DSB Review: My Favorite Running Gear

When I love something, I really, really love it. Here’s the running gear I can’t live run without.

Lululemon 50 Rep Bra {Discontinued}

I discussed my love for this incredible bra on Rate Your Burn. If I had realized Lululemon was discontinuing the 50 Rep Bra, I would have bought even more. I was able to scour a few Equinox locations to find a few (marked up) stragglers last year, but this year I am running more and I need more.

I have never found a sports bra that fits me better, is quite so flattering, is supportive without feeling restrictive and is so comfortable.

Photo credit: RateYourBurn.com

The 50 Rep Bra is seriously the perfect bra. I tried on the Energy Bra because I heard it was similar and whoever thinks that is wrong. I’ve tried other brands that make incredible claims, and nothing has ever fit me well.

So I needed to find a way to get more 50 Rep Bras.

I checked eBay and saw people selling their used bras. I don’t know if that is gross or not, and figured if anything I’d have a last resort. But then I happened to check last week and saw three listings for brand new 50 Rep Bras with tags attached. They were all from the same seller, I bid on them all, and I won the brattery (bra lottery)!

I paid $100 total. I am happy.

My brattery winnings

Oiselle Roga Shorts

Ashley Runningbun wore these shorts when we ran a 5K last month, and showed me how her phone fits right into a front pocket. It looked annoying to me, but she swore she didn’t feel the phone at all while she runs. She raved about the shorts, but I was happy with my Lululemon Speed Shorts (almost all which I got on sale) and thought little of it. Until just two days later when Fiona posted about how much she loves the same shorts. My interest was peaked, and I found the Rogas in orange on sale on Amazon for $34.

I ordered them, despite not needing more running shorts, figuring I’d just return them if I didn’t absolutely love them. And at first I almost did. They felt different from what I was used to, and as I ran back and forth in my house I thought I didn’t like them. I thought they were more constricting than my Speed shorts, touching my thighs too much. I decided to send them back.

The next morning I had a strange urge to wear the shorts while walking my dog. During the walk, I felt really, really good in them. I decided to keep them and give them a shot during my next run. I wore them on a post-work hilly Central Park run — phone in pocket — and while I did feel the phone when I walked, I didn’t feel it at ALL while I ran! I’ve worn the phone in my pocket a couple of times since then. I wouldn’t recommend putting your phone in the pocket on runs longer than an hour (that’s the point I started to chafe a little) but any run 60 minutes or less seems good to go.

ETA: There’s been some confusion with my wording, and I want to clarify that the chafing was only when I carried my phone in the front pocket for longer than an hour. The shorts do NOT chafe me!

Photo credit: Oiselle.com

And of course, if I’m not keeping my phone in the pocket (which is also great for everyday use if you don’t want to carry a purse) I could run in these for hours. And I will — at the Richmond Marathon (weather permitting).

I loved these shorts so much I scoured the internet for sale prices and ordered a second pair. And then a third, when I realized I started using them as regular summertime day shorts and I wanted to wear nothing else. Bye bye Soffees for comfy daytime and . . .

Bye bye Speed shorts for running? I actually want to sell some of my Lululemon Speed Shorts and a running skirt (size 4 in case you’re interested) because I seriously love the Rogas so much and don’t want to wear anything else ever. Interested?

Lululemon Cool Racerback Mod Waves/Mesh Cool  Racerback

Once a year Lululemon offers a mesh version of their Cool Racerback. It is awesome, and up until this year I’d only been able to get it in black.

I ordered this year’s Cool Racerback Mod Waves (new name because it isn’t 100% mesh like prior years) in a really bright purple that I loved, but they seem to have changed the sizing because my regular size was huge on me! I had to return it and by then they didn’t have any Power Purples left in my new size. Thanks to getting some money back from Lulu for rusty bra hooks and a torn seam on a different top, I did buy it in two other colors – black/hot pink and white/neon green.

Pictured on me here:

Photo credit: CarrotsNCake.com

I haven’t been able to find another super wicking top that fits me as well, that I find as comfortable or that I love as much. Lululemon doesn’t even make the Run: Swiftly Tech Racerback in my size. I bought two tops from Nike at the employee store in May that fit me well and looked flattering (can’t find them online) — but when I tried running in them, they rode up!

I got the Lucy Fast As You Can Singlet on a major sale, and I like it — but I prefer a more fitted midsection. I also tried the Oiselle Mio Mesh Tank on a few people’s recommendations and while it is fine, I don’t like it nearly as much. It is a bit too clingy for me.

So there you have it – I am sticking with my mesh/Mod Waves Cool Racerback as my lightweight running top of choice.

Nike Lightweight Running Slim Waistpack

Like many runners who go to race expos, I had a SpiBelt that I used when I needed to carry my cell phone with me when I run (along with anything else I might need that doesn’t fit/isn’t comfortable in pockets). I found myself fiddling with it during runs. The longer I had it, the more it moved around and bounced. But it got the job done and I had no plans to try anything else.

Then I lost the SpiBelt when I moved last month and needed something on short notice. I went into the Nike store on 20th and 5th in Manhattan and picked up the Lightweight Running Slim Waistpack in black. I used it the next day, and a few times since and I LOVE it. It is so much better than the SPiBelt – it’s more comfortable, it doesn’t move or bounce at all, I don’t even feel it at all when it’s on! It also has more structure than the SpiBelt which seems to keep my items in place better. It is (as the name suggests) extremely lightweight and I can’t recommend it enough. Pictured on me in the photo above.

Photo credit: SportsAuthority.com

Hoka One One

Back in December I realized I needed new running shoes. Karhu no longer made the Steady Rides I’d been using for years and it wasn’t clear which new style was meant to replace them. I decided it might be time to try a new shoe and I did a ton of research, ultimately deciding on the Hoka One One Bondi B shoes. I felt confident that with my bunion and heel strike issues, these would be great shoes for me.

I wanted to note that I have done the whole Jack Rabbit gait analysis, but they always gave me heavily padded shoes with a high arch that caused me to heel strike even more than I already do. I know from my experience with Karhus that I perform best with a flatter bottom that lets my foot strike in the center.

The Hokas are incredible – just as good as everyone who has them says. From the moment I put them on, I felt like I was walking on clouds. They are surprisingly lightweight — so much lighter than they look — and extremely comfortable too. Yes, they look ridiculous (and unfortunately when I ordered them only white was available; now there are some fun colors) and I’ve been accused of wearing moon shoes, but I don’t care. I feel so much less pressure around my bunion and I don’t feel far less impact on my joints (excellent news for this injury-prone girl).

These shoes were made for me.

Photo credit: hokaoneone-na.com

Injinji socks

I’ve discussed my love for these Injinji toe socks before. I used to be plagued by black, deformed toenails along with painful blisters on my second toes on both feet. It got so bad the last time I was marathon training that I had to borrow doggie nail clippers from my friend because it was the only way I could cut the toenail (sorry, gross).

With the Injinji toe socks, I don’t get black toenails anymore. I don’t get weirdly growing toenails either. I don’t get those crazy blisters on the tops of my second toes.

I actually started using these socks because my genius sports massage healer recommended them to align my feet properly because I have a bunion. My feet feel SO much more comfortable in these because of that alignment. Regular socks squeeze my toes together, which is really bad if you have bunions because that reinforces the deformed positioning of your toes. Strongly recommend fellow bunioners to try these!

I also have the Injinji compression socks for recovery, and I wear my Injinji socks for everyday use in addition to running.

And there you have it! I seriously love all these items so much.

Would you try any of my recommendations? What’s your favorite running gear?