The Best Running Gear for Hot Summer Days

Nathan’s dual-layer 9-inch running shorts have become my favorite option for longer runs, thanks to their comfortable, stretchy fit. The inner short saves you the need for compression pants, and I've found them to be some of the least-chafing shorts around. Over 6 miles and you’ll typically find me putting on the baby powder or Body Glide. Not so with these. They also have big pockets, which makes leaving them on to head to the store a no-brainer. —Parker Hall

Post-pandemic, I decided to eliminate padded sports bras from my life. If it's going to hit 90 degrees by noon, the last thing I want to do is spend precious morning minutes trying to readjust a pad that has folded over itself in the wash. Tracksmith's pad-free run bra is my new favorite running bra. The extremely soft compressive nylon is thankfully pad-free and offers plenty of support for an A cup. It doesn't get super soggy when it's wet, and the racing stripe looks great when I can't take it any longer and just strip off my shirt. 

I am also pretty picky about running shorts—God doesn’t love a camel toe, and I hate thin waistbands that fold over or ride up or down. Tasc is based in New Orleans, where dehumidifiers go to die, so the company knows a bit about hot-weather comfort. Its running shorts mostly use Mosotech, Tasc's proprietary bamboo-cotton blend, so they have the lightweight wicking power and sustainability of bamboo, without losing the softness of cotton. Add in an extra-wide waistband, a not-too-short liner, and a zip pocket, and you've got the So stamp of approval. 

A Norwegian mountaineering company isn't the most obvious choice to make a great summer running shirt—and, come to think of it, the Bitihorn doesn't sound like a great running shirt. It serves as a base layer as well as a stand-alone shirt, and it's snug enough through the torso to remind you pointedly that you never fully lost last year's holiday padding. But the wool is incredibly soft (after a washing), and the entire back of the shirt is a sheer, honeycomb-like mesh pattern that dumps heat spectacularly. You'll sweat through the front without question, but that's kind of the point. —Peter Rubin

If you struggle to find a pair of earbuds that stay firmly in your ears when running, the UE Fits (7/10, WIRED Recommends) are the best solution. Open the case, put the earbuds in, run a special app-based setup, and they'll physically mold the ear tips with a bright UV light to the shape of your ears. Once molded, they’re some of the most stable buds we’ve tried, and that fit also means great sound and pretty amazing passive noise isolation. —Parker Hall

Protecting yourself from the sun's radiant heat can go a long way to making yourself more comfortable. Years after we first started testing sunglasses, the OG Goodrs are still one of the most stylish, comfortable, and affordable ways of protecting your eyes from the sun we've found. For a mere $25, you get a no-slip frame with a grippy nose coating and polarized lenses. Sadly, these lenses scratch quite a bit more easily than other glasses we've tried, but for $25, it matters a lot less if you accidentally step on them as you're lacing your shoes. 

The Vermont-based brand Skida is one of my favorite companies for independently made, comfortable, effective, and unique headwear. If its hats make me look like your Great Aunt Mae, who crochets you a duvet slipcover every year and keeps bees, so … bee it. This year, it started making brimmed caps that are small, packable, and quick-drying, and they come in a variety of bright and colorful patterns. Just divert your run down to the river to dunk it quickly and go on your way.

The blister-defying magic of Injinji's socks isn't the only thing that makes them a hot-weather pick. There's also the incredibly thin blend, which replaces the usual Coolmax fiber with merino wool. Yes, wool sounds hotter, but it wicks like a dream and resists the funk that might otherwise arise after 10 miles and a couple of creek crossings. Add in solid support zones and you've got a sock you'll be reaching for on the hottest days. Read our Best Running Socks guide for more options. —Peter Rubin

Once the thermometer hits 80, I take water with me for anything more than 6 miles; when those miles are on the road rather than the trail, that water's in my hand. (I've tried a half-dozen waistbelts that hold bottles, but have yet to find one that doesn't drive me crazy with its bouncing.) Any handheld has to use an insulated bottle, and it has to be able to handle my iPhone XS as well—Camelbak's QuickGrip fits the bill with room to spare.

It uses a rigid cycling-style bottle, which can be divisive; the water inside sloshes around more than it does in soft flasks, but the aim-and-squeeze method means it's also easier to drink on the go. The handle ratchets down tightly enough that you don't need to death-grip the 17-ounce bottle as with some other handhelds, and the forgiving storage container has an extra pocket on the outside for keys or an emergency gel pack … in case those 6 miles become 12. —Peter Rubin

Trail runs just take more out of you. You climb more, go slower, and generally trade comfort for a sense of accomplishment, some incredible views, and maybe a terpene bath. Depending on terrain, it might take you more than an hour to go 5 miles—but if you'll be out there for 90 minutes or less, chances are you'll be OK with an 18-ounce handheld.

This version of Nathan's ExoDraw uses an insulated soft flask (awesome) with a lockable, easy-to-drink-from bite flask (even better), and a handle that doesn't drive you totally insane. The liner pouch is absorbent to help those sweaty hands but take heed: My phone juuuuuust squeezes into the outer pocket with its case on, so go naked if you can. —Peter Rubin

When it's hot out, I don't want my phone in an armband. Hell, I don't want anything touching anything. Amphipod's belt has become a go-to for short or night runs when I don't necessarily need water but I do want to feel unencumbered. If you've ever had to shimmy off a step-into belt in a hurry, you'll appreciate the quick-click buckle, and the mesh pocket can handle even the biggest phone without interfering with Bluetooth earbuds. Best of all? That thing's not going anywhere—even if it's around your hips. No bouncing, no riding up. —Peter Rubin

It's hard to find better-designed trail running vests than Salomon's, from the included soft flasks to the seemingly inexhaustible storage pouches. If you're an ultrarunner or going out long enough to want a water reservoir on your back, you'll want the grandaddy Advance Skin 12 Set, but for just about everyone else the Ultra 5 Set is more than enough. It has tons of pockets for food and doodads, an unobtrusive fit, and is easily adjustable—lash in trekking poles, and you're set for a marathon day in the hills. —Peter Rubin

They're not for every run (or ride), but if you're out long enough to bring multiple bottles or flasks, consider bringing some quick-dissolve electrolyte tablets as a boost. The minerals can help prevent cramping after hours of sweating without the sugar of most sports drinks. I've sworn by Nuun's for years, especially the lemon-lime flavor. They have all of the sodium and none of the artificial sweetener tang. —Peter Rubin

Even if you aren't prone to burning, you need to apply sunscreen before you leave the house. I have sensitive eyes, so I've tried every sunscreen—Neutrogena, Blue Lizard, Supergoop—to find one that won't run the minute I start sweating, leaving me cursing and swiping my shirt on my face every time I stop at a red light. I forgive Skinnies for its unfortunate name and the sunscreen's unappealing, weird apricot color for the ease of use. It's a waterless, concentrated gel, so you only have to rub on a tiny amount. The texture is soft and silken, it's vegan, and, most importantly, I can actually sweat while wearing it!

I haven't yet added the Coros watch to my roundup of the best fitness trackers, but it has quickly surpassed even my favorite Garmins for the best running watch. The Pace 2 is shockingly small and light, with a comfortable, perforated band that doesn't irritate my skin or trap sweat. The battery life beats every other watch I've tried by an astounding amount—it lasted more than two weeks, even longer than the Garmin Instinct Solar with its solar-recharging face—and the screen locks so you can't accidentally turn it on or off by adjusting your clothes or taking off your hydration pack. 

It's easy to navigate, with a simple dial and button system, and it integrates with Strava. It's everything I never knew I wanted. (It doesn't hurt that the company signed Des Linden as one of its athletes last year, either.)

I know what you're thinking—a jacket in a warm-weather roundup? But the best part about the warmer months is that the sun is up so early, you can knock out six well-lit miles before your first Slack notification. If you live near the coast or up in the mountains, then you know those early morning runs can get a bit chilly. Here in California, we're often softly caressed by the foggy fingers of the cold Pacific, which is why I find this polyester half-zip pullover from Roark to be indispensable. It's so wispy that it's barely there, but when I cinch down the hood and head out at 6 am, it provides just the right amount of breathable protection from the piercing damp. When I heat up after the first mile or two, I can stuff the jacket into its own chest pocket and carry it like a Chinese steamed bun, or just tie it around my waist and forget about it. —Michael Calore