How cold do you wear shorts??

a good pair of very lightweight running pants is like a free lunch. they break the cold air but weigh next to nothing so you don't get hot.

And they aren't tights. Not even close. men look ridiculous in tights, unless they are in a track stadium warming up.

I have to say that 35ish is about when I start wearing running pants but it depends on rain/wind/sun etc. I never really wear tights.

just ran in shorts for an hour in 38-40 degrees and windy. The wind is what kills you.

ah, the luxury of youth. in my 50s now, and roughly:

50+ shorts and t-shirt

40-50 wind pants and long sleeve t (maybe half-tights for faster work)

30-40 pant and layers and gloves and hat (maybe tights for faster work - no shorts over good grief)

30- more of the same

mwwwin wrote:

-<10 - Running pants (cross between tights and pants...tapered but not tight), jacket, long sleeved shirt with t-shirt over it, gloves, headband and hat

Maybe it's just me, but I hate the short sleeve shirt over a long sleeve. I see it as similar to shorts over tights, which is just silly and impractical.

water company wrote:

Maybe it's just me, but I hate the short sleeve shirt over a long sleeve. I see it as similar to shorts over tights, which is just silly and impractical.

Shorts over tights keeps you looking like a man. Wearing just tights makes you look like a ballerina. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

i don't wear tights at all, but i'm pretty sure shorts over tights just make you look like an insecure teenager

Wearing long pants or tights to run in anything over 20 degrees is absolutely ridiculous.

A real man wrote:

For real men, tights are an abomination. They look fine on the ladies, though.

ifyouthinkso wrote:

And you are in highschool

Presumably you're in elementary school since you think "high school" is one word. When/if you become a real man, you'll understand why tights are for sissies...and ladies.

Shorts 25F and up

Pants 15-25F

Tights ~5-20F

Tights + Pants: 5F and below

However, in the case of rain/snow/hail/wintry mix, I might opt for pants, half-tights, or tights as high as 40F.

When it comes to shorts, I used to ignore the temperature completely. Then a while back I went for a run with temps in the teens, which had never bothered me before, but with 30+ mph winds blowing after about an hour, I had about frozen the tip of the old boy off. I was really worried when I made it home and realized how discolored and numb it was. Fortunately, after soaking it in a bath it slowly thawed.

Ever since then, I put on boxers under shorts for temps in the 30's and put on tights or sweats when the temps dip into the 20's.

God of Letsrun wrote:

In Texas you can wear shorts year round.

Same here in the desert but I suppose it depends on where you grew up. It cracks me to see people wearing tights, gloves and hats when the temps fall below 55 here.

I'll wear shorts in the 40s and maybe upper 30s.

................... wrote:

Wearing long pants or tights to run in anything over 20 degrees is absolutely ridiculous.

Um, no. Wearing shorts in anything under 45 for a normal training run is what is ridiculous.

I love these idiots that run with a big winter hat on, big gloves, a really warm long sleeve shirt and, wait for it, shorts. What, the skin on or muscles of your legs magically don't get cold like the rest of your body??

And what are you fools arguing about tights? There are literally hundreds (if you count all of the styles AND different manufacturers) of different light weight running pants that are not full on tights. Either windbreaker style pants, or a hybrid of old-school sweat pants and tights, made with modern hybrid material (some % of lycra, some cotton), and many things in between.

Don't be idiots runners, no one wants to really see our twig legs that much anyway. We show them all spring, summer, and fall because it's only practical, but now it's winter and the opposite is now more practical: SO PUT ON SOME DAMN PANTS.

I only wear shorts, coldest I've run in was -2C and I was perfectly fine with that, tights on the other hand I can't stand, especially the long ones. Never done a run in them without stopping to take them off so now I don't even try.

Sir Lance-alot wrote:

What, the skin on or muscles of your legs magically don't get cold like the rest of your body??

No, they don't.

Tights for -5C and under

Tights and pants for -30C and under.

My group's official rule is no long pants until at least Dec 15 no matter what the weather. Keeps runs "fun." (I live in the Philly area.)

Wow I have been doing it ALL WRONG.

I just rocked a 16+ mile trail race last weekend with 37° at the start and about 45° at the finish.

I wore full tights with nylon tricot split running shorts over top, a compression long sleeve top with a short sleeve running t-shirt over top, lightweight gloves, two pairs of socks, a nylon cap, and big headphones so I could listen to AC/DC.

I also read Runners World magazine the day before the race hoping to get some tips on making my treadmill runs more interesting and seeing if anyone else was trying to run a sub 3 marathon on 2 days a week of running.