Apparel

     

WINTER APPAREL

 The keys to keeping up with your winter outdoor fitness are rooted in your ability to dress appropriately. No matter your capability, determination or over all goals you must have the proper equipment to get yourself out of the door each day in the winter. There is an abundance of highly technical outdoor clothing at every price point and design. However to an untrained eye, the task of choosing the right pieces may seem daunting. This article will provide an overview of technical winter apparel and give some general suggestions for smart layering, and other cold weather basics.

          

The five major categories in winter apparel are the base-layer, the mid-layer, outer-layer, pants/tights and accessories. Each of these articles are independent but work best when used together. The benefit of using layers is that you have the freedom to customize your wardrobe each day based on temperature and weather conditions. We will now consider each layer individually and see how they are best used.

 

The base-layer is the layer that us worn directly on your skin. It is typically tight fitting and can sometimes offer compression support to the muscles. The idea of a base-layer is to keep the body’s core heat stable by acting as a second skin, but also to allow moisture (sweat) to move away from the body through evaporation. This is done by using technical fabrics that are made of synthetic materials, often polyester, wool, and spandex type blends. The base-layer normally comes in long and short sleeved tops and tights. It is considered by many to be the most crucial layering piece on the coldest winter days.

 

Worn right on top of the base-layer is the mid-layer. True to its name, this layer is normally the middle piece when layering. The mid-layer is typically semi form fitting, close enough to the skin to help with core warmth but loose enough to allow maximum flexibility. Out of all layers, the mid-layer comes in the most variations, fabrics and usages. There are pullovers, quarter-zips, half-zips and hooded pieces. They can come with windproof fronts panels, fold over mitten sleeves or special high tech materials like silver to further aid core warmth. One very important idea to remember about mid-layers is that they can often be used as your top or outer-layer when the temperature is no less than 40 degrees or so. In other words, when above freezing a great layering system for winter athletics can consist of just a base and mid layer.

 

When the weather gets cold, windy or wet enough that an outer-layer is needed it is important to understand the types that are offered. The outer-layer is generally very similar to what most people would consider a winter jacket or coat. However when used for outdoor athletics like running, the materials and constructions used are often much more technical and specialized. Again, the main goal is to manage body heat and moisture while providing free range of motion to the athlete. Typically made of nylon or some other woven material, outer-layers come in two basic varieties, shells and soft shells. The major difference between them being amount of insulation, most basic nylon shells have none. Their main purpose is wind and wet protection. Soft shells are often made of layered fabrics with waterproof membranes bonded between them to make a slightly thicker fabric with more weather defense. Both of these types mainly come in full zip loose fitting styles. They normally have some type of pocketing and can have stowable hoods. Other features sometimes found in the outer-layer are removable sleeves for vest conversion, fleece lined necks and cuffs, zippers and seams that are constructed in a waterproof fashion and reflectivity of some type for safety. The outer-layer is a great third layer if you plan to workout outside in the harshest elements on a consistent basis. These pieces can often double as a non athletic winter jacket because they are often made with fun style and colors.  

 

Pants or tights can be very simple when it comes to layering even for the coldest weather. In general there is no mid-layer when it comes to bottoms. In the worst weather you would start with a base-layer as mentioned earlier and then put on either a pant or tight depending on preference. These pieces are also available in several styles, constructions and fabrics. They are made of highly technical materials designed to stretch with the body and keep leg warmth close to the body. You will find pants and tights with wind and waterproof fronts, built in liners, and all types of pocketing and ankle closures. Obviously pants are a looser fit but should still be semi close to the body if running. A baggy pant may end up irritating the skin and get wet and heavy too easily. Like outer-layers, the best run pants can often double as a comfortable winter garment for many occasions.  

           

Finally the last, but very important part of the winter layering system are the accessories. This category is bursting with new gizmos and gadgets but we will stick to the basic necessities. Hats, gloves, socks and reflectivity are all items every winter athlete should own. When it comes to hats it comes down to fit and fabric. The fit should be snug and cover the ears. Most nice athletic winter hats are made of a stretch polyester fabric that will work overtime making sure to wick sweat away from your head and keep you dry. These hats may seem very lightweight in the store, but it is this weight your after because anything heavier will lead to too much sweating and a cold wet head.            

 

Gloves and socks come in many different varieties but one key idea should be considered when purchasing for outdoor winter use. Thicker and warmer is not always what you are after if you plan to work up a sweat outside. High tech socks and gloves are high tech because the fabrics being used allow them to maintain warmth and control moisture in relatively lightweight materials. Gloves and socks are often made of similar materials, blends of soft wools, synthetics and polyesters. They will often fit and feel like cotton, but remember when it comes to athletic socks, cotton is the enemy because of its inability to wick moisture and dry quickly. Invest in a few nice pairs of both if you plan to be outside all winter. Along with the warmth and technology they offer, these types of socks and gloves are usually very durable and will last several seasons…if not lost.

 

When it comes to smart purchasing and layering for your winter activities it comes down to fit, function and getting to the right place to buy. If you follow the above guidelines and make sure you do not over lap layers and use the pieces for the right purposes you can not go wrong. There are a ton of companies who make outstanding winter apparel at all different price levels and styles. My best advice is to get into a store and try things on. Do not be afraid to put layers on in the store, this will give you an idea of how thin 3 layers of clothing can be when using high smart layer techniques. Choose the pieces that have functions and features relevant to your activity.  For example, a long sleeve cycling jersey may look similar to a mid-layer but it is actually much different in features. Go to a shop you can trust and take advantage of the staff that most likely use the garments regularly and can offer great insight. Winter layering is extremely important for successful winter activities but does not have to be complicated. Follow the mentioned guidelines and you will be on you way to a great cold weather experience.