Cold Weather Gear

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by southbymidwest

Coats like north face metropolis or transit or similar, hunter (or hunter style) rainboots with liners, patagonia better sweater jacket or vest, under armour cold gear (fabulous, daughter swears specifically by them, they are not cheap, but they last, and keep everything nice and warm) - seem to meet style and warmth requirements at the universities (midwestern and mid atlantic) that my daughter and high school friends attend. Of course each campus has its own campus style culture, but hard to go wrong with these.

Ditto to Under Armour! While it can be expensive, you can get it at some stores for super cheap since it's end of season. I got a pair of pants for running a few weeks ago--they should have been $110, but I got them for $39.99 because they had pink ribbons on the waistband and October is over. There are also Under Armour outlets.

Sorels might be a good choice for winter boots.

[DubaiSis]

I get my pashminas at the local souk. For you, hmmmmm. I don't know. I just looked online to see where you can buy them in the states. Yikes! They're a lot more expensive there! I can get ones I'm happy with for about $10.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Do you have REI anywhere near you, or someplace you'll be travelling to before she starts school? That is where I buy my serious outdoor clothes/equipment. If you can't get to one of their stores, they have a fab website! Here is the section for just winter boots: http://www.rei.com/category/4500232. Plus, if you sign up for an REI membership (only $10 I think for a lifetime membership), you get a portion back on everything you spend (it's a CoOp). I just got my dividend for the year ($25 or so).

I have always loved Columbia jackets. Like someone else said upthread, many of their jackets are 3-in-1. I wear both the outer and liner for cold days and skiing, the outer only for days when it's not super cold but might rain, and the liner on chilly but clear days.

[momof4girls]

Woohoo, there is an REI in Plano and Dallas. That's close enough we can venture that way one weekend. We will be heading to Nebraska the end of April for Cheer try outs. If there are any stores along I35 in Kansas and Nebraska we should hit, please let me know.

[psusue]

Some good brands are Patagonia, Marmot, the North Face, Columbia, Eastern Mountain Sports, Under Armour cold gear, and Mountain Hardware. She'll probably need a good to-the-knee coat, which will last her all four years, a good quality rain coat, a fall weather coat, and then plenty of layers. I ended up getting a to-the-knee coat, a soft shell jacket, and a windbreaker rain jacket and that all suited my needs well weather wise. But I also had a pea coat and a bomber-type jacket for when I had to wear my coat to events and such. But I'm also a jacket hound, haha. I hate being cold and/or wet, so.

Some great places to look for deals are e.bay (I got my soft shell and my windbreaker for like 1/4th of their actual cost and they were only gently used), Sierra Trading Post, REIoutlet.com, and Campmor. Also outlets have great deals, especially with their sales. Now is also probably the time to be buying as this is when stores are clearing out winter merchandise. I would also check out places like Plato's Closet and even local thrift stores, you never know what you can find. Best of luck to your daughter at Nebraska.

[VandalSquirrel]

Spend $25 on an REI membership, you will be glad you did. I've almost exclusively used their own gear or gear I bought from them to live outdoors in Alaska all summer, experiencing all four seasons from May-August, and it never let me down.

A lot of those cold winter boots are really not comfortable and often don't last very long, as well as being kind of fugly. All that extraneous fur and fluff is just something else that can get wet and dirty. If one isn't dealing with sub-arctic temps the best boots I've found are Keens, stylish and practical, and come in half sizes, unlike almost every other boot out there. Don't forget socks, Smartwool is great as is the REI house brand.

I adore these http://www.keenfootwear.com/us/en/pr...silverton%20wp and though the retail cost is a bit high I've found their items on sale at REI and Sierra Trading Post. I don't think you can easily get them outside Canada and the Lower 48, but the best boots of all time are Lobbens from Norway. If you're interested www.piasweaters.com in Anchorage sells and ships them with no Alaska state tax. I only had to buy a new pair because I had foot surgery and my foot became narrower and longer, and I rocked that pair for over a decade. They are also lighter than regular boots and the traction is great, I know people in the mushing community who swear by them. I keep a pair of flats in my office or carry in my bag to change into so I don't overheat while I'm inside.

As far as coats go, many Columbia coats are excellent, I have a waist/hip length one with a zip out fleece I often wear. Depending on the weather and the streets I'll pair it with a light pair of snow or rain pants to keep dry and clean between point A & B. The pants I have from REI (Ultra Light Pants & matching jacket) have survived multiple archaeology digs and pack down into their own bag so I can take them off and look presentable while not carrying around wet outerwear. However if there is a melt issue and splashing, I wear a longer LL Bean raincoat with a removable wool/down lining that comes to my knees and keeps me dry all over. It went up in price but it is good for more than one season since the lining zips in and out. http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/65931...9-ppodxs&dds=y

Other than my boots everything I own is a bright color so I can be seen on dark or gray winter days and it does add a bit of cheerfulness. I have worn thinner Isotoner style gloves with the special finger material to use on my smart phone and iPod inside a pair of mittens. I knit my own mittens and hats, and the last commercial pair I owned my mother got me from Iceland and they just need thumb repair. I don't often need thermal underwear unless it gets to 0, but I found Jockey brand at Ross that is the thinnest, most durable, and outrageously comfortable I've ever owned.

[PeppyGPhiB]

VandalSquirrel...we are so Northwest.

[IUHoosiergirl88]

I'm originally from just outside of Chicago so I'm completely used to the cold and snow for months on end. Here at Indiana, we tend to swear by North Face. I came here thinking I would never fall into the trend, but after some long trudges to class in the freezing rain/snow/sleet/whatever, I caved and bought one. Since your daughter probably isn't used to the cold, I'd recommend a knee length one with a hood. It will be more expensive, but prevents the need to layer AS much. I know I wear a Denali year round, but I tend to layer with a sweatshirt or cable knit sweater.

I'd also recommend a good pair of rain boots, Target online has cheap ones, or you can go up to Chooka or Hunter, depending on your price point. They will crack and leak after 1-2 seasons of temperature change, I know that from experience.

In terms of actual boots, I'm partial to my Uggs but we don't get quite as much snow as we used to. I did have a pair of more treaded knee high boots, but now when it snows I settle for my Uggs.

Other random things I can think of: gloves (many pairs), headbands (a few) for absurdly windy cold winter days, Eucerin intense moisture hand cream, throw blankets, several warm coffee mugs that are leakproof so she doesn't have to hold them all winter (I've experienced far too many purple fingers from this), Polo cable knit sweaters...which I live in in the winter, and jeans that can be tucked into boots.