20 °F outfit by wind, rain and effort
The same 20 °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 | Very cold | Thermal base layer, light mid layer and wind jacket | Thermal tights, or tights with wind pants | Mittens, or gloves with liners; warm hat and neck gaiter |
| Tempo or interval workout | Cold ● | Thermal long-sleeve base layer plus a wind jacket | Running tights (thermal if windy) | Gloves; beanie that covers your ears |
| Race Plus a throwaway top for the start | Cold ● | Thermal long-sleeve base layer plus a wind jacket | Running tights (thermal if windy) | Gloves; beanie that covers your ears |
| Easy run, 10 mph (16 km/h) wind feels like 9 °F (-13 °C) | 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, 20 mph (32 km/h) wind feels like 4 °F (-15 °C) | Frigid ● | Thermal base, fleece mid layer and windproof jacket | Thermal tights plus wind pants | Mittens with hand warmers; hat plus balaclava or face mask |
| Light rain or drizzle Cap with a brim; light water-resistant shell; no cotton | Very cold | Thermal base layer, light mid layer and wind jacket | Thermal tights, or tights with wind pants | Mittens, or gloves with liners; warm hat and neck gaiter |
| Heavy rain Cap with a brim; water-resistant shell and a spare layer; anti-chafe balm | Very cold | Thermal base layer, light mid layer and wind jacket | Thermal tights, or tights with wind pants | Mittens, or gloves with liners; warm hat and neck gaiter |
| You usually feel the cold | 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 run hot | Cold ● | Thermal long-sleeve base layer plus a wind jacket | Running tights (thermal if windy) | Gloves; beanie that covers your ears |
● 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 20 °F?
Thermal tights, or tights with wind pants on top. If you feel the cold, dress for the frigid level; if you run hot, the cold level is usually enough.
Is 20 °F too cold to run?
No. With the right layers, 20 °F (-7 °C) is safe for running. Wind is what makes it bite: at 10 mph it feels like 9 °F (-13 °C), so a wind-resistant outer layer, a hat and gloves matter more than extra thickness.
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 20 °F, dress for about 40 °F (4 °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 20 °F a 10 mph wind makes it feel like 9 °F and a 20 mph wind like 4 °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.