Five things to wear when… running in slushy weather

Ah, running through slush. Pretty gross, right? For milder regions in Canada, December weather is quite transitional. When snow falls from the sky, it looks quite pretty– for about an hour until it turns to a slushy, sloppy mess. Come mid-January, Canadians wish for the milder weather but in early December, many just wish the ground would freeze already. Running though wet, partially frozen conditions means runners need to really think about wearing the right gear. Need help? Here are a few suggestions.

Gore-Tex shoes. Get a pair of these for wet or snowy weather and you’ll never go back. Most runners are used to that feeling when wet slush seeps through the meshy upper sections of the shoe. It’s cold for a second and then just keeps the feet wet until getting home. You don’t have to put up with that and with Gore-Tex lined running shoes, you won’t. Even the messiest melting snow won’t water-log the footsies.

Moisture-wicking socks. Whatever you do, don’t wear cotton socks or that extra-warm Merino wool pair. A slushy day is the day to pull out the lightweight, moisture-managing socks. Anything else will get wet and stay wet. To prevent annoying blisters that happen when socks get wet, make sure you’re not wearing a loose pair.

Weather-protection tights. The North Face has a really great pair that is smart to wear in wetter winter weather. The Isotherm Tights have panels at the fronts of legs that work to protect runners from wind but also keep sleet out. Any pair of tights that has waterproofing built in to the butt or fronts of legs is smart on a day when the wet snow is coming down. 

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A Buff. Praised as the most versatile piece of gear in running, the Buff is a good head wear choice on sleety days. When it comes to keeping the head dry and comfortable, hoods are often too floppy and hats can be too hot. Buffs are designed to wick moisture away as much as possible and will keep the wet snow off the hair so runners won’t have to deal with combing out dreadlock-like tangles later.

The jacket with butt protection. If that one jacket dips a little bit low (whether because it’s supposed to or because it’s just that bit too big) it’s your go-to on a day when the streets look the same texture as melted ice cream. When running along messy streets, it’s inevitable that runners will kick back some of that wet snow. It’s wise to have an extra waterproof layer on the bum for when this happens.