Rain & Winter Gear

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dewd2
dewd2 Posts: 2,449 Member
So it looks like I will be running another HM in 2 weeks (it wasn't planned, I just sorta got 'nominated' at work ;) ). Since I now have 2 weeks before the race I'm going to have to get out tomorrow and run 12... In the rain.. And the cold...

I'm not ready for this weather. I stopped by a local running store tonight and picked up a Razor Jacket - it is water proof and wind proof.

What is some of your favorite running gear for autumn/winter when it gets cold?

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  • beeblebrox82
    beeblebrox82 Posts: 578 Member
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    if you're wet make sure you lube up all your hotspots with extra care. Chaafing is the enemy!!! You can also tape up your shoes so you don't get them soaked.
  • jessspurr
    jessspurr Posts: 258 Member
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    ICEBUGS! <3<3<3 Studded running shoes for running on ice/snowpack and where I'm from, boardwalks through the woods when they get slippery from the rain. I cannot wait until I get to bust them out and go on some early morning runs in the dark with my headlamp and crunchy snow! Rain though? That just sucks. I have to run in rain a lot. Like, it's ok if it starts raining when I'm already running, but to go start a run in the pouring rain? That is dedication.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,449 Member
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    if you're wet make sure you lube up all your hotspots with extra care. Chaafing is the enemy!!! You can also tape up your shoes so you don't get them soaked.

    Yeah I know, I learned the hard way. :# I carry tape and body glide in my gym bag all the time now.

    How do you tape your shoes?
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,449 Member
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    jessspurr wrote: »
    ICEBUGS! <3<3<3 Studded running shoes for running on ice/snowpack and where I'm from, boardwalks through the woods when they get slippery from the rain. I cannot wait until I get to bust them out and go on some early morning runs in the dark with my headlamp and crunchy snow! Rain though? That just sucks. I have to run in rain a lot. Like, it's ok if it starts raining when I'm already running, but to go start a run in the pouring rain? That is dedication.

    The snow shows sound interesting. We don't get enough snow here to make it worthwhile.
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
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    I wear trail shoes when there is snow on the roads. I like the idea of Yak Trax, but I'd tear them up on routes that are 30% to 60% clear asphalt. For cold and wind, layering clothing works. Some experimentation is needed to find the right layers for different conditions. I don't tape my shoes, and haven't needed an extra layer of socks as long as I'm wearing wool. I've run in temperatures down to -10° F, and in the positive single digits with wind up to 35 mph. (FWIW, I found -10° and minimal wind a lot easier to deal with than +91° with high humidity.)

    For rain, a brimmed hat. Wool socks. I have Darn Tough, SmartWool, and Feetures; all work well with wet conditions. My feet don't stay dry, but they do stay warm and don't get blisters. Vaseline on the parts of my feet that rub, same as in all weather. (BodyGlide would probably work, but I choke on $10 for 1.5 oz. of BodyGlide vs. $2 for 13 oz. of generic petroleum jelly.) A wind proof running jacket will keep out showers, but for steady rain you just embrace getting wet and keep warm. Everything should be wicking. There should be no shred of cotton on your body.

    The iPhone stays in the Otterbox, then goes into a ziplock bag, then into a SPIbelt that stays inside the outermost layers. That keeps it dry (and relatively warm, in colder weather) but GarminConnect can still communicate with my watch. Can't see it during the run, but I can get to the stats afterward. And if worst comes to worst, I can work the touch screen through the ziplock bag to call for help; don't know about sound quality through the bag, as I haven't tested an actual phone call that way.

    Of course, reflective harness, headlamp, and flashing red lights front and back for running in the dark. While not technically limited to cold weather, running in the dark tends to be correlated with running in cold weather here.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,449 Member
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    It turns out the new Razor jacket isn't as waterproof as they said. But it did keep my mostly dry and it definitely kept the wind out. At one point this morning I was considering removing one layer but decided against it when the wind and rain picked up. Overall it wasn't a bad run.

    My shoes and socks are soaked. I never tried wool. I will look into it.
  • STrooper
    STrooper Posts: 659 Member
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    I do much the same as Moby...I go one step farther with polypro sock liners and the SmartWool socks. I've run in cold rain and not had a problem with the feet. The get wet, of course, and the shoes get squishy but I haven't had any other problems with blisters or feet getting cold. That's a trick I learned from backpacking.

    My phone stays in the same config that Moby speaks about. Everything else electronic is water resistant ((HRM, Fitbit).

    I dress for the temperature, not the weather as I find that jackets designed to keep me dry might not do the trick for the temperature (either too hot or occasionally too cold). That means embracing the wet.

    Wet tech shirts can be murder on the nipples. Tape or otherwise protect them.
  • snowflakesav
    snowflakesav Posts: 644 Member
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    I wear a lot of merino wool products. The fibers will allowed sweat moisture to pass through as a vapor..no other fabric does this.

  • beeblebrox82
    beeblebrox82 Posts: 578 Member
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    dewd2 wrote: »
    How do you tape your shoes?

    Just some gorilla tape around the sides and the top/front to keep the water out.

    Also, for those in the snow belt, google "screw shoes" I do up a pair every year, works GREAT.
  • daj150
    daj150 Posts: 815 Member
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    For the above freezing temps, I wear a 2XU waterproof running jacket...very lightweight, over top of long sleeve compression top. Compression tights for lower half. For the below freezing, I have a waterproof winter running jacket that I put on over a short sleeve tech shirt...this jacket is light overall...but man does it keep me warm. I'll toss on shorts over the compression tights for the lower half to give myself some extra warmth. I use On Winter Edition shoes for running...after usually doing trail shoes then trying these, I will never use anything else. For rain, I don't care much about my lower half...as long as my upper half is mostly dry and warm, I am good to go.