0 °F outfit by wind, rain and effort
The same 0 °F can call for very different clothes. Harder running warms you up, so you can dress a level lighter; wind and rain make it feel colder. Rows that change the outfit are marked.
| Situation | Level | Top | Bottom | Hands & head |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy or long run, calm and dry | Frigid | Thermal base, fleece mid layer and windproof jacket | Thermal tights plus wind pants | Mittens with hand warmers; hat plus balaclava or face mask |
| Tempo or interval workout | Frigid | Thermal base, fleece mid layer and windproof jacket | Thermal tights plus wind pants | Mittens with hand warmers; hat plus balaclava or face mask |
| Race Plus a throwaway top for the start | Frigid | Thermal base, fleece mid layer and windproof jacket | Thermal tights plus wind pants | Mittens with hand warmers; hat plus balaclava or face mask |
| Easy run, 10 mph (16 km/h) wind feels like -16 °F (-27 °C) | Extreme ● | Thermal base, warm mid layer and insulated windproof jacket | Thermal tights plus insulated or wind pants | Insulated mittens with hand warmers; balaclava, hat and goggles or glasses |
| Easy run, 20 mph (32 km/h) wind feels like -22 °F (-30 °C) | Extreme ● | Thermal base, warm mid layer and insulated windproof jacket | Thermal tights plus insulated or wind pants | Insulated mittens with hand warmers; balaclava, hat and goggles or glasses |
| Light rain or drizzle Cap with a brim; light water-resistant shell; no cotton | Frigid | Thermal base, fleece mid layer and windproof jacket | Thermal tights plus wind pants | Mittens with hand warmers; hat plus balaclava or face mask |
| Heavy rain Cap with a brim; water-resistant shell and a spare layer; anti-chafe balm | Frigid | Thermal base, fleece mid layer and windproof jacket | Thermal tights plus wind pants | Mittens with hand warmers; hat plus balaclava or face mask |
| You usually feel the cold | Extreme ● | Thermal base, warm mid layer and insulated windproof jacket | Thermal tights plus insulated or wind pants | Insulated mittens with hand warmers; balaclava, hat and goggles or glasses |
| You usually run hot | Frigid | Thermal base, fleece mid layer and windproof jacket | Thermal tights plus wind pants | Mittens with hand warmers; hat plus balaclava or face mask |
● a different outfit level from the calm, easy-run outfit. "Feel the cold" and "run hot" shift the temperature by 7 °F (4 °C); workouts by 5 °F and races by 10 °F.
Shorts or tights at 0 °F?
Thermal tights plus wind pants. If you feel the cold, dress for the extreme level; if you run hot, the frigid level is usually enough.
Is 0 °F too cold to run?
Many runners do run at 0 °F (-18 °C), but it takes full cover and care. With a 10 mph wind it feels like -16 °F (-27 °C). Cover all skin, run short loops close to home, and choose the treadmill if it is windy or icy.
Why you should feel cold at the start
Running produces so much heat that the clothes that feel right standing still will have you overheating within ten minutes. The common rule is to dress as if it were about 20 °F (11 °C) warmer than it is: at 0 °F, dress for about 20 °F (-7 °C). If you are comfortable before the run, you are probably wearing one layer too many. Gloves, a headband and a vest are the easiest layers to take off or tuck away as you warm up.
Watch the wind chill. At 0 °F a 10 mph wind makes it feel like -16 °F and a 20 mph wind like -22 °F. The National Weather Service estimates frostbite can develop on exposed skin in about 30 minutes at a wind chill around −18 °F (−28 °C), and in 10 minutes or less below about −32 °F (−36 °C). Cover your skin and run loops near home.
What to wear at other temperatures
In Celsius: what to wear running at -5 °C. Every temperature in one table: what to wear running calculator.
- National Weather Service. Wind chill chart and formula (2001 revision).
- El Helou N. et al. (2012). Impact of environmental parameters on marathon running performance. PLoS ONE 7(5): e37407.
- Outfit levels are a practical guide compiled from common coaching advice; adjust them to how you feel on your own runs. Last reviewed October 2026.