What Our Run Editors Loved in October

Published November 8, 2023 12:12PM

Shoes and Apparel

Whether we like it or not, if you’re an early morning runner, we are firmly into transition season. Enter the three-quarter tight, for a little fresh air around the ankles, but enough coverage to keep you warm. I love Varlo bike-style shorts for triathlon races, as their super-wide and high waistbands are perfect for running support, while also being tummy-friendly. These Soho tights have the same waist configuration, with 40 percent elastane mixed with polyester. They do the trick to get me out the door, every time. There’s a back zipper pocket, which is larger than most, perfect for gels, keys, and emergency cappuccino money. While you could wrestle your phone in there, I prefer to utilize the back pocket of the Brooks Drive Sports Bra. – Melanie Mitchell, Run Brand Director

Years ago, I was obsessed with running trails in the Nike Streak, the company’s lightest cross-country flat. It had just enough traction to keep you on the trail. I’d since lost track of the Streak, but recently picked up a pair of the Streakfly, which is its sort of flashy (and more expensive) upgrade. Wow. So fun. Fun on roads. Fun on trails. Fun on gravel. The ZoomX foam and stack feels a touch precarious for technical trails (apparently it’s lower than its recent predecessor, the VaporFly), but the ride is smooth and protective. If you’re not into narrow shoes, you may pass this one up, but at six ounces, I’ve really been enjoying zipping around in these. – Nicholas Triolo, senior editor, Outside Run and Trail Runner

I am usually not a fan of leggings, but as temps drop, these tights have been a go-to. The high-rise fit and multiple pockets make them comfy, even for longer runs when I need to pack fuel. Plus, the reflective detailing helps me feel safe in the dark. They’re a perfect marriage of form and function that might just convert any legging skeptic. – Zoë Rom, editor-in-chief, Trail Runner, managing editor, Women’s Running

‘Tis the season for dark, cold mornings that give way to sunny, surprisingly hot afternoons, bluebird days ravaged by bone-chilling wind, and foggy trailheads leading to who-knows-what at the summit here in Boulder, Colorado. In these transitional seasons, I prefer to be overprepared, and the Black Diamond Deploy Wind Shell—which compacts to the size of a lime and weighs practically nothing (48 grams, or the weight of a Snickers bar)—makes that decision a no-brainer. The convenient half-zip makes pulling this jacket on and off over a running vest a snap, and it’s allegedly the lightest windbreaker on the market. The soft Japanese fabric is paper-thin, too, but also mighty. I’ve worn this jacket on long mountain days for a year and it’s still in prime condition. – Abby Levene, Run Brand creative

These are the perfect joggers for higher-intensity winter activity. With the perfect balance of insulation and ventilation, these pants can keep you warm and dry even on the snowiest runs (shoutout to the DWR finish). I am not a huge fan of tights, and I love the more accommodating yet functional fit of these joggers. They’re also perfect for all things apres-ski. – Z.R.

I packed this for a week-long stay in a cabin next to Rocky Mountain National Park in mid-October thinking I might wear it on a cool-but-not-cold day run. I ended up wearing it nearly the whole time. I wore it, as expected, by itself on a run in the low 40s with snow on the ground. It kept me cool and dry as I ran uphill in the bright sun, while not leaving me shivering when gusts of wind howled down from the mountains or during long, easy descents. The fabric (45 percent Merino Wool, 45 percent Tencel, 10 percent Nylon blend) was so soft against my skin, I also wore the top in the chilly evenings, and under a flannel shirt to go out to dinner, and as a base layer under a puffy jacket when venturing into the park during a heavy snowstorm. Never did I regret the choice. Besides its superb temperature regulation and soft hand against my skin, the top never got smelly, and it didn’t show any wear even after carrying armloads of firewood. I also took it on a three-day backpacking trip in September where I wore it every evening, setting up camp, cooking, and sleeping, and it still looks new and sharp. – Jonathan Beverly, senior running editor, gear

As the weather turns here in Missoula, Montana, I’ve had to dig back into my pile of winter hats and gloves, and I keep finding myself turning to these comfy gloves for just about everything. Slow road loops in town, two- to three-hour trail adventures. They’re pretty unassuming, but the grid fleece always makes me feel cozy, but not swampy, with its thermo-regulating ActiveTemp. Super versatile. Big fan. – N.T.

These shoes have quickly become my default for easy cruises around town. They’re responsive enough not to feel heavy and draggy, but plush enough to offer a great recovery ride. When I’m putting more miles on the road in winter, I love having a super cushy shoe that I can reach for to keep the easy days easy. – Z.R.

I’m throwing these socks in here because they seem to always be on my feet before I can even have a conscious thought. These socks just hit select retail stores in September, so consider this a hot tip, but they’re wonderfully second-skin smooth, and I just get excited by the prospect of wearing them. Sustainability-forward, with a nerdy attention to detail—watch out for this company. – N.T.

I am obsessed with this jacket. I love the colorful print and functional fit that’s perfect for throwing on post-run, a gym sesh, work meeting, or the brewery. This jacket is a wonderful transitional piece with athletic styling and details that can spruce up any fall outfit. – Z.R.

This hearty long sleeve is perfect as a base layer or worn on its own. It packs a toasty punch and longer sleeves, and thumbholes extend the protection of this functional layer. This is a great layering piece for winter trail runs, with a midweight wool knit that wicks sweat and won’t trap odors. – Z.R.

Nutrition

I’ll never say no to a sweet treat—especially if it has protein in it. These Magic Spoon Treats are so good in flavors of marshmallow and chocolatey peanut butter. They have 11 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar, but no sugar alcohols, which tend to hurt my stomach. – Mallory Arnold, associate editor

After singing the praises of Ora’s Golden Milk powder (literally sipping on some as I write this), my other new favorite of Ora’s offering is their supergreen powder. I know, these seem to be popping up every other week, but I’ve grown to really enjoy this one, adding a scoop to my post-run recovery shake to get a clean hit of vitamins and antioxidants, the equivalent of three servings of greens per scoop. I eat fairly balanced throughout the week, but certainly miss my veggies from time to time. This stuff tops up my levels. – N.T.

If you know me, you know that caffeine is my drug of choice. But because I really don’t like coffee, I’m always in search of new ways to get my buzz. Lately, I’ve been grooving on Caffeine Bullet energy chews (Chocolit Orange and Mintense flavors) developed by British ultrarunner David Hellard. Each individually-wrapped 7-gram morsel of buzz-inducing goodness is packed with 85 mg of caffeine (slightly less than a large cup of coffee) and 27 calories, making them an easy-to-transport energy supplement for long trail runs and ultra-distance races. – Brian Metzler, contributing editor

Audio/Video

I recommend listening to this one, if you have the option. Rubin, the legendary music producer, riffs on the power of creativity, on trusting your instinct, and on committing to art, in every facet of life. I actually thought a lot about my running life while listening to this book. At first, I thought this might be one long book of platitudes, but something shifted a third of the way through and, by the end, I didn’t want it to end. Such a gift. – N.T.

Having just watched Christine Yoo’s award-winning documentary 26.2 to Life, portraying a marathon run by inmates of the maximum-security facility San Quentin Prison, it inspired me to revisit The Jericho Mile, a 1979 film about a prison-yard runner directed by Michael Mann at the zenith of the original American running boom. The main character is Larry “Rain” Murphy (played by Peter Strauss), who is serving a life sentence in Folsom Prison on a first-degree murder charge for killing his abusive stepfather. He starts running inside the prison yard for fitness and his sanity and gets really fit and really fast. It’s a consummate 1970s prison flick, but it’s a compelling, well-told story, even if done with decidedly low-tech production value. – B.M.

I’ve plugged this podcast before here, mainly because I think Dan Harris is an absolute gem of a host, but this one re-invites TED talk superhero Adam Grant on the show to talk about his new book, Hidden Potential. Though a touch skeptical of the initial self-help vibe, Grant and Harris have a really engaging conversation that can be applied to every component of life. – N.T.

I aspire to be the kind of person who is done with holiday gift shopping by the end of November. I fall short of this goal every year, but at least I’ve discovered Evernote, so I collect links throughout the year. This year, my top choice for elementary school-aged girls is a series of books from Strong Girls Publishing. Founder and athlete Molly Hurford was keen to find books to celebrate girls who enjoy sports. With none to be found, she founded her own publishing company in true Shark Tank style. They are engaging, fun chapter books about sassy cycling characters called Shred Girls. Not only are these books fun tales of sporty girls, they are written by real-life athletes, too. This is a win-win for a gift that keeps on giving. – M.M.

Misc.

Why do you need portable, walkie-talkie style radios as a runner? I’ve taken these out a few times on early fall 14er adventures on trails with friends, and have also used them for crew communications at a 100-miler that had remote (out-of-cell-range) aid stations. These radios transmit the maximum power legally allowed for use without a license (two watts) and have a range of up to 25 miles, but I’ll likely only use them a few miles apart. They’re durable, easy to use, and highly weather-resistant. Given that winter is upon us, I’ll take them backcountry skiing, too. – B.M.

I’ve made a commitment to myself in the coming year to keep falling deeper in love with trail and mountain running, while also spending more nights sleeping in the backcountry. Naturally, fastpacking has come to mind, an ultralight approach to multi-day run-hiking. Everything Outdoor Vitals touches turns to gold, and this Skyline 30 fastpack is a homerun. I recently took it for a 14-mile overnight solo into Montana’s Mission Mountains and it hit every mark I could imagine. The bag is super durable, using 100D Robic ripstop and a Challenge Ultrastretch, a mesh touted as the most tear/rip-proof on the market. This will be my fastpacking rig as I venture deeper into this discipline in 2024. – N.T.

If 2017 was the year I went Croc, 2023 was the year I went Clog. Specifically, I’m talking about Chaco’s new Paonia Clog, a counterpoint to Birkenstock, which I’ve never had the courage to commit to. But Chaco—which, to be radically transparent, I’m not actually a huge fan of, preferring Tevas or Bedrocks instead—really nailed it with these. They are so easy to slip on, plus they are nice-looking enough for date night or movie night. I work in them all day and also slip them on first-thing as a recovery shoe after my weekend long run. LUVSEAT footbed. Waterproof jacquard suede upper. A+ addition to my leisure wear. – N.T.