Running Gear of the Year 2022: Six Standout Picks Worth a Closer Look

Introduction

After a full year of testing shoes, apparel, and accessories, a short list of gear kept earning its way back into regular use. These six picks stood out for a simple reason: each one solved a real problem, from post-injury recovery and trail comfort to race-day storage and pole support on steep terrain. If you are shopping for a runner this season, any one of these would make a genuinely useful gift.

Recovery First: MyoMaster Myo Pumps

The MyoMaster Myo Pumps are the easiest form of recovery featured here. You plug the boots into the control unit, connect it to the mains, select your treatment type, duration, and compression level from a wide spectrum of settings, then press start. The boots slowly fill with air, compressing your legs from the bottom up, holding that pressure, and then decompressing.

The cycle is designed to flush out the byproducts of hard training and replace them with fresh, oxygenated blood, which supports faster recovery. These pumps earned their place after playing a real part in rebuilding from a serious ankle sprain and a string of lingering niggles. Used three or four times a week, they paired well with a return to consistent training and racing. They retail in the UK for around £600, so this is a serious investment for runners who train hard, need to recover quickly between sessions, or struggle with lower-leg circulation.

Trail Shoe of the Year: Saucony Exodus Ultra

The Saucony Exodus Ultra has not stopped being the go-to trail shoe all year. It has covered a huge mix of mileage: the demanding 97-mile TDS at UTMB, 80 miles straight out of the box at an endurance event, a couple of 50k efforts, and plenty of long training runs.

The most striking stat is comfort: across roughly 400 miles there was not a single blister or hot spot, something that had never happened before in a running shoe. If you want a trail shoe that can go from the box to ultra distances without drama, this is the one to put on your shortlist.

Apparel Highlights from Hugo

Two pieces from French apparel specialist Hugo stood out during the year, starting with a long-sleeve lightweight technical tee in a great tangerine colorway. The fabric is plush but ridiculously light, so much so that you can barely feel you are wearing it, and it is highly breathable with quick-drying performance.

That makes it versatile: it works well as a base layer under a windproof or waterproof jacket, or on its own in milder conditions. The tee also uses Hugo’s unique 100 percent stitch-free Thermo bonding technology, which delivers a close, comfortable, chafe-free feel. It is a lesser-known apparel brand that is well worth checking out.

Two-in-One Shorts Done Right

The Hugo Aerospeed Elevate 2-in-1 shorts follow the same philosophy. They use super-lightweight, highly breathable technical fabrics with a close-fitting, comfortable internal short, and they carry the same stitch-free Thermo bonding construction for that chafe-free feel over long efforts.

For runners who dislike bulky shorts but still want the support of an inner layer, this combination is an easy recommendation for both training and racing.

Race Vest of the Year: Salomon Advanced Skin 12 Set

The Advanced Skin 12 Set from Salomon has been the race vest of choice for four consecutive versions, and each update somehow manages to improve on the last. This year’s version adds an extra top stash pocket that works really well for stowing a waterproof jacket so you can pull it out on the move, while keeping the much-loved one-pull closure system and a handy internal waste pocket.

The soft flasks now come with a slightly wider opening, making it much easier to fill bottles before a run or top up with water or electrolyte at an aid station. Storage is hard to fault: a huge rear main compartment with a big zip opening and a water-repellent coating that beads water for a while, plus two large front stuff pockets that swallow gels, bars, gloves, head torches, buffs, and more, all reachable without stopping. It is a race vest that shows exactly where years of development have gone.

Carbon Poles That Punch Above Their Weight

The final pick comes from Harrier Trail Running, a small British startup that has flourished in a very competitive market. The Hurrell Pro carbon fixed-length Z poles were tested on a demanding 13-mile training run with 1,500 meters of elevation on technical trails, and the performance was better than expected.

Fixed-length poles tend to be more rigid, deliver more power, weigh less, and pack down smaller than adjustable designs, which also makes them easier to stow on a race vest. The attention to detail and build quality impressed immediately, and they may well be the best product this brand has made to date. Whether you are upgrading existing poles or buying your first pair, they deserve a closer look.

Overall Buying Advice

Match each pick to the runner in question. Serious trainers or anyone rebuilding from injury will get the most from the Myo Pumps, while the Exodus Ultra suits trail runners who want proven comfort over big distances. The Hugo pieces make excellent everyday training kit, the Salomon vest is aimed at runners who race or carry gear on long outings, and the Harrier poles are ideal for mountainous, technical terrain. Any of the six would make a strong, practical gift.

Conclusion

This year’s list covers the full arc of a runner’s season: recovering well, moving comfortably, carrying what you need, and powering uphill when it counts. Every item here earned its spot through sustained, real-world use, and any of them would hold up just as well on your own gear list.