Runderwear - Tested on the Trails

Back in September Runderwear sent us a batch of Men’s and Women’s Runderwear kit to test on the trails. Adam and I (E) have given them some good air time and written a little bit about what we think.

Feel free to skip to the products you are interested in. Adam’s Men’s products are reviewed first, followed by the Women’s product I was sent. All products are tagged at the start of each section so you can have a look and browse for yourselves.

The products both Adam and I have reviewed have been worn across multiple individual runs and Maverick Run Project runs, ranging from 5km to 30km. As well as general ‘work wear’ whilst at Maverick Race events in. They have certainly been put through their paces in Welsh rain, driving wind, early morning frost and a little Dorset coastal sun.

Have a read of what we thought and then head over to runderwear.com where they have an epic black Friday sale of up to 60% off selected styles!

Adam - Men's Runderwear product reviews

Product links

- Long sleeve baselayer
- Ultra-light shorts
- Long running boxer
- Merino briefs
- Merino boxer
- Merino running socks
- Anti-blister running socks

When Elyse, asked me to be involved in a Runderwear partner ‘tested on the trails’ review I thought, ‘yeah cool!’. But thoughts quickly descended into ‘but I always run commando!’ Now I know that might be too much information but there's a reason I have confessed. You might be like me and think Runderwear isn't for you. Like me, you may not have tried their products or have limited knowledge of their product ranges….before today.

Joking aside, it was brilliant to be sent a range of Runderwear products, and I have been wearing them between September to November this year.

Let’s start at the top and go down.

Men’s Running Base Layer - Long Sleeve

I do really like a base layer and I knew I had the cold season of Maverick Races and a Maverick Camp ahead to get some use from the top. My first thoughts were that it's easily worn under your mid-layer or tech top, the material is super flexible, stretches and hugs the body really well without chafing.

I gave the baselayer an absolute hammering over the Maverick Camp Endeavour 5-6 day camp in the Moroccan Atlas mountains. It was on my back for the higher altitude days and kept me warm and dry all the way to summiting Mt.Toubkal at 4,167m. The temperature along the way dropped to a chilly -5 degrees so I needed all the help I could get.

I also like base clothing that helps with sweat management, it’s crucial not to get cold in a wet top and all the best products ‘wick’ well which means they remove sweat from the skin quickly and over time. This top does this really well as advertised.

I’ve more recently been wearing the baselayer setting up and running our regular Maverick Race events, it's been an invaluable piece of kit so far and thank goodness it washes brilliantly and dries fast.

Ultra-light Shorts

These shorts are fantastically lightweight and having mainly worn them through the end of summer into autumn I can confirm they can take a heavy rain shower and dry super quick. I also noticed that the length of the shorts is really nice for me as I'm a bit old school and like getting my legs out, feeling minimal and good shorts like these move with your body movement as these do.

The blue hem on each leg is actually reflective but I admit I didn't notice until it was pointed out to me. Additionally, there is a back pocket which is good for small items or for me, the car key or some morale (sweets).

Long Running Boxer

The first thing you notice is these are seamless…..ok, the first thing you actually notice is they are really comfortable, quite tight fitting but not restrictive (you know what I mean). In fact, they are very flexible and the material glides over your skin and muscles rather than bunches up or gets in the way. They are moisture wicking but I didn’t really notice which is positive as It meant it wasn’t a problem.

You would wear these with a slightly longer short if you were bothered about the hems showing but in black they look like a 2-in-1 short underneath. I could see these working really well in winter and also under tights or jogging trousers.

Merino Briefs & Boxer

I am a fan of merino products, they're always comfortable and good quality if you choose well. I just read that these products have sustainably and responsibly sourced merino wool that is blended with a thermoregulation polyester with the yarn being premium from Südwolle (so plenty to Google there).

The briefs here are my pick, I just found them a great fit and could go with a short that had a lining or not. Both products will be long-lasting and wash well and pack small which is handy.

These two products are again seamless and if you chafe in these you're at a dead end, they are also surprisingly well performing in hot and cold conditions so an all-year winner.

Anti-Blister Running Socks

Now we are on the business end of things as socks are either a trail runner's friend or foe. I think socks have to be a good fit for you and your chosen shoe. If you go for these socks then you’re after a fairly thick/cushioned sock so you’ll be glad to hear they didn’t make my feet overly hot and sweaty.

I wore these for the first time on a 30 km average pace run on a hot morning, making sure I had hills and enough gnarly trails to get my shoe and sock moving. I felt my feet stayed dry and I didn't really think about anything again which is a good sign for someone that needs wider-toe box shoes and has heel problems from time to time. If anything I’d say this sock added a bit of comfort and my only change would be I’m not a huge fan of a mid sock, much preferring longer or shorter which are available.

Merino Running Socks

Magic merino again, you can feel its quality. I liked these low-profile socks and they are comfy and again thicker than a lot of running socks out there. These just felt good, with no hot spotting and no sweaty feet.

The socks are seamless which you don’t notice but is a fantastic feature as it just means more comfort and is harder to put on wrong on a dark early start (we’ve all done it). Along with the seamless aspect, they are really stretchy which is good to get on and also to get off but more importantly, means your foot can move and breathe.

Favourite Item…

The long sleeve baselayer! - I'll wear this the most and it fits really well with how stretchy and flexible it is and is usable for all kinds of trail running.

E - Women’s Runderwear product reviews

Product Links

- Long sleeve baselayer
- Energize Running Bra v5
- Running thong
- Running boy shorts
- Merino briefs
- Merino running socks

Long Sleeve Baselayer

Spoiler alert… this was my favourite item that I got sent. It is unbelievably comfortable. It is warm without being ‘hot’, it is breathable without being ‘airy’ and it is stretchy without being ‘clingy’.

A big win for me is that the sleeves are long enough as I’m constantly having to wear ‘full length’ sports gear as ¾ length garments. Additionally, I really dislike ‘clingy’ tops. They make me feel really uncomfortable and as a result, I can’t relax in to my run. Equally, I don’t like being cold, so often something that sits close to my skin is a preference. Bit of a catch-22 there! Somehow the Runderwear baselayer has managed the perfect balance of being tight enough to the skin that it keeps you snug, whilst not being overbearingly compressed.

It’s a great garment as one that I’ll be wearing on its own through the rest of Autumn and then layered up - likely with a jacket - as winter draws in.

Energize Running Bra v5

I’ve had Runderwear sports bras before but only ever the crop top style ones and I think I still prefer that style and fit. Yes, the Energize running bra is comfy, very lightweight and not constricting at all. However, my personal preference is a simple crop top that I can pull on, has the potential to be worn by itself in summer and is made of slightly thicker fabric.

A note about fit on this one… I used Runderwear online bra fitting tool to get the correct size for the Running bra yet I have to admit it feels on the large size. What the Runderwear online bra fitting tool does in simple terms is add 4 inches to the underbust measurement. In my normal non-sports wear life (it does occasionally happen) I wear a 32B/C (depending on the store) and thus I received a size 36C sports bra. I have been wearing it on the tightest hooks and it still feels a bit on the large side. So I would perhaps suggest ordering a couple of sizes to really make sure you get the right fit.

Running Thong + Boy Shorts

These two… I feel a bit like goldilocks here as the running thong was just a bit on the ‘too little fabric’ side, whereas the boy shorts were on the ‘too much fabric’ side of things. The ones that were ‘just right’ were the Merino briefs I was sent, I’ll come to those in a minute.

The running thong is an item I would wear for shorter runs or races. The boy shorts are something I won’t wear running as they don’t fit under my running shorts well, but I would certainly wear them for a day out hiking.

The fabric of both is high quality and I really enjoy the thick + high rise waistbands. I have a strong dislike for underwear that cuts you off like string around a joint of meat (apologises to the vegans if that’s too graphic) and luckily the design of these means that it hugs around your hips instead of digging in.

Merino briefs

These were the pair of Runderwear underwear that felt ‘just right’ and have been my go to pair since receiving my goodies in September. I genuinely look forward to them coming through the wash so that I can wear them again.

They are extremely comfy, they don’t feel awkward, they don’t need adjusting at all and whilst Runderwear’s tagline is ‘don’t run commando’ it actually feels like you are running commando in these as you just don’t notice they are there. I certainly can’t rate these highly enough and feel every runner should have a pair of these as part of there running kit. At the moment they are 60% off on the Runderwear website (true as of 18th November 2022). So at £12 instead of £30 I’d encourage you to grab yourself a pair, you won’t look back!

Merino running socks

I LOVE these socks. However, I don’t love them for running… what do I mean? Well…

These mid-length socks are soft, cosy, thick, warm, comfortable and ooze luxury as such I seek to wear them for all the walking I do (I do a fair bit every day). However, for running I find them too thick and find that my feet get a bit hot. It may well be the case that as the weather drops I want something slightly toastier for my feet whilst running, however for now I stick to wearing them with my walking shoes.

Favourite Item…

It’s the long sleeve baselayer! - At 5” 11’ (179cm) and with a positive ape index (long arms) this baselayer doesn’t leave me with chilly wrists like many others do. Also, the inbuilt ‘fold-over’ mitten is something that I’ll 100% be using as the temperatures continue to drop.

Would have loved to try…

I would have loved to try a pair of the women's high-waisted legging shorts. I’ve heard from other runners that they are extremely comfortable due to the lower abdominal support as well as the silicone hip grips that holds them in place. I’m also always keen to see what different brands of shorts have to offer in terms of pockets. I don’t always love running with a pack, especially on shorter runs, therefore I’m always on the hunt for a pair of shorts that can actually hold my phone and keys.