Eighty-eight degrees. “Feels like 90 degrees.” Partly cloudy, wind gusts from the north at three miles per hour (negligible). Humidity: 80%. Three miles to go. That’s summer for you. When we’re in it, we wonder how the crisp spring days slipped so quickly by us and long for the onset of fall. We relish early mornings and the dusk at end of day, but when we do find ourselves running beneath a high sun, we push on through the thick atmosphere, stride after stride, one mile at a time.
Clothing is essential during these hazy months, even as we aim to wear as little as possible. Lightweight fabrics and good ventilation take priority, sleeves become optional, inseams rise. Cotton becomes an insulating sponge, so we avoid it at all costs, swarming like mosquitos to polyester, spandex and elastane. Finding cool-ish comfort takes a measure of trial and error, but it can be done, and not without style either.
This year, we find ourselves driving on toward three smaller brands that integrate elusive qualities: Satisfy, Saysky and District Vision. Rather than crank out endless runs of singlets and shorts, these companies pay mindful attention to every stitch and seam — think laser-cut mesh and bonded two-in-one shorts — to create apparel that becomes nearly invisible on the body in feeling but definitely not appearance. That’s exactly what we want on a summer run.
