Chicago has earned its reputation as a winter tundra, where polar vortexes and lake-effect snow routinely pummel the city. To live here is to adapt to winter, not retreat from it. My days still revolve around “L” train commutes, neighborhood strolls with my kiddo, and exploring tucked-away hiking trails scattered throughout the city—even when temperatures drop to the teens and snow reaches past my ankles. Winter doesn’t stop me from going outside; it simply changes the cold-weather gear I reach for.
The best city-to-trail gear checks several boxes: It layers and works well in a modular system, easily stows when you go indoors, and blends in aesthetically for everyday wear. It also needs to feel comfortable enough to wear all day, from dropping my daughter off at daycare and waiting for the bus to working at the coffee shop or biking to the climbing gym.
For fellow city dwellers who bounce between city sidewalks and dirt trails, these 17 cold-weather essentials are built to handle both.
The post I’ve Survived 10 Chicago Winters—Polar Vortexes and All. This Is the Gear That’s Earned My Trust. appeared first on Outside Online.
