The Midlayers You Need for Each Winter Sport

It’s easy to be swayed by the sex appeal of a shell jacket. Waterproof, expensive, colorful. I constantly find myself lusting after the new Gore-Tex whatever. But then I kit up for any high-output winter activity— backcountry skiing, running, hiking, cycling, etc—and am reminded that midlayers are the backbone of winter layering, get triple the use of other pieces, and warrant a bigger investment.

That’s because unless it’s pissing rain, dumping snow, or freezing cold, my shell stays in my bag. A shell, even the most breathable, is just a plastic bag and will not vent your heat, whereas a breathable midlayer creates just the right amount of warmth but sheds excess heat while you slog down pavement or up a mountain. Midlayers also get extra use on warmer winter days when worn by themselves without a base layer underneath.

Over my 10-plus years at Outside I’ve tested well over 100 midlayers, out of which I’ve found a few favorites for each of my winter sports.

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Best for Backcountry Skiing and Hiking

Black Diamond First Light Stretch Hoody

$299 at REI (Men’s) $295 at REI (Women’s)

This has become my number one skiing and hiking midlayer because it’s light—just 14.2 ounces—and provides the perfect balance of warmth and breathability. A medium-thick layer of migration-resistant Primaloft Gold Active insulation keeps me warm even when temps hover around 10 degrees, but is also capable of dumping heat faster than anything I’ve ever tested. On the outside, there’s a 20-denier nylon ripstop face fabric that’s tough enough to resist a tree branch but allows plenty of hot air to escape. Even if I’m absolutely pinned, with a heart rate above 160, I never feel the need to throw off the jacket on a cold day. The synthetic materials will also dry in minutes if I get sweaty.

Those who prefer wool to synthetic materials will love the Voormi High-E Hoodie, which has a similar warmth/breathability ratio, an amazing high-collar hood, and, like all wool, stays warm when wet and resists odors.

Best For Running

Path Projects Lomond Hoodie

$118 at Path Projects

I recently joined the Dukes Track Club in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the group run I love the most starts at 6 a.m. on Friday mornings. Temps are usually around 25 degrees, so I need more than a long-sleeve shirt but nothing so heavy it will gather heat and slow me down. My go-to has become this hoodie. The secret to the hoodie’s versatility is in the 180 gsm (grams per square meter) grid fleece that’s heavy enough to add warmth in sub-freezing temps, but comes with lots of perforations (thus the grid moniker) that are designed to let all the heat and sweat generated on the run find an immediate way off my skin and into the air. I usually use the hood at the beginning of my runs but then it comes off and just serves as a neck warmer.

Those who live where it’s really cold should look at the Arc’teryx Norvan Insulated Hoody that has a wind-resistant face fabric layered over 40 gsm Coreloft insulation around the shoulders and chest. The insulation is light, but combined with the fully wind-resistant outer and paired with a medium-thick long-sleeve base layer, it has been enough to keep me warm even when temps were below 10 degrees.

Best for Cycling

Velocio Alpha Long Sleeve

$199 at Velocio (Men’s) $199 at Velocio (Women’s)

The first few minutes of a cold bike ride are the worst because you’re not producing heat yet but are moving at speed so the cold wind has more bite than when you’re running or standing. To fight back I wear a windproof cycling vest matched with this cozy midlayer that’s a high-loft Polartec Alpha fleece up front and a heavy-ish 210-gsm merino wool on the sides and back. The extra cozy Alpha keeps my core temp from dropping, while the arms and backs breathe enough that I’m not dripping sweat once I’m working hard. If I get too warm, it’s easy to shed the vest and unzip the collar of the jersey for more airflow. If my ride has a long descent, I also bring a full windproof jacket because the Alpha allows so much airflow I can get chilled.