Global warming.
It's getting properly chilly, isn't it? No longer can we
pretend that winter is 'just around the corner'; no, it's right here in our
faces, screaming COLD COLD COLD all freezing day long. Fortunately we've got a
few mates who can help; friends with pretty awesome connections in the
cold-fighting world. And so we've gathered together another smorgasbord of
toasty bits and bobs, sure to keep you warm and jolly until the daffodils pop
up.
On Top
Helly Hansen Mountain
Knit Jacket
This thick lambswool jacket (or, as your gran would call it,
cardigan) is a perfect wintery bit of kit. Great as an everyday wear, it is
also think enough and insulating enough to be worn as an outer layer. It
features hand pockets, a YKK zip, ribbed cuffs, hem and collar, and woven elbow
patches.
We love how versatile the Mountain Knit Jacket is, making it
a good thing to have on unpredictable days out when the weather can be surprising
and random. Available for both men and women (with only a slight difference in
the knitted design), this is must-have winter garment.
£120 (£100 for the women's)
DeLorean Sweatshirt
from Tshirtgrill
We got a bit excited when we discovered tshirtgrill.com,
filled as it is with hoodies and t-shirts adorned with clever phrases and
slogans from our favourite movies. Keen to get a chunky hoodie for inclusion in
this feature, we had a massive range to choose from, including those with
quotes from The Shining, to others suggesting that Jeremy Clarkson should be
the next Prime Minister.
The one we went for though (which is made from a thick and
cosy blend of cotton and polyester) features the one and only DeLorean DMC-12,
a car which once had a minor role in a film about kissing your mum. Or
something. Needless to say being toasty and warm while displaying obscure film
knowledge is a double winner for us... and great value as well.
£19.99
Gloves
Extremities Hot Bags
Yes, they might sound rude (you got it, right?) but these
gloves for hands on extremely cold days and/or adventure sporting, are the absolute
mutt's nuts. Like sliding your hands into their own little duvet, the Hot Bags
are fingerless mittens with adjustable wrist straps that scrunch up good and
small to be packed away in your pockets.
We weren't big fans of mittens before using the Extremities
Hot Bags, but since discovering just how snugly our fingers can be while out
braving the cold, we'd slip these back on any day. Just don't try to play the
guitar while wearing them. Trust us.
£40
Fuse Flap Mittens
If you're still not convinced that mittens are the way
forward this winter, how about the best of both worlds? These cut-off gloves
from Fuse are great for dong precision work where you need your finger tips
while out in the cold, but feature a fold-over flap that transforms them into
mittens.
The gloves themselves are much tighter and firmer than most
cold-weather gloves, as they are clearly designed for active lifestyles. We
found them great for cycling as they freed up our fingers for braking, gears shifts
ect. But then once off the bike and walking, the fold-over flap helped to keep
our fingers from getting frost bite. A great combo.
£20
Available from http://www.amazon.co.uk
Socks
Extremities Mountain
Toester Long Socks
Weirdly, we get really excited about socks. In fact we would
say it was one of the highlights of being a tech and clothing journalist to
know that your socks are just better than everyone else's. That aside, here we
have the Royal Highness of Socks, the Mountain Toester from Extremities.
Long, thick and completely insulated, these make wearing
wellies and walking boots in the cold an actual pleasure. Mostly made from wool
(with nylon and elastane chucked in there to help with flexibility) the Mountain
Toester Long Socks feature heavily padded ankle, toe and heel sections to make
it feel as if you're walking on clouds.
Oh right: 'Toe'ster. We get it now.
£22
Snugpak Merino Technical Socks
You'd think that
sleeping bag designers would be experts in keeping all parts of your body warm,
and that is certainly the case with this offering from Snugpak. Their Technical
Socks are light and stretchy, yet have a tremendous amount of padding on the
underside, making them perfect everyday feet-bags during the winter.
We love how light
and comfortable they are to wear, despite that cushioning padding and gentle
grip section around the ankle and arch of the foot. Whereas the Extremities
were all about the extremeness of the season, these would be your go-to socks
for tackling the Boxing Day sales.
£10.94
Visit
http://www.snugpak.com
Head
Helly Hansen Montreal
Chunky Knit Set
Keeping that precious brain warm is a must this winter,
especially considering that zombies actually prefer to eat lightly chilled
brains: fact. This set from our dear friends in Norway includes a structured knitted
beanie hat in merino wool and a pair of similarly constructed mittens.
The beanie is nice and chunky and feels just like your Great
Aunt Nora might've made it for you. Both hat and mitts have a homely and soft
design to them and are perfect for combining two of the most difficult things
to do during winter: stay warm and look good.
Oh, and yes... the bobble can be removed. Just saying.
£40
HAD Winter Fleece
A fun one this, the HAD Winter Fleece is basically several
winter warmers in one varied package. Made from polyester and built into a long
and stretchy soft tube shape, the HAD can be styled on your noggin as either a
scarf, a head band, a hat, a balaclava... and many more.
It comes in more than thirty printed designs and colours,
meaning that as garments go, this is massively flexible. We found it was most
comfortable loosely draped around the neck to act like a neck warmer, but
should we suddenly get the urge to rob a bank, we could pull it over our faces
and get... sorry, went off track there.
£22