We all have our favourite bits of gear but is there anything you wouldn't recommend to other runners?

I would advise never buying Adidas Climacool socks - lasted about 6 wears before they got holes in.

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Cotton socks!
Blisters, fungus, wear out!

RUNNING SHOES from any high street sports shop

Oh the horror!
High street stores suck big time.

Don't they just...and the staff..the vacant look when you ask a question!

Don't you mean Kids

Indeed I do mean kids. They've so much life experience......

Wow! Good job i read this first. Tomorrow i was going to go to the local JJB's and enquire about running shoes and make my first investment in proper kit

Ill wait another month till ive got time off work and get myself to a proper store instead.

Cheers folks!

Well said Joe.

If you have not been to a running shop before, try to find one that does gait assessments.
Also, take the trainers you have using with you.

Good luck, keep us informed.

Joe- they're fine for "kit" in fact it's rare I'll buy kit from a running specialist, quite often they'll rip you off. I'd suggest www.startfitness.co.uk for running kit at a reasonable price or any high-street sports store. For running shoes unless YOU know what you're on about (in which case there are some real bargains to be had with good name trainers on the shelves at cheap prices in some of these stores) go to a running store, but don't necessarily buy there, if you're sneaky (don't do this myself as I almost always buy online), then work out what shoe you want and then check online. Even online there is a massive variation in price, the pair I've got arriving were £30 on one site and £65 on another, and a different pair I was also looking t were £40 on the previously cheaper site and £30 on the more expensive one! I only think this is fair if you haven't had much help from the staff, if they've done the whole gait analysis or spent a fair amount of time talking to you, it's only fair to buy from there.