Forums >Gears and Wears>Best & Worst 2012 Purchases
BexKix, Bagel Defender
Best - my buff I picked up last winter. Behind my Garmin it's my 2nd most worn piece. Perfect for wicking in the heat (I'm a sweater and it goes in my eyes, otherwise), keeps the head comfortable when it starts to get cool. Love it.
Worst - my run buns. Fortunately when I violated "nothing new on race day" I didn't have any problems during my 10k. I went to sit down to eat after the race, and the seam running parallel to the waistband dug into me pretty badly. I seriously thought I got cut somehow until I looked.
12-week layoff
Best running: Zombies Run app. Bought it as I was starting to run again after breaking my ankle, and it helped me look forward to the pain.
Best other: Harley Davidson 1200N Sportster
Worst: a crock pot that shuts off when there is a power surge causing me to come home to a pot of salmonella instead of French dip sandwiches.
I got these because they were stretchy enough to fit over all the bandaging when I screwed up my hand last winter and have proven to be a great glove for running in temps down to about 25. Well worth the 20 bucks.
Best: My Brooks PureConnects. I love 'em. And my Kinvara 2's.
Worst: A GIANT tub of Accelerade. It seriously tastes like (what I imagine) sweat dripping off a hairy fat man's back. Runner up is my Nike Free Runs. Everyone seems to love them except me. I don't get it.
I don't half-ass anything
"I have several close friends who have run marathons, a word that is actually derived from two Swahili words: mara, which means 'to die a horrible death' and thon, which means 'for a stupid T-shirt.' Look it up." - Celia Rivenbark, You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning
Worst: Or, at least the most recent worstie that I remember were these Saucony Arm Warmers. They were cut for someone with biceps, which I do not have.
Best: Completely girlie and silly but I love my shoe bling - BeeCause Shoe Charms. Right now, I'm sporting a crown on one foot and an "I [heart] NY" on the other. On the more practical side, I'm glad I made the switch to iBungee lock laces. I like being able to slip in and out of my shoes. And, I hardly left home without my Smith Parallel sunglasses with the interchangeable lens this summer. Even on non-sunny days I wore the clear lens to avoid having bugs fly into my eyes.
My blog is JT Running DC. It's awesome. Guide to Washington DC Area Running Routes. Guide to the New York City Marathon. Guide to the Boston Marathon. Guide to Running Gear. Guide to Running Clothes.
levitation specialist
I got these because they were stretchy enough to fit over all the bandaging when I screwed up my hand last winter and have proven to be a great glove for running in temps down to about 25. Well worth the 20 bucks. Ooo...I have those in black! They are awesome! Best: Garmin 610 & Wahoo ANT+ dongle for my iPad to upload workouts to(although the app & dongle can be stand alone workout monitor/displays but who wants to run with an iPad strapped to their arm?! I don't own a smart phone) Worst: more than 1 pair of Vibram FiveFingers. I should make sure I really like something before buying multiples of it.
Ooo...I have those in black! They are awesome!
Best: Garmin 610 & Wahoo ANT+ dongle for my iPad to upload workouts to(although the app & dongle can be stand alone workout monitor/displays but who wants to run with an iPad strapped to their arm?! I don't own a smart phone)
Worst: more than 1 pair of Vibram FiveFingers. I should make sure I really like something before buying multiples of it.
Best Stuff:
$1.59 – “all purpose” Rite Aid cotton gloves – worn for 15 miles of Baystate
$2.67 – 3oz tube of petroleum jelly - every long run, every rainy day, every tropically humid day (lasted the whole year)
$0.79 – 2 foot length of 1.5inch pvc pipe – use as roller
$1.00 – 1 pair Hanes crew socks – used as arm sleeves for Baystate
$11.99 – Advanced Marathoning, Pfitzinger
$12 - runningahead.com subscription+donation - please, a dollar a month for this? steal.
Worst:
$30ish bucks - Compression socks.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
Worst running: Leg warmers, compression sock things. I bought them due to a calf injury and have only worn 1 of them once.
2nd runner up: New Balance 'minimus' shoes. Bought them with the idea of becoming a 'minimalist' runner....no go. Have.0000004 miles on them. About the distance from my front door to the pantry (where they have sat for 8 months)
Best tech: Apple TV unit. I bought the HD version and it's basically using the iPad on a 47" screen. I imagine it's much like TiVo. We love this thing.
Interval Junkie --Nobby
Best: RunningAHEAD subscription and Bluff (amazing how this little piece of cloth is so handy).
Worst: ASICS running socks that were advertised as "water wicking". Didn't help my sweat-soaked feet this summer.
Not from 2012, but 2011: Icebreaker wool long-sleeve running shirt -- wear 6 runs a week, wash 1/week. NO STINK!
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
registered pw
My worst was the sports beans to use while running, very difficult to eat. I don't really have a best this year. I did buy a garmin 410 and am still working wth it to say it's the best purhase this year.
2017 goals:
sub 1:30 half
You guys that are recommending the "Buff"s.
Any particular model or type that you recommend. There are about a zillion opitions, uv, polar, wool, tubular, bandana, original, reflective, slim fit, insect shield, etc., etc.
Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)
Current PR's: Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)
My best purchase was a Sony NWZ-262. Absolute best option for running with music. No wires and it's easy to control.
Too many bad purchases to recall.
My worst running related purchase... A long sleeve "cooling" fabric shirt. Feels like a wetsuit when you try to take it off when it is soaking wet, and it is cold in the rain.
My best running related purchase... Black Diamond Sprinter Headlamp. Wrightsocks. NUUN (electrolytes, no carbs)..
My worst tech purchase... Jury is still out....
My best tech purchase... Galaxy S-III. Old flip phone was four or five years old, so this was a no competition victory. Can't imagine being without it.
You guys that are recommending the "Buff"s. Any particular model or type that you recommend. There are about a zillion opitions, uv, polar, wool, tubular, bandana, original, reflective, slim fit, insect shield, etc., etc.
Original Buff. As in, the no-frills Buff buff. That's the one I like. Nothing fancy. Does the job.
Chasing the bus
Below about 5F, the cyclone is the way to go. Above that temp, the original is fine. , I wear it fleece end up, breathing through the fleece.
http://www.buffusa.com/sports/collections/cyclone-buff-reg/styles/filter/men
“You're either on the bus or off the bus.” ― Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test