What We’re Loving This Week: Socks, Shoes, and Sports Bras

It’s been a wild week. And outside of triathlon, what we’re all loving right now is a little time for ourselves and some de-stressing techniques: go for a solo run outside, enjoy a good movie, pet your dog. Be kind to yourself and to others as we get through this. Within triathlon, if you’re looking to still get in some miles while you can, we’ve got a list of some favorite gear currently for you.

We spend a lot of time using triathlon stuff here at Triathlete. Here’s our behind-the-scenes look at what we’re actually loving this week.

Darn Tough Vertex 1/4 Ultra-Light Cushion

OK, I know last week my pick was a bike that’s nearly a down payment on a house, and this week swings wildly in the other direction, but sometimes it’s the simple things that really get you out the door. This pair of light-to-midweight running socks from Vermont-based Darn Tough is darn hard to beat. As a self-confessed Merino Wool fanboy, the Vertex’s tick that big box with a crazy soft touch and the perfect amount of warmth. I’ve done runs in around 80 degrees Farenheit down to 30 degrees and have never found them to be too hot or too cold. Darn Tough is also American-made and uses only ethically obtained Merino Wool, on top of a ridiculous unconditional guarantee that makes these socks your socks for life.

– Chris, senior editor

Brooks Dare Scoopback Run Bra

A good run bra is hard to find, so when I do finally find one I tend to hold onto it—tightly—and wear it again and again and again. That’s kind of been the theme this week with this Brooks Dare Scoopback run bra. I did a short recovery run in it on Monday and was all “Ooooooh, ahhhhhh, this is amazing!” and then continued to wear it for my tempo run on Tuesday and my treadmill run Wednesday. I considered wearing it again on Thursday, but by then it was getting a little stinky, so I indulged it with a speed wash and it was ready to go again on Friday. Hey, I’m social distancing anyway, so it’s not like you’re going to notice! I suppose at this point it’s only fair to come clean (if you’ll pardon the pun) and tell you what I love it about it—as well as the fact it was sent to me by Brooks. Let’s tackle the latter first: At Triathlete, we get sent a ton of stuff, much of which sits on my desk for a lengthy period of time before I test it, but as a woman who’s worn way too many bad sports bras, I put this one to the test, stat. I’m never afraid to write honestly about products I’m given for free that suck, but this isn’t one of them. What I really love about this bra is how freaking comfortable it is while still offering terrific support. There are very few run-specific bras (in my experience, anyway) that can do both things. I’ve had plenty of run bras that offer great support, but equally I have the crazy knife-like chafing scars to prove just how simultaneously uncomfortable they were. This one does all the things: support, seamless feel, comfort, easy to get on and off. So for now, at least, if you see me running, you can probably guess which bra I’m wearing.

– Emma-Kate, managing editor

Hoka Rincon

To stick to the ‘go for a run while you’re social distancing’ theme, I’ve been putting miles on these shoes the last 10 days. And let me first preface this by saying: I thought I was going to tell you about how much I love the Hoka Carbon X. I wore those shoes into the ground, until they literally ripped and then I still wore them a few more times. I even bought a new pair at retail for $180—despite the fact that I have a friend who works for Hoka and will give me whatever shoes I want. But then that friend sent me a pair of the Rincons. And after just a few runs, the Rincons are already my new favorite shoes. The caveat is I’m a lightweight tempo trainer person. I don’t like a lot of shoe. All I ask is that I want to feel like I can run fast(ish) forever. And these are 100% delivering that floating down the bike path feeling. It’s a nice change of pace from the anxiety and stress when I’m inside at the computer right now!

– Kelly, editor-in-chief