Winter Clothing

[administrator]

Please use this thread for posts related to winter apparel.

[Biciclista]

Hey hey! Today was my first wintery commute. I wore my long fingered gloves, my terry knickers (wished I'd had my ibex wool instead!) some smartwool striped knee socks that I bought right here on TE, a lightweight smartwool cap and finally my rainypass raincoat that i bought here on TE.
and it was NIPPY. oh, i wore a Merino wool sweater as well (lightweight )

[Becky]

Hey hey! Today was my first wintery commute. I wore my long fingered gloves, my terry knickers (wished I'd had my ibex wool instead!) some smartwool striped knee socks that I bought right here on TE, a lightweight smartwool cap and finally my rainypass raincoat that i bought here on TE.
and it was NIPPY. oh, i wore a Merino wool sweater as well (lightweight )

How chilly was it? I'm trying to get a sense of what gets worn at what temps.... Thanks!

[Biciclista]

Becky, we're all different. It was in the middle to high 40's this morning.
and below 40, I have a lot of trouble with eyes and nose running and glasses fogging up. :(

[Becky]

Oh, absolutely! I'd have definitely wanted more than knicks in the 40s!

I admire you for commuting in the 40s. That's my goal this winter, but I'm already whining about being chilly in the morning, and it's only in the 50s :o

[sundial]

Ok, I am in the watery eye club. I'd like to wear some goggle style glasses this winter. Any suggestions?

[VeloVT]

I have a pair of sunglasses with very vented lenses -- the model is Tifosi Slip -- and I wear them in cold weather (below 40). When it hits 15, the Slips fog up at stoplights too. Then I switch to big dorky alpine ski goggles :eek:... (I actually have a WSD pair by UVEX that isn't uber-huge for ski goggles, but they still look a tad dorky on the bike I"m sure).

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Ok, I am in the watery eye club. I'd like to wear some goggle style glasses this winter. Any suggestions?

I LOVE these:
http://www.eagleeyes.com/products/staclips/fitons.lasso
I wear them over my regular eyeglasses.
---no more pebbles/bugs hitting my prescription lenses at 30mph
---no sun glare or sun blindness
---no tearing eyes from the wind anymore
---no more freezing eyeglasses frame hurting my face
---no more cold weather fogging
---they look stylish and oddly they don't look too huge on me either even though they fit over my regular glasses.

I wore my first pair for 2 years and I got a second pair now just in case something happens to my first pair.
I like the "amber" lenses because everything looks lovely and golden like at sunset. :)

[Miranda]

I know wool is very popular for warmth in the winter. Normally, I am allergic to wool. Even the pretty cashmere sweaters that are soft at the fashion stores break me out in itchy red hives (I try, but never make it past the dressing room *sigh*) :(. From what I hear, merino wool, which a lot of the wool products featured here on TE are made of, are suppose to be non-itchy???:confused: It makes me wonder if there could be "wool hope" :o for me in that regard. Any opinions from the wool queens of TE?

[Crankin]

I generally itch from wool, but *most* merino is OK... that is, I can wear it without anything underneath it. Sometimes, it's hard to tell. I bought 2 Ibex t shirts that felt very soft in the store, but bother me when I wear them. They are softening, though, with washing. I have a couple of merino cycling jerseys that are just fine and several nice sweaters that I wear all of the time.
Keep trying.

[Biciclista]

a lot of the wool products I wear (like my bra!) are not itchy at all. You will just have to buy something from Ibex. if you don't like it you can always sell it used here on TE :cool::cool::cool::cool::cool:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I can say that one of Ibex's very SOFTEST merino tops is their "Kate":
Kate (http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/Products.php?Cat=1076&SubCat=36&Gender=Womens)

I realize it is expensive, but perhaps you could just try it on and see what it feels like.
Their "woolies" base layer item are pretty thin and soft too....snuggly.
Sometimes you can find Ibex items on sale online in various other places too.

[sundial]

I LOVE these:
http://www.eagleeyes.com/products/staclips/fitons.lasso

Ooh, that reminds me--my fly fishing glasses. They look very similar to yours. Thanks for the tip!

[SouthernBelle]

I made my first trip to Goodwill of the season looking for merino sweaters. Found 2 men's smalls,one black, one gray. I by-passed a cashmere due to a hole.

So now I need some chilly weather.

[Miranda]

Thx to the ladies above that posted about the merino maybe not being itchy for my normal wool allergy, and some specific product picks :). I have my eye on some things. I'll report back on the itch factor when the time comes.

[Flur]

If you are truly allergic to wool than the itchiness of the wool is irrelevant and you would get hives even from the softest wool. Avoid it altogether.

If you are just sensitive to itchy fabrics, then merino wool is a good way to go. I personally prefer Icebreaker merino as the least itchy. I think it has to do with the fine weave they use.

[GLC1968]

I had my first *cold* commute this morning and I have a product rave.

First off, my attire: I wore a new Icebreaker 1/2 zip top under a wind shell jacket. I would have loved to add a wool bra to the outfit, but I don't have one yet. I was amazingly dry when I got to work (20 mile ride), and that surprised me. The new top is definitely top notch.

On the bottom, I just wore a pair of terry cycling tights. They were ok while riding, but man, were my legs cold once I got to work!

I had on smartwool socks (too thick) and mtb shoes (too tight) so I had cold toes. I need to put on thinner socks and toe warmers and I'm sure I'll be fine. On my head, I wore just a regular buff. I would have liked to have had it pulled over my face for the first 10 minutes or so, but I forgot to do so and I didn't want to stop to adjust it. After that, I warmed up enough that it was fine just on my head and over my ears.

And now, for the rave: I had on a new pair of PI Gavia gloves I bought at REI last week. I haven't been able to find my regular long fingered gloves since we moved, so I bought a new pair. I splurged a little on these ($45) because they will shed water and my other gloves won't (should I ever find them). I tried on the womens and the mens and ended up going with a men's small over the women's medium. Both fit ok, but the men's smalls were slightly roomier so that I can wear my wool liners under them should it be REALLY cold. Today I wore them without liners and they were PERFECT! It was 35 degrees when we left (and dark and foggy) and my fingers were toasty warm the entire ride. I'm really, really impresssed because even when my hands are warm enough for 30-60 minute rides, they always got cold after an hour. Not today. Even 90 minutes into the ride, my hands felt comfortable. I'm really curious to try these in the rain, next. :D

[Blueberry]

GLC-

Thanks for the review on the gloves - I had wondered how they would work - I have the AmFibs (too bulky for NC) and some lighter gloves in which my hands freeze.

CA

[surgtech1956]

What are the warmest gloves? My hands are usually the first thing to get cold. I don't care for mittens. Thanks

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have yet to find gloves that can stand up to 25F 25mph for 2-3 hours.
What I do is layer various gloves instead....thin wool liners, windstopper biking gloves with goretex, then big men's ski gloves with windstopper on top of those 2. Once I wore 4 pairs of gloves and that worked pretty well. :p

[Blueberry]

What are the warmest gloves? My hands are usually the first thing to get cold. I don't care for mittens. Thanks

Probably lobster claw amfibs. But you still may want warmers/liners if you're particularly cold natured, depending on the weather. Some people use the snow mobile things (I forget what they're called). I was reading about a tour of AK at ridiculously cold temps, and that's what they used.

[lph]

GLC1968 - you need two Buffs :) I wear one doubled up under my helmet as a skullcap or just covering my ears (until it's cold enough to wear a real skullcap) and one around my neck as a neck gaiter. I pull the neck one up over my nose in the beginning and going down hills, and just pull it down again when I start to warm up.

I'm just re-remembering how thin socks and shoe covers are better than thick socks too... but haven't broken out the winter shoes yet.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

GLC1968 - you need two Buffs :) I wear one doubled up under my helmet as a skullcap or just covering my ears (until it's cold enough to wear a real skullcap) and one around my neck as a neck gaiter. I pull the neck one up over my nose in the beginning and going down hills, and just pull it down again when I start to warm up.


I do the same things with my Louis Garneau balaclava:
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodLG_1014002.html

It's very thin and silky but warm, and it's stretchy....so I can wear it three ways:
As a full coverage balaclava covering my nose and mouth
Pulled down under my mouth or chin so it leaves my face exposed
Or pull it back down off my head, tuck the hood in a bit and wear it like a cozy turtleneck- it's thin enough to do all these things, yet for some reason it's quite warm. It rolls up very small too, to tuck in my saddlebag or pocket.
:)

[GLC1968]

LPH and BSG - I've done both of what you suggested in the past in temps below 20F. Thing is, once I get moving, I hate having my neck covered....I just get too hot. And this is ONLY when I'm exercising, otherwise I'm a big fan of turtlenecks and scarves and such for non-active situations.

What I need is a jacket with a big stand up collar. Then I can wear it up over my lower face while I'm cold and then unzip it down to my chest as I warm up. I actually kind of did this with my Icebreaker top. If the neck were slightly longer, it would have been perfect!

CA - yeah, I looked at the amfib gloves and they seemed too much for me. I'd rather just layer in a wool or cashmere liner if it's really cold. I even have amfib booties that I've never used...I just don't get THAT cold (usually).

[Blueberry]

CA - yeah, I looked at the amfib gloves and they seemed too much for me. I'd rather just layer in a wool or cashmere liner if it's really cold. I even have amfib booties that I've never used...I just don't get THAT cold (usually).

I do like the booties. And the tights. But don't wear the tights when it's above 40 or you'll burn up!

CA

[Mistie]

Steep and cheap were offering these about once a week and they are an excellent base layer (and very attractive on)! I think I paid $24 + $8 SH.

[surgtech1956]

Can anyone recommend Patagonia Capilene? Thank you

[Velobambina]

First and foremost, thanks much to LPH for the two-buff suggestion. We are getting cold weather (below 40) earlier than usual, much to my chagrin, so I'm re-acclimating physically and mentally.

I love Capilene but I am a Patagonia addict. . I usually don't wear it for bike riding, just hiking. That said, this week I broke out a mid-weight capilene jersey as a second layer. Worked like a champ.

[lph]

Glad to hear it! I have a couple of balaclavas and use them occasionally, but the skullcap/Buff + neck gaiter Buff solution is a bit more versatile on the move and feels a bit more compatible with longish hair. And I really like being able to cover my nose completely on long descents.

I'm having fun actually, trying out all the gear combos I've noted down earlier and finding out that yes, they stil work :D The challenge is getting dressed in the morning in stuff that will work both for a cold morning commute and for a mild afternoon commute.

[meridian]

+1 for Patagonia Capilene. It's a bit of an investment but well worth it. The tops are great for cycling.

I'm sure the bottoms would be also, but I haven't worn those during cycling, so I'm not sure if the stitching locations would cause any problems in the saddle or not.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I just ordered these tights from TE, taking advantage of their FREE SHIPPING til Nov 3rd!:
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodCR_193363.html
My goal is to have them loose enough to wear over my regular long SheBeest biking/chamois tights when it's down in the 20's and 30s and windy.
Guess I'll report back if they fit right and I decide to keep them.
Anyone else here have them?

[Velobambina]

Another recommendation for the cold weather:

http://www.rei.com/product/770632

I thought I'd give these a go -- being one of those who gets cold feet rather easily. They are a dream. The bonus---your calves stay extra toasty. Wish they were TIGHTS, actually, or came up to the top of my thighs. :)

They aren't too bulky so a chemical heat warmer toasts your toes nicely. Also, there's room in your shoe so the heat can circulate.

[SouthernBelle]

Another recommendation for the cold weather:

http://www.rei.com/product/770632

I thought I'd give these a go -- being one of those who gets cold feet rather easily. They are a dream. The bonus---your calves stay extra toasty. Wish they were TIGHTS, actually, or came up to the top of my thighs. :)

They aren't too bulky so a chemical heat warmer toasts your toes nicely. Also, there's room in your shoe so the heat can circulate.

I don't have those in particular, but I do have some snowboarding sox. I love them.

[PamNY]

It's clear that wool clothing is popular for cycling, but I haven't found any explanation of why.

Can anyone explain?

Pam

[dachshund]

It's clear that wool clothing is popular for cycling, but I haven't found any explanation of why.

Can anyone explain?

Pam

I'm a recent convert, and what's most obvious to me is that wool doesn't get drenched with sweat. It breathes well, so that after riding the material isn't soaked.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

It's clear that wool clothing is popular for cycling, but I haven't found any explanation of why.

Can anyone explain?

Pam

If you do a little reading on the wool weenies thread, all your questions about 'the Whys of Wool' will be amply answered:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=11808

[PamNY]

I did read much of the "Wool Weenies" thread, but it sounded more fun-fashion-oriented (nothing wrong with that, just wasn't what I wanted). There was a link to an article stating that wool is making a comeback, but it didn't say why.

I wondered if there's a technical reason why wool would be better than my various fleece/Capilene combinations.

Pam

[Becky]

I like wool because, for me, it wicks as well as synthetics, but doesn't get stinky. Also, it just feels nice.

[Blueberry]

I did read much of the "Wool Weenies" thread, but it sounded more fun-fashion-oriented (nothing wrong with that, just wasn't what I wanted). There was a link to an article stating that wool is making a comeback, but it didn't say why.

I wondered if there's a technical reason why wool would be better than my various fleece/Capilene combinations.

Pam

To me, it insulates better (even when wet). It stinks way less than my synthetics (if I'm doing a short ride, I can re-wear a wool top). And I like the way it feels:p

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I did read much of the "Wool Weenies" thread, but it sounded more fun-fashion-oriented (nothing wrong with that, just wasn't what I wanted). There was a link to an article stating that wool is making a comeback, but it didn't say why.

I wondered if there's a technical reason why wool would be better than my various fleece/Capilene combinations.

Pam

The wool weenie thread has lots of people asking what's so great about wool and getting answers about wool's practical qualities.
Basically-
Wool breathes while it's keeping you warm, so you don't get as sweaty as you warm up like you might with a poly windbreaker, etc..
wool keeps you warm even when it gets damp from rain or sweat.
wool doesn't get stinky under the arms after one wearing like polyester does-it can usually be worn quite a few times before needing a washing. A great benefit when traveling or touring!
wool enables you to wear several thin layers and stay as warm as someone with big puffy mounds of man-made layers. This space saving helps when packing stuff on your bike too.

[PamNY]

Interesting. I'm definitely going to try a few wool pieces. The thrift shops here are good so I can get some things cheap (I may look ridiculous, but that's okay). Thanks.

Pam

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Interesting. I'm definitely going to try a few wool pieces. The thrift shops here are good so I can get some things cheap (I may look ridiculous, but that's okay). Thanks.

Pam

One other thing- in recent years, companies like SmartWool, Ibex, Icebreaker, Patagonia, etc, have been making wool apparel in 100% merino wool (from merino sheep) that is made in such a way as to be machine washable and dryable (in mild temperature settings of course). These new (and fairly pricey) merino duds won't shrink like the older wool socks and sweaters we typically find in thrift shops. I machine wash and dry most of my good merino stuff all the time, on low/gentle settings, and they don't seem to suffer from it or shrink noticeably. The other advantage of the new merino wear is that it is substantially less itchy than the old familiar wool stuff of our childhoods. It's soft. :p
Something to consider when you are buying stuff.

[PamNY]

I'm going to try a wool baselayer shirt from Icebreaker or similar. Can't decide if short or long sleeves would be more useful.

I have zero experience with specialized bike clothing but I've read about arm warmers. So...do your arms get especially cold biking? Is the usual warm-the-trunk philosophy different for biking?

I'd appreciate any thoughts.

Pam

[lph]

um... if your arms aren't getting cold, you don't need to look for "winter biking clothing" :D

No, in general keeping your trunk warm will get you to a certain temp, but once you feel the need to put on a jacket, arm-warmers and legwarmers can be a handy way to keep your arms and legs warm but still adapt quickly if the day gets warmer. Plus they take little room in a jersey pocket, and are cheaper than buying a full jacket and tights. Downside - you have to have grippy bands of elastic+silicone around your upper arm/thigh. I prefer a longsleeved jersey unless I'm really pressed for carrying space.

[SouthernBelle]

I've never had any trouble keeping my core warm on the bike, even riding in the 20s. But my extremities do get cold. Your arms aren't really doing a lot on the bike and really catch the wind. Fingers and toes can be just miserable.

On cold days I've been known to wear arm warmers under a long sleeved jersey.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I just ordered these tights from TE, taking advantage of their FREE SHIPPING til Nov 3rd!:
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodCR_193363.html
My goal is to have them loose enough to wear over my regular long SheBeest biking/chamois tights when it's down in the 20's and 30s and windy.
Guess I'll report back if they fit right and I decide to keep them.
Anyone else here have them?

Ok, so I just got these tights and tried them on.
Firstly, they run kind of small- most of my tights and knickers are either medium or large....these storm tights I had to wear the XL to feel comfortable (!!). Order one size up from your usual perhaps.

My goal was to wear them loosely over other tights on extra cold days, however even the XL were a bit snug in the thighs and calves when I pulled them on over my other heavy winter tights. And they don't sell any larger size than XL. :rolleyes:
HOWEVER....when I put them on alone with no other tights underneath, HOLY COW they were so cozy and felt and looked so good that I simply must keep them. :cool:
They feel like two separate layers of tights, seemingly stitched together at the various seams. The inner tights are a very soft thin fleece, and the outer 'shell' tights are more like windstopper/windpro type materials. They feel very sensual when they move, and look great. I like the bottoms of the legs- long enough, with a great ankle zipper, and they are very slightly ski-pants-like tailored so I wouldn't feel too odd wearing them around town, not like they are 'just tights'.

I can just see myself wearing these through half the winter just as daily snuggle pants working at home, then zipping out for bike errands or a quick walk in the freezing cold during the day without skipping a beat. They'll be great for my long winter walks too, and perhaps snowshoeing. They seem very warm but I've only tried them on in the house so far.
I usually need two warm tights in the winter outside, pairing various combinations of what i have, depending on the activity, so it'll be interesting to see just how warm these are all on their own in the real cold. I'm hoping they will be like two tights in one. :)

[PamNY]

I've never had any trouble keeping my core warm on the bike, even riding in the 20s. But my extremities do get cold. Your arms aren't really doing a lot on the bike and really catch the wind.

Makes sense. I ordered a long sleeved baselayer top by Icebreaker. I'm skeptical (by nature) about wool's wicking abilities, but the enthusiasm for wool in this group convinced me to give it a try.

Pam

[Triskeliongirl]

Lisa, I got the shebeest windpro tight from TE (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSB_2725.html) for the very same reason you stated, to layer over shorts or a regular shebeest tech tight (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSB_2905.html) on those super cold days. It works beautifully for that purpose, and the cut is definitely loose enough to layer (I have both the inner and outer tights in small). It has a nice fleecy lining, is windproof, looks great and feels great especially paired with my shebeest windpro jacket!

[Triskeliongirl]

Arm and leg warmers are transitional. Lets say you start a ride in the 50-60s. For that I would use arm and knee warmers. But lets say its in the 70s by the ride end, you can peel the arm and leg warmers off. Or say your morning commute is colder than your afternoon commute, same idea. If its even colder, the arm warmers let you turn a short sleeve jersey into a long sleeve one, leg warmers let you turn shorts into tights, and then you can add additional layers, vest, jacket, etc. as needed. This is especially nice when touring in the mountains where you can have huge temperature changes with altitude and time of day, but you don't want to carry a lot of gear.

Don't be skeptical about wool. I live in Ibex, not just for biking, but for everything. Same idea, layer up and down as needed. What I love is that it insulates without bulk and stink! You can bike in normal ibex if you just top it off with a cycling vest that has rear pockets (ideally in hi vis yellow!). DH was commenting the other day how all my everyday clothes now look like bike clothes. That's cuz I can wear my ibex on or off the bike. A shak with dress pants is dressy, with jeans is casual, and with cycling tights is sporty. Same thing with their base layers. I even wear their short sleeved polos and yes tank tops in warmer weather. Tanks are also great to layer under blouses. When I lost weight I got cold a lot more easily, and that is when I discovered Ibex (and I used to think I was allergic to wool, but now I have *almost* as much ibex as Lisa...........).

And to tie these threads together, my favorite piece these days for cycling are my Ibex knee warmers (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodIB_7001.html ). Perfect for fall in texas.......... And with the right socks, they can be turned into leg warmers! Their small is also sized smaller than many unisex smalls, that is the grippers fit my legs without falling down, but are pretty long. I also have the ibex arm warmers (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodIB_7000.html), but they are so warm I can only wear them on really cold days so I prefer the shebeest for fall (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSB_8010_1.html).

[SouthernBelle]

I seem to have trouble keeping my extremities warm while my core is quite comfy. When it's cold enough that it's unlikely I'll want to shed layers, I often wear my arm warmers as an extra layer under my jacket. Helps that problem a lot.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

....DH was commenting the other day how all my everyday clothes now look like bike clothes. That's cuz I can wear my ibex on or off the bike. A shak with dress pants is dressy, with jeans is casual, and with cycling tights is sporty. Same thing with their base layers. I even wear their short sleeved polos and yes tank tops in warmer weather. Tanks are also great to layer under blouses. When I lost weight I got cold a lot more easily, and that is when I discovered Ibex (and I used to think I was allergic to wool, but now I have *almost* as much ibex as Lisa...........).

Same here, my everyday clothes are not much different from what I wear on my bike....adding a padded chamois, helmet, and an additional hi-vis item being mostly the only differences.
I used to wear black leggings under really short dresses or skirts and a warm pullover over that all the time before I started biking...didn't need to change my basic daily uniform much except to upgrade a lot of it to merino.
Six months of the year I even sleep in Ibex wool tights and a soft merino pullover. mmmmmm.......
Since I am self-employed and work at home, intersperse errands on my bike during my workday, and I use regular shoes for biking instead of clipless...I don't need to change my clothes much to hop on my bike...it all works out beautifully. :)

P.S. Triskellion....no way you'll ever have more Ibex than i do. :D

[PamNY]

Do Smartwool socks eliminate (or lessen) the need for sock liners?

Pam

[Crankin]

I have never worn sock liners cycling; when it's below a certain temperature, I add chemical heaters, in addition to Woolie Bullies and my booties.
I do use the silk sock liners when I x country ski. I guess you could wear them as another layer when cycling, but you would have to make sure there's enough room for circulation or you will be miserable.

[Cataboo]

I've never worn sock liners cycling... but I do wear them hiking & skiing. If your foot is moving within the boot, having a liner sort of reduces the impact of the rubbing and reduces the likelihood of blisters. I forgot to bring liners my last backpacking trip, I was wearing thick hiking smartwool socks and ended up with some massive blisters.