10 great gift ideas for the runner in your life who doesn't need another pair of socks

Running has a way of catching up to you in the form of sore, tight muscles, tendons and ligaments. Many runners love a good massage to loosen up but that's not always available as regular massage can be costly and time-consuming. Enter the Theragun Mini.

This portable, easy-to-use massager helps runners get deep into their tight, aching soft tissues to speed recovery and avoid injury, and is designed to deliver relief quietly and effectively. It offers users three speeds to dial in exactly the level of therapy needed, ranging from 1750 to 2400 percussions per minute.

Weighing just over five pounds, the Mini is easy to take on the road, stash in a gym bag, or bring to the office, and it comes with its own case and a battery that lasts up to 150 minutes. The design keeps ergonomics in mind, too, ensuring your hands and wrists won't get tired while delivering the relief you need.

If there's one item at the top of most every runner's wish list, it's a tracking device. Runners love to know their stats, from pace and distance, to heart rate and more — they slice and dice the numbers and use it for improvement and getting to the next level. The Fitbit 4 delivers all the data that any runner could want.

Features of this latest iteration include real-time pace, distance, and GPS tracking; info on how much time is spent in various active zones; reminders to move; heart-rate zones; personalized reminders; and 20 different exercise modes — something all runners find useful because at some point, a little cross-training is necessary.

The Charge 4 seamlessly connects to Spotify to allow runners to plug in to their favorite motivational playlist (so long as they take their phone running), has a battery that lasts up to seven days, and syncs wirelessly to a wide range of devices.

KT Tape first came on the market as a favorite tool of physical and massage therapists and the like. Designed to support athletes through recovery and help them avoid injury, it has become ubiquitous as a way to stay in the game. KT has widely expanded its line of products beyond tape, however.

Its latest offering is the KT Recovery+ Ice/Heat Massage Ball. Drawing on the approach of alternating heat and cold to make progress with sore muscles or spots threatening to become injury, the Ice/Heat Massage Ball is a unique entry on the market. The rollerball offers the benefits of massage, while ice helps relieve inflammation and heat serves to loosen up tight spots. The tool achieves this with interchangeable hot and cold inserts the user can swap out in just seconds.

The massage ball is small and compact, so it easily travels with a runner, and is designed for use on a wide array of body parts, from feet to knees and sore back and necks. Runners can remove the massage ball from the casing as well, increasing its versatility.

When heat and humidity rise, it takes a toll on hydration levels. Runners need to a way to bring their water or sports drink along for the ride, and there's no better answer than a handheld water bottle.

The CamelBak Quick Grip Chill covers all the bases for hot runs. The bottle itself holds 21 ounces of liquids, more than enough to get a runner through a long run, with the bonus feature of insulation to keep the drink cold throughout. The surrounding carrier has pockets to stash a phone, gels, and keys, and comes complete with reflective details for those pre-dawn or early evening runs.

There's no need to worry about comfort when carrying this bottle, either as the straps are adjustable for a secure fit that prevents it from bouncing and causing chafing.

Runners tend to be particular about their shoes, so buying a pair as a gift can be a bit of a gamble. Runners also hate when their favorite shoe gets an update that changes the feel or ride they've come to love. A few models avoid that and stay at the top of the best seller list year after year and the Brooks Ghost is one of them, staying true to its roots, even in its 12th iteration.

The Ghost is an all-around crowd-pleaser that's not too cushy, not too heavy, not too anything. It's designed with the neutral runner in mind and works well no matter your running goal. The shoe is known for its soft ride and it's even able to last up to 400-plus miles.

If your runner has a favorite color, there's no doubt you'll find it among the options with the Ghost, which comes in just about any hue you can imagine, including plaids.

Janji makes some of our favorite running shorts, making this gift choice a no-brainer for the runner in your life. Not only are a pair of Janji running shorts supremely comfortable but they deliver a fit that won't get in the way or cause chafing, no matter how many miles are on the docket for the day.

Though the brand makes several short options, we're fans of the Traverse 2-in-1 that comes with a built-in liner for added protection (and comfort). The shorts offer four-way stretch, dry incredibly quickly, wick away moisture, and work just as well for runs as they do for lifting weights or cycling.

They're expensive at $64 but shorts of this quality are rare, making them well worth the investment.

Tracksmith's Van Cortland running tee is the perfect combination of quality performance, incredible comfort, and vintage style. Made of lightweight, antimicrobial mesh, the tee won't ever feel heavy like some running shirts do when wet with sweat, allowing each run to be that much more enjoyable.

The tee also features Tracksmith's signature sash design, adding to its vintage appeal. Though the shirt sells for $70 (which can be quite steep for a running tee), its durable construction and comfortable fit will have the runner you're shopping for grabbing for it on run after run.

TreadBands headbands are great for anyone who keeps active but particularly useful for runners as it works well to keep sweat from dripping down their face (and one less thing they need to worry about). Featuring what the brand calls a TreadGrip Strip, each headband has a neoprene strip on the inside to grip to a wearer's forehead which helps it avoid slipping off, no matter how sweaty they get.

What makes TreadBands even more accessible to a wide range of runners is how many colorways they're offered in. Whether its pink camo, rainbows, tie-dye, or the classic, paisley-style bandana design, there's sure to be one to fit literally anyone's style.

Running with headphones can be a frustrating experience if the headphones in question aren't the correct fit. Either you're forced to readjust them every few seconds, one of them falls out completely, or you ditch the idea altogether and now you're stuck holding a pair of earbuds the rest of the run.

With Jabra's Elite Active 75ts, the ill-fit blues are a thing of the past — and not just because these come with three different sizes of ear inserts but because the actual shape of the bud contours to fit snugly in anyone's ear. This means that not even the bumpiest of trail runs are able to dislodge these premium earbuds.

Though the fit is a huge factor for why the Elite Active 75ts are worth their $200 price tag, these also offer some of the best sound on any running headphones we've tested. It offers the ability to fine tune the bass and treble to your liking but even the standard settings offer crystal clear audio (for phone calls, too) and support a higher volume — sometimes running headphones just don't get loud enough.

Other features that make them even more attractive are their 7 and a half-hour battery life, a companion carrying case that's able to charge them an additional 20-plus hours, and a hear-through function that lets in outside sounds without having to take them out of your ears.

Alright, so perhaps we said that these were gift ideas that weren't socks but if there were any pair of socks that deserved mention in this round-up, it's a pair from Swiftwick. Featuring compression to promote blood flow, moisture-wicking to keep feet dry, and a no-show style to let the ankles breathe, Swiftwick's Flite XT Zero sock is a runner's dream.

The socks come in a variety of colorways and sizes to fit both someone's personal style and a wide range of foot shapes. Constructed out of 54% nylon, 24% polyester, 19% olefin, and 3% spandex, the Flite XT Zero offers a good combination of stretch, compression, and comfort, no matter if it's a quick 5k or a longer marathon on the schedule.

At $15 per pair, they teeter toward the steep end of the sock price spectrum but are worth every penny as they'll quickly be your runner's favorite pair.