While these are not wind resistant, the tights worked well from 10 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and required just one additional layer (polypro shorts) from -5 to 10 Fahrenheit to keep my thighs and glutes toasty. The PR Thermal Tights from their Layer 3/outerwear collection are a form-fitting fleece tight that has a smooth face with a brushed interior and is designed to not limit hip and knee motion while still providing warmth, moisture management, and ventilation. The arms are similarly long which I love given my penchant for pulling them over my cold hands. I appreciated this actually, as it increased my overall warmth by eliminating any breezes that might otherwise enter in the gap between my shirt and tights. They come down to the crease of my hip and if not tucked in, they tend to roll or slide up within a few steps. One interesting aspect of these tops is the length. I felt like it did keep me a bit cooler than the Active fabric when I tested them in temperatures between 30 and 50 Fahrenheit, especially if the sun was intense. The Active Extreme has enhanced moisture-wicking capabilities for the highest-intensity output, but I couldn’t tell a significant difference between the two shirt fabrics in temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The fit is “like a glove”… but it’s a stretchy glove that doesn’t restrict at all and has a soft, warm feel. The Active Extreme Crewneck and the Active Crewneck from Craft are part of their Layer 1/base-layer collection which targets the provision of warmth and dryness in fair-cold conditions via different types of polyester fibers (described on website). I did what any exuberant runner would do: I tried out all the new gear on a two-and-a-half-hour run in the mountains.Ĭraft Active Extreme Crewneck ($70) and Craft Active Crewneck ($60) The day after they arrived, temperatures dropped from the 50s Fahrenheit into the teens with wind chill approaching zero and fresh snow a’swirling. Let’s just say I’m in love with these pieces and that’s not something I say lightly. This is impressive given the close fit the gear provides.Įarlier this winter Craft sent me four of their winter layers to test. Their gear does not restrict no matter what kind of rock ledge I hauled up on, how high I reached my arm to grab a branch, or what yoga pose I attempted after my run. One overriding theme in each of these layers is the attention Crafy pays to the ergonomics of the sports they design gear for.
The outerwear layer (Layer 3) is the shield against whatever craziness nature is throwing your way while maintaining excellent breathability to avoid sauna conditions inside the layer.
Layer 2 is the insulation midlayer which continues with the moisture transport yet provides insulation and retention of body heat. It functions best directly against your skin, hence the snug yet stretchy fit. The base layer (Layer 1) is primarily designed to transport moisture away from the skin. Craft gear is designed to work as a three-layer system as the weather gets increasingly challenging. The tool then recommends layering options beginning with your base layer. The Craft website has an excellent tool where you can build your winter outfit by selecting your activity (running, cycling, cross country, alpine, indoor), intensity level, temperature, and gender. They added runners and cyclists to their focus in the 1990s per their website and continue to dial in their layering system for each sport. Because Olympic-level cross-country and alpine skiers have long been their target audience, they have high-intensity moisture management in wildly variable winter conditions perfected. Who’s Craft? Craft is a company from Sweden that has been designing and perfecting moisture-wicking, high-performance clothing for endurance athletes since 1973. Enter Craft gear-winter layers I am psyched about! Second, my favorite polypro layers tend to feel cold when wet from sweat until they move that moisture out which, of course, is slowed with increasing numbers of layers.
First, wearing four or more layers on top and two or more layers below tends to give me the sense of restricted motion which I don’t prefer. There have been two downsides to my layering system. My legs have typically been fine with only one or two layers unless the negative wind chill dictates a third. I have long relied on multiple layers of polypro and fleece tops coupled with a wind-resistant layer to keep my core warm as the temperatures drop into the single digits and below. Winter is here in Colorado again-for at least the fifth time since our first snow in October-and I’m finally getting my layers dialed in this year for the 60-plus-degree temperature swings that can occur from one day to the next or even in the same day.
0 kommentar(er)
