Forums >Gears and Wears>First winter running ... what to wear?
I have NO winter running clothes. Nada. Even in HS I basically took off between XC and track, so I'm clueless. Any suggestions for inexpensive winter running outfits? It rarely goes below 15 °F here, but I would also like something that works in the cold rain.
I tried sweatpants the other day (31 °F) and the things were so sweaty and heavy by 6 miles that I thought I wouldn't be able to make it home. Any colder and I would have been shuffling with comic book style frozen pants.
I've got gore-tex shorts that I made by cutting the legs off some cheap(er) on-sale pants, then hemmed them, and a similar pullover that I cut the arms off to make a t-shirt type thing. I can stay comfortable down to mid 20's or so. Don't like long pants of any kind . This morning in a heavy rain I tried out a sou'wester for a rain hat with the above mentioned set-up- worked great. The problem is shoes and socks- they get wet if the run is very long. Gore-tex gloves get awfully hot, but glove liners get wet and cold- haven't figured that one out yet. (Maybe something for dishwashing .....)
MTA - if it got down to 10 or 15, I'd just add long underwear. ( and then the big gloves would work.)
I have NO winter running clothes. Nada. Even in HS I basically took off between XC and track, so I'm clueless. Any suggestions for inexpensive winter running outfits? It rarely goes below 15 °F here, but I would also like something that works in the cold rain. I tried sweatpants the other day (31 °F) and the things were so sweaty and heavy by 6 miles that I thought I wouldn't be able to make it home. Any colder and I would have been shuffling with comic book style frozen pants.
The spandiex tights work great......Walmart has starter brand for under $20.00....they will be good for one season. Under Armour makes some great base layer clothing. (about 4x the cost)
I run year around....my coldest temp was -13 deg F......It really doesn't take much to keep you warm. right around that 32 - 33 deg mark is where I'll switch from shorts to pants.....depends on wind, sun etc.
Gore tex jackets are nice but pricey.....most of the time I wear a cotton tee under a long sleeve tee and I'm good....if anything more is required it's for protection from the wind. Check out some cycling sites like permormance bike or Nashbar.......they have some very affordable clothing designed to breathe and give you cold protection.....plus nice bright colors.
Gore-tex gloves get awfully hot, but glove liners get wet and cold- haven't figured that one out yet. (Maybe something for dishwashing .....) MTA - if it got down to 10 or 15, I'd just add long underwear. ( and then the big gloves would work.)
Gore-tex gloves get awfully hot, but glove liners get wet and cold- haven't figured that one out yet. (Maybe something for dishwashing .....)
Also add in....I'm almost afraid to admit this but a pair of womens nylons under a pair of light weight nylon pants work great too.....right down into the teens.....and damn cheap.
Before you laugh I learned this from big burely construction workers......they wore pantyhose under thier jeans.
GLOVES.....Chuck, I wear throw away liners....they cost like .50/pair.....If it gets to hot I just toss them.....they usually enough but at times I pull out my gore tex cycling gloves.....it has to be pretty cold for them though.
I'd recommend layering. I'm a fan of tech fabric and jackets with zippers so you can regulate your temperature. I think some people make the mistake of overdressing: get all wet from sweating and then you'll feel really cold.
You may be cold at the beginning, but should warm up in about a mile. Even on the coldest days (teens, single digits) I'm fine in a thin jacket and a tech shirt or two along with tights, a hat and/or earmuffs (often just the muffs, as the old lobes get cold) and gloves.
I would think a good waterproof breathable jacket (Goretex or various proprietary laminates from the major brands) would be a good investment. May not be exactly cheap, but if you get one stylish enough, you could wear it for non-running purposes.
DWARP Marathon Madness Mob
My wife tried to get me to wear nylons too, but SLO -- I got a pair of black compressions at Walmart last winter that go to my ankles ---- that will get you out of the woman's nylons but does the same thing......think they cost about $10 or $15 or so.... They work really well on a very cold windy day under wind breaker pants also......
Champions are made when no one is watching
My wife tried to get me to wear nylons
Last I checked this was a running forum....not a fetish site....
I've got a fever...
I use the +20° rule. Take whatever the temp is (in °F). Add 20 to it. Dress like you would if you were just gonna be hanging out outside (not exercising) at that temperature. This usually keeps me from overdressing.
I'd strongly recommend against cotton at any temperature because it stays wet. In warm weather, a wet shirt inhibits sweat evaporation, and you get too hot. In cold weather, you could end up cold and wet. Be sure the layer closest to your skin is some kind of tech fabric. (Disclosure: I haven't run in cotton since the 90's. Every bit I wear is some kind of moisture-wicking tech fabric, including socks and runderwear)
Gore-Tex, as it's been said, is pricey. Also, although it's breathable, it's usually not breathable enough for me. I know they've made some improvements in the 10+ years since I've bought a Gore-Tex suit, but I've always gotten too warm in mine; I only wear it in a torrential downpour. That usually works well for me. If you buy Gore-tex or similar, make sure it has large zippered vents for thermal regulation.
There are lots of lightweight shells out there that'll block the wind and are water resistant. I have a Pearl Izumi Zephrr jacket that's lightweight, and stows into its own pocket. On my model, the sleeves zip off to make a vest -- this is a great feature because I can take the sleeves off and stow them if I get too warm.
Like Dan said, zippers are great. Having shirts with half zippers can really help you regulate.
Get a set of tights. I pretty much don't break mine out until it gets into the 30's (or maybe 40's if it's really windy). Above that and I get too warm.
For me, the most important things to keep warm are my ears and hands (okay, there's another area that MUST be kept warm, but we'll let you figure that out. Think sock.) If I keep those warm, I can handle almost anything. I have a pair of Gore Winstopper mittens that are super light and breathable. I can't seem to find them anywhere anymore, but here are some similar products. The crown jewel of cold weather running, for me at least, is the 180s ear-warmer.
I get too hot when I wear any kind of hat. And headbands bug me. But these suckers are super light, cover only your ears, wrap around your head, and they fold and stow lightly. I live in AL, so it never gets very cold here. 180s does make heavier versions for colder climes, and they even have some with build in headphones. They're great for days when it's way too warm for a hat, but just windy enough to make your ears hurt. I can't recommend them enough.
On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.
The Crap Whisperer
Also add in....I'm almost afraid to admit this but a pair of womens nylons under a pair of light weight nylon pants work great too.....right down into the teens.....and damn cheap. Before you laugh I learned this from big burely construction workers......they wore pantyhose under thier jeans.
This sounds like the worst idea EVER! There is nothing more disgusting than sweating in a pair of pantyhose! ICK!
Being the best tiny spec that I can be!
rectumdamnnearkilledem
+1 This is why sane women avoid wearing hose in the Summer at ALL cost!
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
What ever did we do back in the early 1980's ?
What we raced in back then was like nylon....it didn't even begin to soak up the sweat. Winter time runs were in exactly what LuckyLindy went out in to begin with....cotten sweats.
My tech shirts are soaking wet when I take them off.....just like my cotton t's. The cotton T's however don't maintain a perm stench to them like some of my tech shirts. Most of the cheap tech shirts you get in your race packet isn't much different than a cotton T.
Nothing wrong with cotton in my opinion......I just woudn't stand around to long in the freezing temps after a run if your all sweaty......
I'll admit that when Hunting....I have worn the nylons and they work great......I can't say that I've run in them......but the difference between a pair of hose and some of the stretchy tights sold to runners is pretty damn minimal.
If you want to $buck up, then there is a big difference with breathable material.......I'm just sayin.....he wanted inexpensive.
What ever did we do back in the early 1980's ? What we raced in back then was like nylon....it didn't even begin to soak up the sweat. Winter time runs were in exactly what LuckyLindy went out in to begin with....cotten sweats. My tech shirts are soaking wet when I take them off.....just like my cotton t's. The cotton T's however don't maintain a perm stench to them like some of my tech shirts. Most of the cheap tech shirts you get in your race packet isn't much different than a cotton T. Nothing wrong with cotton in my opinion......I just wouldn't stand around to long in the freezing temps after a run if your all sweaty......
Nothing wrong with cotton in my opinion......I just wouldn't stand around to long in the freezing temps after a run if your all sweaty......
Heh. I still remember the old days of sweats and cotton pullover hoodies. The Rocky Balboa look is what I grew up with, too, though as a high schooler in the mid-to-late 80's, I was part of probably the first generation to start wearing spandex.
To each their own on the fabric. Overheating is one of my running pet peeves, and I hate the feel of a sweat-soaked cotton shirt sticking to me during a run. I always stay cooler and drier in tech fabrics, so that's what I stick with.
I'll admit that when Hunting....I have worn the nylons and they work great......I can't say that I've run in them......but the difference between a pair of hose and some of the stretchy tights sold to runners is pretty damn minimal. If you want to $buck up, then there is a big difference with breathable material.......I'm just sayin.....he wanted inexpensive.
The sweat-wicking ability of running tights compared to pantyhose is anything but minimal! If you aren't going to sweat then yes, they will help keep you warm...but running in them sounds nightmare'ish! And like Zoomy said...any sane woman (or man) will avoid panythose at any cost during the summer!
I suppose they are cheap...I will give you that...but ICK!