred one is no longer available. Any recommendations/suggestions gratefully appreciated please!
I hear you on the sustainable side of things and find it bewildering how many brands there seem to be now. I am five feet tall and think there is a definite gap in the market for petite well made, long lasting active wear. Leggings are a bit easier as you can buy crop or 3/4 length which ends up the right length, but jackets and tops are really hard as I'm quite short in the body but also curvy.