Winter is the harshest of the four seasons in Canada. Many newcomers are caught by surprise by the extreme temperatures and the length of the season. Most Canadians prepare a separate set of clothing for this season.
Before you start buying stuff for your winter commute, you may first want to assess how many sets of a type of clothes you need. For instance, you may need enough clothing to cover 5 work days. While the individual pieces of clothing may appear cheap, the cost of your entire winter wardrobe can add up. It’s best to create a buying schedule and budget to guarantee that you have the basics to survive the Canadian Winter as a newcomer. It also helps to start collecting your cold-weather gear way before winter. This will lessen the short-term financial impact of buying these clothes.
Let’s start with the basics:
What do Canadians wear in winter?
To start, you will need a set of cold-resistant gloves, boots, and a coat. Underneath your pants and coat, you can add multiple layers of clothing according to the temperature. It is important to keep your extremities (fingers, feet, and ears) warm. This means covering these body parts with protective winter gear. Your body is the source of your core temperature. You need to have a water-resistant winter coat (with an insulated hood) for that. For your legs, you can wear baggy pants with multiple thinner layers inside. On most days, I found that a leg-length denim pair of pants is enough to keep my legs warm. I only take out the snow pants when going hiking or doing other activities outdoors.
Winter Gloves
When it comes to winter gloves, you want something that will keep your hands warm and dry. The rule of thumb is, if moisture can penetrate your gloves, the cold air can too. Winter glove manufacturers often use water-resistant material in the outermost layer.
In my case, I bought a pair of Hurley Block Party Gloves when prepping for my first winter. I wrote a detailed review about it here. But to summarize the features I like; It is water resistant when touching snow-covered surfaces and it does keep the hands warm when walking outdoors. It also has a belt around the wrists to keep it in place and to keep the warmth from getting out. It has a polyurethane surface on the palms which make gripping easier. And it has a D-ring and hooks to keep the gloves together when not in use.
The only issue I had is that I can’t use my phone when wearing these gloves. I bought a pair of touchscreen gloves by Timbaland because of that. Now, I bought these gloves in 2021 and they still feel and look new when I took them out for the 2022 winter. I use both gloves from time to time when I need to spend long periods outdoors. On most days, I only use the touchscreen gloves but I keep the snow gloves with me at all times for those extra cold winter days.
A brand new set of touchscreen gloves will set you back CAD$15 before taxes. If you need specialized snow gloves as I do for work, it will add at least another CAD$25 pre-tax. That’s CAD$45 before taxes on two sets of gloves.
Footwear
In my opinion, you should put most of your time researching and comparing winter boots options when prepping for your Canadian winter protection. It is usually the most expensive of the different winter gears but they can last longer if you only use them in the winter and you don’t abuse them.
The key feature that I look for when buying winter shoes is water resistance. When walking on snow, the surface of the boots will often get soaked. The footwear’s ability to keep moisture out of the inner layers is the key comfort factor. To check this, you may want to look into the user-generated reviews of the brand that you are planning to buy.
Shoes vs Boots: What Should I Wear Today?
Ideally, you want to have at least one pair of water-resistant shoes and boots. You are likely to use the shoes more often in late autumn and early winter. You can get away with winter shoes and a few layers of socks if the only time you spend outside is the walk between your car and buildings. Once, you’re indoors, you are often safe from the cold. However, when snowstorms strike, it feels better to have those boots ready. I keep them in my car all winter to make sure I never forget them during heavy snow days.
Winter Coat
Winter coats can be pricey but you can you may find some deals in your local thrift store if you start looking earlier in the year. Most winter clothing does not come out into the racks until early October. Before that, most clothing stores only sell summer and fall clothing. You may get winter coats earlier and sometimes at a discount at specialty stores and online retailers.
Ear Protection, scarves, and Head Gear
Proper winter headgear will keep you from getting colds in winter and late fall. You should also choose types of winter hats that will cover your ears. The ears are vulnerable to getting frostbite in the winter.
During warmer winter days, I could survive with just a fleece-lined bonnet that extends down to my ears. For proper head protection, I use a trapper hat for daily use. Some trapper hats come with a mask that you can to protect your face from the cold.
Build Your Wardrobe Over Time
When I started collecting my winter clothing, I focused on getting a top and some pants that I can use for layers. I would wash the inner layers sooner than the outer layers and reuse the ones that don’t necessarily touch my skin. Using this method, I had one good winter jacket in my first year. I also had a couple of hats and bonnets. I did get multiple pairs of socks and kept some in my car for those extra cold days.