Where did I find myself yesterday? Walking in a shopping mall, which I hate, looking at running gear. Isn’t running supposed to keep you from entering these modern monstrosities? I guess not.
We were dragging ourselves down aisle after aisle, bumping into kids, shopping carts, baby strollers, grandparents lost and confused. It was so crowded you would think that this was the last day the mall was open and tomorrow it was closing forever. The torture of the florescent lights beating down on us like we were under interrogation. We were struggling for survival. Thank goodness sporting good stores sell water and snacks. I never would have made it out of there alive!
Running is a deceptively expensive activity. I think a lot of people think it requires a pair of running shoes and that’s it, but they couldn’t be more wrong.
We really have resisted buying running gear up to this point, because we weren’t sure how committed we were to running. However, we haven’t stopped since March so it seems that it is becoming something we are in fact committed to for the long-term.
We bought proper shoes a few weeks into running. I had to buy pants to run in about 3 weeks ago, because I wore mine out (they were about a decade-old). We have been hemming and hawing about buying running shirts – you know those shirts with the latest technology of wicking away the sweat, keeping you dry and cool; basically you would think by the way companies advertise running gear that you will run better and more comfortably… I wish that were true.
My Hubs and I have tried on many different brands of running shirts – from Adidas to Nike to Puma to off-brand. We are so unsure what to buy and what will help us stay cool while we run. Yesterday we tried on sooooo many shirts and came out of the store with none. As if shopping alone isn’t depressing enough, walking away without what you came for is even worse.
Everything we looked at is basically polyester. Running in polyester is hot. We have one shirt that is like this and you feel like it’s at least a couple of degrees hotter while you’re running. I don’t understand how all running shirts are at least 50% polyester. How can it keep you cool? Cotton t-shirts are so light and they breathe, but they can end up drenched in sweat (gross!). So, I don’t know what to do or, more importantly, what to buy.
So, I need some help from some of you runners out there – men or women – it does not matter. What’s your favorite running shirt? If you can be specific about brand, model, etc.
Skinny Running 
Cotton is rotten when it comes to running – have you experienced chafing yet? It is NOT fun, and cotton can contribute to it. The polyester really is better.
Nothing will really keep you cooler, although Adidas has a climacool line that claims it will (I haven’t tried it).
I often run in race shirts. Some are better than others. I don’t know what you have over there . . . I do like SkirtSports a lot; I have some Reebok tops I like I got at a discount store; Oiselle is nice but pricey & again, not sure you have that.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I have been using Nike Dri-Fit shirts recently – they seem to do a decent job – and I am running in 70% humidity at the moment. I feel pretty gross after but they do a decent job – expensive though
LikeLiked by 1 person
I prefer tanks when running. I like lulu crb and run swiftly the best.
Champion has good running shirts as well ( target or online) and they have a nice fit for women. Old navy compression line is great at wicking too.
Good luck and I agree running ain’t cheap in the slightest! Lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
Under Armour! Try to pick up some of the “Heat Gear” line. Also, I hate paying full price for workout clothes, so I always comb through the discount/clearance section. Sometimes I can pick up shirts/tights/shorts for great prices.
I honestly don’t know why they charge so much for the stuff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
NO no no no no. No cotton. Never cotton. Cotton is the absolute worst thing to run in. Holds on to sweat and doesn’t let go until you’re a burning chaffing mess.
If your polyester shirt makes you hot it’s probably the wrong type. It’s kind of a generic label that doesn’t mean much. For running you 100% want synthetic fabrics.
If you like the feel of cotton you’ll like the Under Armour fly knit stuff. It’s super light and alot of the stuff has a mesh back to keep you even cooler. I’m partial to their Heat Gear line. All running brands will have similar stuff, it’s fabric specifically designed to keep cool even when wet. New Balance calls it Ice, really good stuff but hard to find at least where I am. You can’t go wrong with any of the Nike running gear either.
UA and Nike are my personal favourites. But as long as it’s an item designed for running, you’ll be good. Try to go to specialty running stores they’ll have more brands and you know it’s stuff for running. The generic sporting good stores have alot of different stuff and some of it you really don’t want to wear so you have to be more careful and read the labels.
Also UA you can buy online and they have their clearance outlet on there as well. Their sizing is consistent so you don’t have to worry about that. It tell you the fit too, compression fitted or loose.
LikeLiked by 2 people
As everyone above me mentioned -> NO COTTON! Honestly, my favorites are Under Armour Heat Gear and dri fit workout shirts from Old Navy -> they always have cute colors & tons of options & the price is right. Good luck!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are all so anti-cotton! 🙂 It seems like Under Armour Heat Gear is the clear choice among you all. I will go look at it and let you know if I buy and how it works. Thanks a lot for the feedback! I really needed some help.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Under Armour is by far the best made running clothing I have found… and trust me I have A LOT of running clothes. Check their shirts out. They are expensive, but worth it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Under Amour is great. I also found some running tanks that I ordered online from Gap Fit. I have several of them in different colors because they are so light and comfy. They are also relatively inexpensive which is an added bonus.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah defo no cotton and I prefer tanks, particularly Nike Dri-fit! Kevin prefers Under Armour T-shirts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I run in cotton sometimes, but then I’m in the UK and it’s mostly pretty cool here. Even in summer… But the point of the synthetic fibres is that they wick away the sweat. Cotton won’t do that. It’ll just get “sodden” (hence why you definitely shouldn’t wear cotton in cold/wet/rainy weather as it will actually make you colder and wetter). Hope you find the right shirt. I really need some trainers, but can’t summon the energy to go and hunt for them….
LikeLiked by 1 person
I run in all Adidas gear. It can get expensive which is why I buy most of my stuff off-season – get summer stuff in winter time. It does the trick and because I’m lazy, I stick to one brand since I know how it fits and I can just buy online. I’ll have to try at least one Under Armour top since most folks here seem to like it.
WalMart has upped their game with running gear and when I first started running, I got a few of their tops that worked well. They just weren’t the cutest tops, but they were functional.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m super cheap and only run on shirts.
LikeLike
Continuing on….I run in shirts I’ve gotten from races. But not the cotton ones. And not the heavy polyester ones either. Only the ones that are kind of mesh like, with small holes. But now my daughter is running and stealing my shirts. I may actually have to buy some. I’ll look at uo based on what everyone else is saying
LikeLiked by 1 person
100% cotton is a big no-no. Always wear a tech shirt since they’re designed to wick moisture from the inside to the outside where it can evaporate. Personally, I don’t buy tech shirts by themselves – I try to earn them by signing up for a race with its tech shirt, completing the race and then wearing it afterwards. Shorts, socks and shoes on the other hand are a bit different.
I completely agree with you that running is deceptively more expensive than one would thing, but probably still cheaper than most other sports out there. I know I’ll drop $70-$100 on shoes alone, then another $50-100 for races, etc.
Back to the shirt thing, though..if you’re getting too hot, then definitely get a shirt/upper that is designed for running. Then, you can blame the hotness on other things (temp, humidity, time of day, route, etc) but have one less thing to worry about (or blame) for the hotness.
LikeLiked by 1 person