With it getting colder and colder outside i find myself wanting to upgrade my running wardrobe. Maybe you guys find yourself in a similar situation, or have already found your endgame and can give some recommendations.
Right now for example i am looking to upgrade some of my cheap decathlon longsleeved tops, that i am not particularly happy with, and maybe add a jacket/vest.
What are you wearing when it is X°C outside? When do you start using multiple layers and what’s your strategy?
What are your favorite pieces of running gear for when it gets cold outside? Feel free to name specific models.
Or maybe you aren’t as hung up about a specific brand, but have certain features/materials/technologies that you really like/dislike in your winter gear.
I’m so old-school. I still love my CW-X tights the best. I’m also a fan of fleece headbands. They keep my ears cool, but allow the heat out as I push. For really cold days, I have several Under Amour balacavas. As for gloves, I’m a fan of the fingerless ones that turn to mitts. I have a few different varieties I keep. For socks, merino wool is my favorite (SockGuy has some cute varieties).
Somehow i hadn’t heared of CW-X before, but looks interesting.
I also have a pair of hybrid gloves that turn into mitts (although not fingerless). It’s indeed a pretty useful feature.
Headwear is always a bit difficult to me, since i run with shokz headphones and i dislike when there is too much pressure on the headband when wearing something over it (even though i already have the smaller mini version). So last winter i got a headband from decathlon and made some holes behind the ears to stick them through.
How does merino wool hold up durability wise? Just out of general interest, because i am pretty happy with my injinji midweight trail toe socks (outside of the price).
On another note since making this thread i can report back that i have succeded in my quest and upgraded my longsleeved tops to Smartwhool Intraknit Thermal Merino Baselayer. So far i am quite happy with them.
CW-X was totally the rage before the Pandemic. Now everyone has deviated, but I still use my longer tights. It’s $$$, but lasts forever if washed carefully, and I love the compression and fit.
Because I already have sensory issues with most things on my head, I tend to get loose headbands (and hats). I wear my Shockz under them. Of course, with a balaclava, this is difficult. Earbuds or a clip on speaker could help. Noxgear makes a little clip on, and I’ve been eyeing it. I’ll probably ask for it for my birthday. :)
Merino that is well-made can last quite sometime (I put my merino socks in the dryer, but not my spandex clothing or other merino clothing). I never had issues with SockGuys wearing very easily. I collect them, and they seem to stick around forever—especially those I only use for athletics. I like the merino better than other kinds because it seems to wick the best. If I get my feet wet, it’s not as much of a nightmare to deal with. Temperature control and fit feels better, too.
I used to do full-length gloves, but prefer hybrid mitts as it feels like I can control temperature better, and it’s way easier to use devices with bare fingers than sensor gloves.