Views: 266 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2023-09-06 Origin: Site
When your breath hangs in the air, your wardrobe strategy is critical. Here are some ideas for how to dress for cooler weather.
Layering allows you to modify your body's thermostat by putting on and taking off things to maintain an even degree of comfort when conditions and exercise levels vary. Layering Basics provides a more complete explanation. This clothing approach is particularly critical in cold weather.
To dress for cold weather, you'll need three layers that work together to keep you warm:
Base layer: Your long underwear should be as dry as possible.
Middle layer: Your fleece or puffy jacket should retain as much of your body heat as possible.
Outer layer: Your rain gear should shield you from rain and wind.
Warm skin begins with dry skin, thus the objective of your long underwear is to drain perspiration away from you. (Cold skin is a result of wet skin.)
Fabric: Synthetics, such as polyester, are excellent in wicking and drying. Wool, particularly soft, nonitchy merino wool, is a fantastic natural fiber alternative.
Wicking cannot occur when the cloth is not in contact with the skin, therefore you want a reasonably snug (but not tight) fit everywhere.
Thickness (weight): Heavyweight makes sense for below-freezing temps and low activity levels. Midweight is a good all-around choice. Lightweight is best left to milder conditions.
Shop for Long Underwear
This is the layer that most of us think about when it's chilly outside, so it's not surprise that its function is to keep us warm.
Insulation: If you love fleece, make sure your jacket is made of heavyweight fleece. When it becomes really chilly, puffy jackets come into play. Down is the gold standard here, although it does not do well when damp. When the weather is moist or you'll be perspiring profusely, puffy coats with synthetic fillings are the preferable choice. For further information, see Down vs. Synthetic: Which Insulation is Best for You?
Insulation thickness: This is challenging since thickness cannot be used to determine warmth level when insulation kinds differ. Any temperature rating on a jacket is also ineffective since there are too many variables—wind, rain, activity level, and so forth. However, you may compare two coats with comparable insulation standards and conclude that puffier equals warmer. Read How to Choose Insulated Outerwear for more information.
Complete coverage: It's easy to grow fascinated with jackets. Save some affection for the legs. Pack a pair of fleece or insulated pants to keep your bottom half as toasty as your upper half.
Purchase Insulating Layers
This serves as your first line of defense. Even though it's commonly referred to as "rainwear," the purpose of this layer is to protect the layers beneath it from snow, sleet, rain, and wind. Read How to Choose Rainwear for a more in-depth explanation about rainwear. Whatever you wear must have three key features:
Protection against precipitation: A wicking base layer will not keep your skin dry if the rain from the sky soaks you from the outside. In the cold, you don't want to lose any heat through evaporative cooling. Wear a shell that is "waterproof," not just "water resistant."
unless conditions are crystal clear and shelter will always be close at hand. For a deeper dive, read What Does It Mean If a Jacket is Water Resistant?
Windchill protection: The good news is that any shell that’s “waterproof” is also “windproof.”
Shell pants: Cold wet ankles are no fun, so be sure your boot tops are covered. If your pants don’t do that, then consider adding a pair of gaiters.
Don't put off layering: put on a shell at the first indication of rain or wind, and take off your insulating jacket as soon as you start to sweat. It is simpler to stay warm and dry than it is to warm up or dry out.
Cotton is not permitted in any layer: Set aside your fondness for cotton flannel (or anything cotton) since it absorbs water and takes a long time to dry. That's a surefire formula for hypothermia.
Layers should work well together: the middle and outer layers should be able to slide on and off easily. When they are too tightly fitted with the layers beneath them, adjustments become difficult and you risk restricting circulation.
