Winter running gear: our top training essentials to help you conquer the cold

If you’re tempted to stop running in the winter or retreat to the gym, think again. Whether it’s getting out for fresh air and daylight on crisp, blue-sky days, or blowing away the cobwebs in the dark and rain after work, running outdoors can make winter more bearable.

With a few changes to your attire and some nifty accessories, you can stay warm and dry and be safer. You won’t need all of the below – it depends on where you run, how far and what time of day you get out. Everything featured is either unisex or available in women’s and men’s versions.

The best winter running gear

Protective headgear

Arc’teryx Norvan balaclava

_{£65 at Arc’teryx}

Buff Reflective DryFlx beanie

_{£21.07 at Amazon
£21.95 at Buff}

The right headgear can save a run when the wind is blowing hard or temperatures are very low. The Arc’teryx merino balaclava can be worn as a buff around your neck, pulled up over your mouth, or as a balaclava that wraps around your ears and forehead – the top is open for ventilation. If you like your head completely covered, bung on a Buff beanie as well. Both are reflective, breathable and quick drying.

Chest light

Proviz chest light

_{£29.99 at Proviz
£34.99 at Amazon}

Wearing a chest light gives bikes, cars and people the chance to see you in the dark long before they reach you, especially important in areas where there’s no street lighting. This has front and back lights (full-, half- or low-beam white on the front; slow-flashing red on the back) at a super-bright 500 lumens, and the USB rechargeable battery lasts for three hours. The stretchy, adjustable straps also have Proviz 360 reflectivity, which is dazzling when a light is shone on it.

Bone-conduction headphones

Shokz OpenPro2 headphones

_{£169 at Shokz
£169 at Amazon}

If you can’t live without music or podcasts on a run but don’t want to lose awareness of your surroundings in the dark, then bone-conduction headphones are a great solution. The sound is conducted through the temporal bones at the side and base of the skull so you can still hear traffic, bikes and people while being immersed in your listening. It also eliminates the problem of earbuds falling out of sweaty ears.

If you’ve never tried them before, you’ll be amazed at the magic of hearing music as clearly as you would through earbuds, and the sound quality from this wireless pair is superb.

Backpack cover

Proviz backpack cover

_{£34.99 at Proviz
£45.50 at Decathlon}

If you run-commute, you could invest in a hi-vis, reflective backpack for dark mornings and evenings, but this reversible cover is a cheaper hack, stretching over your existing backpack and lighting you up like a Christmas tree with its excellent reflectivity. It will also keep your bag and its contents dry should it rain.

Technical base layer

Rab Ridgeline women’s long-sleeve base layer

_{£59.99 at SportsShoes
£59.99 at Basecamp Gear}
Rab Ridgeline men’s long-sleeve base layer

_{£59.99 at SportsShoes
£60 at Amazon}

Winter running is all about layering. For those first few miles, a high-quality technical base layer combined with a mid-layer – and possibly a running jacket if it’s wet or very windy (see below) – will keep you warm but not sweaty. You can then shed either of the top two if needed.

These base layers are designed for mountain running but are just as handy on urban runs. They’re made of breathable fabric with small ventilation holes in the right places, wick away sweat and moisture quickly, and have a deep chest zip if you get too hot.

Running jacket

Asics Metarun men’s waterproof jacket

_{£142.99 at SportsShoes
£151 at Asics}
Asics Metarun women’s waterproof jacket

_{£120 at Sports Direct
£151 at Asics}

If you’re out for a quick 20-minute run in the rain, you can probably get away without a running jacket. However, if you run longer distances, a flexible, breathable, technical running jacket is a wise investment for wet or windy days.

This well-designed jacket packs into its own chest pocket, so it’s easily put away when you don’t need it. It’s fully waterproof, so you can stay out in the longest of downpours, and it toggles in around the bottom and hood to seal you in. It’s also made from 50% recycled materials. Good running jackets will last for years if looked after properly.

Running gloves

Extremities Maze Runner gloves

_{£22.95 at Outdoor Action
£25.50 at Mountain Warehouse}

Sealskinz Wolferton running gloves

_{£40 at Sealskinz}

Cold extremities can ruin a winter run – hands will generally get cold in the wind even when your face and body are hot. Regular gloves will feel unwieldy and leave you with sweaty hands, whereas running gloves are breathable and flexible.

These Extremities gloves have good insulation and reflective detail; the Sealskinz are water-repellent and have a nifty retractable mitten you can pull over your fingers on especially cold days. Both are touchscreen-compatible, so gloves can stay on while you use your phone.

Warm socks

Sealskinz Hilgay running socks

_{£18 at Sealskinz
£18 at Amazon}

For your other extremities, merino running socks will keep your feet toasty without overheating and quickly wick moisture away if they get wet. These are thicker than a summer sock and come up to your mid-calf – bare ankles will never do in winter.

Tracker device

Tile Pro

_{£34.99 at Tile
£27.99 at Amazon}

Fitting in runs before or after work inevitably means running in the dark, and this Tile Bluetooth tracker can offer some peace of mind. Tile has teamed up with Life360, a safety app that shows your loved ones exactly where you are, so you can now use your Tile to discreetly trigger an SOS alert. Pressing the button three times will prompt your contacts to check your location. With Gold or Platinum membership of Life360, emergency services can be dispatched to your exact location.

The Tile is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, so you can run holding it or tuck it into your pocket, and it has a 500ft range. Additional Tiles could also save you countless hours trying to find your keys or phone before you go out running.

Hybrid running shoes

Merrell Morphlite Gore-Tex women’s road-to-trail shoe

_{From £86.60 at Amazon
£130 at Merrell}
Merrell Morphlite Gore-Tex men’s road-to-trail shoe

_{£85 at Nevisport
£130 at Merrell}

If you run on a mixture of pavement and trail, such as around a park, you might find yourself slipping and sliding when the ground is wet and muddy. Trail shoes are too clunky and structured for pavement, which is where a road-to-trail shoe comes in.

These have the flex and cushioning of a road shoe, combined with tacky rubber soles and lugs (small points of raised rubber) that provide extra traction but aren’t as deep as those on a trail shoe. They also have a Gore-Tex membrane, so you can crash through mud and puddles with abandon.

Lisa Buckingham is a health and fitness journalist who has been testing fit kit and tech of all kinds for two decades. She’s a runner who’s done more than 25 triathlons, climber, swimmer, snowboarder and cricketer, and loves nothing more than being outdoors, rain or shine