Let’s face it, runners love their gear. Whether it’s the latest GPS watch, recovery tool, or a sleek wearable that tracks all of your vitals, the market is full of shiny new accessories promising to make us faster, stronger, and maybe even a little more stylish. But these gadgets typically come at big price tags. So the question is: are they actually worth the squeeze? We tested five popular running accessories - Shokz headphones, the Oura Ring, Theragun, Garmin watches, and the Strava app - to see which ones are actually worth the squeeze 🍋. We give our honest opinion below which we hope helps you decide what might work best for you!

Shokz OpenRun Headphones

• Price Point: $129.50

• Kayla’s & Genny’s Evaluation: 100% WORTH THE SQUEEZE 🍋

We’ve been through our fair share of running headphones, including the ever-popular AirPods. AirPods are great for our everyday use, but we constantly struggle with them slipping out mid-run (especially during sweaty summer miles), and they made it feel like we are in our own little bubble on a run (which isn’t great when you're sharing the road with bikes, cars, people, or rogue squirrels in the bushes).

Enter Shokz OpenRun. These headphones have completely changed our running game. The open-ear, bone conduction design means we can finally listen to our playlists and podcasts without tuning out the world around us, which makes us feel much safer and aware of our surroundings while running. Whether you’re running downtown or out on the trails, being aware of your surroundings is key for outdoor runs. 

They're also surprisingly comfortable. No pressure on the ears, no adjusting mid-run, just lightweight and secure (you almost forget you are wearing them). They’re super easy to sync to your phone, have impressive sound quality (yes, even with the open design), and the battery life is great; we get up to 8 hours with quick charging when you’re in a rush. Plus, they’re IP67 water-resistant, so sweat and a little rain won’t faze them. Even better, these headphones come in two sizes, one smaller and one larger, so you can order the size that works best for you (we wear the smaller size). 

For safety, comfort, and solid sound on the move, the OpenRuns are absolutely worth the squeeze.

Quick Pro Tip: If you're looking for a more economical option without sacrificing core performance, the Shokz OpenRun is a great choice. While the OpenRun Pro ($179.50) offers slightly better sound quality and longer battery life, the OpenRun still delivers excellent audio, reliable Bluetooth connectivity, and the same open-ear safety design, all at a lower price point. It also has better water resistance (IP67 vs. IP55), making it ideal for sweaty workouts or rainy-day runs. For $129.95, it’s a smart, efficient pick that gives you comfort, safety, and solid performance without the extra cost.

Oura Ring

• Price Point: $299 - $349+

• Kayla’s & Genny’s Evaluation: A nice to have but not a necessity!

We’ve been wearing the Oura Ring for a while now, and we’ll be honest, it’s one of the sleekest fitness trackers out there. It looks more like a minimalist piece of jewelry than a health gadget, which is part of the appeal. You can choose from several finishes, but the price varies: the basic colors (Silver and Black) start at $299, while the stealthier or more polished options (like Gold or Rose Gold) can push the price up to $349 or more.

Where Oura really shines is the deep dive it gives you into your body’s vitals, recovery and readiness. You get detailed insights on sleep stages (REM, deep, light), heart rate variability, resting heart rate, body temperature, respiratory rate, menstrual cycle, body stress and activity levels which all translate into your overall readiness score. We’ve found that these metrics really help guide our training and recovery. It’s an awesome way to check-in with our bodies every morning. We personally love the days where it says that we should rest 😉. 

One thing we do want to call out is that to access all those amazing stats, you’ll need to pay $5.99/month for the app subscription (after the first month, which is free) or $69.99/annually. 

Between us, Genny has the Gen 3 and Kayla has the Gen 4, so we’ve been able to compare them side by side. At a glance, the two look almost identical, but the Gen 4 comes with some subtle improvements. Most notably, the heart rate tracking is more accurate and consistent throughout the day, and there’s improved sensor tech that gives faster, more detailed readings. The activity detection is a bit smarter, too, so it's better at knowing when you’re walking, lifting, etc. That said, the Gen 3 still delivers excellent insights. If you’re looking to save a little and don’t mind skipping the newest bells and whistles, the Gen 3 still holds up great. But if you want the latest and greatest the Gen 4 is worth the splurge.

To summarize, for data lovers and those who want to optimize every part of their training and recovery, the Oura Ring is a pretty cool tool. That said, we’d call it a luxury item, not a running essential. 

Theragun Mini 

• Price Point: $209.99

• Kayla’s & Genny’s Evaluation: 100% WORTH THE SQUEEZE 🍋

All runners should stretch pre and post run, but sometimes stretching just doesn’t cut it. That’s where the Theragun Mini comes in, and honestly, we love it. Whether it’s post-long run soreness or a day when we’ve had a harder strength training or speed session, this little device seriously helps work out the knots. It's like having a deep tissue massage at your fingertips. 

The Mini is compact and super portable, so it fits easily into a gym bag or suitcase, which makes it perfect for race weekends or workouts on the go. Kayla especially loves traveling with it on her quest to run a half marathon in all 50 states; it’s light enough to throw in her carry-on and has become a must-have in her recovery routine after race days.

The Theragun Mini offers three powerful speeds, and while it's smaller than the full-size models, it still delivers a great massage. We’ve found it especially helpful for targeting tight calves, sore glutes, and stubborn IT bands which are the spots that tend to tighten up after runs.

At $209.99, it’s definitely an investment, but for the amount of relief it brings, we’ve found it’s so worth it, especially if you’re consistently logging miles or following a training plan. And compared to bigger massage guns, the Mini is quieter, lighter, and way easier to use on your own without feeling like you're wrangling a power tool.

We’d say this isn’t just a “nice to have”. For us, it’s become a go-to part of recovery that we actually look forward to using. 

Garmin Forerunner Series

• Price Point: $199.99+

• Kayla’s & Genny’s Evaluation: 100% WORTH THE SQUEEZE 🍋

If we could recommend just one gadget to runners, whether you're just getting into it or chasing PRs, it would hands-down be a Garmin watch, especially the Forerunner series. Between us, we’ve tested plenty of fitness trackers and apps, but when it comes to accuracy, ease, and not being glued to your phone mid-run, Garmin is where it's at.

If you’re looking for a good starter option and a lower price point, we recommend the Garmin Forerunner 55. At $199.99, it’s the most budget-friendly option in the Forerunner family, and honestly, it has everything you need if your main focus is GPS tracking and training basics. It delivers accurate distance, pace, and heart rate, along with suggested workouts, race time predictions, and daily run recommendations based on your recovery. It’s a fantastic entry point without feeling “entry-level.”

That said, if you're looking for more advanced metrics like training load, recovery time, VO2 max, and triathlon mode, you might want to look at the Forerunner 255 ($349.99) or go all-out with the Forerunner 265 ($449.99), which includes a fancier screen and music storage for phone-free runs.

Here’s what we especially love across the board on the Forerunners:

• Super accurate GPS (a big win if you’re over your phone mapping weird zigzags).

• Long battery life: Up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode and 20+ hours in GPS mode depending on the model.

• Easy-to-read display, even in full sun.

• Comfortable, lightweight design that won’t bug you during long runs.

• Way easier to check mid-run than pulling out your phone. 

• Quick charging, plus syncing with apps like Strava (and for the Forerunner 255 and 265, Spotify) is easy to do!
  
  

The Forerunner 55 is perfect if you want the core features. We’ve used it during training blocks, race days, and everyday runs. If you’re training for a specific performance goal, the 255 and 265 are great step-ups. All in all though, a Garmin watch is definitely worth the squeeze! 🍋

Strava App 

• Price Point: Free Version or Strava Premium at $79.99/year

• Kayla’s & Genny’s Evaluation: TBD - We’re still deciding 

Ah, Strava - the app that turns your solo run into a social event (or low-key competition 😅). We’ve used it on and off over the years and are still feeling it out, which is why we’re putting this one in the “TBD” category.

There’s a lot to love: Strava makes it super easy to track your runs, routes, pace, and elevation, and the social side of it can be fun and motivating. You can follow your friends, give each other kudos, and even leave comments on workouts. We also love the “segments” feature, where you can challenge yourself (or others) on specific stretches of your route. 

The free version of Strava gives you:

• GPS tracking for runs, walks, rides, and more.

• Basic stats like time, distance, and pace.

• Social features (kudos, comments, following friends).

• Access to your activity history and achievements, which is great for tracking how many miles you’ve run in a year.
  
  

But to unlock more detailed insights, you’ll need to upgrade to Strava Premium, which runs $11.99/month or $79.99/year. With that, you get:

• Detailed pace and heart rate analysis.

• Training plans and race preparation tools.

• Live segments, which show you how you’re doing mid-run.

• Route planning and suggestions based on your location.

• Effort tracking and performance trends over time.
  
  

That said, here’s where we’re on the fence. While the premium features are cool, some of them feel more nice-to-have than must-have, especially if you’re already using a Garmin watch or another platform that offers similar data for free. And if you’re not big on sharing your runs or digging into all the graphs and charts, you might not get your money’s worth or even find much value in the free version. 

We’d love to hear your thoughts on Strava! Do you use Strava? Are you team free forever? Have you upgraded and loved it? Let us know - we're still deciding if it’s worth the squeeze.

We’ve tested, traveled, stretched, and sprinted our way through these running accessories and tools. For us, the Shokz OpenRun, Theragun Mini, and a Garmin Forerunner are clear standouts. They’re solid investments we’ve come to rely on and genuinely enjoy using. The Oura Ring is cool for data lovers and recovery tracking, but more of a luxury than a necessity; that said, we don’t regret our investment and look forward to seeing how our Oura “readiness score” changes over time during our training. As for Strava, the verdict’s still out. We see the appeal, but we want to continue to test it out and would love to hear what you all think! 

From must-haves to maybe-laters, we hope our honest take helps you decide what’s worth the squeeze for you. At the end of the day, it’s all about finding what fits your routine, goals, and budget. If it makes your running experience better, more fun, or more motivating, that’s always worth the squeeze. 🍋