The Best CrossFit Apparel and Training Gear of Spring 2018

If the ice in your neighborhood won’t thaw for another few weeks—or if you’re the kind of person who routinely hits up the 6am CrossFit class—you’ll need a warm layer to train outside. These tights are warm, comfortable, and designed to evaporate sweat quickly. Plus, they dry up to 50% faster than conventional cotton. ($48, c-in2.com)

While we’re on the topic of warm and comfortable base layers, this four-way-stretch RYU long-sleeve shirt is fast-drying, thanks to its polyester-Lycra blend. And because it’s soft like cotton, there’s no need for an undershirt. ($117, ryu.com)

Before the April showers bring May flowers, they have the potential to ruin your Saturday hike (or outdoor workout), which is when you need a good rain jacket. This one, from Fjällräven, is both durable and the lightest jacket that the company sells (only 16 ounces), making it perfect for when it drizzles in March or storms in August. ($220, fjallraven.com)

Instead of conventional pockets, these shorts have a “speed pocket” waistband; the company says it “expands to keep your goods totally secure.” They’re also lightweight, fast-wicking, and come in a 7″ inseam for the more modest athlete. ($44.99, underarmour.com)

When it’s finally warm enough that you aren’t hiding your t-shirt underneath three layers, you’ll want it to be both fly and functional. This tee from Reebok, the official sponsor of CrossFit, is a polyester-cotton blend that’s breathable and is designed to hug your body while you workout, so it never gets in the way. ($45, reebok.com)

Even if you love the sunglasses you currently own, you don’t want to lose them the first time you go for a trail run or hop on your mountain bike. The SL-1s are specifically designed to stay on your head, and at 22 grams, they’re so light you won’t even know they’re there. Plus, you can customize the style, frame color, lens, grips, and nosepad. ($190, roka.com)

Even the best WOD performance can be undone by a lobster-red sunburn—especially now that you’ll be working out in the sun for the first time in a few months. This sunscreen kit from Badger Balm protects from UVA and UVB rays, and the sport cream and face stick offer up to 80 minutes of water resistance. ($29.49, badgerbalm.com)

It doesn’t matter whether you’re using the Rambler for hot coffee or ice water — it’ll keep your drink at the desired temperature for hours thanks to its double-wall vacuum installation. It’s also dishwasher safe and leak-proof. ($39.99, yeti.com)

If you’re tired of transporting your protein powder in plastic bags that leak into your backpack, consider this supplement keychain. It was tested using 12 powders, opens from both ends, and holds a full post-workout serving. It won’t be the least conspicuous item on your keychain, but hey—it presents a nice opportunity to talk about CrossFit. (3 for $18, onmywhey.com) 

If you’d prefer your single-servings of protein powder to come pre-packaged, try this starter pack. And if you also like a sizeable dose of caffeine, consider the matcha and cold brew coffee flavors, both of which pack 125mg of it. ($14.99, liveowyn.com)

With no added sugar, no dairy, no soy, no gluten, and only nine ingredients or less, the RxBar is a staple CrossFit gyms. This sampler includes six flavors (chocolate sea salt, blueberry, mixed berry, coconut chocolate, peanut butter chocolate, and peanut butter), each of which has 12 grams of protein, primarily from egg whites. ($27, rxbar.com)

I was skeptical that a $125 jump rope could be 10x better than the $12 jump rope that my gym sells—but it is. The EVO Speed Rope is so much lighter, smoother, and easier to rotate than most other ropes, it almost feels like cheating. After the double-under frenzy that was the CrossFit Open’s 18.3, I sent the company a thank-you note. ($125, rxsmartgear.com)

Unlike other grips on the market, Bear Komplex’s grips don’t need to be folded over to create an additional layer of protection between your hand and the bar. They’re ultra durable but also lightweight and designed not to dig into your wrists, which is probably why they’re the official CrossFit hand grip sponsor. ($39.98, bearkomplex.com)

Ditch the headphone cord that always gets caught on your shirt while running. The X3s not only have an eight-hour battery life, but are also sweat-proof, water-resistant, and come with an app that lets you customize your preferred sound settings. ($129.99, jaybirdsport.com)

WHOOP isn’t a step-counter. Instead, it uses five measurements (heart rate, heart rate variability, ambient temperature, and motion) to analyze your strain, sleep, and recovery levels. Then, it makes recommendations about when you should push your training harder or back off, allowing you to optimize your workouts and avoid overtraining. Is it pricey? Sure. But in our experience, the recovery functions are enormously helpful for preventing overtraining and planning when to go hard in the gym. ($500, whoop.com)

If you live by the motto “pics or it never happened,” then make sure the pics are high-quality. When you mount your smartphone on the Osmo Mobile, it allows you to select a subject in the picture frame, like your friend about to do his first ring muscle-up. Then, it tracks him while stabilizing your phone, producing a professional-quality video. ($129, dji.com)

If you’re really looking to go extreme this spring, consider leaving the smartphone at home and bringing a GoPro in its place. The Hero6 is voice-activated, waterproof up to 33 feet, and takes slow-motion video. And after you shoot, the content is uploaded directly to an app that automatically highlights and edits the most climactic moments, so they’re immediately social media-ready. ($399.99, gopro.com)

Spikeball is the perfect way to spend an active recovery day. You get to practice the one fitness domain that CrossFit doesn’t test for—hand-eye coordination—while also working on your anaerobic capacity. To play, you only need three other people—and if you really fall in love, there are even Spikeball leagues. ($53, spikeball.com)