When it comes to wrapping up in winter, it is very common to make a common mistake: putting layers and layers of clothing that are not really warm enough. In the end we ended up weighing 5kg more and feeling the same cold sensation. What is the secret then to keep warm in winter? Wearing thermal clothing is one of the answers. Thanks to it, we will build a second skin over ours that will give us heat and protect from the cold. Also, the lightness of these garments will not reduce your mobility or make you feel like a heavy weight. Learn more about how thermal clothing works below.
How thermal clothing works?
There are countless technologies incorporated into the different thermal inner wear clothing garments depending on the brand you choose. However, whatever names each brand name its own technology, the basic functional attributes of thermal clothing are as follows:
- Light. Thermal clothing, due to its composition mainly made of polyester or polyamide, stands out for its lightness, which allows it to be worn under other outerwear without practically noticing its existence.
- Elastic and adjustable. Thermal garments must be elastic enough to fully conform to the shape of your body, as this is their main operating mechanism. A loose fitting garment will not be able to maintain body heat, since it will let in cold air from outside.
- Breathable. Thermal clothing must perspire to wick away perspiration and be always dry. A garment that does not perspire and is wet will give us more coldly instead of giving us heat. Therefore, cotton is not a very advisable fabric for winter.
- Thermoregulatory. It would be the ultimate goal of all thermal technology: to be able to trap body heat and retain it thanks to the fibers of the fabric. For this, some brands use a soft fleece lining or ribbed patterns for better distribution of body heat.
When to use thermal clothing?
The use of thermal clothing is advisable when temperatures drop in such a way that our normal technical clothing is not enough to keep us warm. Obviously the feeling of cold is very subjective and each person has a different tolerance to cold.
For winter sports, on cold days it is recommended to include thermal undergarments under winter clothing. If the temperature drops abruptly, we can use thermal underwear and warm thermal clothing (sweatshirts or fleeces) and on top of it a jacket or down if necessary (for example, for skiing, mountaineering or hiking).
Types of thermal clothing
As we talked about before, thermal clothing is mainly divided into inner garments and outer garments. They can be used separately or together depending on how cold it is outside. As for the best thermal wear, you will find both t-shirts (long or short sleeves) and tights. For outerwear you will find pants, sweatshirts, fleeces, gloves.
Combine these garments, as you need with the rest of your winter clothes and you, will see how you do not spend a bit of cold this year!
