What do women runners want? Pockets to put things in

As any woman who has ever left the house knows, there’s an arsenal of stuff we need to take with us. Ordinarily, these daily essentials can be shoved into a little bag or the deep pocket of a trench coat. But women’s sportswear has generally lacked storage solutions that are functional, flattering, comfortable and strategically placed. 

When I run, I need to take my phone, keys, headphones, cash or a bank card and an inhaler; for a long run, I also need running fuel and water, maybe tampons and an extra, lightweight layer. Thankfully, a pocketful of sports brands are now making kit with space for carrying the essentials and then some – think bras with innovative front pouches for a water bottle (Lululemon) or phone holders sewn onto racerbacks (Bandit). Soar Running makes shorts with two secure pockets on the bum to store energy gels (£135), while Tracksmith adds hidden, mini-pouches around the waistband of its Turnover shorts (£80) to keep AirPods cases and maybe a lipstick safe without the chafe. 

“It’s about problem-solving women’s unmet needs,” said Nikki Neuburger, Lululemon’s chief brand and product activation officer, speaking at Further, the brand’s six-day women’s ultramarathon in California in March. For the event Lululemon created an extensive kit range with storage as the main MO: the thinking being that if women can comfortably carry their own supplies, they can, metaphorically and literally, “go further”, said Neuburger. The pieces included sandy-toned race sleeves with pouches on the biceps, coral-coloured unitards with 360-degree waist pockets that could fit everything from jackets to oat bars, and adjustable hydration vests specially designed to fit comfortably over larger breasts – the Support Code bra from the kit will be available soon. 

For too long, women’s kit has suffered the “shrink it and pink it” approach, says Rebecca Taylor, head of women’s at Soar Running. She notes that while men’s sports jackets will feature zipped compartments and hidden features, often the “identical” version for women has open pockets that items can easily fall out of. “It’s lazy and sexist and doesn’t take women’s training seriously,” says Taylor. She’s currently wear-testing a pair of high-waisted leggings that will launch in autumn, and store a jacket, water, a phone and her keys. “I call them my miracle tights.”

Lululemon’s forthcoming sports bra, made using chafe-free construction, is another innovation: the water flask, which fits neatly in the capacious inner front pocket, “doesn’t bounce around”, according to Neuburger. One of the main issues with hydration vests for women is feeling like you’re running with udders tacked atop your breasts. And generally, they’re sized and fit on men – often chafing a woman’s waist, collarbones and ribs. 

It’s about problem-solving women’s unmet needs

Bras are surprisingly under-utilised by most sports brands. The “need for compression” means they’re actually the perfect place for secret pockets and pouches, according to Ardith Singh, co-founder and chief design officer at Bandit. The Brooklyn-based brand offers dusky-toned bras ($68) and crop tops (from $78) with storage systems at the front, back and under each arm – each collection is developed from, and refined via, community feedback sessions. It’s often uncomfortable to keep a hard phone in a front breast pocket, but held against the spine can be “ideal”. From a safety perspective, women don’t have the luxury of heading out without their phones like men do. Ergo, the kit becomes a thoughtful, multi-functional storage tool. 

Mollie Talmanson, vice president of product sourcing and development at Tracksmith, keeps her car keys in the pocket of the brand’s £75 Allston bra; some women, she says, use it to keep mace. I wear my Allston so regularly that I now own it in five colours; I use the pocket to store snacks, hand sanitiser, keys and my phone charging cable; for the London and Chicago marathons, I stuffed it with six Maurten gels. It’s better to store heavier or bulkier items in the middle of the body, according to Taylor, to ensure the weight is “evenly distributed to not cause an imbalance”. 

And not all pockets are created equally, according to Singh. “Different silhouettes call for different types of pockets, different constructions and different placements; we try to incorporate intuitive storage solutions into every garment… based on usage,” she says. “If it’s a stash pocket for cash, it needs a zipper. If it’s a product with a lot of pockets, we use a bonded finish so they visually disappear.” Women have been underserved “in society, and in athletics,” says Neuburger – one look at the inappropriately skimpy, high-cut bodysuits designed by Nike for the women’s US Olympic track and field team proves the point. But the hope is that such product innovations will drive the industry forward in offering smart, on-the-go solutions for today’s woman, whether she’s running a 10k, running errands, or just out there living her busy life.