RunnerDude Review: Awesome Running Gear

I'm always on the lookout for great new gear for runners. Cool and flashy is great, but I'm on the hunt for functional, dependable, and quality.

From shirts to shorts, to GPS watches, I constantly have my eyes peeled for something to help better the running experience. Recently I came across three products that I just had to share with you.


My favorite running clothing company, Lululemon, has done it again. Their Sprint Tech Short Sleeve Shirt continues their line of high quality, breathable, and comfortable running clothes. A unique technique of weaving silver fibers into the fabric helps prevent body odors from lingering in the clothing. This shirt also features a handy pocket in back to hold your music player. There's a small slit at the neck in which headphone wires can be inserted to keep out of your way while running. The lightweight fabric is preshrunk and the flat-seam construction helps reduce chafing. The Sprint Tech shirt sells for $68.00 which is a premium price, but well worth it. I have several Lululemon tops and shorts and they hold up run after run, wash after wash and look as good as they day I bought them. These are the most comfortable running clothes I own.

RunnerDude sporting Lululemon's
Sprint Tech shirt and Run: Response
Shorts Just Before his Blue Ridge Relay
10-mile \Leg up Grandfather Mountain 

Recently I was able to test the Sprint Tech Shirt during the Blue Ridge Relay (a 208-mile relay race from Grayson State Park, VA to Asheville, NC.) I wore the Sprint Tech shirt during my 10-mile leg up Grandfather Mountain. The shirt performed perfectly. Actually, I did something I always tell runners never to do....wear a garment in a race that you got the day before. I received the Sprint Tech shirt in the mail the day before leaving for Virginia and I didn't have time to wash it. I really wanted to test the shirt on the hardest of my relay runs, so I took the chance that it might not work for me. But, I've had great success with Lululemon in the past, so I felt confident it would work. Work it did. Unwashed, right out of the package, the shirt wore and performed perfectly for me.


Lululemon's new Surge Short is a great slightly shorter option for runners. Still a modest 7", the combination of the shorter inseam and V-notch legs provide for excellent leg movement when running. The lightweight technical material wicks moisture away from your skin and the 2-way stretch provides for multi-dimensional movement. Perfect for the road or trail. Like my all-time favorite Run: Response Short, the Surge also includes two side pockets, a zippered pocket perfect for key and/or ID storage, and the chafe-reducing flat-seam stitching. The Surge Short sells for $64.00.

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Another great product that I was fortunate enough to test during the Blue Ridge Relay is the Soleus 2.0 GPS watch. About a year ago, I tested the Soleus 1.0 GPS and was very impressed with it's simplicity of use, dependability and affordability. The 1.0 version doesn't have the ability to upload data to your laptop, so I was eager to try the 2.0 version which does have the capability. Like the 1.0, the 2.0 is extremely easy to use right out of the box. The satellite search-and-find is quick and even in the mountains, I had no problem getting and keeping a signal.

Some of the new features added to the 2.0 version include interval timers and the data upload. With the training timers, you have the ability to set up to 5 individual training timers for your workouts. The data is easily transfered via USB and the easy-to-download Soleus software to our laptop or desktop.

The thing I like the most is the compact design. It's just a tad bigger than a non GPS watch. I find myself wearing it when not running. It holds a charge well. Two of my runs were in the dark and the easy-to-read dial and the bright night light made night-time visibility a breeze.

After the relay, uploading my data was very simple. Reading the cumulative data and splits was very easy. The Soleus 2.0 sells for $149. There's also a 3.0 version that sells for $199 that includes a heart rate monitor.

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The Black UltraSport SeatShield at
work in RunnerDude's SUV.

Finally, the last product I have to share is very low tech, but one of my favorites. If you're a runner, particularly a runner in the summer, and a runner who sweats like I do, you're probably always having to keep a towel in your automobile to sit on to keep from ruining the upholstery. The sweat can leave stain marks on leather and no one likes the stench that that seep into fabric seats. SeatSheild is a great solution to this problem.

SeatShields are completely waterproof. Their patented design prevents odors. The cover is extremely easy to use and remove. They are comfortable to sit on and they're easy to clean. Not only are they great for protecting your auto seats from sweat, they're also good for protecting them from dirt, food, pet hair and a variety of other "gunk." I wish I had discovered these when my kids were little!!

I actually bought two SeatShields to keep in my SUV. One for me to use on a regular basis and one in case I have a sweaty passenger. The design of the SeatShield includes a pouch at the top that slips over the headrest and shoulders of the seat to hold it in place. The bottom of the cover is loose, and drapes over the seat. This simple yet effective construction and design makes it fit any vehicle.

The SeatShield  comes in three styles. The one I purchased and use is the UltraSport which sells for $29.95. It's available in Black, Beige, and Gray. If you're a sweaty runner and need an easy way to protect your auto seats, you need a SeatShield.

Notice: While Lululemon and Soleus provided the featured products for review, they in no way requested a positive review. My review is based on my personal experience with the products. The SeatShield was a personal purchase and was not provided by the company.

Winner of the Saucony Cortanas is...

Congratulations to Wayne Ball, the winner of the Saucony Cortanas! A Big thanks to all the participants in the contest and an even bigger thanks to Saucony for providing such an awesome giveaway!

Next Product Review/Giveaway

What would you like RunnerDude to review next? Do you have a particular running-related product that you'd like RunnerDude to "test drive"? Send me your ideas to runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com and I'll see what I can do. Be sure to put "Product Review" in the subject line of the email. Thanks again for all your support. If you're so inclined, cast your vote for RunnerDudes blog at The Top 100 Running Sites. Thanks!

RunnerDude's Stellar-Stamp Awards for 2010!

Over the past 12 months, I've tried many different running products. Most were good, but some were stellar! Listed below are 10 products that have received the RunnerDude's Blog Stellar-Stamp-of-Approval. If you haven't already tried some of these products, think about checking them out in 2011!

YurBuds—yurbuds™ are custom sized earbud enhancers (produced by yurtopia LLC) that increase comfort, don't fall out, and enhance sound quality. They fit right over your existing earbuds or you can purchase yurtopia’s version of earbuds called yurphones™ that come equipped with the custom yurbuds™.

Saucony Progrid Kinvara—Saucony's version of a minimalist shoe. I've tested a lot of shoes over the past two years, and I can honestly say that this shoe tops them all. I've been testing the minimalist waters and the shoes that I've tried have worked well, but the Kinvara worked great for me right out of the box.

3BAR—3BAR is engineered to contain exactly what your body needs to re-fuel. Many of the bars on the market today are loaded with chemicals and therefore lack balance. 3BAR is a balanced nutrient-dense product to give you the most energy, and you will feel naturally energized from it! And the best part about 3BAR, it TASTES good!!!

Stuffitts—Stuffitts is a soft, form-fitting shape that is inserted into shoes after wearing. Combining new fabric technology, a unique foot-shaped design that maximizes point-to-point absorption, and soft cedar inserts – a pair of Stuffitts can help extend the life of your shoes significantly by protecting your shoes from moisture and odor! Stuffitts work effectively in all types of shoes, boots, and cleats…they also come in sizes to fit men, women, and children. They are made from 100% natural cedar and are 100% reusable.

Thriv—Running and active-wear apparel made from bamboo that provides moisture wicking, anti–microbial, thermal regulation, UV protection, and comfort! I've tested several of their men's tops and have been extremely pleased. They wear well, and do promote moisture wicking and thermal regulation. The anti-microbial aspects does help keep the "stink-factor" at a minimum too!

Run: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel—While not a product like the others listed, this book by Matt Fitzgerald is great for helping you better tune into your body and what it's telling you while your running. Your body can be the best "gadget" out there to help you improve your running and training.

Landice Treadmills—The Landice L Series treadmills deliver a health-club quality workout in the privacy of your own home. Landice consistently receives "Best Home Treadmills" awards from leading magazines. In my opinion, the best club-quality treadmill you can buy for your home.






Warrior Training Bracelet—Sometimes what you need to help get you through those last few miles of a tough workout aren't the latest hydration product or GPS gadget. No, sometimes what you need is a boost of confidence. The Warrior Training Bracelet does just that. Just a simple word like "Persevere", "Courage" or "Strength" is all you need to remind you that you have what it takes to be a champion.

Sprinter Headlamp—This headlamp is ultra light, weighing only 3.5oz. It has a very bright light (around 70 lumens) which well let you see about 150 feet ahead and best of all the light is focused on the ground right around your feet and a few strides ahead, perfect for runners. The headlamp also comes with a blinking red light positioned on the back strap making it a great safety feature. Probably the best feature of all is that the lamp is rechargeable. There's no batteries!!

Toe Juice—This simple product works great getting rid of dry calloused areas on a runner's feet. Also helps get rid of athlete's foot, jock itch, ringworm, and other fungus related skin issues.



(Note: This list is based on my own opinion and experience with each product. No payment or endorsement fee has been provided by any of the featured companies.)

Stay Tuned!

The nice folks at CSN Stores recently contacted me about reviewing a product. I was curious so I checked out their link. What I found was bar stools. My first thought was, "Bar stools for runners?" Some runners may need a stiff drink after a marathon, but I'm thinking, maybe this isn't for RunnerDude's Blog. But then I discovered that CSN Stores is actually a family of over 200 online stores including some for health & fitness. Tah dah!
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So, I'm happy to announce that in an upcoming post I'll be reviewing the Hudson Fitness HR-2500 Pulse Monitor. Heart-rate monitors are great tools for training. I've used other brands of monitors but none by Hudson. So, I'm eager to give it a good testing and let you know my results. If you've ever used a Hudson, I'd be interested in hearing your experiences. Happy Running!—RunnerDude