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An Avid Daily Runner & Health Editor Puts New Balance’s New Apparel Collection to the Test
Author:
August 25, 2026
mbg Senior Commerce Editor
mbg Senior Commerce Editor
Carleigh Ferrante is the Commerce Editor at mindbodygreen.
Image by New Balance / Contributor
August 25, 2026
The best running gear is the gear you don’t think about. No adjusting, no chafing, no mid-run negotiations with your waistband. I’ve developed high standards over a decade of running, through twelve half marathons and five world marathon majors—but the way I see it is the less I’m thinking about what I’m wearing, the easier I can lock into the run.
I also expect my gear to work hard. Every running outfit needs to have enough storage for my phone, keys, fuel, and other miscellaneous items. And since I live and run in New York City, my miles typically end in a line for matcha, so feeling and looking great in what I’m wearing is all part of what keeps me motivated.
So when New Balance’s RC Collection arrived at my door, I did what I’ve done with every piece of running gear before it: I took it outside and put it to the test. I know within a mile whether something belongs in my rotation, but I gave this collection a full week of Manhattan summer training anyway.
Twenty-four miles later—which included a few easy runs, a tempo workout, and my 10-mile long run in NYC’s Summer Streets—here’s my honest review of the New Balance RC Jacket, the RC Bra, and the RC Essential Short.
Meet our tester : Carleigh Ferrante
Carleigh Ferrante is a mindbodygreen fitness and commerce contributor. She is a certified Health & Nutrition Coach and a born-and-raised New Yorker with a B.A. in Creative Writing and Psychology. You can almost always find Carleigh training for her next World Major marathon.
Why I was excited to test New Balance’s RC Collection
New Balance was already a brand I trusted. I ran last year’s New York City Marathon with New Balance (in theFuelCell SuperComp Elite, which I reviewed here), and during that training cycle I tested an earlier version of the RC bra and shorts. I d them a lot, and they’ve since been in my regular rotation.
New Balance has spent more than 50 years obsessing over fit, comfort, and durability in running shoes, and the RC Collection applies those same time-tested principles (plus an exhaustive research and development process) to apparel. This is gear engineered for what runners actually need. The style factor is just a perk on top of the brand’s dedication to performance and functionality.
When I first began researching the RC Collection online ahead of testing it out, I immediately noticed a few upgrades to the RC Short that I couldn’t wait to test. And as soon as I saw the RC Jacket, I knew I absolutely needed it in my collection.
My testing process
The fall marathon lotteries were not in my favor this year, so I’m not training for a race at the moment—but my boyfriend is getting into his first NYC Marathon build, so between miles alongside him and my own solo, just-for-fun miles, my weeks still look a lot training weeks.
All that’s to say, this past week provided unique conditions for me to test out the RC Collection.
Manhattan in the summer is a demanding testing lab. We’re talking near-100-degree days, thick humidity, crowded sidewalks, and one conveniently timed rainy morning that let me test the RC Jacket in the conditions it was built for. Side note: New Balance is a New England running brand, so its designs are made for unpredictable weather.
Here’s what the week entailed:
- Monday: 3 miles easy at the Central Park reservoir
- Tuesday: 7 miles easy around the Central Park loop
- Thursday: 4 miles tempo run in the rain
- Saturday: 10 miles in NYC’s Summer Streets
I wore the RC Bra for Monday and Saturday’s runs, the RC Shorts for Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, and the RC Jacket for the first half of Thursday’s rainy tempo run. I did a few extra loads of laundry for the purpose of this review, and (spoiler alert:) I’m willing to bet this won’t be the last time I’ll orchestrate my wash schedule around the shorts in particular.
Throughout each run, I paid attention to the details that typically matter most to runners: comfort, support, breathability, storage, weather protection, and how each piece held up after repeated wears and washes.
Taking the collection out for a spin
Here’s my full, honest review of all the pieces I tried.
The RC Jacket
Remember that aforementioned heat wave? It has been far too hot in New York right now to run in a jacket, and I wasn’t about to pretend otherwise. So when I woke up to rain before my tempo run, it was actually a pleasant surprise. I grabbed the RC Jacket and headed over to Central Park. The first thing I noticed was how lightweight it is. Despite the rain, it was still hot and humid out, but the jacket felt so breathable.
The durable water-repellent coating kept the rain from soaking through, and the hood and elastic cuffs stayed in place without any fuss. A mile or so in, once the rain let up and the heat won out, I discovered my favorite feature. The whole jacket packs down into itself, quickly and easily, and it has an elastic loop that allowed me to comfortably carry it around my hand for the rest of the run. I basically forgot it was there, and I think I told every single person I spoke to that day about it.
The packability is the jacket’s true standout feature. I love that it’s an on-the-go layer you can shed the moment you don’t need it—exactly what I’ll be reaching for on those transitional cool mornings. The fit is relaxed and roomy, so it will layer easily over long sleeves when the temperature drops even more.
And, since you know style is important to me, I’d be remiss not to mention just how cute this jacket is. Every time I’ve worn it, I’ve gotten compliments. As someone who is a little addicted to buying workout gear and could really stand to add more non-workout apparel to my closet, I could not be happier that this one looks as good over regular clothes as it does over my running outfits.
New Balance
RC Jacket
The perfect layer for when you need it—and when you don’t. It comes in three colorways and sizes XS to 2XL.
The NB RC Bra
Here’s what I want from a sports bra: to put it on and never think about it again. The New Balance RC Bra delivers exactly that, which, for a high-bounce activity running, is saying something.
For anyone newer to running, sports bras generally work through compression (pressing everything close to your body), encapsulation (supporting each side individually, an everyday bra), or both. Encapsulation is what helps a bra go unnoticed, in the best way.
You can tell simply by looking at it that the bra is engineered for full support, with built-in encapsulation padding and channeled cup construction that moves sweat away from your body (a detail I appreciated on those thick-humidity mornings). I love that the 4-way stretch NB Sleek fabric fits your shape rather than flattening it, and the bonded, clean-finished seams help prevent any chafing.
The real test for the RC Bra was Saturday’s long run. Ten miles in 85-degree heat is exactly the scenario where other sports bras make themselves known, but this one never did. There was no band or clasp digging into my back, no strap adjustments needed, and (as promised) no chafing whatsoever. It’s also worth mentioning that I wore the bra as a top with no shirt over it, which I only do when a bra passes both the support test and the aesthetic test.
I also appreciate that it comes in A to G cup sizes, which is a level of inclusivity I wish more performance brands offered.
New Balance
RC Bra
The ultimate sports bra for beginners and serious runners a. Get it in A to G cup sizes.
The RC Essential Short
As I mentioned, I tested an earlier version of these shorts last year and really d them—but the upgrades to this year’s version of the RC Essential Short took my affinity from to love. For starters, there are significantly more pockets now (two drop-in pockets on each side, plus a large zippered pocket at the back). The waistband is also thinner, which I prefer both comfort-wise and aesthetically.
One thing I’ve learned through my years of marathon training is that storage becomes non-negotiable as your mileage grows. Once a run stretches past the hour mark, most runners need fuel every 30 to 45 minutes, plus whatever other necessities you to bring on your run. If your shorts can’t carry it all, you end up strapping on extra gear to do the job for them. On my long run this week, I carried gels, electrolyte chews, my keys, my phone, lip balm, and a tampon, all without the intrusive bounce runners know all too well. I absolutely love being able to run with no belt, armband, or vest, and it’s a luxury very few running shorts allow for.
Beyond the storage, these shorts are just easy. The perforated 4-way-stretch fabric and side splits allow total freedom of movement, the internal mesh brief adds security and breathability, and the brand’s NB DRY technology kept me feeling dry on my sweatiest runs of the week. The thinner mid-rise waistband with the adjustable drawstring helped the shorts stay put, and (with the bra) I felt completely unaware of the shorts during each run, which is truly the highest compliment I can give a pair of shorts.
Thursday’s tempo run was where I felt the performance difference of the shorts the most. Tempo pace is uncomfortable enough without your outfit fighting against you, so I was relieved to find that the RC Essential Shortsstayed completely still through every pace increase. They didn’t ride up or slip down, and there was no rubbing or chafing with these either. In other words: I spent those four miles thinking about my splits instead of my waistband.
New Balance
RC Essential Short
Everything you need in a running short and more. It comes in four colorways, 3-inch or 5-inch lengths, and sizes XS to 2XL.
The final verdict: This is a collection built for runners
After one week and 24 total miles, I’m officially a New Balance apparel girl. The RC Collection has earned its spot in my regular rotation, and it’s confirmed that New Balance’s decades of fit, comfort, and durability expertise translate seamlessly from footwear to apparel.
The RC Bra and Essential Shorts deliver what I strongly believe every runner is really shopping for, which is comfort and fit so dialed-in they become one less thing to think about. Aside, of course, from thinking about how cute you look.
I love that they come in the same colorways (I chose the Neo Flame). This may be a niche running tip, but a coordinated outfit truly does change how I carry myself on a run! Feeling put-together makes me feel more capable and more confident.
The RC Jacket is still the piece I’m most excited about, though. It’s packable, weather-ready, and stylish enough to wear on and off the run. I already know it’s going to be an everyday staple as soon as fall running weather arrives.
Whether you’re deep in your own marathon training block or you’re just starting your running journey, trust me when I say thoughtfully engineered gear really does improve the experience. If you see me logging miles around Manhattan this summer or fall, chances are I’ll be wearing this collection.
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Mindbodygreen.com