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The Best Fitness Gear Checklist for New Year’s Resolutions

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Fitness at home burpee
Aleksei Gorodenkov / Alamy

With the new year just around the corner, now is the time when many of us start setting fitness-related new year’s resolutions. Maybe your goal is to lose weight, or maybe you’re trying to get stronger, or perhaps your intention is to take your existing training routine to the next level. Whatever the case, you need the right gear to help you reach your goal. To that end, we’ve put together the best fitness gear checklist for supporting your New Year’s Resolution.

This list of fitness gear recommendations covers all the bases in terms of the key products you need, from shoes to clothes to headphones and more. Consider this your checklist of the fitness equipment must-haves for helping you reach your goals and achieve your resolution for the coming year.

Man performing a burpee.
Aleksei Gorodenkov / Alamy

A Solid Pair of Running Shoes

a black and while Nike React Infinity Run Flyknit 2 shoe.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Few things are as integral to a solid fitness routine as a great pair of running shoes. These days running shoes are something of technological marvels, designed to maximize your comfort, performance, and longevity.

We Recommend: Nike React Infinity Run Flyknit 2

Nike has always made great running shoes, but with the latest versions of the React Infinity Run Flyknits the company has really upped the game. These are among the brand’s most meticulously tested and crafted shoes, designed to deliver a pillowy-cushioned running experience along with outstanding support and stability. They’re also built to last and will provide years (and miles) of comfortable running.

Buy at NIKE

A Stable Pair of Lifting Shoes

Reebok Nano X1 Men’s Training Shoes in black.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Whether you’re hitting the gym to improve your fitness a bit, or you’re a powerlifter looking to bulk on the gains, the foundation provided by a solid pair of lifting shoes can be instrumental to getting the most out of your performance. They can also help ensure that you have the stable footing necessary to avoid injury.

We Recommend: Reebok Nano X1 Men’s Training Shoes

When it comes to shoeing your hooves with some truly great trainers, it’s hard to beat the Nano X1’s from Reebok. Not only are they highly comfortable thanks to their lightweight, breathable design, but their three-quarter flat soles and up-curved toes provide both the stability needed for lifting in place and the versatility necessary to make moves.

Buy at Reebok

A Versatile Training Shirt

A male model wearing an orange Lululemon Drysense Training Short Sleeve on gray background.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Training shirts come in a wide variety of styles and designs, but whatever the case you should aim to have a shirt that is comfortable and functional no matter what activity you’re engaged in. That means that it fits well, feels good on the skin, is breathable, and keeps the sweat from accumulating too much.

We Recommend: Lululemon Drysense Training Short Sleeve Shirt

This shirt from Lululemon is all-around fantastic whether you’re looking to run, lift, or stretch. Its tech fabric wicks sweat away, and not only is it comfortable, but it looks great too. It’s also designed to last, boasting little details like a loop on the back of the neck for hanging it to dry without stretching the elastic.

Buy at Lululemon

Comfortable Gym Shorts

Puma Cloudspun 8-inch Training Shorts in black.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There may be no piece of workout clothes more integral to your routine than a quality pair of gym shorts. While you can go without pretty much any other piece of gear, shorts are a must for obvious reasons. In choosing a pair of gym shorts, your goal should be to achieve comfort and a functional fit that allows you to move with ease.

We Recommend: Puma Cloudspun 8-inch Training Shorts

If you’re looking for the softest, most comfortable training shorts money can buy, you’ve found them. Puma has really outdone themselves this time, designing shorts that feel nothing short of amazing. They’re perfect for any activity, whether you’re in the gym, on a run, or in the yoga studio, and they look great too.

Buy at Puma

A Cozy Gym Sweatshirt

A midsection of a man wearing a brown Nobull Performance Zip-up Hoodie.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A quality gym sweatshirt can be invaluable for your comfort when heading to and from the gym, or for outdoor workouts in cooler climes. It can also help keep your muscles warmed up and ready to go if you’re waiting on the sidelines.

We Recommend: NOBULL Performance Zip-up Hoodie

To these ends, this zip-up hoodie from NOBULL is amazing. Not only is it soft and cozy, boasting some of the best-feeling fabric on the market, but it looks absolutely fantastic. It’s the only sweatshirt we’ve found designed to fit an athletic build like a glove.

Buy at Nobull

Comfortable Training Socks

Feetures Elite Max Cushion No Show Tab socks in black and grey.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The type of socks you wear to the gym might seem like a little detail, but sometimes success is in the details. They can ensure that you train in comfort, bolster your stability somewhat, and even keep you safe from blisters, which can devastate your performance.

We Recommend: Feetures Elite Max Cushion No Show Tab

These socks from Feetures provide a truly unparalleled level of comfort. They fit perfectly, providing not only a comfortable experience but reducing the likelihood of blisters. They’re also built to last.

Buy at Feetures

A Pair of Gym Headphones

Jabra Elite 7 Active Headphones on a white background.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

No workout is complete without a soundtrack, which means you need a solid pair of gym headphones. Look for a pair that fit well, have a long-lasting battery, and are resilient enough to withstand sweat and wear. They should also sound great, of course.

We Recommend: Jabra Elite 7 Active Headphones

The Elite 7 Active headphones from Jabra deliver the best training audio experience out there. Super slip-resistant, durable, and waterproof, they’re tough enough to handle whatever you throw at them. They also have an outstanding sound that is bolstered by Active Noise Cancellation.

Buy at Amazon Buy at Walmart

A Great Set of Dumbbells

A set of Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When it comes to training at home, you need weights. While dumbbells tend to be the best option for a home gym, to get the range of weight necessary to enjoy a truly comprehensive workout takes up a ton of space and even more money.

We Recommend: Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells

These adjustable dumbbells from Bowflex provide the perfect solution. They bring home the equivalent of 15 dumbbell sets, and they’re easier to adjust than other similar products.

Buy at Amazon Buy at Bowflex

A Kettlebell

A Kettlebell Kings Adjustable Kettlebell.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A kettlebell can be an amazing tool for a home gym thanks to the versatility it offers. With one you can perform a wide variety of isolated and full-body motions, allowing you to get a truly comprehensive training experience.

We Recommend: Kettlebell Kings Adjustable Kettlebell

Like the adjustable dumbbells mentioned above, this adjustable kettlebell from Kettlebell Kings solves the major issue of bringing home a wide range of weights without eating up too much space and money. With a weight range of 10 to 40 pounds, it offers the variety you need to hit a slew of different workouts and difficulty levels. It’s also effortless to adjust between different weight settings.

Buy at Kettlebell Kings

A Fitness Tracker

A Fitbit Charge 5 displaying time, date, and heart rate.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

These days wearable tech is changing the fitness game, allowing dedicated fitness enthusiasts to collect all the data they need to get the most out of their workout. Quality fitness trackers help to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your performance and recovery, and that you’re truly working toward your goals.

We Recommend: Fitbit Charge 5

When it comes to tracking your training (and just about everything else going on in your body), few if any fitness trackers compare to the new Charge 5 from Fitbit. Not only does it collect data on calories burned, heart rate, and other basic fitness information, but it provides sleep coaching, GPS, and even stress management. If you’re looking to gather and make the most of your biometrics, the Charge 5 is hard to beat.

Buy at Best Buy Buy at Amazon

Nick Hilden
Nick Hilden
Former Contributor

Nick Hilden is a lifestyle and culture writer whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Afar, the Daily Beast, Popular Science, Men's Health, Thrillist, Scientific American, Salon, Fodor's, Vice, Popular Mechanics, Runner's World, and more. He's usually on some random adventure in some random corner of the world.

Send all editorial inquiries HERE.

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