What to wear running in heat, cold, rain and wind
You warm up within the first mile, so dress for how you'll feel once you're moving, not for the first few steps out the door.
Heat and humidity
- A light, breathable top: a short-sleeve shirt, a tank or a singlet.
- Shorts.
- A cap or sun hat, and sunglasses, for bright sun.
In our catalog: 27 current short-sleeve running shirts, 5 tanks and singlets, 24 pairs of running shorts, 43 running hats and sun hats, and 48 pairs of running sunglasses.
Cold
- Layers you can open or take off: a base layer, then a top or jacket over it.
- Tights, or tights made for cold weather.
- Cover your hands and ears first: gloves or mittens, and a beanie or headband. A neck gaiter or balaclava helps in hard cold.
In our catalog: 9 current base layers, 16 pairs of running tights (7 made for cold weather), 45 pairs of running gloves and mittens, 12 winter beanies, caps and headbands, and 22 balaclavas, neck gaiters and face masks. All of them are on our winter running gear page.
Rain
- A waterproof running jacket for steady rain.
- A cap with a brim keeps rain out of your eyes.
In our catalog: 10 current waterproof running jackets.
Wind
- A light wind jacket over your usual top. It packs small when the wind drops.
In our catalog: 7 current wind and light-weather jackets.
Snow and ice
- Traction devices that slip over your running shoes, or studs that screw into the sole, add grip on ice and packed snow. Our catalog has 11 current ones, 2 of them screw-in studs, on the winter running gear page.
How our finder uses the conditions you run in
- You tell it the conditions you usually run in: heat, humidity, rain, cold, snow or ice, wind, low light or darkness, or mostly mild.
- Heat or humidity: it favours clothing made for hot weather, and more breathable road shoes and clothing.
- Cold, or snow or ice: it favours clothing made for cold and for warmth.
- Rain or wind: it favours clothing made for wet weather.
- Snow or ice: it ranks traction devices on grip for the winter surfaces you name.
- If you give your ZIP code and allow it, it can suggest conditions from your area's 30-year climate averages. Nothing is used until you tick it.
- It doesn't read your forecast or the temperature on the day you run.