Editor’s Picks: June 26 – July 11

Whew, this heat wave is making it difficult to get our runs in; but it’s good to know we’re all suffering together (we see you, New York). Of course, this just means more sunset and evening runs to get those miles in—and seeing the city behind twinkle lights is just as beautiful. As we’ve hit the pavement the last two weeks, we checked out a few different products to enhance our runs. Here’s what we’re currently loving right now:

North Face Flight RKT Shorts – $70

Although the material makes them a little noisy on runs, The North Face’s Flight RKT Shorts are so comfortable that you almost forget they’re on. As far as fit goes, they are 5-7 inches in length and do run a little baggy when wearing your true size. We had to tie the waistband pretty tight to keep them as high as we wanted them. The back waistband pocket is large enough to hold a phone but any other keys or items is a little trickier. But the best part? They are lightweight and are sweat-wicking so they never feel heavy or stick to legs.

Brooks Ghost Racerback Tank – $40

“This feather-light, white Brooks Ghost Racerback Tank is a fun add to my summer running wardrobe—from the mesh detail at the neckline to the slimmer fit and really breathable fabric, it works well on runs (and goes with pretty much any bottoms/bra I want to wear),” shared Bethany Mavis, managing editor at Women’s Running. Made with 100 percent polyester, this lightweight tank top from Brooks is a great addition to your summer wardrobe. It comes in black, white, turquoise, pink and white with colorful stripes.

Skratch Labs Sport Hydration Drink Mix – $19.50/Resealable bag

Last week we were feeling pretty drained, most likely thanks to the holiday week and the heat wave that has come across our typically-always-perfect city of San Diego. We tossed one of Skratch Labs’ sport hydration drinks into some water and hoped it would give us some much-needed energy. The directions say to add one single-use packet to 12-16 fluid oz. of water and drink 1-2 servings every hour of exercise. At first sip, the mixture seemed off to us and too sweet for our liking. We’d recommend adding more water. But once that combination was correct, we really enjoyed its flavor and it gave us a boost of oomph that helped us feel more prepared for a hot run. The packs come in five flavors: Lemon & Lime, Matcha Green Tea and Lemon (with caffeine), Oranges, Strawberries and Passionfruit.

Bindle Bottle – $39

We recently checked out a Bindle Bottle and ended up being pretty impressed with its capabilities beyond a normal handheld water bottle. The fully-insulated, 24 oz. bottle has integrated storage (for things like keys, credit cards, headphones, etc), so you can essentially just carry it around in place of a purse or wallet. One thing to note, however, is that the bottle is pretty large, it’s not something you’ll find yourself using on runs. But it’s great for what it does–keeps beverages cool and hot for hours. The nice thing about its 450-cubic-square-unite storage as well, is that it doesn’t heat up your items when a hot beverage is inside your bottle.

KrampKrusher Energy Chews $36/12-pack

This lemon-flavored energy chew is known in our office as the “margarita chew,” and it’s one the Women’s Running editors are happy to consume without hesitation. Packed with natural sea salt that gives the body an electrolyte boost during sweaty summer runs, each KrampKrusher also includes calcium lactate, which gives the body’s nerve-muscle function a jolt when its natural energy begins to flag. These chews can also help prevent and address cramps as they come up during tough workouts—perfect to snacking in the heat or during long endurance runs.