[This post is from Winter Commuting Blogger Jane Allen and is part of our Conquer the Cold festivities, running from now until it gets warm again]

Does This Sleeping Bag Coat Make Me Look Fat?

Maintaining comfort in a wide range of temperatures and weather is a true challenge. The correct clothing and equipment will make this possible, but it will also require a change of mindset regarding how you might look at times.

For instance, does this down sleeping bag coat make me look fat? Yes, it does, especially if I have several layers on under it. Do I look fashionable wearing walking shoes with my dress? No, not in the slightest. What about that little backpack? From a fashion point of view, there isn’t anything good to say. However, these items are essential to your comfort, and at some point, you just have to decide that looking fit once you get to work is worth looking a bit like an arctic explorer, or sometimes just a bit dweeby, while you are getting there.

This is my gear acquisition advice:

Sweaters, Jackets, Coats

Sweaters and jackets are for cool days, which can happen any time of year, as you well know. If you wear a hat and gloves you can wear lighter sweaters, which are easier to carry home when it warms up in the afternoon.
Coats –I have a rain coat, a pea coat, and a sleeping bag coat (you gotta admit, that’s what they look like). There have been times that it would have been better if the sleeping bag coat was waterproof. Twice I have come around the last bend just as water started to trickle down my arm, having soaked through the down. You can buy such a waterproof one, but they’re not cheap. The downside of the sleeping bag coat is that it is so warm that I can’t wear it inside, and it has to come off in about 30 seconds after entering a heated space. Other than that, there is no other downside to a sleeping bag coat. It is lightweight to carry home if it warms up, and is the warmest coat I have ever owned. I could kick myself for the years I froze in shorter and less warm coats. It has an insulated hood, which is the best thing ever. You can make do without one, however, by just wearing lots of layers.

Gloves

Thin gloves—these will allow you to wear a lighter sweater or jacket in the fall, which is good because you will be carrying that coat home most of the time, because it’s too warm in the afternoon.
Medium gloves—down to about 10 degrees, these do the job.
Ski gloves—much below 10 degrees, I just need warmer gloves. Sometimes these are annoying in the afternoon, when it is warmer. This year I am going to try wearing my thin gloves under my medium gloves, because then I can remove one pair for the warmer walk home.

Hats

Any hat that covers your ears is good, and isn’t tight because it will do less damage to your hairstyle. It’s good if the hat will stuff into your pack, because you won’t want it in the afternoon half of the time. My sleeping bag coat has an insulated hood, which doesn’t mash my hair and is really warm.

Shoes

Walking shoes—these are good for most of the year.
Boots—what you wear the rest of the year. I have some lovely insulated ones with grippy soles that come up to my ankles. You don’t need really high ones because the snow is rarely more than four inches deep. You can get some gaiters, which keep your boots from filling with snow and wear those if it really snows a lot.
YakTraks®—tire chains for your feet. These stretch onto your shoes, kind of like galoshes, and allow you to take a full stride in icy conditions. Last year I wore out one pair, and am partway through another, since only about half of the residents shovel their sidewalks. They are tiny, fit in your day pack, and could save you from a broken something, which is worth the cost, in my view.

Day Pack

I have a tiny day pack, and I stuff an amazing amount of things into it. You need it for your sweater and gloves in the fall, for your YakTraks® in the winter, and to carry your coffee and lunch. Purses impair your walking speed and are carried on one shoulder which will eventually cause you trouble.

Umbrellas

You need one at work and one at home. Always remember to take the umbrella back where it belongs. You have to do this. There is no choice, otherwise, you will arrive at home or work looking like a drowned rat one of these days, and nobody wants that. On iffy days, check the weather radar before leaving home/work. You can’t rely on how it looks outside unless there isn’t a cloud in the sky. Trust me on this.

MP3 Device

I have an ipod nano, but there are a zillion choices, including ones that play the radio, so you can get your NPR fix on the way home. I realized that much of what I missed about driving was listening to music, so I fixed this, and it’s great.

Long Underwear

I have some black long underwear tights over my regular tights, and I wear these with dresses, and remove them when I get to work. This allows me to wear dresses year round, and this configuration is definitely warmer than pants without the long underwear. It’s another fashion nightmare, but I don’t want to wear pants all winter. Plus, this arrangement doesn’t drag in the snow like pants. When it’s really cold, I wear them with pants, but they are harder to remove and it’s often very hot in my office, so this is a last resort.

Scarves

I have a neck gaiter, which I like better, but it is a good way to make yourself more visible, which you need to keep in mind, because it will be dark at 5 for about a month.

Headlamp, balaclava, sunscreen, bug spray, pepper spray, mace, etc.

You will just have to make your own life decisions about these items. Have fun walking, and don’t let the winter win!