Baselayers(Running)

Please educate me on baselayers, mainly for running/walking. I don't want to invest alot of $$$ until I've reached my goal weight. I'm getting back into running. BTW I'm in the midwest(Michigan). I have some polyproplyene tops and bottoms, some tech shirts - Champion C9(from Target)short & long sleeve, 1/2 zipp LS shirt with reflective piping. Could I get by with wearing the 1/2 zip tech shirt as an outer layer? I have a Columbia softshell jacket that isn't very heavy, but don't know if it is something that would be good to run/walk in. Thanks for your thoughts and recommendations.

I'm in MI, too. For walking you may want more layers, but for running it has to be really cold for me to wear more than a baselayer and a fleece. If it's windy and cold I may throw on a windbreaker, but the soft-shell would be too warm unless it is below 0. The softshell with a baselayer is probably a good plan for walking if it's around freezing. You really will heat up during a run. I often start cold and then after a mile or so strip off a layer and tie it around my waist.

The best rule of thumb for running attire is to dress as if it is 20 degrees warmer out than it is.

Not sure how cold it gets there, but when I lived in VA I was usually fine running in a half-zip tech shirt or a long-sleeved tech shirt until it got below, say, 30. I ran a race in 22-degree weather in tights and a loose long-sleeved tech shirt with ($8 asics) arm warmers underneath. I figured I could pull them off if it got too hot, but it was perfect. I've also done a run in CO with a sleeveless shirt and arm warmers when it was around 30 out.

For walking, I might add an extra layer or a vest. Possibly for running, too, depending on your speed and comfort. I was running my butt off for that race and if I'd even needed to stop and walk I might have been too cold.

It never hurts, if you are doing an out-and-back someplace safe, to overdress a little and stash your extra layer someplace you can come back and find it. You'll get the feel for what's comfortable for you soon enough!

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Originally Posted by jessmarimba

The best rule of thumb for running attire is to dress as if it is 20 degrees warmer out than it is.

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Yep, someone told me that the first Winter I was running and it's really true. I'm still trying to get a handle on how to dress for different biking conditions, though. It seems a lot harder to get it right. I so often feel too warm or too cold, lately.

I'm in MI too and I agree with Zoom-Zoom. Two layers is usually good. I usually only wear one layer on the bottom unless it's really bitter cold (teens with a 0 degree wind-chill).

I think the important thing is a good pair of running gloves and a good hat.

I also have issues with my chest being really sensitive to the cold. So I stock up on toe-warmers. They fit nicely into a sports bra and keep me very comfortable during the bitter cold runs.

Here's a place to start: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/what...-0-0-0,00.html

One thing to keep in mind is that your level of exertion has a lot to do with how warm you are. So you'll want to dress warmer for a long run than you will for a race or a tempo run. For interval days, you'll want something with a zipper that you can open before your repeats and close so that you don't get chilled during the intervals. And so on.

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

Yep, someone told me that the first Winter I was running and it's really true. I'm still trying to get a handle on how to dress for different biking conditions, though. It seems a lot harder to get it right. I so often feel too warm or too cold, lately.

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IME, the 20 degree rule becomes more like 10 degrees on the road bike. On the mountain bike, 20 degrees warmer is about right.

This time of year is the hardest to dress for.....it's not cold enough to need the really heavy stuff, but it's windy and chilly enough that arm and knee warmers don't quite cut it.

IMO, the most important thing on the bike is wind protection for my hands, feet and neck. Plus, on the bike, there's a lot more variability - I'll get really warm climbing the hills and really cold descending, so I need wind protection that's both stout and zippered.

The most important thing running is fabric that wicks and breathes so that I don't get waterlogged.

The difference is less about temperature, for me, than it is about protection strategy.


Also, keep notes in your training log of temperature, wind speed, cloud cover, and humidity; what you wore; and how your clothing choices worked. Then you can go back to those notes when deciding what to wear in the future.

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Also, keep notes in your training log of temperature, wind speed, cloud cover, and humidity; what you wore; and how your clothing choices worked. Then you can go back to those notes when deciding what to wear in the future.

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That's really a good piece of advice--for running or biking (or any other outdoor sport).

Thanks everyone. I like that 'dress as if its 20 degrees warmer out'. Is polyprolyene still a good layer to start with?

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Originally Posted by surgtech1956

Thanks everyone. I like that 'dress as if its 20 degrees warmer out'. Is polyprolyene still a good layer to start with?

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Yep! I have a variety of baselayer tops...polypro, polyester, blends, wool...all are good. Just no cotton.

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Originally Posted by surgtech1956

Thanks everyone. I like that 'dress as if its 20 degrees warmer out'. Is polyprolyene still a good layer to start with?

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Well, IMHO, if you own polypropylene, it's fine. If you don't, YUCK! It's smelly. :rolleyes:

I know it wicks well, but if you have to buy anything pick other microfibers or wool - or run by yourself.

I always thought that I just bought 'cheap' polypropylene. That explains the stinkiness. LOL

I have a couple of polypro tops...mine don't stink. But I have random polyester tops that stink. I still can't figure out why one 100% poly top will stink, but not another, even in the same brand. :confused:

I much prefer wool but I definitely understand not wanting to invest in it when your size is changing! You might search the thrift shops - I know lots of people here have found very nice merino in thrift shops.

The stink factor is kind of incredible. I eat very little dairy and use the crystal deodorant, so generally I don't get a lot of BO. But I've had experiences where I had wool on as a MIDDLE layer, and my polypro base layer stank, and my nylon windstopper jacket stank, but the wool I wore in between those two did not. :confused:

Since I switched to the crystal deodorant and started putting baking soda in my laundry, though, at least my plastic clothes don't retain odors.

I have 4 Craft base layer tops that I bought on sale, like for half price. Two of them are about 5 years old and a little pilled. The other two are about two years old. But... they all produce a pretty high level of stinkiness. It is so odd. I never get BO, except when I wear these tops, which is often in the late fall and winter. The thing is, they keep you incredibly warm, so I am not going to stop wearing them. I get the same thing with the Smart Wool base layer I have, but not with the run of the mill polyester base layers or silk from EMS.