14 Miles on 1/29/2014 It is fairly simple to dress for running in warm weather. If you’re a guy you may only need socks, shoes, and shorts and girls may be comfortable in shorts, socks, shoes, and a sports bra or sports bar and singlet. Running in the winter requires more time planning the appropriate outfit to fit the cold and possible rain, sleet, and snow. There is a lot of winter running gear on the market and at your local running specialty store. I’m going to write about my favorite gear in the hopes that my reviews and suggestions will help you with your winter running gear purchases.
Winter running gear is all about layering. Layering provides the best interaction with your body regardless of your performance level. Thanks to different layers combined with modern fabric technology, your body’s microclimate is always maintained at a comfortable level and the different layers interact with your natural thermo regulation at different activity levels in different weather conditions. There are three levels of layering to ensure you ultimate protection; the base layer, the mid layer, and the outer layer.
Winter running gear is all about layering. Layering provides the best interaction with your body regardless of your performance level. Thanks to different layers combined with modern fabric technology, your body’s microclimate is always maintained at a comfortable level and the different layers interact with your natural thermo regulation at different activity levels in different weather conditions. There are three levels of layering to ensure you ultimate protection; the base layer, the mid layer, and the outer layer.
The base layer, or first layer, is the moisture management layer. It provides initial heat loss regulation and promotes the transfer of moisture away from the skin. Depending on the temperature and wind chill you can get by with a technical fabric underwear as your base layer. For a base layer top I go with a short or long sleeve tech shirt depending on the wind chill. I will wear a short sleeve shirt with my second top over that if temperature and wind chill are in the 30s. Some of my favorite base layer shirts are the Adidas Supernova short sleeve, Adidas Response short sleeve, and a short sleeve heat gear Under Armour shirt. I use long sleeve base layer tops when the wind chill is in the 20s or under and if I’m running easy because I won’t warm up as much as I do when running a workout or long run. My favorite long sleeve base layer tops are my Capital RunWalk Brooks long sleeve tech tops and the Under Armour ColdGear mock. The main thing to look for in a base layer top or bottom is the fabric material. You want 100% polyester or polyester and spandex, no cotton. In fact you don’t want or need cotton as any layer.
Adidas ClimaHeat long tights The second layer is the mid layer. The mid layer is thermo regulation. It is used to trap air, keeping you warm in the cold and cool when it’s hot. If it’s in the 40s I usually wear shorts but a running tight that isn’t too thick or warm would work too. In the 30s and colder I wear my go-to cold weather tights, the Adidas ClimaHeat brushed long tights. I’ve ran in them with just a base layer under in a wind chill as low as 5 and stayed warm from the waist down. I haven’t found a warmer tight yet. The ClimaHeat brushed material performs well in the cold and wind.
The last layer, the outer layer is weather protection. This layer protects your mid and base layers from rain, snow, and wind. In this category you want to look for a jacket or half zip top that will protect against the weather. If it isn’t windy, raining, or snowing I go with the Brooks Nightlife half zip long sleeve, the Adidas Sequencials Climalite half zip long sleeve tee, or my Capital RunWalk Brooks Nightlife jacket. Although the Brooks Nightlife jacket is water resistant it only works well in a mist or light rain on a short run. I wouldn’t recommend it for a long run even in a light rain. It does keep you very warm in wind even if it’s not raining. My girlfriend has the same jacket and it performs well with just a singlet under it with the temperature in the 30s.
Mythos 2.0 Gore-Tex Jaclet My go to jacket for wind, cold, and rain is the Mythos 2.0 Gore-Tex Active Jacket. It is fully waterproof, windproof, and breathable. It is expensive at $259.99 but worth it. My first two runs in the jacket were cold and windy with a wind chill of 5 and 12 degrees and I just had a long sleeve base layer top under it and I stayed warm. My third run in the jacket was 40 degrees and dropping in a steady rain and I stayed dry minus sweat. The jacket performed awesome in the cold, wind, and rain. Gore-Tex is the go-to brand for wind and rain gear. I opted for the Mythos jacket because I wanted two front zip pockets. Another great jacket by them that is a little cheaper at $229.99-$239.99 is the Air Gore-Tex Active Jacket. It is fully wind and waterproof but doesn’t have the two front zip pockets but does have a zip pocket on the left chest. Both jackets have a lot of reflective material for visibility in low light conditions. You can never be too reflective and too visible.
Now on to the feet, hands, face, and head. For cold weather socks I prefer the SmartWool PhD Run Light Elite. The smart wool is warm and I like the higher sock height of the low cut and mini as opposed to the hidden (no-show) and micro cuts because they cover the skin left exposed when my tights slide up over my ankle when running. SmartWool socks are also more durable than other brands I’ve used. Other great cold weather socks are the Balega Merino Endure quarter socks and Balega Mohrino V-Tech Eduro socks. On days it is below 20 degrees I will put on a thinner pair of socks, like the Feetures high performance light cushion or Fitsok CF2 cushion, with the SmartWool socks on top. Yes, two pairs of socks for really cold runs!
Saucony Mittens For the hands I prefer mittens over gloves in the cold, and not the gloves that can be converted to mittens by a flap over the fingers. Those are not the same as true mittens. Mittens keep your hands warmer than gloves. My favorite mittens are the Saucony mittens Jamie got me. They have worked great even with a wind chill of 5 degrees with no liner glove on under them. Unfortunately, the only ones listed online are gloves that have a flat to convert to mittens. When shopping, look for regular running mittens. My hands get warm in those in the upper 30s-45 degrees so I don’t wear my mittens for those runs. Instead, I wear my Nathan Bronco gloves. They work well when it’s too warm for mittens but not warm enough to go without something on your hands. They are super reflective and have a small key pocket that can be used to clip a small Nathan light onto. I used to wear the Under Armour cold gear extreme gloves but they were a disappointment as my hands stayed cold even in the upper 30s. I don’t recommend those.
UA Cold Gear Infrared Tactical Hood I only cover my face on really cold days where the wind chill is in the 20s and under. For that I use the Under Armour cold gear infrared tactical hood and it does perform well. It covers your ears and full face with the ability to pull the front up or down over your mouth and nose if needed. I’ll also put on a beanie over it to trap heat.
If it’s in the upper 30s or above I don’t wear the hood and just opt for my Indianapolis Monumental Marathon beanie or a running hat. My North Face Trail Stormy hat is great and fully waterproof. It keeps my head dry and warm in raining cold runs.
If it’s in the upper 30s or above I don’t wear the hood and just opt for my Indianapolis Monumental Marathon beanie or a running hat. My North Face Trail Stormy hat is great and fully waterproof. It keeps my head dry and warm in raining cold runs.
My Ice Grips work great! We’ve gotten more snow and ice the last couple years in North Carolina than we are accustomed to so we’ve had to deal with ice on our roads, trails, and greenways. Last year my friend Jarrod, from Minnesota, recommended I get ice grips. He uses the DueNorth Traction aids that easily slide on any running shoe. They are similar to Yaktrax but cheaper. I got a pair and they have been very useful. I’ve be able to run 14 miles over snow and ice with the ice grips on without slipping or falling once. It also helps to run on snow with grass or dirt under it instead of slick pavement if you can. I have friends with the Yaktrax Run grips and they work great too. You still need to be careful around turns and it’s always best to slow down on turns but they will give you plenty of traction to be able to run outside during sleet, ice, and snow. Granted, it’s hard to get in a tempo or intervals wearing ice grips but they have worked well for me on easy and long runs.
My outfit with a wind chill of 5 degrees: base layer underwear, Adidas supernova short tight, 2XU Compression Performance Run socks, Smart wool PhD run socks, Adidas Climaheat long tight, Under Armour cold gear long sleeve mock, Mythos 2.0 Gore-Tex jacket, Under Armour cold gear infrared tactical hood, beanie, and Saucony mittens.
There you have it, my head to toe favorite winter running gear. My go to brand is Gore Running Wear. They may be more expensive than other brands but they work and perform at the highest level in the cold, wind, and rain. They have all three layers covered for a complete outfit. There are other solid options as well which I mentioned in this post. I hope it helps you plan your next winter running outfit. Just remember, never go with cotton. Always go with technical fabrics to keep you dry and warm. I’ll always chose 30s and under over heat and humidity for running any day. Enjoy your winter running!
There you have it, my head to toe favorite winter running gear. My go to brand is Gore Running Wear. They may be more expensive than other brands but they work and perform at the highest level in the cold, wind, and rain. They have all three layers covered for a complete outfit. There are other solid options as well which I mentioned in this post. I hope it helps you plan your next winter running outfit. Just remember, never go with cotton. Always go with technical fabrics to keep you dry and warm. I’ll always chose 30s and under over heat and humidity for running any day. Enjoy your winter running!
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