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1. A pair of anti-chafing thigh bands because recovering from a run is hard enough without having to deal with raw, red thighs. Just slip these on under your shorts, and you'll never have to suffer from the aftermath of painful friction again.
2. And just to be safe, an anti-chafe balm to prevent any and all painful skin-on-skin rubbing, be it on your legs, arms, nips, or anywhere else. You'll not get the best of us today, Chafin'!
3. A Nike Pegasus trail runner since the waterproof Gore-Tex upper and tough-treaded sole mean you'll be unstoppable in all weather and terrain conditions and won't have to resort to the *dreadmill.*
4. An anti-blister foot balm so you don't have to stop mid-run on account of painful rubbing somewhere between your shoe and foot. This is basically a shortcut to skip the super painful break-in process every time you buy a new pair of running sneaks.
Promising review: "I love this product! Typically, when I run more than two to three miles, I get some hot spots, irritation, or a blister, and this made my whole run enjoyable! I got one of my best times during a 5K while using this product. I could focus on doing a great job rather than worrying about my feet." —A. Adams
Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in three bundles).
5. A Bluetooth headband if you want to listen to music *and* keep your ears warm as you run outside in the cold.
6. A Garmin GPS running watch since it can track all your stats: distance, speed, route, heart rate, and even alert you when you reach certain workout milestones. New PR, here you come!
Promising review: "I have been using this watch for a few weeks now and am very pleased with it. I wanted this watch primarily for the GPS function while running, and I have been pleasantly surprised by the consistency with which it reports my mileage. I walked the same route on three consecutive days to see if the watch reported the same distance, and the watch indicated I had reached the one-mile mark within 10 or so yards each day. When I finish a run or a walk and sync my watch with my phone, I'm able to view my route on my phone, along with my pace and a color-coded indicator of the faster and slower portions of my run." —katethegreat
Get it from Amazon for $99.99+ (available in four styles).
7. An 18-inch foam roller with a textured surface so you can really get in there to massage those muscles and work out all the tension in your legs. Reviewers say it's especially useful for their lower body.
8. An illuminated reflective vest to make sure drivers can easily spot you on those early morning and late night runs. Bonus! It has eight different colored lighting settings to choose from, so you can have a bit of extra fun as you get those miles in at oh-dark-thirty.
9. A pair of pretty ingenious bone conduction headphones that completely revolutionized my running experience. Since they don't actually go inside the ear, I can still hear the sounds around me, which is not only safer but also helps me focus on the steady rhythm of my feet striking earth.
They're water-resistant and very easy to use. The controls can change the song, pause/play, or switch to a phone call, and they're USB-C rechargeable!
Promising review: "I always have problems finding earbuds that don't fall out of my ears when I run, so these are amazing since they don't go inside my ears at all! I barely feel them on my head, they don't jiggle or move at all when I run, sound quality is pretty good, and I'm glad that I can still hear ambient noise around me while wearing. Highly recommend!" —REI Customer
Get them from REI for $79.95 (available in four colors) or Amazon for $79.95 (available in four colors).
10. A therapy wrap so you can soothe your aching feet with either a cooling or heated sensation — athlete's choice! Just make sure you pop it in the freezer before you head out on your run (if you're gonna want to use it as an ice wrap that is).
Promising review: "Great! Works as described. I am a runner training for a marathon. My feet get achy after long training runs, so this works well! I bought only one to try and plan to purchase another one so I can ice both feet at the same time." —Rachel Hsu
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (also available in a two-pack).
11. A phone armband since it'll keep your device safe and snug *without* absolutely suffocating your poor bicep. Oh, and did I mention it's waterproof, which makes it even more ideal for running in wet, icky weather?
Promising review: "My first time wearing this was for my first half marathon, and it worked GREAT. I have an iPhone 7, and the case has openings for all different jacks on the side and center of the phone. The screen protector allows you to use the touchscreen, and the band was great and held tight. I absolutely love it and can't wait to use it for trail runs as the weather gets better!" —Annie Rose
Get it from Amazon for $11.98 (available in three sizes and 11 colors).
12. A pair of FP Movement high-rise running shorts with a breathable, stretchy fit and just the right amount of compression. Plus, the cute pinhole detailing and ribbed texturing means it's just as fashionable as it is functional!
13. A pack of NipEaze stickers to ensure there's absolute ZERO chance of your poor sensitive nips ending up chapped and giving off major ouchie vibes after a long run. Stick one of these breathable stickers on before you head out, and you'll be good to go!
Promising review: "I sweat a ton when I run. As a result, every glide-on or tube solution breaks down for anything longer than a 5K distance. Enter NipEaze — they just work. I don't have to take any days off after long runs due to chafing. They go on like stickers on the nipples and areola, and I'm convinced they'd stay on forever if you didn't manually remove them. They are essential equipment for me on any runs longer than a 5K. Get the 'extra' size if your areolas are larger than dimes." —Jon Snow
Get 15 pairs from Amazon for $7.97.
14. A Stretch-Out strap (plus exercise book) specifically designed to help you safely stretch without needing another person. This is gonna quickly become your new post-run BFF — especially for those of you who currently struggle with stretching.
Promising review: "My knees were starting to ache a lot after starting to exercise again. I would stretch before and after running, but this helped me get better range of stretch than just using my own bodyweight. Having the small booklet helped with a few additional stretches that I wasn’t doing. After a couple weeks of using this, my knees, calves, quads, and hamstrings weren’t bothering me during or after runs or workouts." —Sean A.
Get it from Amazon for $15.95.
15. A roll of KT Tape for a simple and effective way to reduce tissue pressure and support muscles and joints...long distance runners, this one's for you.
Promising review: "My runner's knee was eradicated from using this tape. Knee pains and aches were erased. Additionally, my husband started developing charley horses in his calves at mile 29 of the Keys 100 Ultra Marathon. We applied KT tape to his calf muscles the way the official KT Tape YouTube channel instructed, and he finished the 100-miler with no more charley horses in his calves. Through the rain, and 71 miles, the tape never came undone. This tape is not a gimmick. Watch the videos and apply the tape." —lavonne
Get it from Amazon for $14.24+ (available in 20 colors).
16. A handheld massage gun featuring 20 speeds and six interchangeable massage heads that each target a different muscle group. Reviewers love this for loosening muscles before *and* after runs!
17. An Under Armour running shirt since the moisture-wicking, anti-odor technology will keep you feeling cool and smelling (relatively) fresh. You're definitely gonna want this for those hot, sweaty days.
18. A Brooks running shoe that reviewers swear by as being extremely comfy and supportive, even if you have wide feet. Basically, if you've been struggling to find a good running sneaker, it's worth checking these out.
19. An open-back tank top for any of my warm-weather runners who want to cut down on the number of layers they have to wear. This features a strappy built-in bra to give you support, and thanks to the special stitching, it shouldn't cause chafing either (because we've already established how we feel about chafing on runs).
Promising review: "Really love this shirt. There was enough support for running, and it didn't flop around during yoga either — perfect. Love the cute straps. The fabric is good, and it looks well-made, but I haven't had it long enough to say for sure. Update — I have worn this quite a few times, including during a 5K and 10L race challenge. After the race, the fabric did get a little worn where the race number tracking chip was rubbing against it, as well as on the inside of the shirt, but it is still holding up. It was great for the race, nice and cool and plenty of support, and looked good in photos." —Christi
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in sizes S–XXL and 21 colors).
20. A FlipBelt because it's slim but spacious — it has four pockets to store all your running essentials (keys, phone, cards, ChapStick, etc.), but you'll hardly notice it's there!
Another cool feature of this FlipBelt is that it's reflective, so it'll be helpful if you run in low visibility conditions. Love running on trails with wet branches and mud? No problem, because you can throw the FlipBelt in the washing machine when you're done working out.
Promising reviews: "Love my FlipBelt. It fits my iPhone 7 that has an OtterBox on it, and did not budge once during my six-mile run. At the four-mile mark, I even tried adjusting it because I thought there's no way this thing is staying in place so well, and it was still in the exact same spot as when I started my run. I also noticed I was able to run faster than usual, and I think it's because I wasn't concentrating on holding my phone with its massive case on it. If you're in between sizes, I suggest going a size down. Can't wait to wear this for my upcoming half-marathons in the fall!" —kel07
"This is a great workout belt! Does not ride up at all when walking and running. I have a Samsung Note and was worried it wouldn't fit inside, but it does! No zippers, but amazingly, nothing falls out. Highly recommend." —Nicki O
Get it from Amazon for $34 (available in XXS–XXL and 15 colors).
21. Or, if you plan on bringing water, too, a larger running belt so you can keep everything securely tucked away and easily accessible. Don't worry, it's adjustable around the waist to make sure you get the perfect fit, too.
Promising review: "I struggled to find a belt that would hold my Samsung 9+ in case plus snacks for my long runs, and this one has plenty of space. It holds my phone, key fob for my car, a sandwich, and energy gummies easily without feeling bulky." —Courtney F.
Get it from Amazon for $17.95 (available in eight colors).
22. A running short that reviewers say perform as well as Lululemon, only without breaking the bank. Plus! It has a handy little zippered pocket for keys or ChapStick.
23. A pair of polarized sunglasses if you're sick of either squinting or having to reach up and re-adjust your shades every five seconds — like, how can we focus on running when our vision keeps distracting us?! According to reviewers, these don't 👏 fall 👏 down 👏.
Promising review: "I was looking for glasses to wear for my first half marathon. These were great! They didn't slip at all, they were very lightweight, and very comfortable to wear. So glad I have these because I can wear them when I'm not running, too." —Meli.
Get them from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in 19 colors).
24. A pack of athletic ankle socks since they really do check all the boxes: soft with cushioned support, moisture-wicking, breathable, *and* odor resistant.
25. A comfy and supportive high-impact sports bra to keep the girls from bouncing around and getting in the way of the real workout — yes, even if the girls are DD+ in size. Your breasts may be large, but they are NOT in charge here.
Promising review: "I've been on a sports bra search for years and years, and I've finally found one I'm happy with. I usually wear a 42-44DDD bra, and I ordered the 42F, which fits perfectly. I could literally do jumping jacks. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER ONLY HAD TO WEAR ONE BRA! YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! I even did a 10K in this thing with no problem." —RW
Get it from Amazon for $30.80+ (available in band sizes 34–50, cup sizes C–J, and 10 colors).
26. A pair of squat-proof leggings since they've got a sneaky hidden adjustable drawstring tucked inside the waistband, and that means they won't slide down! Plus, the women-working-out design is pretty cool, too.
27. A pair of glow-in-the-dark LED bands to make it extremely obvious to others that there is indeed a person out there moving in the darkness, and that person is you, running like a boss.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.