Fitness isn’t a hobby you pick up one day and put down the next. Reaching your athletic potential requires motivation and consistency. It doesn’t need to be a dramatic grind from a Rocky montage, but structure and purpose are helpful when balancing workouts, recovery days, diet, mental wellness and more. If you want to do it properly, personal fitness is an investment.
As such, it’s important to pick gear and apparel that’s designed to handle the tasks at hand. Tops and bottoms should cater to your training needs rather than just keeping your skin covered. Shoes should help you excel, whether pursuing a finish line, a record lift or some much-needed rest. Gym bags should be durable enough to withstand everyday abuse. Fitness trackers should be laden with tech that provides you with the metrics you need.
How We Chose the Winners
Curating a roster of high-quality gear is not something that happens overnight. You learn as you train, and you discover what works best for your body and routine. To help you build your own roster of training essentials, we’ve compiled a list of the best fitness apparel, footwear, accessories and recovery gear — because like your training techniques, there’s always room for a little improvement.
To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.