10 Running Kit Picks Worth Knowing About This Month

Introduction

Every month brings a fresh batch of running gear through testing, and a handful of products always stand out from the crowd. This month’s picks cover the full spread: two fueling options, a pair of storage-rich half tights, a budget smart tracker, an interesting new take on carbohydrate drinks, corded sunglasses, a heat training sensor, a roomy waist pack, a familiar-flavored electrolyte tablet, and a pair of premium trail socks.

Some of these are race-day staples in the making, others are clever niche tools. Here is what makes each one worth a look.

Styrkr Cell 50 Chews

Cube-style chews are a great alternative when you don’t want to rely purely on gels on long runs or ultra races, and the Styrkr Cell 50 chews have been a happy new find. Each compact bar holds five blocks worth 10 g of carbs each, so 50 g of carbohydrates per pack, plus 267 mg of sodium for some electrolyte support.

The texture is the real highlight: a slightly softer jelly cube that needs little chewing and almost melts in the mouth, while still holding its shape well in a vest or pack. The citrus flavor is sweet but with a strong, welcome zingy offset, and there is a berry flavor too. The compact packs slide easily into the side pockets of half tights, and a backup pack carried on runs for a couple of weeks held its shape without getting battered.

Precision Fuel and Hydration Lemon and Lime Cubes

A long-standing favorite in the chew category, the Precision Fuel and Hydration lemon and lime cubes remain a reliable way to mix up fueling on longer training runs and ultras where the intensity is low enough to allow a bit of chewing.

If you like variety in your race nutrition and want something to rotate with gels, these cubes are a proven pick that pairs nicely with newer options like the Styrkr chews above.

Edra Half Tights

Half tights with storage have become a trail and ultra staple, and these from Edra, a British brand new to testing, have quickly earned a place alongside the best trail half tights around. The 8-inch inseam uses a soft, smooth but reasonably thick stretch fabric with a snug, mildly compressive fit that holds its shape without restricting knee lift.

Silicone grippers in the leg cuffs keep everything in place without being aggressive enough to cause rubbing. The storage is the headline: six pockets in total, including one large rear pocket that can take a lightweight running jacket, four drop-in side leg pockets that handle a phone, gels and more, plus a small key pocket. Plenty for marathon training runs or races.

The one drawback is the built-in inner brief. It is integrated into the waistband in a way that can’t be cut out, which is frustrating if you prefer your own non-chafing underwear.

Ugreen Smart Tag

Smart trackers aren’t a new idea, but this one from Ugreen has found a genuinely multi-purpose role around race travel. Slip one in your suitcase before flying and you will at least know where your race essentials ended up if the bag misses the belt. They also work well in post-race drop bags, where reuniting with your bag can be a scramble.

There is an audio alarm to help you zero in on a bag, and the tag can share your location with up to five people, making it a sensible safety backup in a race vest on long solo runs if your phone or watch die. Battery life is around two years, so you can fit it and forget about it. At around £16 it is a cheap insurance policy.

Maurten Gel Mix 480

Maurten’s new Gel Mix 480 sits between the brand’s drinks and gels: a consistency that is a little more gel-like than the drinks and a little more drink-like than the gels. Each pouch contains 120 g of carbohydrates mixed with 200 ml of water, filling a roughly 350 ml soft flask. Maurten sells a dedicated gel flask for easier flow, but regular bottles work too, you just have to squeeze and suck a bit harder.

The big appeal is carrying a large amount of carbs in one container while keeping the hydrogel technology that many runners find easier on the stomach over marathon distances. Instead of three flasks of drink plus gels, two gel flasks deliver 240 g of carbs, a higher-carb strategy than before. It isn’t cheap at £40 or $50 for six pouches, with the gel flask costing extra, and cheaper high-carb alternatives exist, but it is an interesting option for anyone already using Maurten drinks and gels.

Ombraz Teton Glasses

Ombraz is known for sunglasses that use a cord instead of arms, and the Teton continues that idea with a very secure, easily adjustable fit that doesn’t bounce and puts no pressure on the head. You don’t need to cinch it super tight either. Without arms they pack down small and there is nothing to snap off.

The tested version is a prescription model with photochromic lenses, well suited to the UK’s in-and-out cloud cover and forest running, and there was no fogging thanks to generous side ventilation. Roughly 200-250 miles of running in a month left a very positive impression. The style is more street-ready than full wrap-around sport shields, which is a plus if you want to wear them off the run too, though the clear-lens look is quite distinctive.

The main downside is price. Standard Teton sunglasses run $160, but the prescription version starts at $470 and is currently only available in the US, with photochromic lenses adding more on top.

Core 2 Thermal Sensor

Heat training has become a genuine performance tool, and the Core 2 thermal sensor is one of the most accessible ways to track it. At around £265 in the UK it is a significant outlay, but the sensor clips onto a heart rate strap and measures skin and core body temperature alongside heart rate to produce a heat strain score during activities.

The insights can be surprising: skin temperature may actually drop on a windy or sweaty long run while core temperature keeps building, and core temperature can stay elevated far longer than you feel after a hard track session. That kind of data can reshape your cooling and recovery routine. It pairs with a Garmin watch for live data during runs, with history and heat adaptation stats in the Core and Garmin Connect apps.

For anyone training in the heat or targeting a hot race, it is a well-implemented set-and-forget tool that only needs charging every couple of weeks. If you mostly avoid the heat, it is harder to justify the spend.

Stubble & Co Motion Waist Pack 2L

Running belts span a huge range, from tiny key-and-card pouches to trail-sized haulers, and the Stubble & Co Motion Waist Pack 2L sits firmly at the larger end as a commuter-friendly belt. It is aimed at run commuting or big training days where you want more space than a standard belt without resorting to a backpack.

The 2-liter capacity swallows a phone, wallet, keys, gels and more, and could even fit a soft flask or a light jacket. Inside the main compartment an elasticated pocket holds a phone in place so it doesn’t bounce, the front section takes smaller items or around twenty gels if that is all you carry, and there are hook loops and small gel pockets for further organization. The soft back panel is designed to breathe, the clips hold securely, and it stays put without bouncing.

For marathon training blocks or anyone who refuses to use race baggage areas, this is a genuinely practical step up in storage.

Applied Nutrition Electrolyte Tablets Vimto

A simple but effective pick. Effervescent electrolyte tablets are a daily staple during marathon training, often taken a couple of times a day around long runs, and this Vimto-flavored version from Applied Nutrition stands out for one reason: it actually tastes like Vimto.

The tablets are sugar-free and include vitamin C, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium. Mix one into roughly half a pint of water and it genuinely resembles a glass of the childhood-favorite drink. They aren’t expensive individually, and buying in bulk online brings the price down further. If you want something different from the usual sports-drink flavors, these are an easy win.

X-Bionic Trail Run Terra Skin Performance Crew

The final pick is a pair of premium trail socks. The X-Bionic Trail Run Terra Skin Performance Crew does two things very well: targeted padding and support across the whole length of the sock, and breathability despite all that structure.

The padding is placed in the right areas rather than everywhere, so the socks feel comfortable underfoot on steep, technical trails without making shoes feel tight or awkward. Ventilation zones keep things cooler on hot, sweaty trail sessions, and they performed well in genuinely hot conditions during testing. They are comfortable enough to earn regular road use too, and the black colorway is a practical choice for longevity.

They are pricey for socks, but if you are happy to spend more for a really well-designed pair, these deliver on both comfort and breathability.

Buying Advice

With ten picks spanning very different needs, the useful question is which problems you actually have. If fueling variety is your gap, both chew options work well, with the Styrkr Cell 50 the newer and notably easy-to-eat choice and the Maurten Gel Mix 480 a serious option for high-carb marathon strategies. If storage is the issue, the Edra half tights handle races and training while the Stubble & Co waist pack covers bigger hauls and run commuting.

For travel and safety, the Ugreen smart tag is an easy low-cost add. The Ombraz Teton glasses suit runners who want a secure, street-style fit, especially in variable light, though prescription versions remain expensive. The Core 2 sensor only makes sense if heat training is a real part of your plan, and the Vimto tablets and X-Bionic socks are quality-of-life upgrades that quietly earn their keep every day.

Conclusion

This month’s standout theme is practical problem solving: fueling that is easier to eat and easier to carry, storage that removes the need for a backpack, and tools that add safety or insight without complicating your run. Not every pick will suit every runner, but each one earned its place through genuine testing, and any of them could be the small upgrade that makes your next training block or race a little smoother.