The Best Cold Weather Running Gear for Men
I started running in the spring (you can read more about my experience here, and I had two concerns:
Finishing each run
Sweating my tits off
Now that it’s winter, and I’ve completed my Couch to 5k experience, I have two concerns:
Finishing each run
Freezing my tits off
Same old tits, different day.
I consulted with my friend Arielle who spent many winters as a runner in NYC. With her advice - along with the help of a secret weapon I call Google, I’ve found some great gear that makes running outside when it’s 30 degrees tolerable. Let’s start from the inside out:
Leggings - Leggings look stupid (especially the way I wear them, under shorts) but they’re the #1 best purchase I’ve made to support my running. They keep you warm, but aren’t bulky and let you move in a way that pants don’t. My favorites are from Nike, and I’m partial to the 3/4 length version below. I top off with any old pair of nylon shorts - my currents are from Marshalls and were about $7.
Base Layers - I have two recommendations here.
From Lululemon, I like the Metal Vent Tech Long Sleeve Shirt 2.0. It has a soft, drapey fabric that moves along with you and comes in a bunch of colors.
When it’s an especially cold morning, I like the Nike Dri-FIT Element 1/4 Zip Running Top. The mock neck keeps me warmer than just a t-shirt, and the fabric is a little bit thicker than the Lululemon top. It also comes in some fun colors, my favorite of which is, of course, the highlighter yellow.
Left - Lululemon
Right - Nike
Outer Layer - A vest has been a game changer; I’m partial to the Cold Terrain Fleece Vest from Lululemon. It keeps you warm, but not too warm. It has plenty of pockets, it’s water repellent, and your arms are free. This is good.
Accessories - Listen, I’m no stranger to accessories. I just didn’t think running required them. WRONG. I let my fingers do a LOT of walking on my search for a non-black running glove (don’t think that’s a hard request? Try looking for yourself!) Or don’t bother, actually, because I’ve found the only cute non-black running gloves on the planet. They’re from Tracksmith, which is a very cool Massachusetts-based indie running brand. They’re warm but not bulky, and have little pads on the fingers to allow you to use your phone. Check them out!
And, of course, last but not least: shoes. This’ll be a short paragraph: I only wear Hoka shoes and so should you. I’m partial to the Bondi range, but you can check out all their men’s road-running shoes here.
Voila! This is what I wear when I’m pounding the pavement. Am I missing any must-haves that make your cold-weather runs more bearable?
