We all have our niche, a sport we specialize in. And every sport has its own gear and tools, which add up quickly when it comes to cost and storage. But plenty of equipment can play double duty, reducing the clutter and the strain on our wallets. To come up with the following list of super-versatile gear, we asked multisport athletes to share some of their favorite do-it-all products.
The North Face HyperAir Gore-Tex Trail Jacket ($250)
Mike Foote, Ultrarunner
Training-appropriate rain jackets shouldn’t feel like sweaty garbage bags. Mike Foote, a North Face–sponsored ultrarunner from Montana, uses this sleek, versatile jacket year-round. “It’s my wind shell in the winter because it protects and breathes well, and my rain protection in spring rainstorms because it’s incredibly waterproof,” Foote says. This packs down to next to nothing, so Foote always keeps it in his backpack, whether he’s bike commuting or running through the mountains. “It performs so well on so many fronts while sacrificing so little in function.”
Lululemon Swiftly Tech Long-Sleeve Crew ($78)
Brittany Phelan, Ski Cross and Mountain Bike Racer
Even when the snow melts, Canadian ski-cross silver medalist Brittany Phelan doesn’t stop competing. She swaps skis for a mountain bike and hits the enduro circuit. One part of her kit that crosses over is Lululemon’s . “It’s great for riding—it looks really good, and it’s warm and breathable. For skiing, too, it fits really nicely under our suits,” Phelan says. “It’s basically what I live in. I think I have six or seven of those shirts. It’s probably the piece of clothing that I wear most in my life.”
Garmin Fenix 5 ($518)
Brody Leven, Runner, Climber, Skier
At any given time, Brody Leven is usually running, climbing, or skiing—with the occasional bikepacking adventure thrown in. He often combines two or three sports in a day. The one tool he uses for everything, every day, is his watch. “It’s the greatest training tool. I don’t just wake up and say, ‘I can’t wait to go on a 20-mile run!’ I’m a human, and it’s hard to rally myself to do stuff. Paying attention to the numbers—the vert, the miles—motivates me. This watch is like a coach telling me to go do something,” says Leven, who is a Garmin ambassador. The Fenix’s long-lasting battery and interactive maps feature, which Leven uses to cache locations for gear stashes or campsites deep in the wilderness, make it the perfect adventure watch. Plus, Leven says it’s the most user-friendly smartwatch he’s ever come across.
Resistance Bands ($11)
Amie Engerbretson, Skier
If the snow is falling, Amie Engerbretson is either already in the mountains or on her way. The professional skier and barre instructor calls Truckee, California, home in the off-season, but come winter, she turns nomadic. Resistance bands guarantee Engerbretson can sneak in a training session wherever adventure calls her. She uses small circular resistance bands in various tensions to intensify squats, practice micromovements for arm strength, or supplement her stretching. “I call it a gym in my back pocket. I can do enough exercises with just a to get a full workout,” Engerbretson says.
Prana Revere Long-Sleeve T-Shirt ($49)
Anna Ehrgott, Surfer
Just because a shirt was built for working out doesn’t mean you can’t wear it to the beach, or the grocery store, or anywhere else, for that matter. Pro surfer Anna Ehrgott, a Californian through and through and Prana ambassador, wears this sweat-wicking, anywhere her travels take her. “I’m one of those people who wears workout gear all day—it’s just so comfortable! And this is one of those pieces I find myself living in,” Ehrgott says.