Your New Favorite Gear for Your Next Outdoor Winter Adventure
It doesn’t seem like the weather is getting any warmer, but hey that does not need to be a bad thing! Personally, I love when the seasons change. Just as I am tired of summer, fall comes, and when fall leaves, it’s winter’s time to shine. To be completely fair, I am not ready to let go of winter. There are so many fun activities to do during the winter and I cannot get enough! From ice skating to skiing to snowshoeing, the opportunities are endless. Now you can probably understand why winter is easily the most underestimated season. It might seem nice to lay on a beach soon and have a nice outdoor picnic, but hey we have to make lemons out of lemonade! Now let’s make sure you are warm for your next winter outing! Welcome to the top seven outdoor gears for any winter activity.
Staying Warm: Clothing Edition
The most important word for realtors is Location, Location, Location, but when it comes to winter sports it’s Layers, Layers, Layers! This is traveling 101, travel with layers always! I have gone to Iceland and changed my layers three or four times a day. Now while you’re on the go it might be harder, but overall you will be glad that you have some kind of a safety net in case you get too hot or too cold. Shall we begin with my master list of the best gear to bring with you on your next winter adventure! Let’s go!
1. Thermals
Now you don’t NEED this. In fact, leggings will suffice, they even sweat can suffice too. Let me repeat, you don’t NEED this, but you will WANT it!! There is a difference and it is life-changing. From someone that uses thermals all of the time, I promise you it will be worth it. Should I still buy thermals if I will only ski once? Yes, it is worth purchasing them! Why? Because thermals are so thin that even you won’t even notice it under a pair of jeans on a cold winter’s day. They are universal for any occasion! Really quickly, thermal shirts are self-explanatory, but thermal underwear is what they call the “leggings” that you would wear! It isn’t really underwear but they call it that way because it’s not meant to just be worn on its own! Check out my TikTok showing you how you are supposed to layer up!
2. Warm Winter Jacket
Now it is one thing to dress fashionably, but when it comes to winter sports, we have to not worry about being on the runway. The fashion police are not going to be after you I promise! Wear your warmest winter jacket! Within the Northeastern region of the United States, the mountains are frigid! Now if you ski a lot, you might have a specific ski jacket. Ski jackets are designed into two parts. The first sweater is an inner layer that is breathable and the second layer, the jacket, is the outer shell that protects you from the wind. Now, don’t feel like if you don’t have a special ski jacket, that you are already setting yourself up for failure, NO! Not the case! Any jacket will do, but if you want to wear thinner layers and still be warm, then the ski gear is the way to go!
3. Gloves
Since you are constantly checking your phone and moving stuff around, your gloves are probably the most important part. Now gloves for ice skating don’t have to be that extreme, just regular cloth gloves will suffice. I would maybe even recommend buying touch-sensitive gloves so avoid constantly moving your hands back and forth. Now for extreme winter sports, let’s talk MITTENS! Now my first time skiing, I wore gloves and my fingers were so cold. It was the worst feeling. I was so uncomfortable and that is when I needed to make the change. My grandma brought me to the store and once we got there one of the workers recommended mittens that were a little bigger than usual. This allows your body to warm itself. When you have gloves on, your individual fingers are working on their own to keep yourself warm. With mittens, it is a team effort and in my opinion life-changing. I rarely use hand warmers. I know these are a little more on the pricy side, but I only bought one pair in 2014 and have not needed a new one! Since 2012, I haven’t needed a new one! That’s all I am going to say.
4. Hats
Now, remember what I said about winter coats and not worrying about being a fashionista? Forget that for hats. Be the fashionista! There are so many warm and pretty hats out there! My personal favorites are headbands because as long as you keep my ears warm, I’ll be good. Does anyone else hate being too hot? I sometimes wear shorts in the wintertime around my house, but that is me! By all means, with hats, you can choose whichever you feel the most comfortable in so go crazy! Here are some of my favorites!
5. Warm Boots
I recently lost my Uggs in my black hole of a home, but thankfully bought hiking boots this past September. If you plan on hiking at least twice a year, I would consider investing in them. You kill two birds with one stone and end up using them for everything. They act as hiking boots, snow boots, and they’re stylish too! If you are afraid of your Uggs getting dirty, fear not! These hiking boots seriously clean themselves. I have hiked into the mud and they are still in perfect condition. I love them so much that I actually wrote an entire blog post about them!
6. Wool Socks
Even when you are going ice skating, never wear ankle socks! Don’t do it! Your feet will seriously hate you. I would highly suggest investing in some wool socks. I have found some awesome pairs on Amazon for so cheap! Even when I am not “adventuring” I am wearing these! Keep your feet warm and thank me later
7. Snow Pants
Yes, snow pants can be fashionable. There I said it. As much as they are big and bulky, they look great and keep you warm. Don’t I look like a winter sports model haha! This is the key to staying warm while sledding, skiing, and doing most winter sports. I have attached a list of some great options for you!
These pants have been all over, from Iceland to New York!
So There You Have It
You are all set to conquer all types of cold weather that come your way. Lucky for you, you have the perfect guide to picking the best gear for all types of occasions. What adventures do you plan on doing throughout winter? Comment below, I’d love to hear them!
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