Review: All Brooks All Week

My Test Packet from brooks didn’t just contain shoes, after all brooks isn’t just a running shoe company, they also have a good range of clothing and accessories that cater to the runners needs. To get a first impression of the clothing in my packet I decided to spend the whole of the first week running in nothing but the new brooks attire.

Day 1: Cloudy 15°c 10Km Rogue Runner III Shorts, Versatile LS Shirt, Infiniti Socks, Pure Connect - Fast ... Running Happy

Day 2: Clear 4°c 22Km Rogue Runner III Shorts , HVAC Synergy SS Shirt, Essential Run Jacket, Infiniti Socks, Glycerin 9's - Comfortable all round ... Running Happy

Day 3: Cloudy 15°c 11Km Infiniti Tights, Versatile LS Shirt, Infiniti Socks, PureConnect - too warm for tights ... Running Hot!

Day 4: Rain & Wind 13°c 27Km Rogue Runner III Shorts,Versatile LS Shirt , Essential Run Jacket, Infiniti Socks, Seamless HeadBand, Adrenaline GTS 10 - Stayed dry ... Running Happy

Day 5: Rain 12°c 15km Essential Run Jacket, HVAC Synergy SS Shirt, Rogue Runner III Shorts, Infiniti Socks, Seamless HeadBand, Glycerin 9's - Puddle jumping ... Running Happy

Day 6: Cloudy 7°c 15km. Infiniti Tights, Versatile LS Shirt, Essential Run Jacket, Infiniti Socks, Seamless HeadBand, Adrenaline GTS 9 – Dawn run ... Running Happy

Day 7: I Rested. Its traditional. 

Of course with a weekly routine like that I had to stay on top of washing. Everything except the jacket was washed after every run. All no problem with the Brooks technical running gear because it dry’s really fast.

Rogue Runner Shorts

The Rogue Runner III Shorts are fantastically light, the material is slightly stretchy. They have a generously wide cut leg and a built in liner. The elasticated waist band also has a draw string. Personally I prefer short tights to actual shorts, however I imagine these could be a cooler option on really hot summer days. I had no issues with the material bunching between my legs like with some shorts. My keys were stored safely in a zipped pocket on one side and didn’t bounce around too much. If I don’t wear these during my actual runs they will definitely have a place in my sports bag during summer as something to change into post-race.

HVAC Synergy SS Shirt

During the week the HVAC Synergy SS Shirt performed really well for me as a base layer under the Jacket, However it really shined on what would have been day 8. In the Teutoberger Waldlauf. See My Review for further details.

Essential Run Jacket.

The Essential Run Jacket has almost been a constant companion this week. It really stood out for me on Day 4 when it was raining and quite windy. The Jacket is water repellent, which means that the rain drops pearl up on the jacket and roll off. It is also windproof, which meant that even though with the LS Shirt on under the jacket I was dressed a little to warm and sweating a little more, the wind didn’t get through to make me cold. Day 6 saw more rain, a bit heavier this time, and the jacket coped well. The Jacket is so light the it can easily be taken with on days when the rain is just threatening, either tied around the waist or stuffed info the cargo section of a hydrationpack.

Seamless Headband

This little beauty was a bit of a revelation for me. It kept my ears warm and provided a comfortable base for my headlamp. For full details see My Review.

Infiniti Tights.

Im a tall guy at 194cm (6’4’’) so things like long tights can be difficult to get the right size on. They need to be small enough around the waist but long enough in the leg. So I was pleasantly surprised when I tried on the Infiniti Tights to find that the size L that I had, also covered my ankles. My enthusiasim got the best of me and I decided to try them out on Day 3 when it was definitely too warm for long tights. My morning run on Day 6 was much more comfortable in the cooler temperatures. The tights are cut from multiple pieces of material which mean that they fit really well, once in place they don’t move around, there is no bunching of material anywhere. Most importantly for me is that during the run the bottom cuff stayed in place, it didn’t ride up exposing a band of skin between tight and sock that can be uncomfortable in mid winter.

Versatile LS Shirt

The Versatile LS Shirt is made with layering in mind, it is equally at home as a base layer under a jacket on wet and windy days, or as a top layer when it’s dry, either on its own or perhaps over a thermo singlet if it’s cold. The bright green version that i haves color description hardly does it justice. The shirt is not just bright green it’s almost luminescent, which makes it an extremely good choice as a top layer at this time of the year. In this shirt i have absolutely no worries that i will be overlooked. However it does also limit its use in the casual arena…well for me anyway.

Infinti Socks

I have two sorts one in a low quarter the other in a high quarter. The low quarter is great when wearing shorts, the higher cut one excellent in winter to ensure that you don’t expose any skin between socks and tights. The socks are quite plush compared to my other running socks and provide a nice extra layer of cushioning. They make a great partner to the brooks running shoes.

I will provide some more details reports once the first flush of Limerance has dissipated, but if there is anything you would like me to specifically look at let me know.

Run Happy