A runner can never have too much running gear right? Here are some great gift ideas, tested by Runners World staff, to make your Christmas shopping a breeze!

Adidas Terrex Agravic Windweave Wind Jacket R2 100

After testing jackets all year, we’ve realised that what we used the most was something light, with a degree of weather resistance, but not necessarily waterproof.  The specific mapping of this Windweave fabric did the trick in keeping the weather out, while still maintaining a comfortable environment inside the jacket. It packs away into the chest pocket, meaning testers were able to keep it handy for most runs.
adidas.co.za 

Patagonia Nine Trails Women’s Shorts R1 299

Lightweight shorts made a comeback in 2022, and testers quickly made light weight a priority. Finding a water-repellent outer fabric in a pair of shorts that didn’t feel bulky and heavy, but kept its lightweight feel, was a win – and this pair from Patagonia is a good example. The inner includes a built-in HeiQ Fresh odour-control mesh liner. Testers also liked the feel of the fabric stretch, and the extra thought put into the back pocket in the form of a key loop for safety.
goneoutdoor.com

Under Armour ISO-Chill R1 199

The tech in this tee is all about keeping the body cool, a most welcome feature in hot African summers. The two main factors for achieving the chilling goal are flat yarn and titanium dioxide. The panels are designed to fit your body optimally, so you get maximum contact with the skin to make sure the tech can do what it’s designed to do – and it all ends up being the most comfortable running shirt of the year. 

underarmour.co.za 

Falke Stride Hidden R140 and Anklet R150

There are as many favourite styles out there as there are members of staff in the Runner’s World office. What we all agreed on is that whether it’s hidden or covering your calves, the Falke feel is what we all want from a sock, especially when getting into long-run territory. Each sock is specifically constructed to match the contour lines of your left and right foot, allowing for the perfect anatomical fit. Extra-deep heel pockets and arch support really manage to dial in the fit so the sock stays in place, and breathability is high thanks to extra mesh panels.
falke.co.za

Polar Pacer R4 000

This is a great GPS watch for beginners.  This is a device that will please those looking for a simple, straightforward running watch that concentrates on getting the basics right, with data and tracking feedback from your run. Or other activities – there are around 120 you can pick from. Simply select up to 20 from the Polar Flow app to add to the watch. The Pacer ticks all the boxes you’ll need, including a fuel reminder and fitness tests, provides enough battery power to not require charging after every use, and its lightweight, robust design will see you through many years of hard wear and tear.
polar.com

Beats Fit Pro Ear Buds R3 999

If I had to pick a single set of running headphones from Apple, I’d grab the Beats Fit Pro. They take everything we love in the AirPods 3 and Beats Studio Buds, but cram it all into a tiny set of buds with an ear wing to help them stay put. No matter how sweaty I get, these buds don’t budge, and they don’t ache when you get up to an hour or 90 minutes of running. As with the Studio Buds, you still get those delightful, tactile buttons  – the system’s easy to use, and there’s no fumbling for little buttons.  The coolest feature, however, is one you might never have considered: spatial audio. When you turn your head, the audio rotates, so it sounds like the band is staying in the same spot, just as it would sound when you swivel your head at a real concert. It’s trippy, at first, so don’t actually trip while you’re running – you’ll get used to the feature quickly though. But it’s not just clever audio effects at play here; the sound is remarkable, for such small headphones.
istore.co.za

Black Diamond Sprint 225 Light R999
Features: Lumens: 225 | Weight: 51g | Battery: Rechargeable (2hr on high, 20hr on low)

We love this sleek, compact headlamp for running, because of its performance and features, combined with its comfortable fit. The slim headband doesn’t look all that sturdy but does a great job of keeping the small light from bouncing, and the easy adjustability makes it dead simple to change brightness. Simply swipe up or down past the sensors on the side of the housing to change the intensity – it even works with gloves and with sweaty hands.
blackdiamondequipment.co.za

Salomon Active Handheld R599

Hydration packs are great, but they can be overkill on a shorter weekday training run when your hydration needs are under a litre. Those are the many runs on which the 500ml capacity and hand strap of the Active Handheld from Salomon came into play.  You can see they’ve been in this game a long time, with the attention to detail: it fits perfectly in your hand, and the extra-large 42mm-diameter cap is specifically designed so you can get a refill as efficiently as possible.
salomonsports.co.za 

Wild Within Summit Cap R560

The love and effort put into these items can be described as artisanal attention to detail. We’ve had the cap for a while (we loved the coral colour option), and now we have the T-shirt coming up for summer. Hopefully, local mountain-lover and running speedster Aiden Bennet will have more up his sleeve for 2023.
thewildwithin.co.za

There She Glows Scrunchy R159

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Jacqui Barhouch’s ingenuity in creating a reflective scrunchy for your hair: such a simple idea, yet it’s brought so much joy this year, since we discovered it on Instagram in autumn. This particular good idea means safety starts right at the top: use the scrunchy to tie your hair back, while at the same time it gives off a substantial amount of reflection. It’s activated when light shines on it, to make your bobbing head way more noticeable during those early-morning runs by the side of the road.
@theresheglows_sa on Instagram

EZ Massager R149

Applying creams for muscle pain was just too messy for the late John Taalman, who initiated the invention of this cleverly designed applicator, which gives you an intense blend of 4% menthol and arnica oil deep into the muscles. The twin head rollers are set up just right to get between muscles and tendons to help aching bodies recover.
ezmassager.co.za

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