Roaming Numeral

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When I first started traveling, I made the classic mistake of looking at the weather and deciding that I was from a much cooler, wetter climate and would be fine.

What I failed to consider was that when I’m not traveling, I’m usually tucked up in a warm house for the worst of the cold weather, leaving only briefly to get from one place to the next. When you’re traveling, of course, much more time is spent outside exploring the local sites.

After a particularly frosty visit to Prague, I soon changed my tune, and take winter traveling quite a bit more seriously now- even if I’m only visiting a city!

Thermal Base Layer

First, if I think it’s going to be even remotely chilly out, I’m packing my thermals. This Under Armor Long Sleeve has been a lifesaver on more than one occasion- I think I wore mine for two weeks straight during my chilly visit to England. These really do help to conserve heat, and they’re tight enough to wear under other tops- though I often just wore mine as a shirt. You can find a Mens Version here. While I don’t typically wear them, thermal leggings are also a helpful tool. I find them difficult to fit under my jeans, so I use these pretty exclusively in an attempt to winterize skirts or dresses. A Mens Version may be useful as well.

Warm Socks

In lieu of thermal leggings, I’m always wearing warm winter socks. I particularly like Smart Wool Socks, which are made out of merino wool and are odor resistant and water wicking. The most important thing in winter is to stay dry, and these definitely help with that, even if you start sweating! Ski Socks are also a good bet for a cheaper option, and have the added benefit of covering more of the leg.

Warm hat

Remember when you were young and your parents always told you that all of your body heat was escaping through your head in the winter? Just me? Anyway, they were absolutely correct and a warm winter hat makes a huge difference. I typically forget to pack any one of my many beanies and end up buying one in destination, which has the bonus of being a souvenir for the trip. On my recent trip to Vienna, I ended up with a knit had with a fleece lining. Let me tell you, a fleece lined beanie was a game changer.

Touch Screen Gloves

Gloves are a given in cold weather, but take it from me- touch screen gloves are the way to go. Every time I wanted to take a photo in Iceland with regular gloves, I’d have to take them off to use the touch screen. I felt like I was risking frostbite with every photo!

Scarf

I don’t always bring a scarf, but I did find it handy on my latest winter trip. There’s a million to chose from, and they’re easy enough to buy in destination, but I’d recommend avoiding the thin fashionable scarfs and instead looking for an option that looks woolen or fluffy and is wide enough to be almost another layer of warmth under your coat.

Winter Coat

Speaking of winter coats, I’m sure that most people have their own, but I’d again avoid the more fashionable items like those long peacoats. They’re lovely, and I have one of my own, but if I tried to take a two hour walking tour through the snow in it, I’d be way too cold. I personally have an Obermeyer coat that I love, but they’re a little expensive. For slightly less dramatic winter weather a lightweight puffer coat and a rain jacket shell combo does a surprisingly good job keeping your body heat in and any wind chill out. Plus, it’s pretty easy to pack. (I found these options for a mens rain jacket and mens puffer for you!)

Handwarmers

Handwarmers are a super helpful fix for keeping your extremities warm while you’re out and about on your adventures. While single use handwarmers are cheap and easily available, these days I prefer to use rechargeable hand warmers since it feels a little more environmentally friendly to me (provided you actually reuse them!) There are also a few options that can be reheated by boiling them in hot water, but an electrical recharge seems a little more feasible while traveling.

With a combination of all of these items, I’ve been able to stay toasty warm throughout my winter travels- even while spending hours outside exploring! If all else fails, ducking into a coffee shop for a warming hot drink is also a valid tourist experience! You can read more about how to manage poor weather here.