Dress for the degrees.
What jacket to wear at what temperature
What jacket to wear at what temperature depends on two things: the thermometer and what you are doing. This guide is a rule of thumb. Wind and rain make it feel colder than the number says.
Jacket guide by temperature and activity
Take the row for the temperature outside and the column for what you are doing.
| Moving briskly | Walking or mixed | Standing or sitting still | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Above 15 °C (59 °F) | A T-shirt or a thin long sleeve is enough. | A light jacket, overshirt or cardigan that you can take off and carry. | A light jacket or a fleece for the shade and the evening. |
| 10–15 °C (50–59 °F) | A thin windproof or softshell over one layer. You warm up within minutes. | A between-seasons jacket over a jumper: a softshell, a light quilted jacket or a trench coat. | A lined jacket over a fleece. On a terrace or at the touchline, the Wøley heated fleece adds warmth you can turn up. |
| 5–10 °C (41–50 °F) | A softshell or light insulated jacket over a breathable base layer. Open the zip before you get too warm. | A padded jacket or wool coat over a jumper. Or keep your between-seasons jacket and add the Øney heating insert. | A winter jacket with a mid layer underneath. A Høgge heated vest under your coat keeps your core warm while you wait. |
| 0–5 °C (32–41 °F) | A light insulated jacket over a base layer and a thin fleece. Add a hat and gloves. | An insulated winter coat over a jumper or fleece, with a hat and gloves. A heated vest underneath is welcome at the bus stop. | A long down or synthetic parka with a hood. Underneath, a Høgge heated vest for women or men adds warmth for the hours you stand. |
| −5–0 °C (23–32 °F) | Three layers: a base layer, a fleece and a windproof shell or light insulated jacket. Cover your ears and hands. | A warm parka or down jacket over a fleece, with a scarf, a hat and lined gloves. A heated vest earns its place here. | This is where a heated parka fits: Pølar for women has six heating zones. Or wear a thick parka with a Høgge vest underneath. |
| Below −5 °C (23 °F) | A warm base layer, a thick mid layer and an insulated, windproof jacket. Avoid cotton and cover your face. | A thick down jacket or parka with a hood, over two layers. Add a heated vest for the moments you stop. | Your warmest parka, three layers and insulated trousers. A heated jacket or a heated vest adds warmth, but it does not replace insulation. |
A rule of thumb, not a forecast. With wind or rain, read one row colder.
How wind and rain change the choice
Wind
Wind strips away the warm air your clothes hold. In a strong wind, choose a windproof outer layer and read the table one row colder.
Rain
Wet clothes lose much of their warmth, and down most of all. In the rain, a waterproof or water-repellent shell matters more than a thicker jacket.
Layering in three layers
1. Base layer
Sits on your skin and moves moisture away. Wool or synthetic works well. Cotton stays damp and feels cold.
2. Mid layer
Holds warm air: a fleece, a wool jumper, a thin down jacket or a vest. This is the layer you add or take off.
3. Outer layer
Keeps wind and rain out. A thin shell over good layers is often warmer than one thick jacket.
When heated clothing makes sense
- Standing or sitting still. Insulation only keeps the heat you make. When you stop moving, you make less.
- Stop-and-go days. Walk, wait, walk: three heat levels let you turn down when you move and up when you wait.
- One jacket for more months. A heating insert stretches your between-seasons jacket into the winter.
- Not for hard effort. Running or fast cycling makes plenty of heat. Breathable layers do more there.
Compare the types: Warmest winter jacket: down, parka or heated? · Warmest vest: down, synthetic, fleece or heated?
Heated layers from Gløde
Three heat levels, and warmth around your core that you can turn up.
Frequently asked questions
What jacket should I wear at 10 degrees?
At 10 °C (50 °F) a between-seasons jacket over a jumper suits most people who are out walking. If you stand still for long, choose a lined jacket with a fleece underneath. If you move briskly, a thin windproof is enough.
What should I wear at 0 degrees?
At 0 °C (32 °F), wear an insulated winter coat over a jumper or fleece, with a hat and gloves. If you stand or sit still, a long parka with a heated vest underneath keeps you comfortable for longer.
At what temperature do I need a winter coat?
For most people a winter coat makes sense from about 5 °C (41 °F) downward, and sooner when it is windy or you stand still. If you move briskly, a lighter jacket with good layers often does until around freezing.
When is heated clothing worth it?
When you stand or sit still in the cold for a long time, such as at the touchline or the bus stop. Insulation only keeps the heat you make yourself. Heating adds warmth you can turn up.
More: Heated jacket for women · Make your own jacket heated · Always cold? · All our comparisons
Gløde — warm the person, not the room.
