Running Gear Essentials: 12 Picks Worth a Look This Season

Introduction

Every month brings a fresh pile of running kit to test, and most of it is fine without being memorable. This roundup collects the pieces that actually earned a place in the regular rotation: shorts with pockets that hold what you put in them, glasses built for changeable weather, and the small comfort upgrades that quietly make every run better.

Some of these picks are expensive, some are surprisingly cheap, and a few solve problems you may not even have. The goal here is to give you enough detail to decide which ones fit your own running.

The North Face Summit Repo Tight Shorts

If you like layering half tights under a storage short, these are a strong option. The North Face Summit Repo tight shorts add four pockets: a rear zippered pocket that swallows a large phone, a small key pocket inside the waistband, and two drop-in thigh pockets that hold gels and phones securely without letting anything bounce out.

The wide coated leg cuffs do not cut in or roll up, the drawstring waistband is wide with plenty of stretch, and breathable panels at the back help a little when you double up with another short. The flat gusseted seams mean you could plausibly run in them as a base layer on their own too. On long runs, carrying half a dozen gels plus a phone is genuinely easy, which makes these a realistic marathon option.

CL 7in Linerless Shorts

For runners who prefer linerless shorts to layer over their own undies, tights, or a base short, the CL 7in shorts are a pleasant surprise. Storage is minimal: one rear zippered pocket that takes a gel or two but not a large phone, plus a hidden waistband pocket best treated as decorative.

Where they shine is the fabric. At around 106 grams for the whole short, they feel almost weightless, and the main material has a PFC-free water repellent finish that shrugs off light rain and sweat. The faux fly and a drawstring stash pocket for the loops are nice touches, and the fit is genuinely good. Anyone who has suffered through badly designed brief liners will appreciate the linerless approach.

Humantra Electrolytes

A quick reality check first: most runners get plenty of salts from normal food, and extra electrolytes every day are not necessary. These are training and racing tools, not daily habits.

That said, Humantra electrolytes stand out for moments when a standard sports drink is the last thing you want to face, like the morning after an ultra or the night before a big long run. The flavors, including lychee pomegranate, apricot, and lime, are subtle and genuinely easy to drink. At around £1 per serving they are best used sparingly, exactly where they add value.

Fellaforte Electrolyte Powders

In the same category, Fellaforte electrolyte powders are another option that does not taste like the typical electrolyte tab. If you find conventional tabs chalky or overly medicinal, these are worth a look for the same use cases: prehydrating before a long run, topping up after a hard sweaty session, or fueling during a race.

Like the Humantra option, these make the most sense as a targeted tool around key sessions rather than an everyday drink.

Rex Sling Blade Glasses

The Rex Sling Blade glasses are prescription frames with photochromic lenses that shift from clear to a dark blue, and they survived several weeks of daily running plus a half marathon race. The frame is flexible and, according to Rex, unbreakable, and the thick lenses feel like they would survive a drop mid-run.

They sit close to the head and rarely slip, with only a little bounce when running downhill while looking at your feet. Two things to know: the fairly thick arms can get cluttered around ear-hook headphones, and the styling is more functional than fashionable. Pricing climbs steeply with options: around £20 or $29 for the plain version, roughly £120 with prescription, and about £180 with transition lenses. Even at the top end, that undercuts a lot of prescription sports eyewear.

Puma x SKIMS Wave Pattern Vest and Jacket

The Puma x SKIMS collaboration brought out some genuinely nice running kit, including a limited edition greyish-blue colorway of the DV8 Nitro Elite 3 racing shoe. The two standout wearables are the wave pattern vest and jacket.

The vest is feather light and almost sheer, clearly designed for hot summer days and fast runs. It costs £75, which is expensive, though limited edition collab pieces have proven popular. The jacket, at £100 or $130, is not waterproof; it is a warm-weather extra layer, and it does that job very well without getting too hot or sweaty. It has a couple of pockets and packs down reasonably small when scrunched up. Both pieces feature strong design throughout the range.

Refflow Juria Long Sleeve Top

Refflow is a sustainable sports gear brand that leans heavily on recycled materials and scrutinized supply chains, and the Juria long sleeve top is the pick of what has been tested from the range. The fairly thick fabric is lovely in cooler months, with perforations at the back to help ventilation, though it may run warm in summer.

It absorbs a lot of sweat, so on hard efforts it can get heavy and clammy. That makes it best suited to easy runs, gym sessions, and athleisure wear, where its soft feel and quality construction really show. At £55 or $79, the sustainability story is a major part of the appeal, but the comfort alone justifies a look.

SealSkin Quick Dry Running Shorts

Two-in-one shorts are a staple, but the quality varies wildly. The SealSkin Quick Dry running shorts with undershorts get the formula right: a comfortable liner that is not too tight, phone holders in both legs, a small rear zip pocket for keys and a gel or two, and a bungee cord for keys as well.

As the weather has warmed up, they have handled heavy sweating well and wick moisture effectively. Beyond the features, this is simply a solid, comfortable, nicely fitting pair of all-round running shorts.

New Balance Ultralight T-Shirt

New Balance releases a kit series around the London Marathon each year, and of everything tested from the training selection, this t-shirt stood out the most. It is extraordinarily light and thin compared with most running tops, yet it feels soft and comfortable, almost imperceptible on the skin.

After an all-out parkrun effort, it wicked sweat quickly and dried off fast over a coffee afterwards. The tested version carries a small London Marathon logo, but it is available without it. One more point worth noting: New Balance tops tend to fit broader, more muscular frames better than most running brands, with less tightness around the stomach and less bagginess in the arms. It is on the pricey side, but it is a top built to last through many races.

Versus Matrix Active Crew Socks

Good socks are good socks, and the Versus Matrix Active Crew socks are just that. They strike a rare balance: nicely padded without being so thick that they make your shoes hard to put on.

They feature an anti-blister finish at the toes to stop toes rubbing together, plus construction designed to keep the sock comfortable and flexible on the foot. Moisture wicking works well too; after a sweaty parkrun they dried quickly with no clammy feeling. Versus also does strong designs in the mold of brands like Stance, but the comfort and fit are the real story here.

Buff Pack Light Cap

For anyone who runs in a cap year round, the Buff Pack Light cap is a genuine step forward. The material is very thin and breathable, closer to featherweight than a standard cap, and it dries out noticeably faster than most other caps after a sweaty hot-weather run.

Instead of a buckle strap at the back, it uses a simple elasticated fit that sits comfortably straight away. The brim scrunches up, so the whole cap rolls down small enough to stash in a belt or pocket and pull out when needed. It also looks like an actual decent cap, which is not always true of technical running headwear. If you want the lightest possible summer running cap, this is the one.

Buff Five Panel Cap

The Buff Five Panel cap is the less technical, cheaper sibling in this pair, and it remains a very good cap. It is lightweight and comfortable, wicks moisture well, and while it does not fold down as small as the Pack Light, it is still packable in a pocket.

The design is clean and it looks great on. One practical note: if you run in strong sun, the tested version in black will absorb some heat, so consider a lighter color for hot conditions. For most runners who want a stylish, comfortable summer cap without paying for the most advanced materials, this one does the job nicely.

Buying Advice

If you are prioritizing, the biggest everyday wins are the New Balance Ultralight T-shirt and the Buff Pack Light cap: cheap-feeling problems solved by genuinely well-made pieces. For storage-focused runners, the North Face Summit Repo tight shorts offer the most carry capacity, while the CL 7in shorts are the better pick if you prefer a linerless layering system.

Electrolytes like Humantra and Fellaforte only make sense as session-specific tools, not daily habits. The Puma x SKIMS pieces are lovely but expensive and limited edition, so they suit buyers who value design as much as function. Whatever you pick, match the gear to how you actually run rather than to the marketing.

Conclusion

None of these products will transform your running on their own, but together they cover the details that add up: secure pockets, fast-drying fabrics, comfortable socks, and eyewear that adapts to changing light. Pick the ones that solve problems you actually have, and they should serve you well for seasons to come.