Cold weather running kit

Shorts or tights? Work out how cold it really feels in the wind and what to wear for your run.

Your details

Temperature
Wind speed

Use the forecast wind speed, not the gusts. Wind chill only applies at 10 C or below with wind over about 3 mph.

2.0 C with 12 mph wind

-2.6 C

feels like (wind chill)

  • KitBase layer plus a wind resistant jacket, tights, gloves and hat
  • Extrascover your ears
  • Alwayssomething bright or reflective in the dark, and grippy shoes on ice

Dress a little cool at the start: you warm up fast once you are moving. Wind chill here uses the JAG/TI formula the Met Office uses, for a bare face at walking pace. Run into the wind first so it is behind you on the sweaty way home.

Get inside and warm up if fingers, toes, ears or nose go numb, sting or look pale. Cold air can set off asthma, so carry your reliever. If you have a heart condition, ask your GP about exercising in the cold.

The working

2 C with a 12 mph wind

12 mph is 19.3 km/h. The wind chill formula is 13.12 + 0.6215T − 11.37V0.16 + 0.3965TV0.16, with T in °C and V in km/h, so 2 C feels like about −2.6 C on bare skin. That suggests a base layer, a wind resistant jacket, tights, gloves and a hat.

Layers by feels like temperature

A simple guide

Feels likeKit
10 C or moreT shirt and shorts
5 to 10 Clong sleeve top, shorts or tights
0 to 5 Cbase layer, tights, light gloves, thin hat
−5 to 0 Cbase layer, wind resistant jacket, tights, gloves and hat
below −5 Ctwo layers, windproof, thermal tights, warm gloves, hat, buff

This is practical kit advice, not a medical rule. Adjust for how you feel and how hard you run.

Staying safe

Winter running

  • Wear something bright or reflective in the dark
  • Watch for ice and pick grippy shoes
  • Tell someone your route on remote runs
  • Change out of damp kit quickly after you stop

Read with care

What this cannot tell you

  • Know your paceFaster runs feel warmer.
  • Allow for rainWet kit makes you colder fast.
  • Spot frostbiteCold, numb, stinging or pale skin on fingers, toes, ears or nose means get inside and warm up.

Questions

Common questions

What is wind chill?

How cold it feels on bare skin when the wind takes heat away. In the UK the Met Office uses the Joint Action Group for Temperature Indices (JAG/TI) method, based on heat lost from a bare face at walking pace.

What should I wear running at 0 C?

Usually a long sleeve base layer, tights, light gloves and a thin hat, with a wind resistant jacket if it is breezy.

Is it safe to run in the cold?

For most healthy people, yes, with the right kit. If you have a heart condition or asthma, ask your GP or nurse.

Why do I feel cold after a run?

Damp kit and stopping suddenly. Get changed and have a warm drink.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.

When to get help

Get inside and warm up if fingers, toes, ears or nose go numb, sting or look pale, and get medical help if feeling does not come back or the skin turns hard, white, blue or blotchy. Cold air can set off asthma, so carry your reliever. If you have a heart condition, ask your GP about exercising in the cold.

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