Brooks Seamless Arm Warmer Review
Run Happy – sans cold arms.
I know I’m always happier when my arms aren’t cold. What I didn’t believe, however, is that these would do the trick. I’ll be the first to admit that I had previously thought that arm warmers were about the most gimmicky piece of gear you could buy. I’ve even been known to make fun of people who wear them. Don’t get me wrong – it wasn’t out of some presumption that I was a great runner. It’s just that I’d always thought they not only look goofy, they are goofy. Why would anyone ever wear them? If it was cold enough for your arm to be cold, just wear a long sleeved shirt!
Boy, was I wrong.
Admittedly, I’d never have put these on if I didn’t have to test them. It was just like hair club for men – Now I’m not only a fan, I’m also a member. For $25 bucks, everyone should give these a spin. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
True to Brooks, they put quite a bit of thought into these, especially in terms of sizing, durability and wearability. The sizing is great; I’m wearing a M/L, and they wrap my forearm and bicep perfectly. The length is perfect as well – when fully on, they extend all the way from my wrist up to just underneath my arm pits. The great part about that is that they don’t look goofy like the arm warmers of old – when worn with a T-shirt, you can’t tell if you’re wearing an undershirt or arm warmers.
Here’s where I was most wrong – they actually do keep you warm. I swear. They’re especially great for those days where the run starts out chilly, and warms up halfway through.
The moisture wicking quality of the fabric performs well under all conditions, too. I assume that’s part of why you stay warm in them – the moisture is wicked away from your skin when you start to sweat in cold conditions. It feels very socklike to the touch. The best part? They’re made up of polyester and spandex. So go ahead and throw them in the washer.
The bottom line is that these will be part of running wardrobe for some time to come. You probably won’t see me converting to the singlet/arm warmer look – that’s for 5 minute milers or posers – but you’ll see me hiding them in a coat pocket, keeping a pair in my running bag, or busting them out to start a chilly morning run. Don’t even go check them out – just order a pair from Brooks.com. Seriously, for $25, what do you have to lose? Run happier – without cold arms.
