Running in every season: autumn and winter with the Odlo Zeroweight Insulator

The forecast says 3 degrees, wind from the northwest, drizzle in the evening. Days like this decide whether the run happens at all. It is rarely about the training plan. Most of the time it comes down to one question: what do you wear?

Anyone who runs in autumn and winter knows the dilemma. Dress warm enough for the start, and you are too hot after the first kilometre. Dress for the pace, and you freeze for the first few hundred metres and at every traffic light.

Then there is the wind. Even a light breeze cools you down noticeably more than the thermometer suggests. A thick winter jacket is no help either: too warm, too stiff, and you can barely get rid of the sweat.

What you need is a layer that blocks the wind, adds a little warmth and moves with you. That is exactly what Odlo built the Zeroweight Insulator for. Odlo sums it up: Just keep running.

The Zeroweight Insulator jacket is a lightly padded running jacket. Odlo combines a windproof outer fabric with four-way stretch and synthetic insulation. That puts it somewhere between a softshell and an insulated jacket.

The cut is athletic and slightly tailored, so the jacket sits closer to the body than a classic outdoor jacket. According to Odlo, it weighs around 439 grams in size L.

Synthetic fill has a practical advantage for running: it keeps you warm even when it gets damp from the inside. And you do sweat when you run, even below zero. The fill comes from Freudenberg, a specialist in nonwoven fabrics.

Two zipped hand pockets hold your keys, phone or a gel. In a headwind, simply pull the lightly insulated hood over your beanie. Reflective details make you more visible on early morning and evening runs.

That sounds like small stuff. At 6 pm in November, it isn't.

Insulated shorts for running? The Zeroweight Insulator shorts look unusual at first. The idea is simple: you wear them over your running tights, not instead of them.

Thighs and glutes are large muscle groups that cool down quickly in the headwind. According to Odlo, the shorts add warmth exactly there, while your knees and lower legs stay free. That way you can keep wearing your usual tights on cold days instead of switching to thick winter running pants.

They also come with an adjustable waistband, a small key pocket and reflective details. The shorts have the same fill as the jacket, and Odlo states the same temperature range for both.

How warmly you should dress depends a lot on you: pace, duration, wind and how sensitive you are to cold all play a part. The table is therefore a guideline, not a rule.

A proven rule of thumb: you should feel slightly cool at the start. After ten minutes you will be warm anyway.

Odlo gives 0 to 10 °C as the upper end. If you still want wind protection above that, an unlined wind jacket is the better choice.

The Zeroweight Insulator is built for cold, rather dry running days when the wind is a bigger problem than the rain.

The combination suits you if you run outdoors regularly in autumn and winter too, and keep up a brisk pace in the cold and wind.

Do your arms get sweaty quickly? Then the Zeroweight Insulator vest from the same range is the better choice. It keeps your core warm and leaves your arms free.

The jacket has a close-fitting cut. It is designed for a long-sleeve shirt or a thin base layer underneath, not a thick fleece. You will find the right size in the size chart on the product page.

With the shorts, the waistband is what matters. It is adjustable and should sit over your tights without slipping.

For care, Odlo recommends a machine wash at a low temperature and tumble drying on a low setting. Avoid bleach, dry cleaning and ironing.