Define your winter 
Miami winter or Winnipeg winter or something in between?
I have a few winter items from DeSoto that I like a lot. Specifically, their fleece beanie, running tights, and windproof top. They all work great, although I think they may have discontinued the top that I have. All very functional and pretty toasty warm - surprising for company based in So. CA.
BTW, I live near Boston, so it gets pretty cold here.
I donāt have any specific recommendations, my stuff is a mish mash of things collected over the years including a āOld Navyā fleece pullover that seems to be just the right weight for me. I will give some advice though. If you are not cold for the first half mile you have way too much clothes on.
I run outside all winter up in Boston as well. I would say you want a lightweight beanie, a nice fleece hat, fleece gloves, an outer waterproof shell (I use one made for cycling), and then a lightweight set of tights and a heavyweight set of tights.
Depending on the temp/wind, you decide how many layers of wicking clothing (under armor, fleece, etc) to wear under the shell.
If it is really cold/windy, (under 20 F) I wear running shorts over my tights to avoid popsicle-itis. This is apparently deemed uncool by some.
I have never had a problem with cold feet while running, and I have run at below 0 F, so I wouldnāt worry too much about special sox.
You should definitely be chilly for the first bit, and then regulate temperature by taking off hat/gloves as you warm up.
Iām in the Philly area also so I can speak for the type of climate. Iāve found, depending on the person, it is quite variable with run clothing selection during the winter. Just depending on how you sweat and how you tolerate the cold. I think you just have to find what works for you. Like someone else said make sure not to wear too much. Youāll be uncomfortable.
I think you can venture out for a run in very cold weather and not wear too much, whereas, if you go out for a bike ride in very cold weather you have to make sure you are wearing the right stuff because youāre moving faster. Runningā¦you are moving a lot and creating heat.
Iām not sure what anyone else thinks, but Iāve noticed I wear a different set of stuff when it is 20-35F versus 15-20F versus below 15F. Once you get below 20F just pay attention to the wind chill. Say the air temp is 15F, but with the wind chill it is 5Fā¦then try to wear something to block the wind of your upper body and if youāre a guy, maybe something to keep the ābig guyā warm.
I donāt wear anything over my face because it makes me too hot. I usually just wear a regular winter beanie hat.
Gloves are important too, but I think you just have to experiment. You want good gloves, but you might need different types depending on the temp. If you wear super warm gloves in 30F it might create sweat and thatās not good. But if you are in 10F then super warm gloves are good.
Good luck with it. I think we have it pretty easy in Philly compared to some of the temps Iāve seen people run in Alaska.
Philly or south Jersey? Come run with us. I started last winter, before, I wouldnāt run outside if it dropped below 70! Now I love it. I wear an official Tribabe polar powerdry hat she made for me, tights (I like Under Armour), long sleeve shirt or mock, windshirt, lightweight gloves, and wool running socks. The coldest day we ran, it was 26 and I was sweating after a mile.
Also, I wear a reflective harness type thing and a blinking light.
Sugoi makes a whole range of gear for all weather.
Chicago
It really depends on your ācoldā spots.
For me if my hands and ears are warm the rest of me doesnāt matter. Hands: I like magic glove mittens(cost less than $1.50). If it is really cold I put a set of gore-tex mittens over that. Ears: I use a headband for the ears unless it is really cold in which case I switch to a balaclava. Legs: Shorts until the last possible moment, then running tights, then insulated running tights on the most frigid days. Top: Long sleeve wicking layer, preferably mock turtleneck if it is colder. I rarely go beyond one top layer running, but if I do it is a wicking vest which blocks some wind. Socks: Normal socks unless it is frigid in which case I have some wicking xc socks that I like.
Note: I try to run in the afternoon in the winter so I have a chance of some sun warmth. Running in the dark in the winter will be a challenge.
Sporthill pursuit top, brooks paradox jacket, sporthill xc pant, etcā¦check out sporthill, they are spectacular.
Eric
Where in Philly?
I live in the area and have never found a day too cold to run. Here are what I feel the essentials are, in order of importance (kind of).
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** A wind proof jacket!!!** You can buy a nylon running jacket from Sports Authority for $35. Thereās no excuse not to have one. I have never had to wear more than a nylon jacket and a long sleeve running short underneath.
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A Balaclava. This will cover your entire face and you can contort it to expose your mouth, neck, whatever and is light enough to stuff into a pocket.
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Stretchy running pants. They cost about $60. You can get them from a running store like the Bryn Mawr Running Company. They are AWESOME. They are lycra, but not tight (tights suck, by the way). They are worth every penny. Make sure thereās an ankle zipper to pull over your shoes.
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Socks on your hands. I think running gloves suck. They are either 1) too damn hot or 2) too damn thin. Socks are perfect.
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Long sleeve coolmax shirt.
Beyond that, a pair of track suit pants would be good for REALLY cold weather (make sure thereās a mech liner). Goretex anything is great for the rain.
Enjoy!
Iāve run in some pretty cold weather to the point where the water bottles that i was wearing froze in the first 1.5 miles. I find that you really donāt need much to keep warm though.
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Skin tight Wicking Tee.
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Long sleeve wicking shirt
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Gore Top - very light with very little insulation. Best if it is a pullover with a deep zipper or core vents.
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What ever gloves you got. usually the heaviest piece I wear.
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Compression shorts under tights or runnign pants.
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Light cap that covers your ears
I generated a lot of heat when I run so I have gone out wearing the exact list above plus light socks in -10deg F weather and unzipped to vent the heat at points. Winter runnign is more about staying dry from your sweat than staying insulated IMO.
I strongly agree that if you are not cold for the first mile you have too much on!
Wind briefs and silkweight or lightweight Capilene long johns + nice warmups for days below 20 degrees. I have some slightly heavier socks (wool/fleece blend) which work well. XC ski gloves also a must. Goretex trail shoes for sloppy days.
If you are worried about keeping the ābig guyā warm, I know Road Runner Sports has wind proof briefs. Seems like a good idea.
Jimās advice is the best: if youāre not a little cold starting out, you have on too much stuff.
Smartwool socks are nice because even if they get a little wet, your feet will still stay warm.
The object is to wear as little as possible while still staying warm. In Chicago area last winter I wore this:
Hat
Sporthill XC pant
pair of running shorts
lightweight gloves
brooks podium top
Sporthill Explorer top
I clearly remember the day because it was 10 below with wind chill, BUT the top and pants are windproof to 35 mph. They are the best things iāve worn, and iāve worn a lot.
Youāve gotten lots of good (and varied) suggestions, hereās some more (from up the line a ways in the lower Hudson Valley):
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I never wear a jacket to run in the cold. Never. I have an old windbreaker bike vest that works great for keeping my core warm, which is all I have ever needed (Iāve run in single-digit cold like this)
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I have 3 different headwear options, which I sometimes will combine together if need be. A lightweight PI headband, a larger Nashbar one, and a very light fleece skullcap (w/ tassle - the tassle is the shizzit!
Iāll often start off w/ the skull cap over the headband, then remove it once I get all warmed up, so I donāt overheat. Being able to adjust the warmth of your head is the #1 key to being comfortable out when it is cold. It is like your thermostat. (I also have a lightweight balaclava, but I havenāt run in cold enuff temps to need it. Yet.) -
I really like Nike dryfit run pants vs. tights (although I wear those sometimes too). I think having the airspace between the pants and my legs keeps the cold air off better, so my legs are always very comfy, w/o getting too warm.
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L/S wicking shirt of some sort. I can stay comfy into the 20ās w/ only a PataGucci silkweight L/S shirt w/ the windvest over it and a headband and liner gloves. You just need to keep the cold air from having direct contact w/ the skin, nothing more. I have medium weight shirts I can wear if it gets chillier than that, or I can wear the silk weight and medium if itās downright frigid.
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gloves: I have a pair of polypro liners for less cold days (say upper 30ās and above), and a pair of lightweight (Iām guessing 100-weight) fleece for med-cold, and a pair of windstopper fleece (200-weight) for the really cold days.
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for cold weather, nothing beats wool socks. I use Smartwool trail running socks, they keep my feet warm enuff, wick well, and are very comfy w/o being overly bulky. You can also run some very thin wicking liner socks, which helps keep yer feet warmer and dryer.
Another ātrickā for really cold days is to warm up for 20-30 mins on the trainer before ya head out to run. Since itās usually the first 1-3 miles of the run that may suck cuz yer cold, and itās cold out and whatnot, this helps to somewhat mitigate that problem, and you get in a brick workout out of it to boot.
āthere is no bad weather, only bad clothingā
-old Russian proverb
A couple of other things Iāve picked up:
Buff headwear. Thereās two types. The lighter model is good for 30-50 degree days where it can be used mostly as a headband - I hate it when my Dumbo-like ears are cold.
The heavier version is good for really frigid conditions.
Best thing about Buff is the flexibility. The amount of warmth you get depends upon how you put it on. for example, you may start out on a cold moring with it twisted āclosedā on you head to keep maximum warmth in. Then, once youāve warmed up a bit, you can easily reposition it - open it up - to let more heat escape.
I also like to wear two sets of gloves on the coldest days, i.e., 10-15 degrees around these parts.
Iāll wear a nice liner. Hind makes my favorite.
Then Iāll wear a Windstopper type over them. These are the ones:
http://www.rei.com/product/47539952.htm
This allows me to remove a pair if I get too hot.
Citybeing;
From all the posts, I guess that youāve got the gammut of winter running clothing. Itās all personal on what works and what doesnāt. I run where it is very dry, no humidity, so what I wear is a bit different.
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I like to have wind block tights on - they have a bit more nylon in the front, and more cloth in the back. Blocks the wind but vents the heat out the back of the leg.
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Wool socks. Smartwool makes all weights and lengths. They are the best. I use light weight liner, knee socks for XC Skiing, and low running socks, well, for running.
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Swix, Craft, and Marmot all make briefs with wind block on the front.
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Buffs are great. Yea I know because they are on āSurvivorā they have a high cheese factor, but I usually wear them around my neck. If it is cold I will pull it up over my mouth to breath through, the throat and lungs donāt get āfreezer burnā.
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Usually the roads I run on are snow packed. I have a pair of running shoes, 1/2 size bigger than my usual size that I have drilled self tapping, hex head screws in. They increase traction. I also use these shoes for winter triathlon.
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Sometimes when it is really cold. Iāll use my vapor barrier socks. They keep the toes really snug.
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I always wear a light hat, and always wear nordic ski gloves - different weights for different temps.
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I always try to wear eyeware. The cold can really dry out your eyes. In low light I have a pair of rose lenses that really highlight.
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Oh yea, and Craft. They are simply the best.
just my $.02
DB
Iāve always had good luck with REIās winter running gear. My favorite item though is a wind proof vest I got on sale at some running store. Itās has illuminate (sp??) so cars can see me if Iām running in the dark and I can put it over all different kinds of shirts depending on the temperature. Iām pretty cold natured, but Iām almost always too hot in a long-sleeved wind proof jacket. Mittens ā as opposed to gloves ā are a must for me; in the coldest weather, I wear both. Also, if you are running in the dark, get a head lamp. I love my Petzl, which I also use as a book reading light after my hubby has gone to bed. Finally, if your clothes arenāt reflective, Iād seriously consider getting a reflective vest.
Holy shit, youāre in the Philly area? Any chance we could meet in Manayunk (at Cadence) so you could teach me how to run properly?
citybeing -
iām in the philly area, too. i find that i donāt need that many more layers. a lot of the stuff iāll put on at the beginning of the run iāll wind up carrying later on (gloves, etc) unless itās really cold.
i also find that wearing compression shorts is good for a huge range of temperatures. something that keeps your thighs warm. it has to be pretty cold for me to put the tights on, but the compression shorts are great.
also, i have a very thin silk long-sleeved shirt thatās like magic. keeps me warm when iām cold, cools me down when iām hot.
-charles