Running is how I keep balance in my life. If you’re anything like me (you work too much, love your social time, and try to be a half decent daughter/girlfriend/sister), if you don’t give yourself “me time,” no one will give it to you. That’s why I run. It’s how I stay focused, relaxed, and put all the chaos of life into perspective.
I used to do the treadmill thing at the gym, but I’ve found that the benefits of outdoor running for body and mind can be life changing. Not only am I staying active, but I’m connecting with nature, with the elements.
And let me tell you, connecting with the elements in the middle of winter can be one hell of a ride. One moment you’re leaving home bundled up in a jacket, convinced that there’s no way you’ll overheat while jogging in 5 degree weather. Next thing you know, you are sweating like no other (Yes, we women sweat. Hear us roar!), with your jacket wrapped around your waist, your red hands fumbling with your iPhone. A run can help clear your head, but if you’re in the freezing morning fog or brisk evening breeze, being stuck in inefficient and uncomfortable gear can ruin the experience. I like good outdoor running clothing that is efficient, looks good, and has the right amount of design elements to give me what I need.
Enter my new favourite piece of women’s running clothes for autumn/winter: the LUJA Outdoor Sports Arm Sleeves.
I recently came across this product online when I was looking for women’s outdoor running clothes that would actually work for me during the colder months. My criteria for sport wear is always: comfort first, wearability second, and fashion third. When I saw the LUJA running sleeves, I was just intrigued enough to give them a go. Honestly, my first thoughts when I saw them online were: “that could be genius or absolutely ridiculous.” and, “that is a legit next level sport wear trend. I want to be the first of my friends to have that.” As it turns out, they deliver all three aspects of what I look for in sport wear, and all of equal measure.
So here is how I found the sleeves themselves, what wearing them was like, and my overall thoughts about this piece of simple, yet surprisingly smart, outdoor running clothing.
The Design
The LUJA arm sleeves come in black with white designs up the side, made of light and breathable fabric. It’s women’s sport wear material, but also feels kind of like fleece on the inside. The fabric doesn’t stretch very much but does relax a bit to the size of your arms as you wear them (apparently this is on purpose, it shortens recovery time.) It has exterior seams as to not irritate your skin, and the top end on the inside has a yellow grip band to hold everything in place. They cover your entire arm from below the armpit to your hands, where it works like a fingerless glove.
The overall design is really simple and smart. It has all the elements required to make it a well made product (good fabric, quality seams, good shape) but not too many bells and whistles which I’ve found lots of sport wear has, and ends up just acting as extra bulk and weight that you don’t need while exercising!
The Fit
I bought the sleeves in a size Medium. I’m quite petite but don’t have the most slender arms so this was a good size for me. I probably could have even gone up one more size. When I tried them on, I was surprised at how good they felt, and looked. They were nice and secure on my arms, and felt really snug on my hands. I don’t like to wear gloves when I run outside so I like the partial coverage the LUJA sleeves provide.
Using Them
When I first left my house at 9am, when it was still rather crisp outside, I was kind of apprehensive to not be wearing a full on jumper or light jacket. I thought my shoulders would be too cold! However, turns out that it was a blessing to not have them covered. While I ran, my arms were nice and comfortably warm, but I didn’t overheat because my armpits and chest area were exposed. The best part about wearing them while jogging was that I didn’t have to stop midway and take off my jumper! They kept me at a comfortable temperature the entire time. These sleeves give you the arm warmth of wearing a sweater, but without the overheating aspect.
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