What piece of running gear was your best purchase?

Flip belt is a quality running buy.

Paired w wireless headphones I take my phone on runs. Podcasts. Audible, music.

Holds keys, gels. no longer concerned about which shorts have pockets

Used to do mp3 players. also those ridiculous arm bands for phones I never used.

I bought XUANERMIN 5 piece headbands for like $10 and those things have lasted me for 3+ years. Super durable and have survived hundreds of wash cycles without any damage.

They absorb super well and I don't even notice them when running.

Nike Epic React Flyknit. Loved them. Not too squishy, extremely durable, flexible and very comfortable upper. React foam isn’t sexy but I like it.

My nike infinity reacts are amazing and indestructible.

solid shoe, i have over 1000 miles on my current pair and they still feel perfect

1st pair of actual running shoes in 1968, the Onitsuka Tiger. Not having to run barefoot or in plain tennis shoes was a game changer.

I’ll probably give invincible three a shot when my twos wear out, but if they don’t work, I’ll give these a try. Nothing more important in a distance runners arsenal than a good pair of daily trainers.

Yeah, I have vapors for speed and races but they’re really not essential for anyone other than Pros.

Pics?

My bro/SIL gifted me a Pearl Izumi Zephyrr wind vest (windbreaker front, mesh back) around 1991, and I probably wore that thing into the mid 2010s. I replaced it with the newer model. Still in everyday use much of the year.

Casio G-Shock wristwatch. Hardy as all hell (lasted nearly 20 years) and no pace calculating/GPS to get in your head on easy days. The watch still works perfectly fine but the plastic base the strap attaches to cracked after a big fall so I retired it.

Not sure if this counts as "gear", but the Jim Fixx (and then John Jerome, and then Marty Jerome) running log book. Used them every day from 1981 to present. Every training run and race in their pages.

Frank Shorter Gore-Tex suit. A game changer for me in 1984. No more useless nylon pants or soggy sweatpants.

The first Nike Air Mariah. They replaced paper-thin midsole racing flats. The first shoe I ever stockpiled.

The original North Face "Better than Naked" shorts. Best fitting liner of any pair of running shorts I've ever had. Fabric, cut, inseam, side split, multiple rear pockets. They became my go-to pair of shorts real quick. Wore the first pair thru rain, cold, extreme heat and humidity and never had a single issue with them. Sadly after about 10 years, the fabric wore thin and I got a huge rip in them. I kept wearing them for a while before throwing away about a year ago. Now the backup pair is getting beat to crap and I'm afraid it's days are numbered, as well.

It's been well over 10 years since I bought those first 2 pairs and so far, I've yet to find a pair of shorts to take their place. Sadly, after about the 3rd year, they (North Face) changed the cut, fabric and liner for the worse.

It sounds stupid, but I was running for 40 years before finally I bought a hat to wear in the rain. I wear glasses and rain was always problematic for them, so the hat made a huge difference. Wish I'd done it decades sooner!

Honorable mention: when Onitsuka came out with nylon uppers (c 1972), instead of the then-standard leather uppers. No more having to break them in, or have them stay soggy after getting wet.

If a Garmin gets in your head on easy days you must have a pretty weak resolve.

Penis pump

My Tracksmith Reggie Half Tights are awesome

I really like their running shoes as well.

My favorite is probably Tracksmith Grayboy T shirt

UltimateDirection handhelds, I have four of them that I bought 10 to 15 years ago that I cycle through. I use them multiple times per week especially this time of year down South when the temps hover around 100 deg. I can also fit a couple of gels in the little pockets of the handheld straps. Just wish they’d bring back the old style ring-top bottles with the pull valves.

These bad boys right here. They never go out of style. They've improved the velcro over the years. Good daily trainer or track flat. Love doing 200m repeats in 55-60 seconds. Feels like I'm running on air.

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RONO wind panties. They make winter running tolerable.

Obviously Body Glide. I put that sh*t on everything!