Hot Weather Running Kit

If we ever get a Summer, we’ll need to think about hot weather running kit. Here are some of our current favourites. 

The rules for hot weather running kit are fairly straightforward: choose light, breathable, wicking fabrics so you stay cool and dry regardless of humidity and sweat. So, cotton is out, specialist wicking materials like Coolmax are in. Light colours – which reflect heat away from you – are a better choice than heat-absorbent black. Peaked caps can help to shade your face from overhead sun, and light-coloured lenses in specialist sports sunglasses can combat glare from low sun.

Once you’ve got the basics of practicality and functionality covered, you might want to choose hot weather Summer running kit on looks and design details. We like these lovely items: 

Vevie’s Pemberton range (pictured above) is so pretty and quite unlike any other running kit we’ve seen. The colours are gorgeous but this kit is more than a pretty face. Made from Meryl microfibre and lycra sport, the kit will keep you cool and fresh – even if Summer 2013 ever does turn really warm! The running4women team’s favourite is the “old school” sporty vests which come in three colours (including a very Wimbledon-eque white) and are just the right fit. 

Spiro have some new running kit which is ideal for late afternoon or early morning Summer runs when the temperature is cooling off. The long sleeved (but lightweight) items are all made from highly technical, quick dry fabrics for optimum running performance. The technical fabrics work with your body to keep you warm enough when the temperature drops (or if you get caught in a rainstorm) – both of which are sadly quite likely to happen in the UK! We like the quick dry Performance long sleeved t-shirt (pictured above right) as a base layer or an outer layer – it wicks away sweat and has a reflective logo for low light conditions. 

Finally, one for you fashion-forward ladies! New British sportswear brand Lexie will be launched in August (by which time we may be experiencing Summer weather…) and is the brainchild of Lily, a sporty young designer. The clothing looks great and is really practical, ideal for female runners who not-so-secretly want to look great whilst they’re exercising. We love the Clara tee – the powermesh is very breathable and makes for a very comfortable training top. The strips under the arms and down the back aren’t just flattering, they serve a purpose too in keeping air circulating around the skin. The Veronica shorts (pictured left) look cool with their metallic panels, and the Grace leggings give a bit more coverage and have a powermesh insert in the inner leg for ventilation (they’re leggings with the breathability of shorts).  

We hope you like these suggestions. What are some of your new favourite bits of Summer running kit?

Similar Posts:

• Hot Weather Running Kit
• How To Dress For Summer Training
• Running Gloves
• How To Dress For Running In “In-Between” Weather
• Shock Absorber – Cross Back Sports Bra
• Tribesports Women’s Running Tops