5 Tips for Enjoying the Outdoors all Winter Long

Hanging up your mountain bike doesn’t mean hanging up your SHREDLY mtb gear.

Just because your favorite trails are swamped with rain or buried in snow doesn’t mean you have to curl up on the couch with a bag of kettle corn and wait for the crocus to wake you up. (Though If that’s what you’re into, we’ve got you covered for all that chill too.) At SHREDLY, we need our fresh air year round, even if it’s sometimes less than appealing to get out of the house. These are our top tips, tricks, and outdoor apparel picks for the season when we have to miss mountain biking.

1. Layer Up with the right gear

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it 1000 times. It’s all about versatility and layers when dressing for the great outdoors. The air might be frigid, but once you start moving things can heat up fast. And having a mix of layers to add or take off will keep you in that just right zone.

Our favorite base layer to wear right next to the skin is our LONG SLEEVE. It’s super soft, has a breathable mesh back panel, and the fitted cut feels cozy and traps warmth when we need it. On top of that you might want a thicker insulated layer for more mellow activities, or if you’re getting your heart rate up try out the JACKET. It might seem light-duty at first, but one member of the SHREDLY team swears it’s got some magic that keeps her warm while nordic skiing in the teens.

On the bottom we like to wear long johns or leggings under the CASCADE PANT when it gets really chilly. The combination is warm, wind blocking and water resistant, perfect for the most blustery of days. Give your mountain bike apparel more time to shine, by wearing it year round because there’s nothing like a neon pink jacket covered in pineapples to make you smile in the dark of winter. 

2. Find your Jam

When days are short, and the weather is not so glorious, it’s easier to motivate yourself if you're heading out to do something you actually enjoy. We know, you’d rather be ripping buff single track on two wheels but that’s still a few months or a plane flight away, so in the interim try out some winter sports. You might not kill it your first (or 50th) time, you might fall over in a heap of snow and gear (we do), but learning something different can give your body and mind new challenges.  

Some of our favorite ways to look silly and get some exercise are: snowshoeing (100% rate of tripping over our own feet), nordic skiing (because skinny skis make everything a double black diamond), ice skating (ok, none of us actually do this but it looks lovely) or just walking our dogs who are always, always over-psyched to play outside. Whatever it is you do, the more the merrier, so invite your friends along to frolic in the winter wonderland.

3. Snacks, snacks and more snacks

Staying warm takes a lot of calories and although you might not feel as sweaty as you do on a hot summer adventure, winter air can be brutally dry and suck the moisture right out of your body. So, staying up on your fuel and hydration are essential to your sub-zero success. 

Our favorite snacks are portable, calorically dense and maybe a little extra indulgent in the cold months. Snickers bars are always a welcome treat, or a thermos of chai tea with honey and cream to warm up mid-outing. You can keep your favorite bars from freezing into tooth chipping bricks by stashing them in a pocket near your body. Our LONG SLEEVE  and CADENCE tops both have zippered back pockets the perfect size for a little bite.

4. Seize the (best of the) day

This one is kind of our secret weapon. Winter days are short and there might be one or two hours of “better” weather when the sun is poking through or the temperatures have warmed up just enough. If your work schedule is flexible or you’re working from home you might be able to carve out some prime time to get outdoors and then catch up on emails when the sun goes down. So make a plan, stick with it, and don’t get sidetracked and miss your window. 

5. If all else fails, find something fun to do indoors

Sometimes it’s just too yucky out to make it happen. We understand. When you’re on the third consecutive week of rain, it’s time to look for indoor fun. Pretend the winter away by hopping on an indoor bike or trainer (we won’t judge if you don your favorite mountain bike shorts) and let a MTB film take you back to summerier times. Or give your upper body a little love by trying out indoor climbing which happens to be another great way to spend some time in your favorite bike shorts in the dead of winter. Hamstrings tighter than 1990’s lycra? Go for a yoga sesh, your hips will thank you. 

We’re counting down the days until spring right along with you - waiting for the day when we dust off our mountain bikes, put on our favorite bike apparel and roll off into the spring green glory. In the meantime, we’ll be making the most of winter, trying new things and having fun while we cross off the days.