Exercising Outdoors in the Winter

We have long, cold winters here in South Dakota.  When I moved here, I was determined to learn to live with winter and not to let weather conditions deter me from experiencing the outdoors.  Last winter was particularly snowy in the Black Hills.  There were also days when the temperatures dropped to the negative double-digits.  Yet I went out for at least an hour - usually more - every single day.  Many people marvelled at my ability to do this.  But I am not super human.  The trick is dressing appropriately.  I have spent many years experimenting with various clothing systems so that I could enjoy the outdoors year round no matter where I happen to be.  Everyone needs to get to know their own tolerance levels.  So you will need to do your own experimentation.  But here is an example:

This morning when I got up the thermometer read +5 degrees. It was 6:45 AM. Although light enough to see, the sun had not yet risen. I scrutinized the trees in my yard for signs of wind. They appeared to be still. There was an orange light on the horizon signaling the possibility of sun so I knew the temperature would rise while I was out. Also, today I knew I would be doing some running (which would generate more warmth) as well as some walking (which requires more external warmth). All of these observations need to be taken into account in order to dress properly. This may seem like a lot of work but it can mean the difference between being comfortable and enjoying the outdoors and being miserable and cutting your outdoor time short. It helps to develop a sort of check list which includes all of these considerations. Then you can really run through them quickly.
So this morning the checklist went as follows:

• Single digit temperature but above zero;

• Little or now wind – so far, anyway. If the wind rises later, which it usually does, the air temperature will also be higher by then and I will also be warmed up;

• Possibility of sun, though too soon to tell because cloud cover was not yet obvious;

• Today’s activities would include running as well as walking;

• A couple of inches of snow on the ground – less in some places, more in others – meaning my feet would have to be prepared.

This is what I wore:

Start with feet:

• Whenever I know I’m going to be out for an hour or more, I always rub a think layer of vasoline on my feet. It acts as an insulator and also keeps me from getting blisters even if my feet get wet.

• I put on thin polypropylene liner socks. As a first layer, I think polypro is the best insulator. Tip – I always turn my socks inside out so that the seam is on the outside, away from my toes.

• On top of the liners I put on heavy Smart Wool hiking socks. For me, only these two pairs of socks are necessary for the conditions outlined above.  I'm not actually a major Smart Wool fan.  The weight of the socks is more important than the brand.  Any heavy-duty hiking socks will do.

Legs next:

• A pair of arctic weight tights (footless). The ones I have are double layer polyester. They hug the body for better insulation.

• On top of these, a looser pair of pants. These are also a heavy duty polyester with zippers at the bottom to keep them snug around my ankles and also to allow easy on/off.  My pair also has pockets. I always look for outer layers that have pockets because I like to be able to carry things with me that are readily accessible such as a handkerchief, sunglasses, lip balm and a small dispenser of pepper spray.

Upper body:

• Because I knew I would be running and because of the hint of sunlight, as a first layer I put on a light-weight zip t-neck. Also polyester. Also form-fitting. I like the zip T’s because you can unzip if you get warm and re-zip if you get cold.

• Next layer: an expedition (or arctic) weight zip t-neck. This one is fleece lined and heavier but still light enough to not feel weighed down. I try to buy these over layers a bit larger so that I they will fit over heavier weight first layers if needed but are also close fitting enough to wear alone if conditions are not too extreme.

• Outer layer: a wind-bloc arctic weight fleece jacket. The one I have is from LL Bean. It provides maximum warmth for the weight and has a full zip for temperature regulation. Although light-weight it’s still a bit heavy for wrapping around my waist so I try to only wear it on days when I am unlikely to need to take it off.

Head:

• I have a stretchy knit polyester bandana-type head scarf that I use as a first layer.

• On top of that I wear a knit hat. Mine is blaze orange since I like to walk in the woods and also for visibility if I need to walk on a road.

Last, but hardly least, hands:

• I suffer badly with cold fingers so when the temperature is in the single digits or below, I use handwarmer packets. I take them out and shake them when I start to get dressed and by the time I’m ready to leave, they are warm.

• The packets go into shell mittens. I have a pair of lightweight snowboarder mittens  that came with a removable fleece liner. I don’t use that liner because it is too thick and unwieldy for me, but the mittens can be used with any liner. I like them because they have a cuff with a Velcro wrist band so they hug tight but are easy to get on and off.  These are made by Sirius and available from campmor.com.

• Under the mittens I wear 2 lightweight liners. One is polypro (again – the best insulator in my opinion) and the other is polyester. I find that fleece and thermax do not work well as liners for me but you might find them fine.   Again, you will need to experiment to see what works for you.

I was out for 3 hours today. The sun did come out briefly but was soon eclipsed by heavy cloud cover. Eventually it started snowing which became heavy for the last 45 minutes or so of my outing. The wind picked up slightly at times, but was mostly pretty tame. I was perfectly comfortable using the above system of clothes.

This is just one example.  In future posts I will give you additional examples and even a comparison chart with temperature levels and companion clothing systems.  I look forward to your feedback!