The 7 Best Running Headbands for Taming Frizzy Hair and Wicking Away Sweat

Running outside can be a freeing experience, with a fresh breeze whipping through your hair to remind you that you’re doing something you love. Unfortunately, that wind can sometimes get out of hand, and it’s not uncommon to run head-first into gusts. Windswept hair flying in your face and sticking to your forehead can take you out of your rhythm, and it can sometimes even hurt when it gets into your eyes. It’s worth investing in a reliable headband to keep those loose strands in place. The right one can also do a great job of sopping up sweat during your runs, preventing it from running down your face.

It might seem like a headband is a simple piece of fabric. But to tame the constant bouncing of your hair when you’re tapping out miles, you want a quality one that will support your hair as much as it holds it out of the way. You’ll appreciate a band that can more easily stay where you put it. Furthermore, it’s nice to have one that feels appropriate to the temperature, cooling you off with sweat-wicking fabrics when it’s hot out or trapping heat around your forehead and ears when it’s not.

To find the headband that best fits your needs, keep reading and see the headwear we think will keep you comfy and your face hair-free in any conditions.

The Best Headbands

• Most Versatile: Buff Standard CoolNet UV+ Multifunctional Headband
• Best for Thin Hair: Nike Swoosh Headbands
• Best for Cold Weather: Trailheads Ponytail Headband
• Best Tieback Option: Tread Bands All Terrain Tieback Headband
• Best for Maximum Coverage: Blom Original Headband

What to Consider

Band Width

The headbands on this list range from half an inch wide all the way up to 6 inches. The wider a headband is, the more spread out the pressure on your head is going to be, leading to less of a squeezing feeling. However, those of us with thinner hair might find that a skinnier band stays in place better when it doesn’t have to contend with thick locks. That said, you can also fold over a wider band if you don’t want it covering as much of your head, and plenty more are made to be configured in a variety of shapes and patterns to provide more functional versatility.

Material and Thickness

The key difference between a running headband and any other tube of fabric you’ll find at the store is in the materials used to make it. Quality athletic bands are made for wicking sweat away from your head just as much as holding your hair in place—that extra breathability goes a long way when it comes to temperature regulation. To limit discomfort on your runs, try to look for bands made of moisture-wicking materials like polyester and nylon, as well as spandex and elastane that add a forgiving stretch. Avoid cotton bands if you can, as they have a hard time letting your sweat evaporate after they’ve soaked it up.

Just as much as headbands can be an effective means of sopping up sweat on a summer day, there are plenty made to keep your ears and forehead warm during the bitterness of winter. While the two seasonal varieties share many of the same materials, it’s best to make sure the coverage and thickness of any headband is appropriate for the conditions in which you’ll be using it. Thinner bands—think 0.5 to 2 inches in width—will more often be better suited for hot days, while bands wider than 3 inches will often trap more heat for cold days. That said, some other headbands provide fuller coverage as a means of UV protection, and they’ll typically compensate for their surface area by being paper thin. If you’re looking for a headband that can function similarly to a cozy skull cap, be sure to avoid accidentally picking one of these featherweight models by mistake—you can often find details about each headband’s ideal climate in their product description.

How We Selected

Not all headbands are built to withstand the pavement pounding and sweaty miles that we runners experience. To find the best runner-approved headbands available now, we researched the most promising products, taking into account value, size, fabrics, and the measures each headband takes to stay on your head. We then cross-referenced our picks with those of fellow expert reviewers from outlets like Women's Health and Glamour to ensure our choices were among the best. Read on to see what we think holds up (your hair) the best.