#cold-weather-gear

#cold-weather-gear

There's a glorious smugness that can only be experienced by exercising outdoors in winter conditions. The fresh air, the endorphins, the reduced risk of heart disease they're all nice bonuses, but nothing beats that knowing nod from another rain-drenched runner, or the horrified faces of nearby dog walkers as you stride confidently into the sea for a winter dip.

If anyone knows exactly what to wear to stay warm in cold weather, it's the people who live in these places. So I asked seven writers who reside in some of the coldest cities on Earth to recommend the gear they swear by. One writer in Mongolia wore a pair of foot warmers on a nine-day dog sledding adventure. Another in Winnipeg, Canada, shared a pair of gloves she's dubbed long johns for your fingers.

I live in Western Montana in the Rocky Mountains, and when I say that it can get pretty cold in the winter, I mean that a few years ago it got so cold that my interior doorknobs got covered in frost. If I want to enjoy nature at all for the colder 6 months of the year, I have to be dressed correctly. Hell, it can even be dangerous not to have the right gear on when you go outside here.

After more than 25 years of traveling solo from hiking snow-covered trails in the Himalayas to camping in Patagonia's winter chill, wandering Christmas markets in Europe, and sailing past Arctic and Antarctic icebergs, I've learned that winter travel adventures demand a mix of resilience and resourcefulness. "Traveling solo is an excellent way to practice mindfulness, challenge yourself, and build confidence. It teaches you about new cultures and experiences, and more so yourself," says Jan Curl, a retreat leader at Run Wild Retreats.