What to wear in winter to keep warm?

[Crazy horse]

I'm sure there has been lots of threads about what to wear in the winter to keep warm.But I want more suggestions. :)
Now the thing is,I'm tall,over 6',so lots of clothes are too short on me,which I hate.If someone knows of winter riding clothes that is cut longer,please let me know.It is not fun ordering something and then it is short :(
I'm in canada,and I'm always cold.I'm the one in the spring with my winter coat on.
I have managed to find used winter boots to try for now,but I'm game to try anything.
Oh,and I mean for riding,going to the barn and then riding and waiting around for a little bit.
Thanks :)

[vbunny]

Toe warmers will save your life. Wristies from Plow and Hearth. I wear winter chaps made from Polartech. I am not sure if the company is around any more (Monkey Ranch or something) but you can have some made to fit. They are the greatest invention ever.

[billiebob]

Tropical Rider winter tights run VERY long. I'm about 6' and their talls, when stretched out, come nearly to the ball of my foot. Kind of expensive but well worth it.

[sunico]

If you don't already, ride in mittens rather than gloves whenever you can. It gives you a little less mobility in your hands, but honestly, how much mobility do glove-clad frozen fingers have?

One winter one of my students made me a polar fleece helmet cover that doubled as a scarf. That was the winter that I discovered riding in a scarf. What a difference it made.

A good down-filled coat goes a long way (but you live in Canada too, so you already know that). I teach all winter in the most freezing of indoor arenas all day long, and I swear to god, with my snowpants over my tuffrider winter breeches, thermal underwear (top and bottom), turtleneck sweater, down jacket, scarf, toque and mittens, I stay pretty toasty. When I have to get on a horse, I just take off my snowpants and replace my toque with a helmet and I'm good to go. I go out hacking like this and stay reasonably warm too.

[Crazy horse]

Yes,I wear mittens.I have the riding kind,but sometimes even those are not warm enough.I have been known to just wear regular heavy mittens when riding.

I just got a fleece cover last year,and will be suing that so my ears don't freeze.

I always have scarves on,always,never leave indoors without them.

billiebob-Thanks,I'll see where I can find some of those.

I was looking at the full chaps made by pro chaps,I really like those,and they make them in taller sizes too,and I could get a larger pair to fit more pants/breeches under them.

Is that like yours,vbunny?

[Zu Zu]

Polar fleece Gator around my neck ~ before I put on hooded sweatshirt or coat can be pulled up around my nose and ears or removed depending on temperature ~ can not function without one in winter ~ sometimes use two - one on top of my head around the outside of my hood. Easy to wash ~highly recommend - very versatile.

[spirithorse22]

I'm sure there has been lots of threads about what to wear in the winter to keep warm.But I want more suggestions. :)
Now the thing is,I'm tall,over 6',so lots of clothes are too short on me,which I hate.If someone knows of winter riding clothes that is cut longer,please let me know.It is not fun ordering something and then it is short :(
I'm in canada,and I'm always cold.I'm the one in the spring with my winter coat on.
I have managed to find used winter boots to try for now,but I'm game to try anything.
Oh,and I mean for riding,going to the barn and then riding and waiting around for a little bit.
Thanks :)

Well sweetpea, I think you're excused for wearing a coat in a Canadian spring. :winkgrin::p
Anyway, I'm in your height range so I know what you mean! Um, Carhartt and North Face run long enough for me, do they work for you?

I wear UnderArmour like it's going out of style. Seriously

Underarmour skiers shirt, men's wool shirt, North Face down vest, Carhartt jacket (sometimes two wool shirts)

glove liners, gloves; longjohns, warm tights, jeans/breeches, chaps

sock liners (something that breathes, obviously), wool socks, winter boots; beanie hat, regular hat, ear muffs/headband, gator for neck & lower face

sunglasses if windy/snowy.

Now if I'm still cold with this layer system...I ain't riding, let alone leaving my house. :lol:

That waiting around is killer. Lots of warm, breathable layers are key.

[billiebob]

www.tropicalrider.com

Just so you know the rise is also kind of ridiculous (like, tuck into the bra ridiculous) but there are also lowrise ones that are like normal jeans. Although sometimes the extra fleece on your stomach is nice.....:lol:

[murphyluv]

Carhart overalls or suits for barnwork, with long underwear and/or jeans or riding pants underneath. Leather work boots on feet, gloves with silk liners (got for $5 on dover..AWESOME!!!) 2 shirts, sweatshirt, oilskin coat, and I love the thing I put on my head- I don't know where to find another one- I think it's a baclava-- not the food, but goes over the head around the neck.. I had one you could close up the hole around your face until all you could see was my eyeballs.
Riding- I think I also have tropical rider and klaus krehan fleece riding pants with capalene long underwear. I have a pair of lightweight and heavy weight each (long underwear).
silk sock liners are also worth every penny.

[twofatponies]

I have gotten a lot of use out of cross-country ski clothing for riding. It is designed for range of motion, stretchiness, thin but warm layers, wind resistance, wicking properties, etc. They make a lot of gloves that allow quite a bit of finger mobility (for handling the ski poles), but are quite warm. I find in riding as in cross-country skiing, I start out a little cold but warm up quickly, and need to unzip or remove layers as my ride goes on. I usually have a heavy wool hat and "neckie" on when I arrive at the barn, but remove those when I start riding, and put them back on when I'm done, so my helmet-sweaty head doesn't start getting chilled.

Some brands (the ones using wool, for example) are more expensive, but I have one wind and water proof Ibex wool jacket I have been wearing daily in fall, winter and spring for over four years and it doesn't have an signs of wear yet. And it gets laundered weekly, too.

[murphyluv]

oh the thing I was talking about is spelled balaclava not baclava, haha:
http://www.rei.com/product/725706

[shakeytails]

For keeping your tootsies warm, wear pac boots (gums and felts)- just buy a larger pair of stirrup irons so your feet will fit correctly.

I've found that plain full chaps do a dandy job of blocking the winter wind- and you can wear anything you want under them and still stick to the saddle.

[twobays]

for riding it's:

tights/long johns/under armour under jeans
ski socks with regular paddock boots
tank top under an under armour top under a hooded sweatshirt under a North Face puffy vest

[wingedmare]

It's been said once and let me add my 2 cents UNDER ARMOR!!!!! I am also a big fan of Lands Ends goose down vests, I can do lots of layers and not have my arms restricted.

[SmartAlex]

Eddie Bauer turtle necks (they sell tall) over thermal layers.

For feet... you just can't beat Woolrich 10 mile socks. They are not bulky, so they fit in my regular paddock boots, and I don't remember my feet ever being cold last year.

[dizzywriter]

Buy a bunch of fitted (with some stretch fabric) camisoles. They add an extra layer of warmth for your chest, freeing up body heat for other places and they have no bulk. I used to wear those silk underthings they sell in ski shops, but found that if my chest is warm from the camisole layer, I didn't need as many layers in my arms and legs.

[tullio]

Hey Under Armor fans... any good sources for that stuff for reasonable prices? Is there an Under Armor outlet anywhere? :lol: We just came back from Texas and I'm afraid of being cold now. Most of my old cold weather stuff went to Goodwill since I didn't need it for a looong while!

As for contributing to the thread, I agree with ZuZu's neck gaitor suggestion. One of those makes a big impact, and I love being able to pull it up over my nose/ears/mouth and really warm up. I used to teach lessons outdoors all winter long and that fleece neck thing was a lifesaver.

[subk]

Fleece long underwear underneath breeches.

Carthart bib overalls come in Womens (they have elastic across the back at the waist to help modify the michelin tire guy look.) You can get your regular size with several options in two inch increments on the length!

[Crazy horse]

Ohhh,thanks everyone.
Lots of things to try :)

Which winter riding boots are the best?

And where can I get 5.5" irons?

[MunchkinsMom]

My solution was to move to Florida - seriously.

But, when I did live in the "frozen tundra" here was my list of winter gear:

expedition weight long underwear (from Eastern Mountain Sports - but you can get them from other sources, hunting stores and catalogs are good sources).
Battery heated socks - worked great
Pac boots
Fleece lined jeans over the long underwear.
battery heated gloves (found those at TJMaxx).
turtlenecks topped by sweatshirts, with a good winter jacket on top. Loved my Mountain Horse Winter riding jacket.
For the really frigid days and nights, on top of the long underwear and fleece lined jeans, Mountain horse riding winter pants (with the zippers on the outside of each leg). The only downside to those were that the special material in the seat wore off, but they were very warm.
fleece helmet cover
fleece ear warmersThat's what worked for me. Believe it or not, I still have the fleece lined jeans, they come in handy on the 10-15 nights per winter where it goes below 32 here in Florida.

[Carrera]

Kerrits Sit Tite and Warm


LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM!!! They are great and tosty

[jn4jenny]

If you're tall, need to stay warm, and aren't so particular about fashion, get thee to the nearest hunting outfitters store, like Cabela's or Bass Pro Shops. Hunting gear is ugly, but it's designed to keep really tall dudes really warm in really awful conditions. I know many BO's/riders in Michigan who would borrow their hubby's hunting gear for winter trips to the barn.

Personally, I ride in Cuddl' Duds (cheaper alternative to Under Armour, not quite as warm and won't last quite as long but you'll get a few years out of them), Irideon Wind Pro breeches, a Mountain Hardwear Wind Pro Fleece, and a fleece ear cover that fits under my helmet. I have a hat that looks stupid but works great--the Dome Perignon by Mountain Hardwear. For really frigid days at the barn, I also have a pair of snowboard pants and a Dublin Empress winter jacket, both of which are too bulky for (good, effective) riding.

[Shermy]

UnderArmor!!!

I ride in their turtleneck and either sweatshirt or hoodie (or both it is freezing temps). They are VERY light, and soooo warm.

I love Irideon Wind Pro riding tights.

Wool socks w/the Tall Arait Iceberg boots.

Turtle Fur around my neck and head.

I cant remember the brand, but I have a great pair of riding mittens.

I ride a LOT in the winter, and stay very warm! I live in Illinois, so I ride in very cold temps. I have tried sooo many different brands of riding clothes, and this setup works very well for me.

Many people at my barn riding in Carhart overalls, etc. They can barely move, but I wear VERY light clothes. I am not hindered by the really heavy clothing like most of the other people.

[Shermy]

UnderArmor may not be cheap, but they are well built. I have ridden several winters in some of my sweatshirts, and they have held up great.

I would spend the money to keep unrestricted and warm, over saving some money for bulky clothes.

Dick's does have sales at times on some styles. So, I am sure other stores would too.

[billiebob]

You can get Under Armour knockoffs (and the real thing too) at TJ Maxx or Marshall's for under $20. I found a pair of Nike winter running leggings for $17--they're like thin powerstretch breeches minus the knee patches! I bought the only 2 pairs in my size and wear them all the time under my chaps.

[spirithorse22]

You can get Under Armour knockoffs (and the real thing too) at TJ Maxx or Marshall's for under $20. I found a pair of Nike winter running leggings for $17--they're like thin powerstretch breeches minus the knee patches! I bought the only 2 pairs in my size and wear them all the time under my chaps.

When I was riding in Wyoming I found this was the only way to keep my lower body warm (or tolerable, lol). I would wear winter tights, jeans, and full chaps plus sock liners, wool socks, and winter boots. My toes would still be pretty cold at the end of the ride but for the most part I was acceptably warm.

Agree with previous poster, light layers are crucial (see my first post! :lol:). Bulky clothes = colder. imo.

[Across Sicily]

I am lucky in that my barn has GREAT insulation and the arena is heated... wooooo hoo!

I tend to run warm when exercising and icy-cold when not, so I usually layer, layer, layer. Long underwear and breeches/jods, wool socks and boots, camisole (as another poster suggested - it works!), long sleeve shirt, short sleeve shirt over that, fleecy vest, pullover fleece, and jacket. Oh, and earmuffs. :) (Don't like hats much.)

This works well for me - I can peel off layers as I work up a sweat grooming, and pull off everything down to the fleecy vest before I ride, otherwise I get crazy sweaty and freeze once I step off. Even with the fleecy vest I get a little sweaty, but it isn't bad.

A barn I rode at during school heated their indoor to a balmy 70 degrees - ughhhh - horses were giant balls of sweat and so were the humans, coming in from an arctic barn to a toasted indoor arena. I always felt quite ill after I finished riding.

[J-Lu]

I think people have given some great suggestions so far...can probably beat mine. But my western PA winter ware consisted of:

silk liner shirts. Layer one.

Cotton or polyester/cotton thin tank top over or under or instead of silk liner, depending on temp. Breathable enough to keeep my core warm without trapping sweat.

Cotton turtleneck.

Wool sweater. Fleece was also worked but wool is so breathable when you sweat. Dissapating heat is a great thing. Fleece worked in really cold weather, though...especially when fleece was not form fitting and a layer of heat can form between you and your fleece. But I had various thicknesses of wool sweaters (including a sweater I call the "thickest wool sweater ever made" and relied mostly on them). A sweater that comes down around your hips and butt is a great thing in cold weather.

Flannel lined wind-resistant jacket over this (specifically, a Lacross jacket). Jacket served to keep me warm when grooming but could be shed when riding in indoor. But if it was cold out, it was light enough to allow sweat to escape and not let wind in yet keep in the warmth without restricting my movements I also had a wind-resistant goretex jacket that unzipped in the armpits...also great to stay warm but dissipate heat in winter.

Fleece lined breeches were fine for me. I wear long and several manufacturers make long fleece breeches.

Wool ski socks that go to your knees are the ONLY way to go in cold weather! I Have thick polyester ones, too, but they don't breath as well. I usually wear half chaps over this rather than tall boots in the winter.

I am a cold WIMP. The only boots that keep my feet warm in weather less than 20 degrees F are Ariat Frostbiters. They are bulky but they keep my toes warm. I have terrible peripheral circulation in cold weather so this is very meaningful to me!!!!!

I usually ride in simple fleece gloves because I like feel. When it is very cold, I have used ski gloves and some of the heavy duty riding gloves that you can find through catalogs. Often I have groomed in ski gloves and then ridden in fleece riding gloves.

I also ride in a fleece stretchy collar I sewed myself around my neck and over the turtleneck and most importantly, something warm over my head and ears.

Western PA is not the coldest place on earth but I am SUCH a cold wimp that I really had to bundle up. The above really worked for me. Good luck!

[SarahandSam]

In Buffalo, here's my normal outfit:

Top: Sports bra, tank top, silk thermal long-sleeved lightweight shirt, fleece turtleneck, sometimes a wool sweater, sleeveless puffy vest, fleece riding gloves (want a waterproof pair though--right now I'll use a pair of latex gloves underneath the fleece if it's really cold).

Bottom: Wool tights, fleece-lined TuffRider breeches, silk socks, hunting socks, Middleburg fleece-lined boots. If I'm just hanging out at the barn and not riding I wear Muck boots instead and add a toe warmer.

I have one of those little fleece headbands that can fit under my helmet, otherwise I wear a big knit hat. I look like a dork, but I freeze easily and this makes it possible for me to leave my house in winter. d;