Winter Clothing

[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??? It makes me wonder if there could be "wool hope" 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

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I can say that one of Ibex's very SOFTEST merino tops is their "Kate":
Kate

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.

[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

[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.