The Best Running Gear Currently on the Market

Whether you’re looking for a gift for someone else or about to take your first literal steps into the world of running, you’ll be amazed by how much running gear there is to choose from. Many people would presume that all you need to get running is a pair of shoes. While this is true to an extent, any seasoned runner knows that the right accessories and technology can be the difference between a brief fad and a lifestyle change. In some cases, it can also help you to avoid injury. Once you’ve sorted some good quality and supportive running shoes, you’ll want to find the best running gear to give you the best chance at success.

Best Running Wearables

These running gadgets are also known as wearable technology and are generally divided into 2 groups: fitness trackers and smartwatches.
Fitness trackers are a hugely popular running technology and a must-have if you want to accurately monitor your own activity and fitness progress. In fact, it could be argued that they’ve revolutionised the personal fitness world since the first Fitbit appeared in 2008. These lightweight, affordable wristbands will count how many steps you take, how many calories you burn, how many flights of stairs you take and even how much sleep you’re getting. These trackers remove the guesswork about what we’ve achieved today so we can maintain or improve it tomorrow.

Smartwatches synchronise with your smartphone so you can receive notifications, take calls and even view emails without needing to carry your phone. Originally, smartwatches were more of a convenience than a necessity enabling you to stay in touch with life while on the run while early fitness trackers would only monitor activity.  However, the technologies have merged over time, and the best running wearables are a fitness tracker, communications device and even a music player in one intuitive, wearable wristband.  When it comes to choosing your running tracker and / or watch there are a lot of options out there with models to suit most budgets and activity levels, but the leading brands are Fitbit (specifically, the Fitbit3), Samsung and Apple.

Best Running Headphones

There’s no denying that running, at least in the beginning, takes an incredible amount of determination.  It’s just you, the road and the sound of your feet pounding the sidewalk. Listening to the right kind of music while you run can not only keep your mind entertained while the body works but can even fuel your workout. Run to the beat, turn up the volume to drown out the doubts and dull thud of your feet and, if you feel like quitting, just keep it up to the end of this song.

However, not all headphones are running headphones. If you’re wondering how to find the perfect headphones you need to consider not only the sound quality they deliver but also their practical features. Headphones that keep slipping from your ears as you move that don’t have accessible volume controls and have trailing wires are only going to make your run harder.

Running Headlamps

If you’re going to be running in the dark, you’ll need to do so as safely as possible. Running headlamps are essential to keep you visible and to help you see where you’re going. The best running headlamps are lightweight and use a minimal amount of battery so they can last for as long as you do. Some modern examples have rechargeable batteries which are smaller and lighter than AAA and are more environmentally friendly.  Big names to look out for are GoMotion and Princeton headlamps.