Winter is upon us, and it sure came quickly. Staying warm is the most important priority when enjoying the outdoors during the winter. Today I am going to share with you what we wear to stay warm when the temperatures drop.

Feet

Socks

Keeping your feet warm is very important because you lose heat quickly through them.  For men and women, I recommend Darn Tough wool socks. Wool has a lot of properties making it an excellent choice for winter material. It’s going to be able to insulate even if it gets wet as well as it is microbial. Hopefully, your feet do not get wet, but if they do you will be able to retain warmth. While your feet may get extremely warm in wool socks and boots, you don’t have to worry about sweat (thanks to wool’s moisture-wicking) or smelly feet due to wool being antimicrobial.

Women’s Darn Tough boot socks

Men’s Darn Tough hiker socks

Boots

When looking for a winter boot you want a boot that will keep your feet warm, dry, and make sure that you have a good grip on the ice. You may be starting to see a pattern here, but again for men and women, I recommend the same brand: Muck Boots. When looking at Muck Boots for winter boots, I specifically recommend the Artic Sport lines. Also, I find the mid to be the best style of these boots: shorts aren’t tall enough and the talls can be very difficult to get off.

Women’s Artic Muck Boots (these also come in so many colors to fit your style and show off your personality. 

Men’s Artic Muck boots.

 

Legs

Snowpants

If you are where snow is going to accumulate, snow pants are a must.  These are going to keep you dry, which will keep you happy. I also definitely recommend going with bibs versus just pants. The bibs will stay up no matter what, while the pants may get wet and weighed down, falling off of you creating other issues.

Women’s Artix snow bibs

Men’s Carhart insulated bibs

 

Coldgear pants

If you are where it is going to be just cold, with no snow accumulation, a pair of pants designed for running in winter will do the trick. Try out the Coldgear line from Under Armour, alone or underneath your regular pants.

Women’s

Men’s

 

Body

Layers

You will want layers so that you can adjust to avoid getting hot and sweaty. The more energy you exert while hiking or shoveling, for example, the more your body temperature will increase. I recommend wearing a T-shirt and then a sweatshirt over that, underneath your coat. I often wear a tank top, with a long sleeve shirt, with a sweatshirt on top of that and can sometimes heat up too quickly. The items for the layers can be anything you desire from your closet.

Coats

A coat will be the winter item you use the most. I used to always go for the 3-in-1 systems when it came to coats. However, this past year I went with a coat that is long. That makes all the difference in keeping your legs warm and giving them a break from the wind. Having a shorter coat is nice though when you are doing activities, as they don’t restrict your legs from moving.  Columbia’s Omniheat line, which utilizes your body heat to help insulate you and keep you warmer is fantastic.

Women’s Omniheat

Men’s Omniheat

 

Head

Hats

A hat will be the most important winter accessories for your head. A hat is going to keep your body heat from escaping, as your head is where you lose most of your body heat. Wool hats are great for their insulating factors.  Make sure that your hat covers your ears to protect them from getting frostbitten.

Women’s wool hat

Men’s wool hat 

 

Neck Gaiters/ Balaclavas

 

When you are out hiking, shoveling, or just going to be in the elements for a while a neck gaiter or baklava is great to pair with a hat. A neck gaiter or balaclava is going to keep your fave warm and prevent it from getting windburn.

Neck Gaiter

Carhart Balaclava 

 

Hands

Gloves/ Mittens

Finally, your hands. If you need to be utilizing your hands for any reason, I recommend gloves so that you can grab things and hold them easier. Mittens are great if you only need to be worried about keeping your hands warm. Don’t waste your time with the mittens that fold over to gloves with half-fingers, your fingers are only going to freeze.  Again, for either, wool is a great option because it insulates even while wet. If you would like to avoid soggy gloves, there are some waterproof options as well.

Wool Gloves

Wool Mittens

Waterproof Gloves Women

Waterproof Mittens Women

Waterproof Gloves Men

Waterproof Mittens Men

 

A Warm and Happy Winter

To conclude I hope this has helped you with staying warm and dry this winter. Living in Minnesota I understand that staying warm means staying safe. The products I’ve shared with you today are all tried and true, we use these ourselves at home! Happy winter!