“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing” – Alfred Wainwrigh
Knowing what to wear in winter is so important when adventuring outside in the cold. If you are dressed appropriately for winter, your time outside will be much more enjoyable and you’ll be able to stay out longer!
Follow these 3 steps whenever heading outdoors for a winter adventure:
1. Decide What You’ll be Doing & Check the Weather
What you need to wear when going out in the winter greatly depends on what you’re doing and what the weather is like. What I wear for an outdoor hike at 0 degrees is very different from what I would wear for dog sledding at -10 degrees. The lower the temperature, the warmer your layers should be. The more intense your activity level, the more wicking and cool your layers need to be. Some experimenting will help you determine what works best for your body.
2. Use the Washroom
Very important! Before you get dressed for any outdoor winter fun, go to the washroom!! Everyone, before you start gearing up, go pee!
3. Dress in Layers
The trick to knowing what to wear in winter is to dress in layers! Dressing in proper layers will keep your body heat in and the elements out without you overheating. Layers are also easy to take off or add on depending on your body temperature while you are outside.
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There are 3 layers you need to consider when dressing for winter weather. We’ve included some of our favorite gear along with some tips for dressing kids for winter weather.
1st – Base Layer
This layer is right against your skin & wicks moisture away from your body. You want this layer to fit comfortably (not too loose, not too tight) and be made of a wicking material (eg. wool, polyester, acrylic, silk). For the very coldest of days, wool is great for a base layer.
Graham and I love our base layers from https://www.icebreaker.com/en-ca/home. When they were younger, we just used everyday shirts & pants for the kids’ base layers, but since we are doing a lot more outdoor hiking this year, we got them some heat active base layers from Joe Fresh. If it’s not too cold out, we often skip a pant base layer and will sometimes put on a T-shirt instead of a long sleeved shirt. Try to avoid cotton if possible as it soaks up moisture and keeps it in. I’m a huge fan of wool socks, but they can be pricey. When picking socks, choose warm ones that are tall enough to cover your ankles!
2nd – Mid Layer:
This is your insulating layer. Choose something warm and comfortable. We often put our kids in a zip up fleece sweater and track pants. A warm hoodie works well too.
3rd – Outer Layer:
This layer protects you from the elements. Get dressed in the following order…
- Snow Pants – make sure you’re wearing something warm & waterproof. We like the over-the-shoulder strap snow pants for the kids. Yes, it takes longer to get off, which is a pain if they have to pee, but it keeps snow from getting on their backs. Graham and I prefer regular waisted snow pants.
- Boots – make sure you and your kids have good winter boots. Toes can easily get chilly. It’s important that everyone’s feet stay warm and comfortable so you all stay happy! I remember so many winter days as a kid with frozen toes and want to make sure my kids toes are warm & toasty. We always get Sorel Snow Commander Boots for our kids and we’ve been lucky enough to find them second hand most of the time! Graham also wears Sorel boots and I have this pair of Keens.
- Coat – choose a coat that will protect you from the current weather conditions. Consider whether you will need something warm, wind proof, waterproof, etc. You might need a different coat for frigid windy weather than you do for chilly rainy weather.
- Neck Warmer/Buff/Scarf – all 4 of us have lightweight neck warmers and use them all the time! These are great for keeping the wind off your neck and covering your mouth & nose when needed. There are many great winter specific fleece neck warmers you can get, but we have found the lightweight ones to work best for us as we can use them all year long.
- Hat – make sure you have something warm that covers your forehead, head and ears. When the kids were younger, we really liked the hats that tied/velcroed under their chins. A lined hat will keep your head much warmer, which is great for a very cold day, but could be too warm at other times.
- Mittens/Gloves – this is another important one! We’ve noticed that warm fingers have a huge impact on whether or not you’re having a good time outside. Warm fingers = happy kids (& adults)! Keep in mind that mittens usually keep your hands warmer than gloves. We love the MEC Toasty Mitts and Kombi gloves for the kids and usually pick some up in an end of season sale.
Other Clothing Tips
- If you have to drive to your destination, leave some of your outer layer off until you get there. This prevents overheating in the car!
- When the kids were younger, we would always keep one extra pair of snow pants (usually a small pair from the previous year) and we always make sure everyone owns an extra hat and pair of gloves. This way, when we’re heading out for a hike and the kids come home from school soaking wet, we’re still good to go!
- Work with what you have! Don’t feel you have to go out and buy a ton of expensive gear to get out in the Winter. Use what you have in your closet and find ways to fill in any gaps you may have. We have found shopping second hand clothing so helpful, especially as the kids change sizes almost every year. We purchase new socks and gloves, but the rest we’ve been able to find used! It might be worth it to invest in some more expensive gear for yourself though, as adults usually stay the same size for much longer!
- If you are having trouble keeping your hands/feet warm, pick up some hand warmers. You can get one time use ones (very convenient, long lasting, more waste), reusable ones (less waste, don’t stay warm as long) or electronic rechargeable warmer!
Now that you what to wear in winter, pick one of these 25 Outdoor Winter Activities and head outside! There is a whole world of winter fun waiting for you!
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