With the Beast from the East 2.0 forecast, Finnish outdoor brand Reima is here to give us the low down on kit to keep us toasty warm when the snow hits!
With parts of the UK already snowed under, it’s only a matter of time before it hits the rest of the country. The UK weather is known for its unpredictability and mild temperatures can soon switch to snowy scenes with little warning, making a winter wardrobe impossible to plan. Children need to be warm, but not so hot they sweat when active, and what they wear needs to be quick-drying or waterproof.
Reima’s recommendation? Layering! Experts in all things snowy, Scandinavians are the go-to guys when it comes to keeping children warm and comfortable. The home of Lapland, they’re no strangers to the cold and know just how important wearing different layers is to keeping children warm. Layers allow pockets of hot air to become trapped in between, and in turn keep kids warmer. Kids can then easily remove a layer if they’re too warm to avoid sweating.
BASE LAYER
For against the skin, you’ll need a base layer. Fabrics like Merino wool offer supreme comfort, breathability and they wick moisture away from the skin’s surface to keep kids dry. Other fabrics like cotton hold the moisture, ultimately making children colder. Reima’s Kinsei thermals are an eco-option, made from a mix of Merino wool and Tencel; a sustainable fibre created from tree pulp. Alternatively opt for the Lani thermals, which are made from Thermolite, as they have hollow core fibres to trap warm air for greater insulation. Technical, right? They’ll also wick away moisture, remain breathable and offer next-to-skin comfort. The Legenda neck warmer adds extra cosiness if it’s particular cold!
MID LAYER
A mid-layer, like the Tale fleece, is next. It needs to be wicking and breathable – to expel moisture to the outer layer – but also an additional warming layer. It is suitable on dry days for use without a jacket (for example warmer spring days) and also non-restrictive making it great for active kids.
OUTER LAYER
The top layer will protect kids from the rain, wind and snow. Ideally waterproof and windproof too, so it can be used in different conditions. To function best, the outer layer must be completely breathable so the moisture wicked from the base layer can be transferred out of the jacket. Our favourites are the Waken/Wakeup down ski jackets or the Regor/Roxana jackets, which start at age 2. The Puhuri overall is great for babies and toddlers.