They say you can tell how serious a person is about running by how much they’ve spent on their gear. And it’s true. I’ve spent a lot, and I’m terrible at running. My New Year’s resolution was to get a four-mile run in every other day. I was good on that for a while until I slipped into my usual once or twice a week routine.
When I do go running, I’ve been getting a lot of use out of these Nike x Undercover pieces I bought last season. As expensive as they were, they actually have a number of useful details. The jacket, for example, has Dri-Fit panels under the arms and sleeves, which help me stay dry and cool (cause you know how strenuous a four-mile run can get), and a frog-mouthed chest pocket that’s just big enough to hold my keys (so they don’t jingle when I run that strenuous four-miles). The pants have perfect inseam for me, but are adjustable with a cinch cord around the leg opening. There are also some small pockets at the back, made again to hold keys, in case you want to wear them with some other jacket.
Speaking of other jackets, I really want one of Nike’s “Flash” jackets, which give full-body reflections at night whenever cars approach you. You can see some of the jackets in action in this video and this video. Sadly, the current model fits too big on me. Ovadia & Sons released something similar this season, and it probably fits trimmer, but I’m not prepared to spend $700 on a running jacket. I’m already as out of shape as I’d ever want to be.
As for the shoes, I’ve been using Nike’s Flyknits in Grey Wolf and a custom pair of Shield Lunarglides I made through Nike’s ID program. The Shield Lunarglides help reflect a bit of light at night, and despite all the streetwear hype around Flyknits, I’ll have to admit – they look awesome, are lightweight, and are easily the most comfortable shoes I own. Even if you just need something for long city walks, these seem like they’d be useful.
Anyway, the new Gyakusou collection was released earlier this month, but frankly, the designs aren’t terribly appealing. If you’d like to check them out, they’re available at End and Mr. Porter. I’m personally hoping for a better collection come Fall.
(Photos via me, Nitty Gritty, GTFan712 on NikeTalk, and NikeID)