85 °F outfit by wind, rain and effort
The same 85 °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 | Hot | Singlet or light tank top | Short running shorts | Visor or cap, sunglasses |
| Tempo or interval workout | Hot | Singlet or light tank top | Short running shorts | Visor or cap, sunglasses |
| Race | Hot | Singlet or light tank top | Short running shorts | Visor or cap, sunglasses |
| Easy run, 10 mph (16 km/h) wind wind adds little at this temperature | Hot | Singlet or light tank top | Short running shorts | Visor or cap, sunglasses |
| Easy run, 20 mph (32 km/h) wind wind adds little at this temperature | Hot | Singlet or light tank top | Short running shorts | Visor or cap, sunglasses |
| Light rain or drizzle Cap with a brim; no cotton | Hot | Singlet or light tank top | Short running shorts | Visor or cap, sunglasses |
| Heavy rain Cap with a brim; accept getting wet; anti-chafe balm | Hot | Singlet or light tank top | Short running shorts | Visor or cap, sunglasses |
| You usually feel the cold | Hot | Singlet or light tank top | Short running shorts | Visor or cap, sunglasses |
| You usually run hot | Hot | Singlet or light tank top | Short running shorts | Visor or cap, sunglasses |
● 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 85 °F?
Shorts, as short and light as you are comfortable in.
Is 85 °F too hot to run?
Not for most healthy runners who are used to the heat, but it is hot. Run early in the morning or late in the evening, slow down, carry water, and cut the run short if you feel dizzy or stop sweating. Humidity makes it harder still.
Staying cool at 85 °F
At 85 °F the question is how little to wear. Choose light colours and loose, wicking fabrics, protect yourself from the sun, and slow your pace on longer runs. The heat pace calculator shows how much slower to run, and the sweat rate calculator how much to drink.
What to wear at other temperatures
In Celsius: what to wear running at 25 °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.