Best Cold Weather Running Gear

How far below freezing? If your move is a few months away you should miss the worst of winter anyway.

I've accumulated more crap over the years than I need. Could easily get by with:

- two pair of tights, one thin, one thicker

- *maybe* a pair of pants to go over the tights on the coldest days, but it's almost never that cold in NYC any more

- handful of synthetic long sleeve shirts - cheap is fine, brand or whether it's marketed for running doesn't matter - a few of them mock turtlenecks

- windproof water-resistant jecket, doesn't need to be running-specific

- hat - my Windstopper fleece one is warmer than most

- gloves, and if you have poor circulation in your hands (Raynaud's) then also mittens (Brooks makes a good one, warm fleece inner layer and windproof outer)

- and most crucially: wind briefs or wind boxers

For most of this stuff cheap is fine. If some $$$ garment wicks 15% better than the cheap one, I don't notice the difference.

Visit a local running store when you get there... "cold weather running clothes" is very vague. If it's cold and wet (aka, pacific northwest) you would want different clothes than cold/snow (midwest/northeast), and if where you live is very windy, you'll want different stuff as well. Go see the people that know the region and what works well for them.

North Dakota freezing, to be more specific.

Jeezis, man. Different advice: don't do it!

Or if you do, make sure to guzzle some antifreeze before each run.

Here's a rundown on my gear. It's a couple of years old, but still pretty accurate. Grand Forks, ND, coldest place in the state most days.

http://anexerciseinutility.blogspot.com/2006/11/running-gear.html

sporthill 3sp

also windproof undies are a must-- seriously

Those of us with an iota of intelligence choose to run on an indoor track or the treadmill when the weather gets too cold. However, for those of you that choose to act like an idiot to prove you toughness the key is proper preparation. Proper preparation includes getting mindlessly drunk so that you no longer feel the effects of the sub-zero cold conditions. Then it is possible to further the legend of your toughness by running in shorts and a trainer. Sure, you may suffer some forms of frostbite but it is all worth it to be remembered as that ballsy m-f'er that didn't let the cold stop him.

A treadmill!

I agree with the first poster. When it's under 15-20, I typically wear 2 pairs of tights, a short sleeve shirt, an underarmour turtleneck, a running jacket, a hat with earflaps (regular fleece lined one that ties below the chin), Brooks mittens w/ the fleece liners, and a scarf that in the coldest of weather ends up pulled up to my eyes. I know there's "higher tech" stuff than my scarf and earflap hat, but they work for me.

To the guy brimming with so much intelligence that he only runs on treadmills & an indoor track, obviously you've never mastered dressing comfortably in cold weather if that's your only advice. Not everyone has access to a treadmill or indoor track or even wants to utilize these 100% of the time. I've heard transitioning to the road can be tough after a long stretch of treadmill training and I personally prefer the cold to running in place and dripping in sweat.

It's also a good idea to make some routes that frequently change direction for bitter cold windy days. I have a route that I turn every half mile so that I'm not running into the wind for more than 1/2 mile at a time. Sometimes those bitter cold winds can bring on an "ice cream headache!"

i work at a running store in wisconsin

get sugoi subzero tights....gauarenteed to keep you warm...trust me

and somesort of craft baselayer such as the Mens proWARM Crew Neck

or i go with underarmor cold gear for my base

then just a simple shell or something over that and you should be set with a nice hat and good running mittons (warmer then gloves) otherwise take some big wool socks and put them over your gloves...thats what i do on the really cold days...works amazing

Running on a treadmill isn't running to me. It's just exercise, and I'm already fit.

On cold days (15 to 30F):

warm hat

long sleeve polypro shirt

wind proof light jacket

light gloves

wind briefs

running pants

the usual socks

trainers

On really cold days (-15 to 15F), I'll add:

balaclava

a heavier long sleeve layer

an outer glove over the light gloves

tights under the pants

heavier socks

What's the attraction of underarmor? I've tried it several times and it makes me sweat like crazy, then I get cold from sweat. I've heard others say they completely hate it, but it's appeared twice on this thread. I always thought it was designed for someone other than runners.

I will second the Craft proWARM recommendation. That stuff is expensive, works incredibly well for the weight, and is durable enough to make it worth the cost. Likewise for Craft's windstopper tights.

For the poster who asked why UnderArmor, the answer is because it's widely available, works well, is durable, and it's inexpensive. Craft is not easy to find (it's often out of stock online, and is slow to deliver...I waited eight weeks for my proWARM top last fall), works even better, is durable, and is about 2 to 2.5 times more expensive.

The problem with UnderArmor that made me switch was it was too tight across the shoulders, which gave me back and neck problems. Otherwise I thought it worked well.

One additional point about ND--it is always windy. We certainly do get dead calm days, but that's literally less than 10 days a year. Windproof gear is critical in the winter, especially in the breastages area for the ladies and the crotchal region for the men. Many a tear has been shed upon rewarming those areas that were not properly shielded.