What to Wear when You Run in the Cold

Is it really too cold to run outside in the winter? With the right gear, you’ll find you can be relatively comfortable even when it’s chilly. When it’s cold out, I find that the mistake I usually make is wearing too much, not too little. You want to be a little bit chilly when you leave your house. If you feel like you’re slightly underdressed when you get outside, you’re probably just right.

Although the best strategy is trial and error, here are my guidelines for what to wear to go running outside when it’s cooler:

40-50 degrees Fahrenheit: Go for running tights or lighter running pants, based on your preference. You will probably want a long-sleeve shirt (preferably one that wicks moisture away from your body), maybe covered by one of the following: a heavier mock turtleneck, a vest, or a lighter weight jacket. This may depend on the wind and whether there is a chance of rain. I prefer to either have a shirt with sleeves long enough to tuck my hands in or wear light gloves. Although a hat is usually too much, if it’s windy, you may want a headband to keep your ears warm. As a bonus, the headband can keep the wind from blowing your earphones out of your ears and minimize wind sound.

30-40 degrees Fahrenheit: At these temps, I usually wear running tights with pants over them or two pairs of running tights. However, if it’s not windy, I can usually get away with just running tights. A long-sleeve shirt under an vest or jacket usually works well. I like to make sure that my neck is covered especially if it’s windy, so I make sure at least one of those layers goes up around my neck. I also highly recommend a headband to cover your ears or a beanie or thinner hat. You will most likely want a pair of thin gloves.

20-30 degrees Fahrenheit: You may want to try technical underwear designed to keep you warm underneath your tights or pants. At these temps, you will want a long-sleeved shirt (possibly two) under an insulated jacket–or at least an insulated vest. Make sure you’ve got something to cover your head, either a beanie or a hat. Gloves are a necessity.

0-20 degrees Fahrenheit: Try technical underwear under tights with either another pair of tights or pants on top of that. Go for a long-sleeved shirt with another long-sleeved shirt over top. Then wear a wind-proof jacket with a vest over top. Make sure your ears are covered with a hat or beanie, and wear gloves. You can also get some extra insulation in the form of a mitten over top of the gloves at lower temps.

People do run outside when it’s below zero. However, the treadmill is worth a thought when the wind chill hits below negative 10 or 20, as it often does here in the Midwest. You can also think of this as an opportunity to cross-train—hit the pool or the Elliptical machine.

Another tip when it’s cold—consider staying close to home. You can run as far as you want, but it may be useful to make several loops around your neighborhood instead of a long out and back route. If you decide you’re underdressed or overdressed, you can adjust.

Many runners will also “ditch” an item of clothing when they’re out running and get warmed up. They can pick it up on the way home. If this was a free t-shirt, I’m all for it, but I am not going to risk ditching a beanie I paid $25 for or my expensive running jacket. If I run loops, I can deposit them at home as a I pass.