OK, first of all, Californians are in a different league. In my case, I'm thinking mostly about sub-freezing temps, and mostly-mostly about sub- 10 F / - 10 C type temps. I've only gone on a few of those runs so far, but they're on the horizon, being sent down from Canada by Dutchie within the next week or two. On my run on Sunday, the windchill was 9 F, -12 C. I wore
two sets of wrist bands on my ankles,
double sweat pants,
my new REI base-layer shirt, a cotton turtle neck, and a hoodie on my upper body,
a Vikings head band and a cheap cap on my head,
and some cheap winter gloves on my hands.
I was fine, actually overdressed but I was subscribing to the theory that a hot core would help the bare feet, and everything was fairly moist when I got back, and I had only been out an hour or so. But my base layer shirt wasn't too bad, fairly dry actually. Most of the moisture had indeed been wicked away and became trapped in the cotton turtle neck over it. So that's why I'm considering the higher tech solution for the rest of my cold-weather running kit. Not so much to keep warm, but to stay dry. If I were to stop and walk for a long period after running, then I would imagine the moist clothing would make me cold too, but I just do out-and-backs, so it's never been a problem. I've run plenty in the winter like this, and also delivered newspapers all through school, starting when I was 11, not to mention sledding and skating and such, so I know winter almost as well as the Winterpagans.
I also liked the idea of the higher tech gloves so that I could put on my Moc3s without having to remove the bulkier Menards-type cheap thermo gloves I have, and I should also be able to manipulate my Garmin a bit better with them.
The tights, I dunno. Would dogs be tempted to sniff at my package? Is it indecent for middle-aged guys to flaunt their butt-cheeks? Would looser-fitting fleece tights or sweats be just as good? Or should I use tights as a base-layer, and wear my sweats on top? Something like this?:
http://www.rei.com/product/836620/the-north-face-winter-warm-tights-mens
I also got one of those bank-robber ski masks with air holes by the mouth and a bigger hole for the nostrils, and velcro that attaches in the back for a tight wrap. I got it about 15 years ago I think. It works great on those really cold runs, like 0 F or -15-20 C, or below--much better than a scarf. So I'm open to the idea of higher tech gear, it's just that, as TJ notes, my barefoot sensibility is to always make do with less or simpler unless absolutely necessary. I started my bicycle travels across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East with a second-hand 10-speed Peugeot (bought it in London from Loot), for example, but I was quickly disabused of that low-tech commitment, and ended up with a proper 21-speed mountain bike, a technology that was still relatively new at the time.
@ Patrick, Thanks for the link!
@ Skedaddle, for my privates, on the coldest days, I put a wool sock down there, the smart wool becomes nut wool. But I don't know how that would look with tights. I'm already a little self-conscious about having that area put into relief if I were to take up Dutchie's suggestion.
