Layers we Love
AKA Enjoying Winter Outside
We’ve unpacked the winter bin of hats and mitts and neck warmers, and leaving the house in the morning is taking a little longer. It’s officially that weird shoulder season time, where there’s not quite enough snow to enjoy our favourite winter hobbies (skiing, skiing and more skiing) but it’s definitely no longer feeling like fall.
Dreaming of perfect winter views like this one, at Jumbo Pass Hut in 2020
Winter has a way of humbling the unprepared, but trust us, it can be enjoyable. We both absolutely adore winter and want to help others learn to love the colder months. We’ll be bringing you tips and tricks and interviews and dispatches in the coming months, but today we’re starting at square one: How To Not Freeze Your Butt Off When You Go Outside.
Over the years we’ve found one of the biggest differences between tolerating winter and enjoying it comes down to how you dress (attitude also plays a major role, but more on that in a future newsletter.) As we’ve brainwashed, I mean taught, our preschoolers to say: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.”
We both enjoyed mountain adventures this past weekend and were reminded of the art of layering — both for ourselves and our young children. Simply put, layering is the secret to staying warm and enjoying winter outside.
Troll Falls on November 16, 2025
Here’s how to build a simple, smart layering system that lets you (or your kids) stay comfortable as the mercury drops.
Your Base Layer: The Unsung Hero
Your base layer is the layer that touches your skin. It’s job is very important. It needs to wick moisture (sweat) off your skin. If your base layer fails, you’re going to be cold. Depending on your preference, the temperature, and the activity, you should opt for a merino wool, synthetic or merino-bled base layer. We highly recommend nerding out over this MEC how to choose base layers Guide.
We love the Simply Merino (Made in Canada) Thermal Leggings and their Undershirt/Tanks (they do typically have a once-a-year Black Friday sale so take note if you’re planning to purchase), and Icebreaker is another brand we highly recommend for adult base layers, including thermal leggings and long sleeve tops. TheLastHunt is a great place to search for base layers at big discounts.
Your Mid-Layer: A Nice Warm Bubble
This is where the warmth lives. Your mid-layer traps heat and keeps you cozy but still lets the sweat from your base escape. Fleece is a classic mid-layer for a reason — it’s comfy, breathable, and packs down reasonably well. You may also opt for a heavier-weight merino or a synthetic puffy. Our go-to midlayers include this MEC midlayer hoodie, a classic Patagonia Snap-T and this Arcteryx Proton Hoody, which has lasted Annalise six years (and counting) and is a go-to near daily piece of clothing for most of the year (minus July and August.) Cailynn swears by an extremely versatile jacket from Outdoor Research (pictured below) that she’s worn a ton for close to a decade. She has a much earlier version of what’s now called The Deviator Hoodie, and there’s now a whole Deviator collection to choose from. She uses it as an insulating mid-layer in the winter, and wears it on its own during cooler shoulder season temperatures.
Your Outer Layer: The Guard on Duty
Now that you’ve got your base and mid-layer, you need an outer layer that keeps the wind, rain or snow out, without turning you into a sweat factory. A breathable waterproof jacket (or “shell”) is your top line of defense. It should be roomy enough to go over your inner layers, but not so baggy that heat escapes the minute you stop moving. Depending on the activity, we have different go-tos. This Black Diamond Record Stretch Ski Shell (with inside pockets big enough to fit your ski touring skins) is perfect for ski days, while we reach for this Anian Loft Coat over top the Arcteryx Proton for daily dog walks on mild winter days. This Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody is a go-to for running and hiking in the warmer months, and well-used for cross-country skiing (see photo below) with a couple layers underneath.
Mastering layers isn’t about owning the most gear, it’s about choosing smart gear. And don’t go overboard with the layering. Three good layers are, more often than not, enough — even for both of us who run cold. A merino baselayer, fleece midlayer and a puffy snowsuit has been the go-to layering recipe for winter days outside with our kids since they were born.
And a last word of advice: If you’re new to going outside in winter, it can absolutely feel overwhelming selecting and purchasing gear. We recommend trying items on in store when possible, looking closely at return policies, browsing discount sites and checking second hand stores. Even a good pair of long johns (worn under your usual work gear) can mean the difference between a miserable first winter in Calgary and an enjoyable one.
Lastly, we’ve made a donation to Take Me Outside’s Outdoor Learning
Gear Fund and would encourage you to do the same if you’re reading this and thinking about what a massive difference good layers make to going outside in cold weather.
Take Me Outside is a Canadian non-profit committed to educating and creating awareness about our connection with nature. As described in a recent Instagram post, the organization consistently hears “from educators who are working in lower-income areas that one of the biggest barriers to getting their learners outside is a lack of warm, weather-appropriate clothing.” Take Me Outside just launched an Outdoor Learning Gear Fund, which will provide $500 grants to 24 classes, “so students facing socioeconomic barriers can get the gear they need - ensuring that weather is never a reason to stay indoors.” Now that’s a mission we can get behind!
