It’s mid-February, and Punxsutawny Phil says winter isn’t over yet. That’s a good thing to anyone in the west, since we desperately need snow and have had a creepily warm winter—for the most part. A few weeks ago, an Arctic blast hit Colorado. A few inches of snow fell where I live in Boulder, and the mercury dropped into the single digits.
Since I both test a ton of winter gear and love a good adventure, I layered wisely and headed to a trailhead for an afternoon run instead of succumbing to the soul-sucking environment of an indoor gym. For 26 winters—23 in Colorado and three on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe—I’ve laced up in all sorts of weather and headed outside. I’ve not only survived frigid temperatures but thrived, breathing in cold, fresh air while feeling like a rebel and a badass.
On the East Coast, my friend and ace apparel tester Kristie has been braving the cold of a New Hampshire winter for her runs. We often compare notes, and though she shares similar sentiments about the joys of winter running, what I wear to run in cold and dry Colorado is slightly different than what she wears for the bone-chilling, damp freeze of New England.
Here’s what’s been tested and proven to keep us comfortable during single-digit runs in the Mountain West and the Northeast.
The post Your Head-to-Toe Guide to Layering Up for Single-Digit Runs appeared first on Outside Online.
