The Best Running Gear for Your Long and Chilly Winter
A combination of cabin fever, closed gyms, and the need for speed are driving many people to take to the streets—not to protest, but to run up and down sidewalks, along waterfronts, and into neighborhood parks. I won't be stepping foot into a yoga studio anytime soon, but the roads are free (if you're running in a crowded area, be sure to wear a mask).
If you're just starting on your running journey, I pulled together some of the gear that gets me out every day, along with a few starter tips. Be sure to also check out our Best Fitness Trackers and Best Running Shoes guides—and all the gear that helped WIRED's former editor in chief run faster marathons in his forties.
Updated February 2021: We added our favorite cold weather running picks, like Lululemon High-Rise Fast and Free running tights.
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- Photograph: Topo Athletic
Best Running Shoes
Topo Athletic Ultraventure ProRunning shoes are difficult to test because everyone has their favorites, depending on the shape of their foot and where and how they like to run. I've tried so many pairs with some of the most cutting-edge technology. But the shoes I reach for, time and again, are Topo Athletic's Ultraventure line.
These are its latest, and like all of the brand's shoes, they have a wide toe box for a comfortable fit and a 5-millimeter heel to toe drop, which means they're much flatter than most padded running shoes. They have enormous Vibram treads for plowing through slippery Pacific Northwestern mud and muck, a rock plate for protecting the tender bottoms of my feet, and a rubber rand for the inevitable rocky bonks and trips. I just find them incredibly comfortable.
- Photograph: Lululemon
Best Running Tights
Lululemon Fast and Free TightsLululemon has a cult following for its Nulux Fast & Free running tights. I finally tried this winter's latest version, and am convinced the hype is justified. I am extremely picky about running tights. They need to be thick and compressive, not thin, soft, and prone to pilling, like yoga tights. They have to have a high rise and a drawstring so you're not constantly hitching them up. Pockets aren't necessary, but they're handy (ha!) when you're standing in your doorway pulling on your headphones, headlamp, gloves, et cetera.
These leggings fit the bill, and more. They have seven total pockets and a continuous drawstring that doesn't get lost in the waistband and have to be painstakingly re-threaded after washing. They've been on heavy wear since October with no signs of pilling, and I usually throw them into the wash, line-dry them, and pull them immediately back on again. I also like the Janji Groundwork Tight, but since it's slightly cropped and a little thinner than the Lululemon, it's better for slightly warmer winter weather.
- Photograph: Jabra
Best Workout Headphones
Jabra Elite 85tBecause I own an iPhone, I'm still committed to my trusty Beats Powerbeats. However, if you're looking for a newer pick, my colleague Parker Hall loves Jabra's latest Elite 85t (9/10, WIRED Recommends). Besides being comfortable and having great sound, they also have workout-specific features, like a 2-year warranty against water damage and physical buttons rather than touch ones that stop working when it rains or you sweat.
If these are still pricey, Jabra also has an admirable commitment to maintaining its older products. The Elite 65t and Elite 75t are still also great picks.
- Photograph: ANDRIANA MARSHALL
Best Running Jacket
Showers Pass Cloudburst JacketI still like the North Face's Flight rain jacket, but it has one critical flaw: It's black! If you run pre-dawn or post-sunset, running in a black jacket feels like you're trying to get hit by a car. It does seem weird that the Cloudburst jacket from Showers Pass doesn't have a hood, but I wear a baseball cap while running in the rain anyway; the searingly bright orange color and multiple reflective strips make me feel much safer. It's a much more substantial jacket than the Flight, but it can still pack down to a reasonable size in a back pocket. I also like the soft collar and how stretchy it is when I move.
- Photograph: Nathan
Best Storage Solution
Nathan VaporSwiftra VestThis time of year, every time I leave the house without a rain jacket, I regret it almost instantly. As my runs have been getting longer, my fanny pack has been more and more inadequate. With 4 liters of carrying capacity, Nathan's VaporSwiftra vest is tiny and women-specific—I can barely feel it on my 5'2" frame. But I can stuff a water bladder, packable jacket, gloves, and hat into it. The best part is you can minutely customize the fit by unzipping the side pocket and tightening two additional tiny side straps if the tiniest persistent flapping sensation is just too annoying.
- Photograph: Fitbit
Best Fitness Tracker
Fitbit Charge 4You wear a fitness tracker everywhere, every day, so choosing one can get pretty personal. I like Fitbit's Charge 4, which is easily one of the most affordable watches with built-in GPS. It's great for newbie runners who aren't racking up huge miles over uncharted backcountry terrain.
New metrics like Zone Minutes will show you when you've upped the intensity level and encourage you to seek out hills or faster speeds. And unlike an Apple Watch, a Fitbit Premium subscription will give you premium sleep-tracking features. You'll be able to see just how well you're sleeping at night after you've worn yourself out. For something a little sportier, I also recommend an entry-level Garmin Forerunner, which now includes incident detection if you trip, fall, and crack a tooth.
- Photograph: Ryan Bent
Best Headband
Skida HeadbandMy colleague Parker Hall and I may come to blows over this—his favorite headband is the Treadband, which is a headband that absorbs, as he says, "a staggering amount of liquid.". Stinging eyes aren't a problem for me in the winter, though, which is why I prefer the alpine Skida headbands. They're made in Vermont and keep my ears toasty on nippy days, and my bangs out of my eyes. They're also silky soft and come in a staggering array of cute patterns and colors.
- Photograph: Goodr
Best Sunglasses
Goodr OGsIn our sunglasses roundup, I admit that my favorite pair is the Roka Oslos. They're light, small, durable, fog-resistant, and use biomimicry to stick to my sweaty nose and face. A year later, they still look as good as new. However, if you tend to lose or destroy sunglasses, Goodr's affordable OGs have polarized lenses, with a matte texture that both looks good and sticks to your face. They do collect dirt and scratch more easily than expensive pairs, though.
- Photograph: North Face
Best Gloves
North Face Etip Recycled Glove
A Running Headlamp
BioLite Headlamp 330If you run outside during the winter in the Northern Hemisphere, chances are high that squeezing a run in usually means running before dawn or after sunset. I've tried other headlamps through the years, but I keep coming back to this one. Its design is unique. It's soft, slim, and lies flat against my head, headband, or beanie. It weighs a mere 2.4 ounces and doesn't bounce. The spot and flood mode is bright enough to let me run through pitch-dark trees, although after several years I now have to charge it every few days rather than every few weeks (it touts an estimated battery life of 40 hours but I haven't been getting that for some time now).
I also tried and like the Black Diamond Sprinter 275, but it's heavier, bigger, and more expensive.
- Photograph: Zensah
The Most Fun Running Socks
Zensah Limited Edition Mini CrewIf you're just running a few miles every other day, you probably don't need fancy socks with a lot of features (if you do, however, we have a great running sock roundup here). These are the printed versions of Zensah's compression socks, which are our favorite compression socks. They have a seamless toe, added heel protection, and silver-infused fabric to combat stink. I also like crew-height socks when trail running, because the higher sock keeps me from kicking pebbles or dirt in them. The cool tan lines are just a bonus.
- Photograph: Sun & Swell
Best Snack
Sun & Swell Cookie BitesYou'll have to experiment with which snacks keep you fueled without upsetting your stomach, but personally, I don't like eating anything with ingredients that I can't pronounce. These cookie bites are pocketable and sweetened with dates and cacao. They're sweet enough that even my 3- and 5-year-old will eat them.
- Photograph: Champion
Best Therapy Treatment
Champion Lacrosse BallAnd finally, if you're just starting to run, you're probably going to get sore. A few common ailments include shin splints or plantar fasciitis, which you can usually avoid by starting slow, warming up and cooling down, stretching, and upping your mileage gradually.
If you do get unlucky enough to have chronic pain, you can also try a telehealth physical therapy appointment or inserts for your shoes. But after years of physical therapy, my favorite device is a small, cheap, hard, rubbery lacrosse ball. Just spend a few minutes each day rolling out the muscles in your calves, thighs, and feet. It's like using a foam roller, but smaller, easier to transport, and better for targeting small muscles.
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