8 Best Running Gear for Men

Socks are the cheapest real upgrade in running, and the Saucony Rundry pack is the best value in this group. The no-show cut clears the ankle bone, a snug band around the arch keeps them from sliding down inside a shoe, and the cushioning sits under the forefoot rather than wrapping the whole foot, so they feel padded without feeling thick.

They handle the unglamorous part well too: the knit is vented, so feet stay cool on long summer runs, and the socks hold their shape through repeated washing instead of going slack at the ankle. The toe is where the limit shows up. Holes can open at the toe seam well before the rest of the sock gives out, which is why a rotation of several pairs lasts far longer than running two pairs into the ground.

Fit runs a little small and a little snug. If you are between sizes, or you have wide feet or a high instep, take the larger size — a sock that pinches across the instep is uncomfortable by mile five. Otherwise this is the pack to buy in bulk and forget about.

ColdGear is Under Armour’s cold-weather knit, and it is the reason this pair made the list ahead of the lighter HeatGear tights. The fabric has real substance to it, thick enough to feel like winter gear without the bulk of a tracksuit bottom, and it keeps its shape instead of bagging at the knee after a wash.

On a cold road, what you want from a tight is warmth plus compression that does not quit halfway through. These hold both: snug to the skin without pinching at the waist, warm enough under a pair of shorts, and stable enough that you are not hitching them up at the lights. They work as a base layer for skiing and winter hiking too, which is where a lot of cold-weather running gear earns its keep.

Sizing is the catch, and it is a big one. These run small — go up at least one size from your everyday trousers, two if you are between — and the cut is genuinely tight, as a compression layer should be. Get the size right and these are the tights we reach for when the forecast drops below freezing; get it wrong and you will conclude compression is not for you when the problem was the label.

Rymora’s calf sleeves are the pair we suggest trying the week a shin starts complaining, usually after rest and new shoes have already failed. The squeeze is firm and even from below the knee to the ankle, the nylon and spandex blend stays where you put it, and there is enough breathability that they do not become a sweat trap under a sock.

The support is what earns them a place here. The compression is firm enough to feel like it is doing something, even enough that it does not pinch, and steady enough that you forget you are wearing them by the second mile. The other half of the appeal is after the run: they are comfortable enough to leave on while your legs cool down, which is when a lot of runners actually want the squeeze.

Sizing is the whole game with compression, and guessing is how people end up with a sleeve that is either useless or unbearable. Measure your calf at its widest point and match it to the maker’s chart rather than to your trouser size or your shoe size. The two-pack means one can be in the wash while the other is on your legs.

A phone pocket set into the side panel is the detail that sold us on these. Put the phone in and it stops swinging, stops thumping against the thigh, and stops dragging the waistband around — the three things that make armbands and loose pockets annoying over a long run.

Underneath the pocket is a straightforward compression short: snug through the thigh, no riding up at the leg opening, and a waistband that stays where you put it. The fabric is heavier than a summer liner, which makes these useful under shorts on a cold morning and under ski or cycling gear in winter.

The seams are the part that ages. The crotch seam is where these go first, and it shows up after months of use rather than out of the box, so buy one pair and put it through your own wash cycle before committing to four. Sizing runs small and the legs run short, so go up if you are between.

As a first compression short, we think these are the easy recommendation: the pocket gives them a job a plain liner does not have, and the compression is firm without being a fight to get into. If you already carry a belt you like, buy them for the support and ignore the pocket. If you do not, the pocket may be all the carrying you need.

Five stretchy bands in plain colors is a dull purchase, and we think it is the right one. The blend — 87% nylon, 13% spandex — is why these stretch hard and spring back instead of going slack after a month, and the 4.7-inch width is enough to catch sweat rather than just move it around your forehead.

On a humid run they do the job: the material is thick enough to absorb, they dry quickly enough that tomorrow’s band is ready, and they sit flat under a bike helmet or a cap, which is where a lot of sweatbands bunch and slip. Five of them means one on your head, one in the wash, and three in the drawer.

The fit is one size, and that is the variable. On a bare head during a hard, sweaty effort the band can creep; under a cap or helmet it stays put. If you have a small head or a lot of hair, plan on adjusting it once mid-run rather than setting it and forgetting it.

Thin is the first thing you notice. The polyester is light enough that pale colors can go sheer in bright sun, and it is also the reason these shorts work in heat: nothing holds sweat against your legs, and they are dry again before your shirt is.

The rest is simple and mostly sensible. Pockets are deep enough to be useful, the elastic waist stays put through a run, and the material feels soft rather than scratchy against the skin. Sizing runs small — order a size up, and two if you are between.

For summer training and gym sessions, we think the thin fabric is a fair trade: very little money for a light, quick-drying short you will not mind sweating through. Buy a dark color, size up, and keep them for hot days rather than making them your only pair.

Five quick-dry crew necks solve a problem nobody lists as gear: the training shirt you keep meaning to wash. With five in the drawer, one is in the laundry, one is in the gym bag, and one is on you, and the pre-run scramble disappears.

The shirts are a light, soft knit with a cut that is not boxy through the waist, which is more than a cheap multipack usually manages. Colors hold up in the wash and there is little shrinkage after the first few cycles.

Two things to plan for. Sizing is inconsistent across the pack, so go by your chest measurement and expect to sort the five rather than trust the labels; if you are between, order up. And the quick-dry billing is generous — the knit is light, but on a humid day it holds moisture longer than a proper technical jersey, so these suit the gym and easy runs better than a long, sweaty effort.

As a rotation of cheap training shirts, we think the pack earns its place: soft, presentable, and inexpensive enough that a lost shirt is not a tragedy. Just do not expect the last one out of the pack to fit like the first.