No serious runner’s wardrobe is complete without a neck warmer, also known as a snood. This versatile bit of kit fits into a pocket and can be worn in a number of ways to ensure maximum comfort during your training. In cold weather it’s useful for keeping you warm (see winter running gear), and in hot conditions it works well as a sweat-wicking headband (much like the best running headbands and running caps).
A great snood is up there with the best running gear you can buy, and since some options come in under $5/£5, they’re excellent value. Here’s our pick of the best running snoods to consider.
How I Tested These Running Snoods
I am an obsessive runner who logs around 80-110km a week, usually while training for a marathon. I also love a snood, and it’s not unusual for me to run with one around my neck while wearing another as a headband. I’ve tested all of our top picks below extensively, along with many other neck warmers.
There’s only one place to start with snoods and that’s Buff. Its products are so ubiquitous that many people call any neck warmer a Buff (no doubt enraging the Alan Partridges of the world). This multifunctional garment can be worn as a neck warmer, hat, headband, bandana or wristband and even like a pirate’s hat, if you twist it just right. Buff’s range of neck warmers is now confusingly large, but the Original EcoStretch will serve pretty much all runners well thanks to its lightweight but warm fabric, which offers UPF 50 protection.
It’s always great to save on washing if you’re a regular runner and this Merino wool snood helps on that front thanks to the naturally odour-resistant properties of the fabric. In the winter months I have used it regularly for weeks without it needing a wash – and even in sweatier conditions, as long as you hang it up to dry there’s no need to wash it after every run.
Calling it a multi-use band does suck the fun out of a snood in our opinion (and they are fun), but is an undeniably accurate description. The Fractel band ticks the usual boxes, being soft and sweat-wicking, and it offers UPF 30 level protection from the sun.
Proviz always makes reflectivity a priority with its running gear, and this neck warmer has a large reflective stripe running down the centre that makes you more visible at night regardless of how you wear the snood, as long as you position it carefully. There are several colourways available, though the range of designs is less interesting than with other brands.
Neck gaiter is just another term for snood, but whatever you call them, getting two for less than most single snoods cost is undeniably great value. There are six colour combos to pick from, and all the gaiters have reflective details on them. We’ve never seen the Higher State neck warmers sold at their full RRP – the two-pack is usually available for under $5/£5, and sometimes dropping as low as $2.67/£1.99.
Buff’s CoolNet range of snoods are all warm, lightweight and quick-drying, and provide UPF 50 protection from harmful UV rays (a UPF rating is more protective than the SPF ratings from sun creams). They’re the perfect option for sunny days, providing protection and a breathable layer to soak up sweat, and there’s a variety of designs to suit all tastes.
If you consider it unacceptable to spend over £10 on a snood, Kalenji’s budget option might be more up your street. It’s called a headband, but it can be unfurled to wear as a neck warmer, and it’s available in five different colours.
