Dressing for outdoor exercise in the colder months

sumnerfan

Hello all you fabulous people:

This will be the first year I have exercised outside in the cold. Granted, compared to some places it doesn't get cold here, but still it's getting colder. What clothing do I need to exercise in the cold? What's the best way to dress so you don't freeze but you also don't overheat? Right now I'm wearing capris and tanks or short sleeved shirts, and I bring along a hooded jacket for before and after I cool down.

Thanks!

Beautifulbridgittlee7

I would dress in layers, definitely long pants, socks, tank top, shirt, jacket, hat, gloves, scarf, etc. It's good for running/walking, snowshoeing, sledding, skiing, etc because if you dress too warmly you get overheated.

sumnerfan

We rarely get snow in my area. Does that skew the answers?

jacksonpt

Everyone responds differently to changing weather, and what's cold to someone might not be cold to someone else. So you'll have to figure out what the right type of clothing is for you and how many layers you need... but a couple of good points to remember:

1) dress so that you are chilly when you leave the house. Once you're warmed up, you should be fairly comfortable.

2) dress for the temp, but don't forget about the wind. In some places, the wind is a bigger problem than the temp is.

3) don't forget about the extremities. The right shirt/tights means nothing without the right hat/gloves/socks (if you need them).

4) see and be seen. Make yourself as visible as possible, and never assume other people/cars/bikes/whatever see you. This applies year round, but is especially true in the winter when daylight hours tend to be fewer.

SueInAz

I live in southern Arizona so while it doesn't get too cold here the temps do occasionally dip below freezing, especially in the mornings. When I run on winter mornings I dress in layers. Long sleeved technical tee topped with a running jacket, long running pants with socks that cover my ankles, light running gloves and (most importantly of all) something to cover my ears. Most often, I wear a Bondi band over them but a hat will also do. By the time I'm a couple of miles in, the jacket is usually off as are the gloves. The ear covering stays on, though, because no matter how warm I get my ears stay cold with the constant wind from running.

alathIN

Depends on what kind of exercise you're doing and how hard.

One "rule" that helps me: running makes it feel 15 degrees warmer, cycling makes it feel 15 degrees colder.

For running, I don't change much from my Summer gear. Tri pants and short sleeve tech shirt into the 50s, and the only thing I change in the 40s is a long sleeve tech shirt. In the 30s I will add gloves and something on my ears. I don't go long pants or warm hats until it gets down into the 20s or lower.

In my running group I notice that different people get cold in different parts of their bodies. I HATE having my hands cold, plus they don't do much work with running, so gloves is the first "warmth wear" I put on. Other people in my group wear vests, which I completely fail to understand: my core is always the warmest part of my body so I'm always adding layers to the periphery, never the middle. Obviously not everyone is like me, because those vests are popular on the running trail. Long and short you will have to experiment to learn what works for you.
One tip that worked great for me: take a pair of "retired" running shoes and use a drill to drive sheet metal screws into the soles. They really dig in and help prevent slipping on snowy/icy surfaces.

goanothermile

All good advice above.

The idea is to build up a system of items that you can mix & match as needed. For tights, shorts, and gloves, I usually stick to black or grey colors so they mix easily. As mentioned above, I like brighter colors for jackets and shirts.

Adding a pair of calf compression sleeves (or compression socks) to your current capris turns them into long tights. In a milder climate, that might be enough.

My suggestion is to add to your winter running wardrobe as needed. Keep your eyes open and sometimes you can pick up things on clearance sales, last year's model, etc.

I'd start off with a couple of pairs of gloves, a hat, a couple of pairs of taller wool socks and some long sleeve shirts. That will get you by for a while. Next step would be a light jacket that is loose enough to allow some layering underneath. With good layering, you can get by with a fairly light jacket until it gets pretty cold.

One of my favorite jackets has removable arms so I can turn it into a vest. That is really great for early morning runs when I know it is going to be cold at the beginning, but will likely warm up before the run is over. I also wear it just as a vest sometimes because I want the pockets to be able to stuff in gloves, when I get warm enough not to need them.

Here is a similar women's model: runningwarehouse.com/Sugoi_Womens_Versa_Jacket/descpage-SWVERSJ.html

If you are in the US, I've found some pretty decent running gear for reasonable prices at Target stores or TJ Maxx. Their stock changes so often that you just have to check and see if they have anything.

cwolfman13

I guess it would depend on what you're doing...I primarily cycle and there are cycling clothes for all seasons. Same for running and whatnot. I wear a good wool base layer in the dead of winter.

jacksonpt

alathIN wrote: »

Depends on what kind of exercise you're doing and how hard.

One "rule" that helps me: running makes it feel 15 degrees warmer, cycling makes it feel 15 degrees colder.

Good point.

I assume OP was running, but the activity you're doing will go a long way in determining how you should dress.

sumnerfan

Thanks for the tips everyone. Very enlightening.

I'm primarily running and doing cross training. I live in Tennessee so it gets cool but not blisteringly cold like some states.