Winter gear must haves?

[Big Dumb Animal]

So I got to test my new winter gear in 17 degree weather today. I wore the following items;
moisture wicking short sleeve shirt
Padded bike shorts
Under armor cold weather shirt
The fleece lined pants from Amazon posted earlier in this thread
The jacket from Amazon also posted earlier
An outer vest (just a cheap quilted vest I got)
Thin socks covered by wool socks
5 ten free riders
A standard winter glove
baclava (standard)

I will give the pants and jacket from Amazon an A+ rating, they performed flawlessly. I could have lost the outer vest as it was not needed at all. Where I do need to experiment and invest some more $$$ is the hands and feet. My feet started off fine but my hands were torturously cold, to the point I almost couldn't work the brakes properly.. As I warmed up the hands and feet reversed roles, my hands felt ok but my big toe was completely numb from the cold.. I did a total of about 8 miles and my core was fine, however I didn't want to risk frostbite damage to my fingers or toes, and yes it felt that bad...

I went out yesterday morning on the road for 2 hours, around 17 degrees when I started. Fox forge cold gear gloves, water and wind proof. My hands weren't the least bit cold, just a tad bit sweaty when I finished but I didn't notice until I took them off. I can't rave about those gloves enough.

 

[Paul H]

If you intend to ride in “stoopid cold” then Bar mits for the hands are a must. They’re fairly cheep and they really work. Feet, you’re gonna have to ride in oversized winter boots... unless you’re willing to plop down some serious $$$$ for Cycling specific winter shoes that is.

Yep on bar mitts.
My hands were sweaty by mid ride and I was wearing my regular gloves

For feet... I have lake boots and I still needed toe warmers.

 

[shrpshtr325]

alright, guess im gonna bite on this one.

todays gear consisted of

no name amazon balclava
under armour cold gear mock neck long sleeve shirt
regular jersey
bontrager cold weather over jersey (i think this is 'rated' for above freezing, but im not sure, the labels gone at this point)
bontrager velocis gloves
bib shorts
under armour cold gear thermal tights
summer socks
bontrager 'old man winter' winter boots.

We were out there for 3.5 hours total time, i actually think i was slightly overdressed, but with the regrouping and reading of maps it was fine.

yesterday i wore the same with a windbreaker and it was WAY too much.

as a side note the hose insulator for my camelbak was one of the best purchases i have made in a LONG time, no more frozen hose, and i dont have to fish it out from under my jacket anymore :/

 

[teabagger11]

11/23/2018
This morning: @ 3 degrees:
Long sleeve Ibex woolies Zip neck base layer
Duofold Long Johns Shirt 50 cotton 40 Wool 10 nylon
Big Agnes Meaden jacket large
Ibex Woolies #2 Long Johns
4ucycling Windproof Athletic Pants
45NRTH wool socks 7" high medium weight
Hotronics electric heated boot inserts
Bugaboot Plus IV XTM Omni-Heat winter boots -65°
Ergodyne N-Ferno 6970 Thermal Balaclava with face mask
Motionheat electric glove liners
pivot biker mittens

View attachment 81383

Love ibex wool but I believe they went out of business

 

[Steve Vai]

So I got to test my new winter gear in 17 degree weather today. I wore the following items;
moisture wicking short sleeve shirt
Padded bike shorts
Under armor cold weather shirt
The fleece lined pants from Amazon posted earlier in this thread
The jacket from Amazon also posted earlier
An outer vest (just a cheap quilted vest I got)
Thin socks covered by wool socks
5 ten free riders
A standard winter glove
baclava (standard)

I will give the pants and jacket from Amazon an A+ rating, they performed flawlessly. I could have lost the outer vest as it was not needed at all. Where I do need to experiment and invest some more $$$ is the hands and feet. My feet started off fine but my hands were torturously cold, to the point I almost couldn't work the brakes properly.. As I warmed up the hands and feet reversed roles, my hands felt ok but my big toe was completely numb from the cold.. I did a total of about 8 miles and my core was fine, however I didn't want to risk frostbite damage to my fingers or toes, and yes it felt that bad...

Hey. I was parked next to you this morning. I wore those things listed in my post above.

When your fingers feel like that, take off your gloves and kinda windmill your arms around. It'll bring extra blood to your fingers and make the stingy go away. Also, make sure your core isn't overdressed, it's a common misconception that a warm core = warm extremities. The more even your layers are the more even your body distributes warmth instead of pulling resources from hands/feet to cool your overdressed core. It's counterintuitive but works wonders.

 

[MadisonDan]

Hey. I was parked next to you this morning. I wore those things listed in my post above.

When your fingers feel like that, take off your gloves and kinda windmill your arms around. It'll bring extra blood to your fingers and make the stingy go away. Also, make sure your core isn't overdressed, it's a common misconception that a warm core = warm extremities. The more even your layers are the more even your body distributes warmth instead of pulling resources from hands/feet to cool your overdressed core. It's counterintuitive but works wonders.

Why take the gloves off for the windmill?
Asking for myself.

 

[Dajerseyrat]

Why take the gloves off for the windmill?
Asking for myself.

In case your glove goes flying off into the woods.

 

[Steve Vai]

In case your glove goes flying off into the woods.

And.

A lot of the time the strap on the glove is cutting off circulation. Same thing with the velcro on winter shoes, overtighten that shit and the shoes are basically useless.

 

[Big Dumb Animal]

And.

A lot of the time the strap on the glove is cutting off circulation. Same thing with the velcro on winter shoes, overtighten that shit and the shoes are basically useless.

All about circulation, that's why more socks in cycling shoes can make you feel colder because it cuts off the blood flow. I read it on the internet, has to be true.

 

[pooriggy]

Why take the gloves off for the windmill?
Asking for myself.

I take off gloves and put hands in a warm place, heating up the fingers allows for the blood to circulate and keep my hands warm.
I have to do this about 20 minutes in to get good blood flow to fingers, my hands are cold until I do this.

 

[thegock]

11/23/2018
This morning: @ 3 degrees:
Long sleeve Ibex woolies Zip neck base layer
Duofold Long Johns Shirt 50 cotton 40 Wool 10 nylon
Big Agnes Meaden jacket large
Ibex Woolies #2 Long Johns
4ucycling Windproof Athletic Pants
45NRTH wool socks 7" high medium weight
Hotronics electric heated boot inserts
Bugaboot Plus IV XTM Omni-Heat winter boots -65°
Ergodyne N-Ferno 6970 Thermal Balaclava with face mask
Motionheat electric glove liners
pivot biker mittens

View attachment 81383

Yeah, but you have only ridden 500 days in a row, so what would you know?

 

[goldsbar]

My old Patagonia light down jacket was great yesterday...don't be fooled by the need for cycling specific stuff.

 

[rick81721]

I take off gloves and put hands in a warm place, heating up the fingers allows for the blood to circulate and keep my hands warm.
I have to do this about 20 minutes in to get good blood flow to fingers, my hands are cold until I do this.

I have Raynaud's phenomenon which makes especially my hands very cold at the beginning of a ride. When wearing my sleezak gloves, I just pull my hand into a fist inside the glove until they warm up, after 30 minutes or so into a ride, I'm fine after that.

 

[Frank]

My old Patagonia light down jacket was great yesterday...don't be fooled by the need for cycling specific stuff.

While I agree that a lot of ski/snowboard clothing will work great this time of yea, I will add that is for low effort as they don't wick as well. If you plan on high efforts then moisture management is important. That said, I'm fine with ski equipment. I have a windproof LL Bean jacket that I have used for years and it is warm and wicks. For legs I bought the Amazon pants as winter bibs were not enough for me down to the 20's, lower than that I wear bibs AND the pants. I have found that my feet get cold real easy, even with Wolvhammers so I use foot warmers and Leg Gaiters to help keep my shins warm. For my hands I wear summer full finger gloves and use bar mitts.....they look really f-ed up but you cannot deny they work extremely well.

 

[rick81721]

Merino wool is very good - merino wool + possum is betterer. I picked up a few pairs of these in NZ last year. Very toasty

https://www.thewoolcompany.co.nz/clothing/menswear/socks/possum-comfort-top-socks-20009915

 

[stb222]

I have Raynaud's phenomenon which makes especially my hands very cold at the beginning of a ride. When wearing my sleezak gloves, I just pull my hand into a fist inside the glove until they warm up, after 30 minutes or so into a ride, I'm fine after that.

I don’t know what they did with the new version, but those gloves are even warmer.

 

[rick81721]

I don’t know what they did with the new version, but those gloves are even warmer.

New as of when? I think mine are a few years old now.

 

[Frank]

I have Yak hair socks...no lie.....and they are warm as

 

[Kaleidopete]

I have Raynaud's phenomenon which makes especially my hands very cold at the beginning of a ride. When wearing my sleezak gloves, I just pull my hand into a fist inside the glove until they warm up, after 30 minutes or so into a ride, I'm fine after that.

I have that condition too! It sucks!

 

[rick81721]

I have that condition too! It sucks!

I noticed you have electric warmers for the feet and hands. Good idea - if I didn't head south for the winter I'd get something similar.