Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Review of my running tops


So I love my running gear, so have decided to review some of it!  Part one - tops.

Things I like in tops - breathability, flat seams, bright colours and/or reflective logos, soft material, small pockets.
Things that annoy me about tops – ill-fitting design, seams in irritating places (such as under the arms – ever seen someone try and adjust the sleeves under their arms and they end up looking like a monkey?). 

Adidas Supernova tee-shirt
This is my favourite running tee-shirt which I have in various colours (since I wear it so much), in yellow with the VLM design, blue VLM, and baby blue.  Lovely and soft and breathable, and the seams are very comfortable.  It even has a small pocket.  Only thing it, the material is quite delicate and I’m weary about sticking safety pins through it at races as it leaves a mark.  I’ve also got the long sleeve (middle pic) and double-layer versions for cold weather.






Adidas AdiZero halter-neck top 2013 model
Probably the best looking top I have!  Got to look good whilst running!  It’s a halterneck design so makes a bit of a change from the normal racer back, and cooler too.  Very nice, lightweight material.  Only thing I don’t like about it is the halterneck is very thin and tends to rub after a while so is best suited to shorter runs and cross training.  Great for circuits class.  It was pretty expensive for what it is to be honest.

 Adidas Team GB replica tee-shirt
Got this during the Olympics, a brilliant shirt!  Very comfy, fits well and great material (different material in different places as required).  Well designed with no irritating bits.  I wore it for a 20 mile trail run and it was excellent.  Good for when feeling patriotic, overseas races, and for long runs in spring and autumn.


Adidas AdiZero running singlet 2012 model
Bought this one at the same time as the Team GB tee-shirt, as I wanted a loose running vest and only one I had was a charity vest.  It’s a good vest, pretty light, but unfortunately I bought the wrong size and it starts to rub after a while.  I tend to just wear it for short runs in summer.  Good one for 10k races.  You can try something on in the shop and it fits and feels good, but sometimes you don't know if it will rub until you have actually gone for a long run (and therefore cannot return it to the store).


 2XU long sleeve compression top
Got this in TK Maxx very cheaply, in fact I didn't even recognise the brand when I bought it.  I wear it mainly for cycling and wearing after a run or the gym.  Wouldn't wear it for actual running as it would be far too hot and it had a tendency to ride up!

Skins compression tank top
One of my favourite running tops.  I wore it for pretty much all my long runs last year including the Loch Ness Marathon.  Sadly they have stopped making this model anymore so I can’t get another one.  Really comfortable, but the only (big) issue is that it tends to keep riding up at the hip.  During the long runs it stopped doing that after about 4-5 miles (once I’d worked up a sweat, obviously made it stick!!!!) so was ok for the long distance, but it did annoy me during those first few miles. (no pic!)

Under Armour short sleeve compression top
Another TK Maxx impulse buy.  Bought it to replace my Skins tank when it dies, but the sleeves are very short and just a weird length.  Gets worn for cycling a lot instead.


Adidas AdiVis running gillet
Awesome running gillet.  Very comfy and well fitting, with two zip pockets.  Great for when it’s raining but not cold enough for long sleeves.


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