What to Wear in Unpredictable Northern Arizona Weather
By Kortney Tilman
Weather in Prescott is so unpredictable, especially in the winter. It can change quickly, so it’s always good to be prepared.
I live by this motto: “It’s good to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.”
What you wear depends on whether you are hiking in the shade and finding sun or just playing in the snow. Below I will have a list of clothing that my daughter and myself wear in the winter. This list can be used for all winter activities.
Remember that you know your child or grandchild best. Help them decide what they wear, or what to have available for them if they are too young to decide what to wear for themselves.
For example, my daughter runs hot year round. In the winter she dresses in lighter winter clothes than most, because she will overheat if I put her in full winter gear. When she was super little, she hated being wet so snow pants were a must. I have used them ever since, because they are also easier to clean than wet muddy jeans.
I also make sure she wears her waterproof jacket, gloves, snow boots and a beanie. But I usually don’t make her wear the underlayer, because it makes her too hot.
Here is a picture of her when she didn’t want to wear her snow pants – and never did that again!
If you are stumped on what to get your kiddo or grandchild for Christmas, here is my suggested list of winter clothing to keep the kiddos and yourself warm, safe and – most important – comfortable in the winter for whatever activities you have planned!
Base Layer
This is a thermal or moisture-wicking layer. There are usually three different weights of base layer:
• Light weight for warmer weather
• Medium weight for snow
• Heavy weight for extreme cold
Middle layer
• Tee shirt
• Sweatshirt
• Outer layer
• Light jacket for non-freezing weather
• Snow jacket for wet/snowy weather
• Snow pants or waterproof pants
• Mittens or gloves for the non-snowy/wet weather
• Waterproof gloves for raining or snowy weather
• Wool socks or thermal socks if you’re allergic to wool like me
• Waterproof boots
• Crampons or spikes for shoes when in the snow
• A beanie for your head and to keep your ears warm
An article by REI recommends that you don’t wear cotton when it’s wet and cold, because it soaks up the wet. I agree, because it makes you cold and that’s what you’re trying to avoid. Find more at layering-basics.html.
If you find yourself hiking in the winter snow, I suggest adding some sort of crampons or spikes to your shoes for added grip. For the littles I would buy shoes with lots of grip, because you don’t want them slipping around.
From this list here is what I have for myself:
• Base layer
I personally like the 32 Degrees brand shirts or thermal depending on whether it is freezing weather or not. There are many different brands out there. This brand just seems to be the most comfortable for me. I usually wear a base layer under my jeans, because I actually don’t own a pair of snow pants anymore.
• Outer layer
I wear my waterproof snowboarding jacket. I also wear a beanie and waterproof gloves. I highly recommend getting snow pants though, especially for littles.
With a little forethought, you can go outside even when it’s cold and wet, just be prepared with the right clothing and equipment. Enjoy all the outdoor fun we have here in Northern Arizona!