Icy trails, freezing temperatures, and fewer hours of daylight are all听valid reasons to skip out on winter trail runs.听But with a couple extra layers听and a little advance听planning, you can leave the excuses听and the treadmill听behind this winter.
The听chilly听air hasn鈥檛 stopped professional mountain runner from training for New Zealand鈥檚 this winter. The athlete, who is based in Boulder, Colorado, stuffs his CamelBak 听($120) with everything听he needs for a day in fluctuating conditions鈥攂ecause it鈥檚 better to have it and not need it听than to need it and not have it.
鈥淲e have snow and ice and temperatures that get down into the single digits,鈥 Canaday says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to have a full spectrum of gear for all conditions, because through the course of a long run, the weather can change.鈥
Depending on where you live, winter conditions can range from balmy to blizzardy, and whether you鈥檙e jogging on a gravel trail near your house or ascending a steep mountain, comfort and safety are key. We asked听Canaday for tips on what gear to have in your trail-running kit this season.
Apparel
Because body temperature varies from person to person, layering philosophies do, too. Canaday听opts for shorts and 听($39) when it鈥檚 dry and sunny but chilly, but he prefers听moisture-wicking tights听for colder, wet conditions, like Patagonia鈥檚 听($119) (a comparable version for women is the听, $99). In sleet and snow, he suggests waterproof bottoms, like 听($119). For men, when temperatures drop below about 25 degrees and you鈥檙e planning a run an hour or more, Canaday also recommends wind-resistant underwear, like 听($65).
Just听like during shoulder season, you鈥檒l want to keep your core warm with base, mid-, and outer layers. 鈥淚 always carry an extra base layer or jacket in my vest, just in case I need more layers or if something听gets wet and I have to switch out gear,鈥 he says.
Canaday advocates for听a next-to-skin synthetic or wool layer to keep you dry and stink-free. We like听听($85) or 听($78).听For women, we recommend a wool sports bra, like the听听($70), which听is supportive and doesn鈥檛听leave听you cold when wet. An insulating midlayer adds much needed warmth, says Canaday. Patagonia鈥檚 Capilene Thermal Weight Zip-Neck top (听and 听both $99) is our favorite. And finally, he suggests a breathable shell to resist wind and weather. We like听the听Daehlie Winter Run jacket听(wo尘别苍鈥檚, $150) or听听(尘别苍鈥檚, $90). He says that vests, like the 听($100), are good for warming your core and blocking wind without restricting movement or overheating your arms.
Head and Extremities
If your ears and fingers are freezing, you鈥檙e more likely to cut your run short. That鈥檚 why gloves and a sweat-wicking beanie are some of the most important pieces in Canaday鈥檚听winter kit.
He听recommends a lightweight glove听and, depending on how cold your hands get, a thicker pair of mittens or a few hand warmers, like 听($30). Bonus: when your nose starts to run, gloves make convenient snot rags.
Any fleece or wool beanie will do, or try a headband under a brimmed hat to keep the sun off your face. The 听($22) or the听听($19) will both stave off numbness.
鈥淚f it鈥檚 below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, you want to protect your airways,鈥 Canaday says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good to have something to cover your neck that stretches up over your nose. It keeps the moisture of your breath in and the area warm. Some people, on really extreme days, will even wear a face mask.鈥 A neck warmer鈥攍ike the 听($20) or 听($22)鈥攃an prevent icy air from drying out your mouth, throat, and lungs. Other runners will smother their faces in 听($9) or听听($7) to prevent windburn and frostbite in frigid听conditions.
To protect his eyes, Canaday wears polarized sunglasses, like Roka鈥檚 听($150). 鈥淚n Colorado, we鈥檒l have days where there鈥檚 a lot of snow on the ground听but it鈥檚 really sunny. The sun reflecting on the snow can hurt your eyes,鈥 he听says. 鈥淚 wear visor-style cycling glasses to protect the area around my cheekbones and forehead.鈥
Footwear
To safely traverse ice patches and snowfields, you need two things: trail shoes and traction devices.听Canaday听swears by 听($70). 鈥淭hey鈥檙e little metal triangles that dig in,鈥 he听says. 鈥淥n my trail run last week, I didn鈥檛 know what the trail conditions were, but I had them in my vest in case I encountered some really gnarly sections. They pack down pretty well.鈥
He slips the Microspikes over his 听($120) or 听($145) trail shoes, available for听men and women. Both have outsole traction and multidirectional lugs for added grip. Most of the time, Canaday wears his namesake ($30). In wetter, snowier conditions, he听covers his ankles with Drymax鈥檚听thick, high-cut 听($54).
Water, Food, and Other Essentials
Prevent breaking a tooth on a stroopwafel or having to suck on ice by storing your hydration and nutrition closer to your body, along with your cell phone, watch, or other electronics to . Canaday keeps an insulated bladder, like ($50), in his running vest. For shorter runs, an insulated bottle like 听12-ounce flask ($32) gets the job done.
To replenish calories, Canaday consumes 听($20 for a pack of ten), which doesn鈥檛 freeze and still tastes good when chilled. 鈥淲hen it gets super cold, some brands鈥 gels turn into something really sick that鈥檚 hard to slurp down,鈥 he听says.