Summer Gear Guide

The heat of running fashion

Oakley Sutro Lite Sweep Shades

£149, oakley.com/en-gb

A LIGHT, STRONG, DURABLE FRAME WITH

MOULDED ‘EARSOCKS’ AT THE TEMPLES and no-slip grip nosepads for a secure, comfortable fit. The large, curved lens offers excellent field-of-view, with Prizm tech to enhance colour and contrast. If you’re planning a lot of miles in the sun, these make a very worthwhile investment.

Under Armour Iso-Chill 200 Laser Tank

£35, underarmour.co.uk (Women’s)

THE ISO-CHILL FABRIC HELPS DISPERSE BODY heat, so it feels cool against your skin, while laser perforations on the back panel bump up the breathability. As you’d expect, the material wicks away sweat and dries fast, and there’s anti-odour tech woven in to prevent the growth of pong-producing microbes.

Buff CoolNet UV Neckwear Andra Maroon

£16.96, buff.com/gb

A SUMMER-SPECIFIC VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL MULTIFUNCTIONAL NECK/

HEADWEAR, this comes in a lightweight, 95% recycled microfibre fabric that wicks sweat from your skin and delivers UPF50+ protection from the sun. Use it to cover your neck and head as needed, wrap around your wrist when not and dunk in cold water when you can.

Stance Tendency Crew Socks

£16.99, stance.eu.com (Men’s and Women’s)

WHEN THINGS GET HOT AND SWEATY, GOOD SOCKS

are even more important for keeping you comfortable and blister-free. Stance certainly delivers the substance – a performance mesh keeps you cool with maximised airflow and breathability, they’re sweat-wicking, anti-microbial and damn near indestructible (hence Stance’s lifetime guarantee) – and the style is pure summer.

Soar Hot Weather Zip Top

£75, soarrunning.com (Men’s)

ENGINEERED SPECIFICALLY TO PERFORM

IN HOT CONDITIONS, the ultra-light, quickdrying, super-breathable mesh fabric keeps you cool and dry. There’s UPF30 woven in to protect you from the sun, with the sleeves cut a little longer to increase coverage. The quarter zip can be adjusted to what’s known in technical sportswear parlance as ‘down’ to provide added ventilation.

Tracksmith Twilight Shorts

£56, tracksmith.com/gb (Women’s)

WITH A 3.5-INCH INSEAM, THESE SHORTS

BALANCE KEEPING COOL with staying covered. They’re made of Italian-sourced Bravio Blend knit, a soft micro-mesh fabric that enhances airflow and dries quickly. Underneath, there’s a sweat-wicking, antiodour and anti-microbial liner that stays put.E

Tracksmith Strata Tee

£89, tracksmith.com/gb (Men’s)

ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED FOR THE US OLYMPIC MARATHON TRIALS in the sweltering heat of Atlanta, Georgia, the Strata’s silky-soft, feather-light breathable knit structure uses Swiss-engineered ‘coldblack’ fabric that reduces heat absorption and rapidly shifts moisture to prevent ‘cling’ . It also offers factor 30+ UVA and UVB protection, plus an antimicrobial finish to combat the aromas that can linger after hot, sweaty runs.

Ultimate Performance Shoe Fresh Pods

£4.50, 1000mile.co.uk

IF LONG AND HOT SUMMER MILES LEAVE

YOUR GO-TO SHOES particularly pungent, counter the aromas with the long-lasting concentrated odour neutralisers in these pods. Just twist open and pop one in each shoe until next time you head out.

Lululemon Hotty Hot High-Rise Short 2.5” Lined

£48, lululemon.co.uk (Women’s)

LIGHTWEIGHT AND MINIMALIST, these shorts have plenty of well-considered features, including a barely visible ‘stash’ pocket concealed in the built-in liner.

Inov-8 Race Elite Peak 2.0

£20, inov-8.com

A LIGHTWEIGHT (32G) EXTRA LAYER OF UPF30+ PROTECTION for long miles in the sun, moisture-wicking fabric on the brow and breathable mesh on the top help keep you dry and cool. When clouds do appear, it’s easily foldable to pack into a pocket.

On Performance-T Tee

£70, on-running.com (Women’s and Men’s)

‘REDUCED TO THE MAX’ IS HOW HIGHPERFORMANCE SWISS OUTFIT ON

describes this impossibly lightweight tee, which it says is designed so it ‘feels like you’re wearing nothing’ . The quick-drying, tear-proof front is engineered to protect, while the back is constructed from a super-breathable mesh that allows airflow and keeps you feeling fresh in the heat.

Lululemon Fast and Free Short 6” Lined

£78, lululemon.co.uk (Men’s)

NOT INTO SHORT SHORTS? The roomy and floaty fit on these longer shorts offers great ventilation with increased coverage. Made from a sweat-wicking, quickdrying mesh fabric, the liner pouch provides breathable support on the go with flat-locked seams to reduce chafe.

Janji Runterra Bio Tee

£35, uk.janji.com (Men’s and Women’s)

ONE FOR THOSE AS CONCERNED ABOUT

THE PLANET’S rising temperatures as about overheating on their next tempo run. Its cotton-synthetic fabric blend biodegrades quicker than pure synthetics, breaking down into organic compounds in four years. Microscopic volcanic ash particles help regulate heat, moisture and odours.

Salomon Active Handheld Flask

£22, salomon.com

ON HOT DAYS YOU’LL NEED

TO CARRY WATER and this 500ml flask is an unobtrusive way to do it. Featuring a soft, adjustable strap, the flask shrinks as you drink so water doesn’t spill or bounce around.

Compressport Pro Racing Socks V4.0 Ultralight Run Low

£19, compressport.com/uk (Men’s and Women’s)

DESIGNED FOR MAXIMUM COMFORT WHEN

RUNNING in the heat, these have exceptional sweatwicking, thermoregulation and ventilation – plus increased grip to reduce blister-inducing friction. E

Lululemon Fast Paced Running Visor

£25, lululemon.co.uk (Women’s)

IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THE SUN OFF YOUR FACE but keep the wind in your hair, this wide-brimmed visor is a great option. The fabric is lightweight and quickdrying and an interior mesh sweatband wicks moisture to help keep you dry.

Asics Ventilate Actibreeze Singlet

£58, asics.com/gb (Men’s)

SOME DAYS, THE WEATHER DICTATES THAT even the most reluctant shoulder-barers reach for a vest. Light and quick-drying with Asics’ warm weather-specific ‘actibreeze’ tech, this one has body-mapped fabric to increase ventilation in the areas where you produce most heat, plus enlarged side slits to improve airflow.

Ultrasun Sports Spray SPF50

£28 (for 150ml), ultrasun.co.uk

SLATHERING ON SUNSCREEN

IS AN EXTRA HASSLE, but you know you need it. This nongreasy, water-resistant and fast-absorbing spray is easy to apply, while the long-lasting protection against UVA, UVB and Infrared A means your outer layer is safe for miles.

On Race Shorts

£70, on-running.com (Men’s)

PERFECT FOR RACE DAYS – AND ANY

WARM WEATHER run days. Cut high enough to keep you cool but not so high as to induce blushes, these use an ultra-light outer mesh, perforated to increase airflow. The moisture-wicking inner briefs keep you dry and the anti-abrasion inseams mean you can rack up the miles chafe-free.

Salomon Sense Aero2in1 Shorts

£70, salomon.com (Men’s)

YES – TWO SHORTS IN ONE. Breathable Aerotech fabric for the outer later, and a light inner boxer to wick sweat. Soft silicone tape on inner hems holds the shorts in place – all of which works to keep chafing at bay.

Body Glide Anti Chafe Balm

£15 (for 42g), sigmasports.com

MORE HEAT MEANS MORE

SWEAT, which means more risk of the bane of runners’ lives: chafing. Apply this breathable, non-greasy, sweat-resistant balm to areas prone to friction to avoid a world of pain.

Maaree Solidarity High-Impact Sports Bra

£64, maaree.com

A SERIAL BEST-IN-TEST AWARD-WINNER,

this bra is designed for larger chests and features Maaree’s ‘overband’ technology to reduce upward motion. It also has the coverage to be worn with nothing on top.

New Balance Q Speed Jaquard Short Sleeve Tee

From £38, newbalance.co.uk (Women’s)

THE LIGHTWEIGHT FABRIC USES NEW BALANCE’S

‘ICEX’ COOLING, FAST-DRYING TECH and the laser-cut jacquard knit adds targeted breathability. If you’re running early or late to avoid the heat of the day, the reflective logo will increase your visibility. Columbia Escape Thrive

Sun Protective Cap

£18, columbiasportswear.co.uk

RUNNING CAPS OFFER A LOT OF BANG

FOR YOUR BUCK in terms of protection and comfort when you run in the sun. This offers shade and UPF50 protection, plus excellent moisture wicking and Columbia’s OmniFreeze Zero sweat-activated cooling tech.

Vincent’s Absinthe Night Terrors

£30, goodr.co.uk

THESE DON’T LOOK LIKE RUNNING SUNGLASSES,

but they perform brilliantly on the run. The frame is light and shaped for a snug, bounce-free fit and a grippy coating stops slippage when things get sweaty. Glare-reducing, polarised lenses deliver UV400 protection to block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.

Under Armour Iso-Chill Run 7/8 Tights

£55, underarmour.co.uk (Women’s)

FOR MORE COVERAGE WITHOUT THE

HEAT, the Iso-Chill fabric is engineered to pull heat away from your skin, wick sweat and dry fast. Mesh panels add breathability and anti-odour tech keeps things fresh.

HOT DAY HYDRATION

BEFORE:

Jimmy’s Iced Coffee

£22 (12 275ml BottleCans), jimmysicedcoffee.com For a chilled take on your pre-run energy hit, reach for this combo of Rainforest Alliance Certified arabica beans, semiskimmed milk and unrefined demerara sugar with 51mg of caffeine per 100ml.

DURING:

Precision Hydration PH1000 electrolyte tablets

£8.99 (10 tabs), precisionhydration.com A high sodium content of 1000mg per litre (when mixed as directed) to replenish your losses and keep you hydrated on days when the sweat really starts to flow. The hypotonic formula means faster absorption and the mild citrus flavour is easy to stomach.

AFTER:

Beavertown Nanobot Super Session IPA

£1.90 (330ml can), beavertownbrewery.co.uk A post-run beer on a hot day is scientifically proven to elevate your soul. This is light, crisp and refreshing with hoppy citrus and pineapple and, at only 2.8% abv, it won’t undo all your good work.