WellKit: the lust list

When I first started exercising, many moons ago, I used to save the most raggedy items of clothing for my gym visits. I guess my thinking in this was that nobody would see me, I’m not there to look good (lord knows I DON’T look good when I exercise, who does? Apart from erm, Jessica Ennis. The woman can do no wrong in my eyes) and whatever I DO wear is just going to be wringing in sweat anyway.

The thing is now, it DOES matter what I wear when I train. A painful bout of shin splints made sure I always have decent trainers, I need waterproof gear for running, windproof gear for cycling (we don’t even need to talk about the importance of padded trousers, right?) and lets face it, when you get sweaty there’s alot to be said for the moisture-wicking qualities of certain fabrics.

So, welcome to a new feature. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce the lust list. A round-up of our latest finds across the internet. Things we love, things we’d love to have and all-round good things for active people.

1. Fitbit Ultra Wireless Activity Plus Sleep Tracker - £65.33 from Amazon.co.uk

This nifty gadget uses motion sensors to monitor your daily activity and give you data such as distance travelled, calories burned and level of intensity. You can also link to an iPhone app or their website to log food and workouts to chart your progress.

2. Vibram FiveFingers Men’s Kso Trainer - £85-£110 from Amazon.co.uk

If you’ve caught the barfoot running bug then Vibram offer an extensive range of shoes with the Kso being one of their most popular models.

3. Sombrio Oso Women’s Glove – £6.99 from Evans Cycles

I bought these recently for my commute into work. They’re super-flexible with grips for gears and braking and have a stretchy, breathable upper fabric. I’ve tried thicker gloves but find myself taking them off as my hands get too hot. These are just the ticket!

4. Seamless Compression Run Tight – £55 from Sweaty Betty

These take a bit of wriggling to get into but are well worth the effort. They are designed to make your workout more efficient by reducing muscle fatigue and I reckon they’re worth the extra cost as they certainly give a spring to your step. I use them for running and cycling and also find them much warmer than my other running/cycling tights.

5. Polar FT4F Heart Rate Monitor - £52.26 from Amazon.co.uk

Unless you want to spend heaps of money on a heart rate monitor, this one gives you all the basic info you need. It’s water resistant up to 30m and gives you information on heart rate, target zone and calories burned. The fabric chest strap is really comfortable and doesn’t slip down or become restrictive and coded transmission means you don’t get interference from other devices.

6. The Grid Foam Roller - £37.00 from Amazon.co.uk

Well, I can’t have a lust list without including this, can I? It’s no secret how high we rate these. Read more about them here.