Running doesn’t need to end when the perfect weather for running ceases. The variety of fitness apparels at present always has an answer and in this case, it’s the thermal running jacket.
Thermal or insulated workout jackets are made specifically for freezing temperatures as they offer a body-warming layer of fabric that water and windproof types rarely provide.
Through the advancement of technology, the thermal running jacket has kept up with people’s needs. You may remember runners wearing insulated jackets from the past years, looking something akin to the Michelin Man.
Now, they come in more sophisticated designs and available in varying levels of insulation. You can find what you need best in this guide to the benefits of choosing the best thermal running jacket in the market.
How to Choose the Perfect Thermal Running Jacket
1. Right Amount of Warmth
In looking at this feature, you have to assess how low the temperature is and how cold you usually feel. It can also be influenced by the time of the day you are planning to go for a run and the venue.
If you plan to do it early in the morning or late evening, you will need to start wearing thermals sooner that during midday. There are two types of insulation and here are their pros and cons:
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Synthetic Insulation
This type is a man-made material created with poly fibres that’s a natural choice among people who don’t want to wear animal skin apparel. Synthetic attempts to replicate the heating effects of the second type without the bulk and with higher breathability and lower cost.
The major pros are it performs well when wet and requires less care in cleaning and storage. However, compared to the other type, synthetic has poor weight to warmth ratio.
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Down Insulation
These running jackets are made up of a layer of down and feather to warm you up. Down is a fine layer of fluffy feathers underneath the normal feathers on waterfowl, usually from geese or ducks.
Since normal feathers are unable to retain loft on their own, a certain amount of down balances the percentage of feathers in garments referred to as ‘down insulator.’
In terms of the benefits, this type is extremely warm for its weight and can be highly compressed. However, it performs badly when exposed to dampness and wetness and requires optimum care in cleaning and storing for better performance.
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Hybrid Insulation
This insulation type is a growing technology among thermal jackets. It is made up of a combination of more than one insulating technology, such as the synthetic and the down to offer the features of both types.
Hybrid insulation aims to provide the best features using technological advancements for the most warmth, packability, moisture management and mobility.
In terms of its benefits, hybrids simply have the features of both synthetic and down.
2. Wind Protection
The wind chill factor is a great thing in running in cold weather conditions. Even if it isn’t raining, you can opt for a wind-resistant jacket and a thermal top.
There are both windproof and waterproof jackets made to protect you from very wet and very windy conditions. When you feel like the rain will not slow or stop aside from the cold, this is the best pick.
3. Portability
Most of the time, running jackets are an on-call apparel. We take them out for use the moment the weather gets down or the environment has more elements that can damage our skin.
Thermal jackets can also be portable at present due to various innovations. This means that some designs are portable enough to be easily carried along our run, in smaller bags or pockets.
4. Extra Features
Some of the thermal jacket’s extra features are the number of wee that comes on tops. Most designs come with flat-lock seams for comfort and preventing chafing.
Others offer pockets for storage or ‘mitts’ to heat up your hands inside them. Some have reflective materials to cater for visibility when running during the night and comes in neon and visible colours during the day.