Figuring out how to dress properly for outdoors activity can be difficult, even more so at times like now when the seasons are changing. Maintaining a modicum of comfort while exercising in the midst of a 30-degree temperature swing compounded by gusty wind conditions can be a major challenge.
Incorporate a few basics into your wardrobe, however, and you’ll be good to go no matter what the weather throws at you.
The two keys to comfort are staying dry and staying warm. Today’s performance fabrics are designed to promote personal comfort by wicking moisture away from your skin. Garments are designed so the moisture moves to the surface of the fabric, where it evaporates.
That can cause a problem on a chilly morning or late evening. The evaporation has a cooling effect. If your activity involves any degree of speed, such as riding a bicycle or even riding in a golf cart, the refrigeration effect is accelerated. You feel cold.
So much for the warm part.
One of the most underrated and cost-effective pieces of clothing that everyone should have is a simple nylon windbreaker shell. It’s a $20-40 piece of clothing that you can quickly put on or take off and instantly adjust your personal comfort.
As its name implies, it is not designed to afford maximum breathability, although some are remarkably breathable. Nor is it designed to be waterproof, although some repel water well. But all provide some resistance to the wind and can be rolled up and stowed in a back pocket or bag compartment for easy and quick access. And they can be taken off, wadded up and re-stored.
Some even come with their own storage sack, which doubles as a storage pocket when the windbreaker is being worn. At this time of year, I like to think of my Pearl Izumi windbreaker in the same terms as my American Express credit card: I never leave home without it.
The other inexpensive piece of clothing that can make all the difference in the world is what you choose to put on your noggin, ideally covering both the top and your ears. Again for around $20 you can purchase a knitted polypropylene skull cap that can be stuffed almost anywhere.
Not to be confused with toboggans or balaclavas, these head coverings fit under bicycle helmets and ballcaps and can be pulled down over the ears. Like a windbreaker, they can be quickly removed when no longer needed.
We all know that you can’t do anything about the weather, and nowhere is this more evident than in Chattanooga. But you can do something about how you handle it. Armed with the Boy Scout’s motto of “Be prepared” and two relatively inexpensive clothing accessories, any day becomes just another opportunity to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.
