Dressing for a cold weather run can be a hassle. If you don’t wear enough, your feet and hands end up feeling like bricks before you generate enough body heat to ward off the shivers. Or you over dress and sweat like a wrestler in a rubber suit or shed clothes faster than a Chippendale dancer before reaching your first mile marker. Neither option makes for an ideal run.
I set out to find pieces that would provide warmth without bulk, be appropriate for various high-intensity winter workouts and maybe even function as a shoulder season piece—I’m all about good investments. The following five are absolute winners that use your body heat to keep you warm, are slim fitting and can be worn 3 to 4 seasons out of the year, depending where you run. They are the GoLite Black Mountain Thermal Wind Jacket, the Mountain Hardwear Transition Jacket, the Patagonia Traverse Jacket, the Outdoor Research Vert Pants and The North Face’s Windstopper® Hybrid Tight.
GoLite Black Mountain Thermal Wind Jacket ($150 – 13 oz.)
The GoLite Black Mountain Thermal Wind Jacket is the jacket to grab for seriously cold days when you want to stay warm and look good, too. Windproof chest and shoulders keep out biting breezes while a wicking fabric back panel lets out the sweat so you stay warm and dry. I wore this on a sub-zero run, with just a zip-T underneath and was completely comfortable. Bonus features like an auto-locking zipper with full length draft flap, side zip pockets, some reflective and a media pocket with internal cord routing mean you have nothing to worry about but the miles of trail before you.
[For our current favorite wind jackets, check out our best running jackets guide.]
Mountain Hardwear Transition Jacket ($160 – 13 oz.)
It’s crazy that something as thin as the Mountain Hardwear Transition Jacket can keep you so warm, but it does! While you may be a touch chilly waiting for a tardy buddy at your favorite trail head, as soon as you start generating any BTU’s at all (even with a few jumping jacks), the Transition Jacket keeps you toasty. This windproof yet breathable piece is downright sleek, especially when compared to its distant MH zip shirt cousin from 2003 or so, thanks to thinner fabric, inset stretch panels and a fabric finish that repels light moisture. I’ve worn this running, skiing and winter hiking with great results. Smart details abound with a hood, internal media pocket, rear zip pocket, full length draft flap, wrist cuff with thumb holds, taped flat-lock seams and reflective accents.
Patagonia Traverse Jacket ($99 – 9.9 oz.)
If you are looking for a four-season jacket at a great price, the Patagonia Traverse Jacket is it. The Traverse was my summer wind breaker, fall running jacket over a base layer and winter high-intensity coat in conjunction with a base layer and a vest. The durable water repellent finish keeps you dry when the clouds are spitting drizzle, while a full zip with wind flap and elastic banded cuffs keep the wind out and warmth in. A drawcord at the waist and hem ensure a comfortable fit and the slight drop tail keeps your tush dry in inclement weather. Zippered pockets, a bicep pocket with interior cord pass through and reflective graphics mean all the necessities fit in an indispensable lightweight package.
[For our current favorite wind jackets, check out our best running jackets guide.]
Outdoor Research Vert Pants ($99 – 12.9 oz.)
Running, skiing with long johns underneath, camping, thrown over running shorts on the way to an early morning yoga class, the Outdoor Research Vert Pants do it all. They are lightweight, durable, provide gentle stretch, wick sweat away and scoff at seasonal frizzle. An elastic waist with drawcord makes for a slim fit and zippered pockets safely stash your keys and a couple bucks for a post workout chai.
The North Face Windstopper® Hybrid Tight ($125 – 13.2 oz.)
When you wake up in the dark for your daily run, but the 5-degree reading on the thermometer makes you want to crawl under the covers, pull on these The North Face’s Winstopper Hybrid Tights and get your ass out the door. Windproof, moisture shedding, front panels protect you from whatever Mother Nature throws in your face, and breathable back fabric leaves your sweat behind. These beefy tights are finished off with a drawstring elastic waist, two hand pockets, calf zips with elastic grip cuffs, the requisite reflective bits and flat-lock seams.
Call for Comments
What are your favorite pieces of running apparel as you make the transition from autumn to winter, through winter, and then the transition back to spring? Do you take the “I can just put another shirt on” approach as iRunFar’s Runner-in-Chief, Bryon Powell, did for many winters? Is there a jacket you’d drive 100 miles back to a trailhead to retrieve? How about a pair of running pants that you’ve had since President Bush – the first one – was in office?
Help Support iRunFar
Looking to pick up a new outer layer before the next cold front rolls through? Consider purchasing it via these links to Amazon.com
or Backcountry.com
. If you do, a small percentage of your purchase will go to supporting iRunFar.com.
[Disclosure: The items reviewed above were provided by their respective companies for testing. Also, links above to Amazon.com and Backcountry.com are part of an affiliate program that helps support iRunFar.com.]
