Running Clothes and Bamboo – What Works and What Does Not?

Short answer: Bamboo works well as running clothing for short and easy runs: a T-shirt, underwear and socks keep you dry and odour free. For long, hard runs in the rain, though, technical running gear is still best, because bamboo gets heavier than polyester when it is soaked through. Honest answer: use bamboo close to the skin and technical clothing on the outside.

Where bamboo works for running

On runs of up to about an hour in dry weather bamboo is comfortable, because it moves sweat away and does not smell sour afterwards the way polyester does. A bamboo T-shirt or bamboo training clothes for women is a fine choice. Read the background in the guide to bamboo for training.

Where bamboo is not the right choice

If the fabric gets soaked through by rain or very heavy sweating, it holds on to more water than technical polyester and feels heavier. For long runs in bad weather a technical running top on the outside is therefore still the best choice, ideally with bamboo underneath.

Underwear and socks: always bamboo

Close to the skin bamboo almost always wins: a good bamboo sports bra and bamboo trainer socks do not chafe and keep your skin and feet dry on the run.

Frequently asked questions

Can I run in a bamboo T-shirt?

Yes, for short and easy runs in dry weather it is comfortable and smells far less than polyester afterwards.

When is technical running clothing better than bamboo?

On long, hard runs and in the rain, where soaked bamboo gets heavier than technical polyester.

What is the best combination for running?

Bamboo close to the skin as underwear, sports bra and socks, and technical clothing as the outer layer depending on the weather.