Thermal Gear – Keeping Winter Sports Athletes Safe

Winter sports are not easy to play. In fact no sports are easy to play but winter sports are more daunting just because they are played in extreme winters and that too amongst lots of snow and ice. It is very important for the athletes of winter sports to be careful with their outfits and gears so that they do not fall sick or give a poor performance simply because they are not feeling comfortable in cold weather.

The players of winter sports are to see that they wear heated apparel in the right way. Their apparel should comprise of following items – thermal tops and jackets; frost free goggles; heated caps or head gears; heated base layer; thermal gloves; thermal pants or lowers; and thermal socks. In addition to these, the underwear of these athletes should also be thermal ones.

The thermal gears for sportspersons playing winter games are not made up of one thick and sturdy layer. They are rather made of three layers with first layer of base fabric; the second layer of the insulating material and the third layer of a protective fabric material. While the outermost layer of the layer these thermal gears are windproof as well as waterproof; the inner layers are made up of comfortable material that would let the wearer breathe through easily.
For such purposes, the material of fleece is considered to be the most appropriate one. It is not just warm and snug but also very light in weight. Even if gets damp or moist due to perspiration, it dries up quickly.

The thermal gloves to be worn by winter-sports athletes must be thick and insulated enough to keep the players comfortable while they are playing their games. They should also be comfortable enough to give enough space to the hands of the players to move effortlessly and hold their sport props easily. For socks, one pair of thermal socks is going to be adequate simply because piling up one pair of socks over another is going to hamper blood circulation in the feet.

Playing any winter sports can be highly hazardous if it is not played by wearing proper thermal gear. This is an important requisite to be taken care of while getting prepared for playing as any kind of carelessness can result in severe consequences of the player’s life as well as sports career. The aftereffect of any kind of fall or slip while playing any of the winter sports, such as ice hockey, ice skating, kayaking, snowboarding etc, can be minimized only by being dressed up in proper gear and sports apparel.

The winter-sports athletes must make the most suitable kind of choice while selecting their thermal apparel. Their thermal sports gear should neither be too big or too small. The material used should be of best quality otherwise the very purpose of wearing a protective thermal gear would get defeated. The sports gear should comply with the required functionality thus providing the much required protection as well as comfort to the wearer.

Clothing Layers For Winter Sports

Wear a Base Layer, Thermal Layers and Shell Outer Layer

The best way to achieve the perfect 'body climate' during strenuous exercise or light activity is with a clothing layering system. Gone are the days of thick ski jackets which are not versatile enough to cope with intermittent aerobic activity.

It is not difficult to stay warm, wearing thin, wind proof clothing when exercising vigorously in the snow, in sub-zero (below 32 Fahrenheit) temperatures.

Skiing (downhill and cross country), snowboarding, snow shoeing or hiking warm the body. Too much clothing will cause overheating and sweating. The problem arises when taking a break from activities without seeking shelter e.g. riding a chairlift, stopping for a picnic lunch or simply easing the pace.

Sweating makes a person wet and combined with low temperatures, wind and energy expended, rapidly makes her cold. Once cold, without the chance for shelter it can become difficult to warm up. This leaves the snow enthusiast more susceptible to injury (since their muscles are cold) or, exposure which in extreme cases can lead to hypothermia.
Base Layers, Wicking Layers and Thermal Underwear

Wicking, breathability, insulation, flatlock stitching, and odour control are some of the properties referred to with base layer clothing. These are the layers worn closest to the skin. They are desirably soft, close fitting and transport moisture away from the body (also known as moisture wicking). Merino wool, polypropylene and various other synthetic fabrics achieve this aim. Read more about Choosing Thermal Underwear in a related article in this series.
Mid-Layers or Thermal Insulation Layers

The number, thickness and nature of thermal layers will vary with the temperature and winter sport activity.

Fleece and mid-thickness thermal layers (typically wool or synthetic) are the most inexpensive options and versatile since they can be peeled off or layered on to regulate temperature.

Soft shell jackets and pants are high-performance, technical garments suitable for four seasons. Manufacturers' specifications suggest they are wind resistant, water repellent and breathable. Soft shell is built for freedom of movement, durability, typically has a sleek, form-fitting design and will accommodate a base and thermal mid-layer underneath. Except in storm conditions or during very cold temperatures, they can be worn as an outer layer.

E.g. Plusheat: Venture Exclusive Softshell Jacket for Women

Down jackets provide serious warmth and were traditionally bulky garments that readily shed feathers and became useless when exposed to moisture. Nowadays, down sweaters have become a very practical and fashionable insulation layer, with quilting to contain the down, often featuring a durable, rip stop, water resistant outer layer.

Unlike down jackets which become soggy once wet, synthetic jackets retain their thermal properties in all weather conditions. They are versatile garments for wearing as insulation layers, or over the top for added warmth.

E.g. Patagonia: Men's Micro Puff Hooded Jacket
Outer Shell Layers Offer Wind and Weather Resistance

A shell implies these layers are thin, worn on the outside and are designed to keep the weather out. These layers readily pack down to a small size for stashing away and yet provide full weather protection, keeping out rain, snow and wind but with limited insulation or thermal benefits.

E.g. Arcteryx: Alpha LT Jacket which according to manufacturers' specifications, is a lightweight Goretex, fully waterproof jacket.

Useful features on all-weather outer garments include full length zips on over trousers (such that they can be taken off without removing crampons, oversized footwear or, harness) and a storm hood on jackets that will accommodate a helmet.

E.g. The North Face Men's Varius Guide Pant

A layering system requires carrying a backpack to store extra layers as they are peeled off. Indeed a backpack can conveniently stow water and other useful items and acts as insulation, keeping the wearer's back warm and to a certain extent protected.

These days clothing for all kinds of winter activities has become technical and highly specialized. There are however some key elements to a winter layering system that simplifies purchasing choices and can be combined for multiple outdoor winter activities and weather conditions.

Winter Running — What Do I Wear?

So you got through the post about the importance of working out over the winter to make the gains you want in the 2011 season and have set a goal to log 50 miles a week outdoors! Congratulations!

But the first cold morning that you put your nose to the window to test the temperatures is where we are going to lose you. Training indoors on a treadmill is always an option and one that I take advantage of as well. My rule of thumb is when there is ice on the road, I run indoors. If there is snow, it is a different ball game.

That means I run outside when the temps are below freezing. Personally, I love to run when the temps are between 40 and 50°. At that range I am in a technical t-shirt and plain jane running shorts, If I am feeling saucy, sometimes I throw on a thin beanie to keep my head a little warmer.

But when the temps are 30° and lower, I usually bundle up. I do not love to be cold, which is almost comical because I love to ski and duck hunt. Both of those sports require some level of chill because of their nature. Running in the cold is a piece of cake, right? Only if you are dressed correctly. Let’s start at the top and go down.

Head, Face, and Neck

Some people run without something covering their heads in the cold and I call them crazy. If the temps are below freezing I will always run with a beanie. There are literally hundreds of good choices in a beanie, but I like one that is thinner and has some insulating properties. I like mine to still insulate when they get wet, because I am a sweater. I stay away from wool on my head because it makes me itch and I hate to be distracted when I run.

If the wind is going to pick up during my run, I have been known to put a neck gator on. It has to be really cold for me to look that silly. I usually remember to put chapstick and sunglasses on before I roll out the door.

Upper Body

To keep warm, instead of wearing one large layer, the best way to stay warm is through wearing several different layers. There are lots of advantages to this strategy, one of which is once you get warmed-up you can start to shed layers if you begin to overheat. So the following information will reflect three different layers: the base, mid, and outer layers.

I think about everyone I know will tell you that wearing cotton in the winter as your base layer next to your skin is just silly. I am a little bit of a contrarian, so I may or may not have tried to wear a cotton t-shirt during a winter run once with horrible results. I won’t confirm or deny that here.

I do have about a thousand technical t-shirts from races that I will wear as my base layer. If it is going to be a really cold day, I will throw on one of DriFit or Thinsulate layers that I will typically use for skiing or duck hunting. This layer should pull moisture away from your skin and not necessarily keep you too warm. The true purpose of the base is to keep you as dry as possible.

The mid layer is where I will use fleece. I love the UnderArmour Fleece Pullover that I have. I swear I wash that thing three times a week during the winter. You can find it here if you want to see what it looks like. It isn’t windproof or anything, but man it will keep you warm. I recommend you get something with elastic in the wrists and possibly the waist to help keep the warm air in place while you run. Usually this is where I stop when dressing for running outside.

The purpose of the outer layer is to keep the weather out and away from your mid layer. If it is going to snow or it will be very windy, for goodness sakes put something water resistant on your body. There are so many great options out there now there is very little excuse for you to suffer through your runs. Of course you will pay more for materials like GoreTex, but I have found it is worth the money. Instead of skimping on the quality of the fabrics on your body, shop around and be willing to look for the great deals. They are out there.

Finally, I am a little bit of a hand wimp — I like my hands warm and comfortable. You can spend a lot of money on gloves, but this is an area that you can be cheap in. Most people I know just use the $2.00 gardening gloves you find a Lowe’s or Home Depot for running gloves. If you lose them, you really won’t care. Me, I will use either leather work gloves or a hybrid leather and synthetic work glove. Personally I prefer Carhartt’s. Call it the inner redneck coming out in me.

Lower Body

I like running in the winter because it makes me look hard. I wear leggings when it is cold enough to keep my legs warm. Notice I didn’t call them tights — that would take all the badness out of running in the winter. Leggings is just fine thank you.

I really like the Under Armour leggings. They call it their ColdGear Action Legging and you can read my review about them here. I will usually throw on a pair of tri shorts to keep the vitals a little warmer and then my leggings. The leggings help keep my knees and thighs warmer than if I didn’t wear anything. I also wear long socks on the winter instead of the ankle socks that I wear to run in during the summer. I like my ankles to stay warm too.

There are other little tricks — like using YakTrax to maintain traction in the snow — but I think I have covered the basics. If you have other tricks that you would like to share, please comment and let us know how you roll…


Anyone ever have their eyebrows freeze on a run? What about your nose hairs? I can say yes to both…

Hassle-free Winter

Day after day, the weather gets colder and colder, signifying that winter is already approaching. It feels a little chilly when the cool, gentle wind slaps softly on our face. How enjoyable it would be if the weather would just stay as it is, not too hot nor too cold? But just a few weeks more and the weather will get tremendous. The street will be covered with snow and the leaves of trees will turn into white. Soon it will be too cold for us to still do our favorite habits outdoors. Fishing? Picnics? Outdoor Concerts? All of these would be constrained due to the extreme weather.

The winter season brings uneasiness to our body. Maybe it occurred to you that while you are skiing you experienced numbness, making you feel sluggard. Subsequently, you just don’t want to move anymore. It’s given that people tend to be slothful during cold days. That’s why wintry days are often called as bed weather because it gives us the yearning to just always stay in our warm bed. The colder the weather, the more we will want to just sleep under our thick comforter or sit on our couch in front of the furnace.

We all know that being slothful is not beneficial to our health. Each and every day, we should have routines in working out so that we can stay active and healthy. But it is really the hardest to exercise during cold weathers. So in terms of considering our health and the enjoyment it brings when we are outside, being confined inside our room definitely is not a practical and beneficial thing to do.

We have to find ways that can help us in this situation. First option would be by using layers of thick jackets or mantles, but still there are some drawbacks by using this first option. On the list would be the additional weight you have to carry, being bulky and the cost of these jackets. Now, how are we going to be sporty if these factors are to be considered?

Second option is to look for a heated base layer. This will be a lot helpful since it answers the drawbacks of those thick jackets and mantles. It is certainly a good innovation to make us comfy this winter. It is as thin and light as our ordinary shirt and most of all it gives heat by blocking the coldness from outside. And because of these, we can stay active and we can enjoy our outdoor sports without limit. We can carry out our favorite activities such as snowboarding, skiing, hiking, and anything you want to do lively. You have the option to adjust the temperature depending on how much your body needs.

Above all, what a heated base layer can give you is comfort. After all it’s the reason why you are paying for expensive jackets. It will warm your body, thus protecting you from muscle cramps, numbness and from catching colds. You can move freely and comfortably.

Aside from that, it is affordable. You can even have it checked online to compare prices and to see the latest designs and features. Also check out some stuff that can help you during this season.

This winter, you have to choose to be practical without compromising your health. Why settle for your blankets at home if you can make the most of this season? Winter is a beautiful season; if you cannot avoid it then just enjoy it. Enjoy going out and your leisure time outdoors. You don’t have to be always sitting on your couch in front of the fireplace. You have options to choose from. Have hassle-free vacation this winter!