The Gear That Actually Gets Me Out of Bed at 5 A.M.

Published February 11, 2026 11:55AM

In my 20s and early 30s, I depended on intensity to get myself out of bed for early morning adventures. As soon as my alarm went off, I let testosterone take the wheel, and I would give myself some hyper-bro-y pump talk about bettering my mind and body.

Unfortunately, that method stopped working for me years ago. Since my “get up and grrrr” no longer comes naturally, I depend on gear laid out the night before to motivate myself. This routine helps me move early, before the pressure of daily life derails my plans for a midday workout.

At a Glance

I can no longer bully myself straight out of bed when it’s dark and my bed is warm. Instead, I have a soft introduction to the morning with 15 minutes of Hatch Restore 2’s sunrise-mimicking light. I usually open my eyes the first time the light kicks on, and then I rest easy knowing I have a bit more time in my warm bed to motivate myself to move. I set this alarm through an incredibly user-friendly app where I schedule it to reoccur at different times on different mornings (super early Tues/Thurs, pretty early Wednesday) so that I don’t have to think about it the night before.

Getting caffeine in my system efficiently is another key for getting out of both bed and the door early in the morning. I received this Moka set as a holiday gift and have found the coffee it makes to be the perfect mix of high convenience and quality, which can often be conflicting attributes. I put my grounds and water in the Moka pot the night before and then I am just a twist of a knob and about five minutes of waiting away from three delicious shots of espresso. It’s a motivating treat that also helps me go to the bathroom, which is another key part of my pre-run routine.

My nose, eyes, and lips can feel like they will fall off on a cold morning and I can still manage to keep a downright chipper attitude. But the second my fingers start to ache, I lose it. The Xenon gloves from Rab are remarkably lightweight, warm, and breathable thanks to its featherweight but durable Pertex exterior and just right amount of premium Primaloft Gold insulation inside. You can definitely get away with lighter gloves as long as they offer solid wind protection, but knowing I have an extra layer of warmth means I am less worried about cold, angry fingers as I head out the door.

At $225, these men’s running tights are a serious investment, but after over using these as my go-to winter run bottoms for over two years, I can comfortably say they are worth it. Putting on tights is the first hard thing I do on an early morning, and the ample nylon and elastane exterior delivers a stretch that makes the NDOs feel significantly easier to get on. No lie, I have appreciated that ease every single time I put them on. That stretch is also totally non-restrictive for the first steps of my run. The merino wool blend interior feels like fleece and hugs my thighs, making the interaction feel more organic than like a stretchy synthetic. Together, the NDO’s interior and exterior move like they aren’t there. In fact, they’re so warm, I’ve yet to feel chilly legs on a morning run when I’ve donned them.

I had a pro ultrarunner once suggest I pick my brightest piece of kit to wear on the darkest days as a mood boost over 10 years ago. I followed her advice and found that it honestly worked. When I put on a bright jacket, I feel a little happier and more likely to get out the door. As an added bonus, brighter clothing makes me more visible to cars which makes dark runs and rides safer. The Brooks Canopy Packable Running Jacket is an incredible utility jacket as well as mood brightener thanks to its light weight (5.9 ounces!), excellent mix of breathability for when you heat up and brutally cold wind-cutting while you get there. It also has the aforementioned cheerful (and safe!) color options.

My ears need just as much warmth as my fingers on a cold morning. The Powerwool Beanie from Thurston feels really nice to put on my head as I get ready in the morning, thanks to the supple Powerwool material it’s built from (the blend places high end merino all around my ears and forehead). Plus, its fit plays really well with my headlamp (more on that below). As an added bonus, its clean but not constricting fit and lack of visible logos makes it feel casual enough to wear throughout my workday after trading my bright jacket and tights for jeans and a flannel.

I run in the absolutely cushiest, most comfortable shoes I can when I run early in the morning. My reasoning for this is simple: I appreciate having my first 200 steps feel kind while everything else feels cruel as I warm up. Right now, that shoe for me is the On Cloud Cloud Monster Hyper with its massive cushioned stack height and heavily rockered outsole. I have a long history as a maximalist shoe-lover and these really are the kindest to my aging body, making every step feel easier.

I have tested hundreds of headlamps during my tenure as Outside’s Gear Guy. While I could put down a thousand words on the importance of full range peripheral vision while skiing at night, I only need something that is reliable, lightweight, and easy to use for road running in the morning. I have been using a Black Diamond Stride Headlamp for years because it offers all of those in spades with 25 lumens of brightness in a 1.2-ounce weight package. The fact that I can plug it in and recharge it the night before means I never find myself scrambling for batteries in the morning which would definitely be enough to keep me inside on a cold dark morning. They don’t make the Stride anymore but the Black Diamond Deploy Running Headlamp boasts 150 more lumen output than the stride in a 1.7-ounce package.

The Gear You Need for Dark Mornings, Early Workouts, and Brutal Wake-Up Calls

At a Glance

Hatch Restore 2

TNF x Bialetti Moka Set

Rab Xenon Gloves

Tracksmith Men’s NDO Tights

Brooks Canopy Packable Running Jacket

Thurston Powerwool Beanie

Cloud Monster Hyper Running Shoes

Black Diamond Rechargeable Headlamp