The rise in popularity of women’s running has grabbed the attention of a lot of brands, and a lot of thought, design and development is going into women-specific running gear. From pants suited to pregnant bellies, to buffs for thinner necks, to skirts to run in and pockets for keeping your tissues, we have a look at what’s available – exclusively for women. – By Ryan Scott, RW Gear Editor

An alarming number of skorts have been spotted on women runners. A combination of skirts and cycling shorts, they come in a huge selection of designs, says CEO of Sporty Skirts Revolution Rachel Jesson: long ones, short ones, ones with capri tights underneath. (“Does that make them ‘skights’?” she ponders.) They come in fabulous colours; some are deliciously sexy, others more basic; some feature frills, zips, pockets, strings and elastic galore. They’re comfortable, flattering, and they make your race photos look great. But do they function as well as ‘normal’ running gear?

YAY: Rachel Jesson

“It’s like wearing a sexy piece of lingerie to participate in a sport that’s in dire need of a femininity injection. I wear mine for training, although a special pair is reserved for race day: they give me a competitive advantage psychologically, because when I feel confident about the way I look, I perform better. “Most running shorts chafe, and regular cycling shorts are so tight they create dimples on even the skinniest of legs. Skorts, on the other hand, have a band of fabric to secure them, a gusset to prevent riding, and a skirt that hides nasty sweat marks. They’re antibacterial, which keeps the smell away; moisture-wicking, keeping you dry; and they protect you from the sun’s harmful rays. “So the majority of skort-wearers wear them in the name of comfort; but others make a statement, in sophisticated pastels, or hot neon. After a run, you can pop into a store for groceries, or drop the kids off at school looking fantastic. There are so many colours to choose from, you can even coordinate them with your running shoes – how’s that? And I’ve been thanked by a few men who say the skort is bringing ‘sexy back’ on race day – especially on the hills!

“For any distance over five kays, skorts are ideal: they’re made with aerodynamic, light fabric that won’t weigh you down, and are designed to hug your body, so the skirt doesn’t flap in the wind when you run. Thinking of going for a run in the sun? Skorts are no warmer than normal running shorts, and come in a range of lighter colours that reflect the heat. “Wearing skorts isn’t about covering up: far from it, they enhance your legs. They get rid of that camel-toe running shorts create – never a good look, especially if your thighs are more developed – and there are also more daring, shorter styles, so you can really show off your pins. And for those who want to hide their legs, there’s a skirt with capri tights underneath. “The future of skorts is cerise pink – hot red, even. These are high-performance skirts, available in almost any sports store, and more women are wearing them than ever before.”

NAY: Bryony McCormick

“I’ve never associated wearing a skirt with running, ever. In my mind it doesn’t make sense from a practicality point of view, so why ever go down that road? Running in shorts or tights is practical and comfortable, which are the two key elements I look for in a product. A skirt frill is not going to add to the practicality of a pair of tights – not for me, anyway. “To avoid having nothing to justify my opinions with, I decided to trial a skort. A pair of skorts? Underneath the skirt flap of the skort is a pair of tights. Depending on the length of the skort, these tights can be really short.

For someone with thunder thighs, as I fondly describe mine, short tights don’t work. They ride up and over the widest part of my thigh at the top of my leg, and leave far too much exposed skin available for inner-thigh contact. “I agree, the skirt flap covers up the thigh-rub magnificently – I mean, who wants to see that? – but it doesn’t stop the abrasion happening. You do get skorts with longer tights beneath the skirt frill, but then they stick out, and I find myself asking, what’s the point, really? And yes, the fabric is sleek and smooth, and weighs barely anything extra, and might reflect laser beams from space, blah blah, but surely at the end of the day you’ll go faster without it there at all?

“I guess for someone like me… I’m a no-frills kind of girl, and I think sewing an extra cut of fabric on running tights to make them look pretty is a waste. I don’t wear make-up when I run – why should I bother about a skirt? Ultimately, if you’re a woman, you should be running in something that’s comfortable, affordable and makes you feel good. That said, I know I don’t speak for the masses; and if skorts put an end to women running with sweat tops tied around their waists to hide their muffin-tops, well then, great.

But really, if you’re debating buying a pair or not, why not spend a little less time worrying about hiding your bum under a frill, and more time on the road or the trail?”