This Summer Running Gear Keeps You Cool, Fast, and Protected (2024)

Summer is officially here, as if the heat this week in the Central and Northeast U.S. could let you forget. At our office in Easton, Pennsylvania, the first 90-degree days of the season have already brought humidity, sunburns, and all the sweat.

You can’t change the weather, but you can outfit yourself in whisper-weight, sweat-wicking apparel that helps make summer runs feel like the good kind of hot.

Running in the heat isn’t like running in the cold: In the winter, you can add layers, but you can’t shed layers in the summer quite as effortlessly (especially in public). Thankfully, our testers and editors have had plenty of time to figure out what can go the distance, and we’ve spent enough time on the blazing asphalt to stand behind those picks—for our sake as much as yours.

The gear recommended in this list has been used and loved by runners who are no strangers to hot-weather running.

For more summer running essentials, check out our coverage of the best moisture-wicking running shirts, hydration packs, and sweat-resistant sunscreens.

The Best Hot-Weather Running Gear

• Best Handheld Hydration: Nathan SpeedDraw Plus Insulated Flask
• Best Electrolyte Tabs: Nuun Electrolyte Drink Tablets
• Best Hat: Ciele Athletics GOCap
• Best Women’s Tank Top: Ibex Women’s Essentials Racerback
• Best Men’s Tank Top: Lululemon Fast and Free Singlet Breathe

What to Consider

Our bodies sweat for a reason: to keep us cool. So, when choosing running clothes for summer miles, it’s important to find options that are lightweight and breathable, as well as ones that wick moisture. The latter feature will take the sweat on your body—and the heat your sweat draws out—away from your skin, keeping your body’s temp regulation at peak efficiency.

It’s not a bad idea to look for odor control, because let’s be honest, summer running can smell terrible. Certain fabrics are additionally designed to protect you from the sun’s harmful UV rays, an often underrated lifesaver as the clothes on your back get lighter and thinner.

As for accessories, you don’t want to weigh yourself down with heavy water bottles or thick hats. Hydration systems that you can wear (vests, handhelds with straps, belts) and lightweight hats or visors are the way to go.

How We Selected

We don’t recommend gear without first trying it ourselves, speaking with fellow editors and product reviewers, or researching the market and surveying user reviews. To compile this list, we’ve factored in materials, weight, ventilation, durability, price, and the treasure trove of recommendations from other Runner’s World editors.

This water bottle from Nathan is one of our all-time favorites, providing ample storage for a phone, keys, and some nutrition in the attached pouch. It also manages to balance out that hauling capacity with a sleek design that keeps the 18-ounce bottle from feeling too bulky.

⇨ Pro Tip: Fill your water bottle two-thirds of the way and freeze it on its side overnight. You’ll have ice when you start running and it’ll slowly thaw as the day (and your body) heat up.

The more you sweat, the more you should think about replacing your electrolytes. This won’t just help you feel better in the moment, but it can also help you recover faster and more efficiently. These tablets are free of gluten, synthetic flavors and dyes, and have only one gram of sugar per tab. They also taste great and are awesome for travel.

This Montreal-based startup is infusing fun and playfulness into the sport. Make no mistake, these hats are made for performance first, but they have great style too. The GOCap is one of the brand’s signature styles and comes in a wide range of colorful combinations.

We like the fast-drying Coolwick fabric that keeps your head dry on hot days, plus the multi-panel construction that allows for a sleek, comfortable fit. Additional touches, such as a soft, foldable brim and reflective hints, add to the quality of a cap that perfectly straddles the line between form and function.

If you’re unacquainted with the moisture-wicking, odor-absorbing qualities of merino wool, allow us to be the first to introduce you. Unlike most wool, which can feel scratchy and hot, merino wool is a soft, lightweight fabric that regulates temperature just as well as many synthetics. And because of the material’s natural stink-trapping properties, you can easily get a couple of wears out of this tank before you need to wash it.

Side note: Once it cools back down, this tank top makes a great base layer that can keep moisture from welling up under your heavier clothes.

Though this synthetic singlet from Lululemon doesn’t quite have the same stench-stopping power as the Ibex top listed above, it still has some odor-resistant zinc woven into its polyester mesh fabric. And it’s light enough that you’ll hardly notice you’re wearing it. That should limit the constricted feeling you get when you wear heavier clothes on a hot day.

Another benefit of this mesh fabric: It dries rather quickly. This keeps the moisture-wicking process super efficient, allowing the sweat containing your excess body heat to disperse into the air far faster.

The Middle Short is for those hazy summer days when long, dewy runs call for sweat-wicking shorts. The Middle Short comes in a range of lengths—five-inch and seven-inch—so you can show as much (or as little) thigh as you’d like. Our testers have called these shorts a super light, flowy masterpiece thanks to their mesh material for ventilation and drying.

Don’t be fooled by the name—these shorts are cool as can be. The wide waistband provides coverage and added support, not to mention lots of storage—cash for a post-run cold beverage, perhaps? The three-inch inseam is short, but they don’t ride up, making these perfect for speedwork and long runs. Plus, for anyone looking for a bit more coverage, Saucony also offers an eight-inch inseam.

These sport shades punch above their price point with three lens options in the box, including a clear set for low-light use. Vents in the frame prevent fogging, and a removable brow bar kept forehead sweat out of our eyes on hot and humid runs. The hydrophilic rubber grippers don’t move on sweaty faces, and the ear and nose pieces are adjustable.

Sorry, not sorry if you’ve heard us rave about Goodr before. There is no shortage of running sunglasses, but Goodr’s $25, lightweight, no-bounce model continues to impress. Our biggest complaint is the narrow fit, so for bigger heads, go for the BFG styles for $10 more. On top of providing UV protection and keeping away sweat, Goodr sunglasses come in a wide array of fun (and funny) colorways, like Gardening with a Kraken, shown above.

For such a light and thin sock, our testers found that the Coolmesh II shifted around in their shoes a lot less than they were expecting. Especially after some big miles, a sock that can stay put is a good omen of a blister-free future. A two-layer design helps to keep the inside of the sock locked in place around your foot while the outside has room to roam.

We test a lot of sunscreens on our daily lunch runs and we’ve been impressed with Skinnies Sungel. The New Zealand-born brand made a sunscreen that isn’t water-based, so it’s more concentrated, won’t sweat off, and lasts longer.

A pea-sized drop is all you need to cover your face and neck—slather it on your forehead because it won’t sting your eyes—and there’s only a slightly waxy feeling on your fingers afterward. It dries in just two minutes and forms a thin layer that adheres to your skin throughout a long run.

Hate heavy, goopy sunscreen formulas? This featherweight, clear, and scentless option is completely undetectable. You’ll barely even know you’re wearing anything, but don’t forget to reapply during long runs—this sunscreen is sweat-resistant for only 40 minutes.