1. Choosing Fashion over Function
Bright colors, cool patterns, casual styles that look great at the聽coffee shop鈥攖hese are all fine things to look for when聽shopping for your next layer. But while there鈥檚 nothing wrong with聽looking good out there, it鈥檚 important to remember that the primary聽function of your layers is to keep you warm, dry, and happy in聽potentially nasty conditions. Features like pull-down thumb loops,聽lightweight hoods, and (for those of you who聽run at night)聽reflective trim can be lifesavers, both literally and figuratively, in聽the field. Cut is important too. Your聽baselayer聽should be trim or even聽snug, to accommodate more layers, and your聽midlayer聽should fit聽under your shell without constricting your聽movement. And聽don鈥檛 forget about little things like zippers. If every layer has one,聽they can create an uncomfortable zipper pile-up around your chin. Same聽goes for your footwear: how they look with your jeans is important,聽but if you鈥檙e planning on snowshoeing聽all day, get聽a pair, like , that are waterproof,聽well聽insulated, and built with聽an outsole specifically designed to stay聽grippy聽in聽below-freezing temperatures.
2. Wearing Too Few Layers
The biggest mistake you can make is not wearing or bringing聽the right layers.聽Your go-to system, which you can scale up or down as needed, should聽consist of a base, mid, and outer layer. A baselayer, or聽next-to-skin layer, helps regulate your body temperature by moving聽perspiration away from your skin. No matter how frigid the聽temperature, this should always be a lightweight, long-sleeved top聽like . The main function of聽your primary midlayer is to retain heat by trapping air close to your聽body. In terms of warmth-to-weight ratio, a packable down jacket like聽 can鈥檛 be beat. For聽aerobic activities, a聽lightly insulated top like is聽ideal. Unlike down, its synthetic insulation will keep you warm even聽if it gets wet. In cold or wet conditions, you鈥檒l want to top it all聽off with a highly water-resistant soft聽shell, like , that can hold off light rain or snow for a few hours or,聽depending on the forecast, a completely waterproof Gore-Tex jacket聽like , which can repel all-day聽precipitation.
3. Starting Out Too Hot
We鈥檝e all been there: a few minutes into your run, ski, or ride and聽you start to overheat. The key to not getting in that predicament is聽to start a touch chilly, and wear聽layers and accessories you can easily聽shed or fine-tune on the fly (see tip 5), as well as having聽the聽confidence to leave your waterproof or highly water-resistant shell in聽your pack (or at home for聽shorter, faster efforts). Because as soon聽as you get moving, even the most breathable jackets simply can鈥檛 let聽the moisture you create (i.e., sweat) escape fast enough, and聽regardless of what the weather is doing, you鈥檒l end up getting wet聽from the inside.
4. Stopping Too Late
Ask any serious Polar explorer or backcountry skier and you’ll get the same answer: your biggest problem isn鈥檛 getting cold鈥攊t鈥檚聽actually getting too warm and sweaty. In summer, this isn鈥檛 a big聽deal. In winter, it can get you into serious trouble. Once you stop聽moving, hypothermia can strike in less than five minutes on cold,聽windy days. But the solution is simple. If you start sweating, immediately聽shed layers or slow down. It鈥檚 all about temperature regulation, and聽new midlayers like , which is stuffed with聽Polartec Alpha, a new breed of highly breathable synthetic insulation,聽make it easier to stay cool while you鈥檙e huffing down the trail or up聽the hill.
5. Failing to Fine-Tune
Managing your temperature starts with the simple things like cracking pit聽zips or pushing up a base layer鈥檚 sleeves if you start getting warm. But聽the ability to trap or shunt heat on the fly is also the reason why聽you bought that base聽layer with all the bells and technical whistles.聽Micro-adjustments like putting聽your hood on or off or pulling聽thumb loops up or down can often eliminate the need to stop and peel or聽add an actual layer. For regulating temperature without breaking a聽stride, nothing beats the versatility of Buff鈥檚 lightweight , which can be worn as a hat, headband, neck gaiter, or聽balaclava if necessary. In winter, small聽changes鈥攍ike switching around your Buff or taking your聽gloves or hat off or on鈥攃an have big effects. Whatever layering system you choose, the key to staying happy and comfy in low temperatures is to start with the right layers and not be afraid to slow down, shed something, or make minor adjustments before you overheat.
