How to Layer Winter Clothes

By Brian Day
Updated on December 20, 2024
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by Adobestock/panaramka

Know what to look for in effective winter wear and how to layer winter clothes to keep out the chill.

Whether you’re working around the homestead or playing outdoors this winter, the right clothes are key to staying comfortable. A heavy parka is fine if you’re just running to the store, but layering is the best way to stay dry and warm during hard work.

Heavy parkas and insulated coveralls tend to be the go-to choices for cold climates. However, heavy coats can make you sweat. Anyone who’s caught a chill swimming in 70-degree-Fahrenheit water knows that water steals heat from your body much faster than air does – more than 20 times as fast.

Perspiration trapped next to your skin can chill just as fast as a cold shower. Combining the right layers can help move that sweat away from your skin and keep you warm and comfortable.

By wearing multiple thinner layers, you can add or remove clothing to match your activity level, making you less likely to work up a sweat in the first place. And if you layer with quick-drying, wicking fabrics, your body heat will drive moisture away from your skin, toward the outside of your clothes, and into the environment.

A layered-clothing system has three components: a wicking layer next to your skin, an insulation layer to trap body heat, and a shell layer to block wind and weather. These components work together to manage moisture and retain body heat.

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