THE HOT LIST

Summer’s on its way – time to refresh your kit drawer

WOMEN’S

1 / ON COMFORT TEE £50, on-running.co.uk The Swiss brand famous for its ‘cloud pod’ shoes [see Brand Focus, p105] has branched out into running kit. This tee has a soft feel, moves well with your body without gathering, and is fastwicking and anti-odour.

2 / CREWROOM FUEL VEST £38, crewroom.co.uk If you get caught in a shower this will provide solid protection; it’s highly water-resistant and quickdrying so your torso will be kept dry and the top won’t soak through and become heavy.

3 / VARLEY RADFORD CROP £50, varley.com This has a slinky racerback design, comes down to a couple of inches above the belly button and has a 4.5-inch zip down the front in case you prefer your neckline to be a little looser.

4 / NEW BALANCE TRINAMIC TEE £55, newbalance.co.uk This may seem like a big hike in price for New Balance, but this top is extremely high quality. It dries incredibly quickly, feels cool and smooth, has laser-cut holes on chest and back for ventilation, and the weave is stretchy.

5 / ZAAZEE ELLA VEST £38, zaazee.co.uk British women-only brand Zaazee has sweated the details with this new openback vest top: it’s cut to give a flattering look around the chest, and the polyamide/elastane mix is both soft and stretchy.

6 / UNDER ARMOUR FLYBY RACERBACK TANK £30, underarmour.co.uk You’d be hard pressed to find an airier, more lightweight top than this. It has a barely-there feel when on, and the entire back is made from mesh to keep you even cooler during tough sessions.

1 / BROOKS GREENLIGHT CAPRI £60, brooksrunning.co.uk The wide, 3.5-inch waistband has a slimming effect and also houses two rear pockets big enough to hold keys, a gel or a credit card. The crotch is gusseted for extra comfort and the material is durable.

2 / KALENJI TRAIL RUNNING SKORT £17.99, kalenji.com Just as good on the road as it is on trails. The skirt allows freedom of movement, while inner short leggings provide comfort and modesty.

3 / BELLUM ACTIVE VENUS CAPRI £50, bellumactive.co.uk The polyester and spandex mix of material makes these durable and stretchy without growing baggy. Mesh panels on the back of the knees help with ventilation and there are two pockets on the wide waistband.

4 / SAUCONY SCOOT MINI CAPRI £40, prodirectrunning.com The waistband here is great at dispersing pressure, a gusseted crotch means there’ll be no rubbing and the ruching on the knees allows you to get into your stride without the material pulling or constricting.

5 / SALOMON ELEVATE ¾ TIGHT £40, salomon.com.uk Salomon excels at highend clobber for midrange prices and this is a prime example. The soft, breathable fabric, wide waistband and flatlock seams add up to a very comfortable run.

6 / VARLEY KINGMAN CARRERA LEGGINGS £75, varley.com These full-length leggings will keep you cool in summer thanks to the huge mesh ventilation panels that run down the back from mid-hamstring to the ankle.

7 / ASICS FUZEX MESH SHORTS £32, asics.co.uk These highly ventilated shorts feature a fourinch inseam, a 2.5-inch waistband, a zip pocket on the rear big enough for one (small) gel and keys, and two open pockets on the front for tissues and other lightweight non-valuables.

MEN’S

1 / IFFLEY ROAD LANCASTER VEST £53, iffleyroad. com Fans of retro kit will love this vest, with its baggy cut and large arm holes. The polyester and cotton mix is a little heavy but it dries quickly.

2 / CASTORE HODDLE £85, castore.co.uk This is a close-fitting top so go up one size. It’s astonishingly comfortable and moves effortlessly with your body on the run.

3 T-SHIRT/ AIROFIN PRIME This £24.99, will airofin.comsuit those who want the basics – such as wicking, breathability and durability – done well.

4 / SAUCONY ENDORPHIN SINGLET £28, upandrunning.co.uk If it weren’t for the flashy colours you might well forget you’re wearing this vest, such is the gossamer touch of the polyester fabric; it’s slim-fitting, too.

5 / TRIBESPORTS ENGINEERED TEE £55, tribesports.com A beautifully designed piece of kit: seams have been kept to a minimum the top moves brilliantly with your body and it’s extremely breathable.

6 / ODLO CERAMICOOL SEAMLESS BASELAYER SHIRT £40, odlo.com/uk This is made for runs on hot days: the weave contains ceramic microparticles that conduct heat; it’s also light and extremely comfortable.

7 / NIKE BREATHE RUNNING TOP £40, nike.com/uk The most impressive feature of this top is ventilation and cooling it offers even during hot, hard sessions: the weave, while durable, is punctuated all over with thousands of lasercut holes.

1 / SAUCONY ENDORPHIN SPLIT SHORT £34, saucony.co.uk Club runners, oldschoolers and slender speed demons, your ship has come in. Saucony is still the king when it comes to producing traditional-style racing shorts. These have a big side split for ease of movement; a lightweight, breathable construction; ventilation panels; a super-soft inner lining – and not much else.

2 / RONHILL MOMENTUM TWIN 5" SHORTS £30, ronhill.com These are made with a very stretchy, durable, and quick-drying outer fabric while the inner briefs are made from bamboo which, as well as being environmentally friendly, is naturally antibacterial. The elasticated waistband is designed not to snap no matter how hard you yank on the strings and there’s a very roomy zip pocket on the rear.

3 / FALKE SHORT TIGHTS LIGHT £59, falke.com There isn’t a place to store a phone, gels or anything else bulky in these tight, minimalist shorts (there’s a small pocket for one key) – but if you’re at the level where reducing drag is a factor, then these soft, stretchy, fast-drying shorts will be just the job. They don’t leave much to the imagination, mind.

4 / 2XU X-VENT 5" 2- IN-1 SHORTS £55, 2xu.co.uk The internal briefs in these are compression shorts, designed to provide support and promote quicker blood flow to your upper thighs and glutes. The outer shorts don’t ride up or cling to your legs and also contain an antimicrobial treatment so they won’t stink even after repeated wearing.

5/ MIZUNO VENTURE SQUARE 5.5 £37.90, mizuno.eu/gb Take heart, you lovers of old-school shiny-fabric running kit: your needs can still be served. If you’re after a breathable fabric go elsewhere, but these are durable, ripresistant, fast-drying and come with a standard-tobaggy cut with generous leg holes – handy if you have muscular thighs.

6 / ODLO KANON RUNNING SHORTS, £45, odlo.com The integrated tights on these shorts have just the right amount of compression – enough to protect and support but without being too constrictive. The outer shorts are soft, light and have a generous inseam and slightly baggy cut, so these are a good option if you’re body-conscious.

7 / INOV-8 5" TRAIL SHORTS £35, inov-8.com You’re getting a lot of bang for your buck with these tough shorts. There’s an anti-odour inner brief, three elasticated pockets across the rear waistband for small snacks and other bits and pieces, reflective detailing for low-light running and a breathable material that dries out in next to no time.

ACCESSORIES

1 / KALENJI RAIN CAP £7.99, kalenji.co.uk This has a water-resistant coating, but it also wicks sweat, won’t overheat you, has an adjustable velcro strap and is sturdy.

2 / SALOMON XA VISOR £15, salomon.com/uk This will keep the sun out of your eyes without overheating your head. The polyester material has small mesh ventilation holes to move heat away.

3 / TRIBESPORT HEADBAND, AQUA £10, tribesport.com These come in a range of six colours and two widths. The middle section is all mesh to help cool you and a silicone grip will stop the band from slipping on the hair.

4 / PUMA PERFORMANCE SUNGLASSES £149, uk.puma.com Light, sturdy and flexible frames house polarized, shatter-resistant lenses. The flexible arms are rubberised for grip.

5 / ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE ARM SLEEVES £13.99, ultimate performance.co.uk These breathable sleeves wick superbly, come with a thumb-hole and there’s a sweat band on the back of the hand, a nice touch.

6 / BROOKS PACESETTERS £14, brooksrunning.com These colourful socks have anti-blister, they dry quickly and have strong grips around the cuff to keep them up.

7 / ADIDAS ZONYK AERO PRO SUNGLASSES £151.99, rxsport.co.uk The polarized lenses on these are great at cutting down glare. They have a sweatband across the top of the frame to absorb moisture, while there are ventilation holes at the top of the lenses.

8 / ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE SWEATBAND £5.49, ultimateperformance.co.uk Bung one of these bands on your wrist and you never have to wipe away sweat with your top again.