From Heat Waves to Crisp Mornings: September Running Gear Roundup

September isn’t always as cool as we would like it to be, but there’s no denying that true fall weather is right around the corner.

It’s time to start transitioning from oppressive heat to cooler mornings, and we’ve tested some gear that is going to help you from late summer into fall,

If you’ve tried something we’ve featured, we’d love to hear your feedback. It helps us keep going and decide what to try out next.

Never Second Gel

When we’re swimming through a sea of fancy buzz words designed to get you to buy one packet of sugar over the next, sometimes it’s best to cut through the fluff and just get down to trying things out yourself.

As someone who has tried over a dozen brands and only ever found two (of the higher-priced varieties) I’m generally happy with, I’m always on the lookout for additional options.

Formulated with 30 grams of carbohydrates in a 2-to-1 glucose to fructose ratio, Never Second’s gels come with an added 200 mg of sodium, and their C30+ gels have 75 mg of caffeine for an added boost of alertness.

never second gel Never Second recommends consuming no more than 1 caffeinated gel per hour, so I mixed in their C30 Fruit Punch flavor gels to fill in the gaps.

The combination of the two kept me going through a long run and a race pace workout a few days later.

I found their flavors to be fairly strong, and while I’ve never had a drink of shaved ice flavoring straight from the bottle, I imagine the consistency would be similar to Never Second.

I found that to be a positive as many thick gels need to be washed down with a larger amount of water or electrolytes than I want to drink.

A quick sip was enough to wash these down and keep on moving while knowing my water bottle wouldn’t be empty at the end of a long run.

And the best part was I didn’t feel queasy from consuming gels like I normally do when the clock gets close to the 2 hour time limit.

Available in 6 flavors: Espresso and Berry flavors, while the C30 are available in Citrus, Berry, Passionfruit, and Orange flavors
At $3.50 per gel they’re priced higher than something like a Gu or Honey Stinger, but they’re well worth a try.
Grab them from Amazon.com starting at $3.50 for individual gels

-Tim, Gear Tester

Ciele Sports Bras

I love the crisp fall mornings and the fall uniform of a long sleeve shirt and shorts.

But if I’m being honest, I will try to run in a sports bra and shorts for as long as I can. These sports bras from Ciele are the perfect piece to help with the transition from summer to fall running.

They’re made from a thicker material, but it never feels like it’s suffocating you, even on the hottest of days.

The FSTbra will be a great long run and race day pick because of the two additional side pockets that you can stash extra fueling in.

While the SPDbra has no pockets, it’s great if you want a more custom fit with the adjustable straps and back clip. ciele sports bras

Both of these come in some really beautiful colors; however, no matter what you do, they’re going to show sweat. I’ve had some funky sweat patterns post-workout that I’m still trying to wrap my head around how it happened. The nice thing, though, is that they dry really quickly!

Don’t sleep on the Ciele brand, their sports bras are super comfortable and locked in.

Ciele SPDBra

Sizes XS-XL
4 colors available
No pockets
Adjustable straps and back
Available from Ciele.com for $70

Ciele FSTBra

Sizes XS-XXL
7 colors available
2 Side pockets
No adjustable straps (may want to size up due to how form-fitting)
Available from Ciele.com for $65

HYK Energy Summit Support Drink Mix

We may be nearing the end of summer, but the heat and humidity are showing no signs of giving up, depending on where you live.

Recently it’s not uncommon for me to go out for a one-hour easy run and come home looking like I went for a swim instead.

HYK Energy’s Summit Support Performance Drink Mix has been my go-to hydration through my training runs during these humid and hot summer months.

HYK Energy Review

It’s packed with 5 essential electrolytes; Sodium (1000mg), Potassium (500mg), Chloride (1572mg), Magnesium (60mg), and Calcium (60mg), as well as a proprietary branched chain amino acid complex and caffeine.

Available in Prickly Pear flavor only, it may take some tinkering to get used to. With its high salt content there is a mild hint of salt in each sip, and I found my sweet spot when mixing it with at least 20 ounces of water.

I found it effective at keeping my electrolyte levels from bottoming out on my longer runs, where after my runs I wasn’t finishing 24-ounce cups of cold water like I was in a contest.

Available in

Available in 1 flavor (prickly pear)
Grab a box of 30 at Amazon.com for $39.99 right now (regularly priced at $56.99)

-Tim, Gear Tester

KIPRUN 15L UltraVest

When I saw this vest online, it didn’t look like anything special. But from the moment I took the KIPRUN 15L Ultra Vest out of the box I knew this was THE vest for long mountain days.

This vest is thoughtfully designed with every feature a mountain runner could possibly want. Here are some of my favorites:

Simple, easy-to-use pole carry system: Tuck each end of your folded up poles into an elastic band and carry them horizontally on the bottom of the vest. No need to worry about strapping on an extra piece of gear for easy access on the run.
Dedicated water reservoir pouch (in addition to 2 bottle pockets): The vest comes with a 2L bladder but there is space in there for something bigger if needed.
Moveable magnetic clip to hold hose in place and keep it out of the way: No more awkwardly tucking the hose under the chest straps or getting smacked in the face when it bounces.
Waterproof phone pocket: A dedicated phone pocket means no choosing between a phone or a bottle. Waterproof material and taped seams protect your phone from both the elements and sweat. I did have to finagle a bit to get my iPhone 15 Mini in and out on the move – especially with a full water bottle packed underneath it.
Stretchy outer pocket for a wind or insulating layer: Easily accessible on the move and you don’t have to unpack your whole vest to squeeze it in.
2 HUGE snack pockets in the front: I value easy access to snacks. This vest has the biggest snack pockets I’ve seen. Dietitian approved!

kiprun 15l vest

I took this vest out on a couple of shorter runs up Bear Peak in Boulder and was impressed by how stable it felt (read: no bounce) even carrying the bare minimum.

The bladder does move around a lot inside of the vest when there isn’t much else in there to hold it in place, but the vest itself did not move.

Despite the black color and multiple layers of pockets, the vest breathed well and I did not overheat even in 90 degree weather and Colorado sun.

Because of the bouncy bladder, this wouldn’t be my first choice vest for a shorter day when I don’t need the extra carrying capacity.

But, unsurprisingly, on big mountain days, this vest is unmatched. I loaded it to the gills on two 6+ hour days in the Indian Peaks Wilderness to really put it to the test and it delivered!

I was easily able to fit all of the layers and gear I needed without worrying about ripping the seams or breaking the zipper – concerns I have had with other vests.

Packing it full held the bladder in place so that nothing bounced at all (likely thanks to the 3 sturdy chest straps rather than the standard 2).

It was easy to access snacks on the move. And since everything has its own dedicated pocket, staying organized on the run was simple.

The KIPRUN 15L Ultra Vest has instantly become my top choice on big mountain days.

Between the top-tier gear storage and organization, comfort, and stability, it’s a no-brainer.

Available in 1 color
Sizes XS-XL
Available from Decathlon.com for $149

-Alyssa, Gear Tester

Wolaco Distance 4-Inch Half-Tight

These compression shorts are made for high-tempo runs and every day shorter runs, and have an incredible number of pockets that really set them apart.

The lightweight fabric is designed to keep up when speed is the name of the game.

I will say size up. I’m a small in most brands but they just felt a wee bit too tight for me to really wear with comfort. No worries, they have made their way to a friend who is now jamming all the pockets full of fuel for all the workouts.

AND the pockets are AMAZING. There are so many and a loop for your rally towel on those gym days.

wolaco compression distance shorts review

There are pockets enough for keys, gels, and anything else small enough to fit.

Available in 5 colors
Sizes XS-XL
Grab them from Wolaco.com for $88
Use code RUNTOTHEFINISH20 for 20% off your order

Scott’s Balls Non-Dairy Protein Balls

These energy balls are touted as being guilt-free, but they do certainly pack a punch.

The recipes include nut butters, rolled oats, oat flour, protein powder, and mini chocolate chips, and with 6 flavors to choose from, you’re bound to find one that hits.

scott's balls protein balls