Game Day Attire (HELP!)

Donate To GopherHole
I

IrishGoph55

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2019
Messages
257
Reaction score
259
Points
63
I'm flying in from California. I have been to MN countless times throughout my life.
Problem is, I have only been in the Fall/ Winter a couple of times. Most I didn't really count because Vikings games have always been indoors.
I went to the Iowa game early October in 2016 and remember it being cold, I was unprepared.

Do you think Pants, T-shirt, thick hoodie sweatshirt, Gopher hockey jersey over the hoodie, scarf, beanie, gloves would be good enough?

I have a thick North Face coat but it is beige, I sure as hell don't want to be 'that guy' who doesn't support the maroon out.
But I also don't want to die of frost bite lol.
 

I think a traditional cold weather coat is going to be needed.

Also buy some hand warmers, those can be a huge help.

It REALLY helps if you wear some sort of footwear that is big enough that you can toss some hand or foot warmers in the footwear with your feet.
 

IrishGoph55 said:
I'm flying in from California. I have been to MN countless times throughout my life.
Problem is, I have only been in the Fall/ Winter a couple of times. Most I didn't really count because Vikings games have always been indoors.
I went to the Iowa game early October in 2016 and remember it being cold, I was unprepared.

Do you think Pants, T-shirt, thick hoodie sweatshirt, Gopher hockey jersey over the hoodie, scarf, beanie, gloves would be good enough?

I have a thick North Face coat but it is beige, I sure as hell don't want to be 'that guy' who doesn't support the maroon out.
But I also don't want to die of frost bite lol.
Click to expand...

Bring the coat, and see if you are comfortable with it off. It is better to lose than maroon out than be absolutely miserable in a November game outdoors.
 

IrishGoph55 said:
I'm flying in from California. I have been to MN countless times throughout my life.
Problem is, I have only been in the Fall/ Winter a couple of times. Most I didn't really count because Vikings games have always been indoors.
I went to the Iowa game early October in 2016 and remember it being cold, I was unprepared.

Do you think Pants, T-shirt, thick hoodie sweatshirt, Gopher hockey jersey over the hoodie, scarf, beanie, gloves would be good enough?

I have a thick North Face coat but it is beige, I sure as hell don't want to be 'that guy' who doesn't support the maroon out.
But I also don't want to die of frost bite lol.
Click to expand...

Good thermal underwear helps a lot and isn't too bulky to go under the rest. Also make sure to have good thermal socks. Standing (which will be most of the game for this one!) on concrete sucks heat out of your feet through the soles of your shoes. Can help to stand on some cardboard if your in a pinch (like grab some scrap beer case out of the trash near one of the beer vendors.) Game temperature isn't terrible for this one, but for someone coming from California it may seem that way.
 

Also flying in from CA for the game. I am planning on long under wear top/bottom, and additional layer tbd, down hooded jacked with my game worn maroon jersey over the top of my jacket. Always better to wear additional layers on days like Saturday. It can be hard to stay warm when you are standing with limited movement for 3.5 hours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


Here is what I plan to wear. I can guarantee you that the only part of me that will get cold is my toes.

2 pairs wool socks
Winter boots
Long underwear
Jeans
Snow pants
T-Shirt
Long-sleeve T-shirt
Hooded sweatshirt
GOphers parka
Gloves
Winter cap

You will definitely need a jacket. IMHO, don't worry about the Maroon out. Put your comfort first.
 

Don't forget your feet. Even if the relatively mild forecast holds, cold toes could ruin your day so wear insulated footwear.
 

IrishGoph55 said:
I'm flying in from California. I have been to MN countless times throughout my life.
Problem is, I have only been in the Fall/ Winter a couple of times. Most I didn't really count because Vikings games have always been indoors.
I went to the Iowa game early October in 2016 and remember it being cold, I was unprepared.

Do you think Pants, T-shirt, thick hoodie sweatshirt, Gopher hockey jersey over the hoodie, scarf, beanie, gloves would be good enough?

I have a thick North Face coat but it is beige, I sure as hell don't want to be 'that guy' who doesn't support the maroon out.
But I also don't want to die of frost bite lol.
Click to expand...

* Wear the North Face coat. Definitely. Put the Gopher jersey over that if you really want maroon.
* Wear the hoodie under the North Face coat to start. Those hoods do wonders when chilly out.
* If you do the hoodie, then the beanie is fine. Otherwise, wear a warmer hat. A knit hat with a big ass ball on top is the shizzle. They are cheap.
* Wear some sort of boots with wool or pseudo wool socks. Do not wear tennies.
* The scarf and gloves are good. If you're warm, they are easy to take off.
* Drink plenty of adult beverages if that's your thing. Then you won't think about the cold.
 

Basic Mid West thought: you can always take it off if you get too warm.
 



Bring a little styrofoam to put under your feet between the cement and boots. It keeps the cold from seeping up through your boot soles.
 

IrishGoph55 said:
I'm flying in from California. I have been to MN countless times throughout my life.
Problem is, I have only been in the Fall/ Winter a couple of times. Most I didn't really count because Vikings games have always been indoors.
I went to the Iowa game early October in 2016 and remember it being cold, I was unprepared.

Do you think Pants, T-shirt, thick hoodie sweatshirt, Gopher hockey jersey over the hoodie, scarf, beanie, gloves would be good enough?

I have a thick North Face coat but it is beige, I sure as hell don't want to be 'that guy' who doesn't support the maroon out.
But I also don't want to die of frost bite lol.
Click to expand...

If you go layers, you need a warming layer like under armor has as your first layer against your skin. Footwear is also key, at least foot warmers if you don't have some sort of boot. You can buy them when you get here. Grab hand warmers too. I just throw them in my pockets and hold them with my bare hands for a minute or so whenever I need to warm them...but then again I have lived here since birth.
 


Everyone is different. Everyone has a different tolerance for cold. It is going to be in the mid 30's for most the game. Anyone can handle that for a short time. The longer one is out in it, the more differences there are in regards to tolerance from one individual to the next. I always tend to be the guy that takes the longest to feel uncomfortably cold. So, here is what I plan to wear:

Long sleeve tshirt
heavy sweatshirt
long underwear
jeans
tennis shoes
Winter hat, that covers ears

Maroon quilted vest in reserve

That is probably less than what you are going to want to wear, coming from a different climate. The biggest advice I can give is make sure your head/neck/ears are warm. If I am in a situation where I might be cold, I'd rather have my head/ears/neck taken care of than my torso.

Oh, and stop by any hardware store and pick yourself up some hand/feet warmers. Super cheap and super worth it. One set should last you the whole game. They are a great way to cut corners on outerwear because fingers and toes are usually the first things to feel cold.
 
Last edited:



My rule of thumb is to dress as if it is actually 20 degrees colder than the forecast.
 


Great thread. I'm laughing out loud.
How old are you?
When I was in my teens and 20s I could have handled the cold in the clothes you mentioned.
I'm older now and can't tolerate cold (or excessive heat) very well anymore.
PLEASE take the suggestion of toe warmers (and hand warmers). Bring extra. But from what I heard, only one pair of socks. Your feet need some room in order to stay warm. I have a navy blue (PSU color#$&%) winter coat that I will carry in and put on whenever I have to (which may be ten minutes after I get there. I would get a baclava? That will keep your neck and chin and forehead warm. You can put the hoodie over it.
 

GridironGus said:
Great thread. I'm laughing out loud.
How old are you?
When I was in my teens and 20s I could have handled the cold in the clothes you mentioned.
I'm older now and can't tolerate cold (or excessive heat) very well anymore.
PLEASE take the suggestion of toe warmers (and hand warmers). Bring extra. But from what I heard, only one pair of socks. Your feet need some room in order to stay warm. I have a navy blue (PSU color#$&%) winter coat that I will carry in and put on whenever I have to (which may be ten minutes after I get there. I would get a baclava? That will keep your neck and chin and forehead warm. You can put the hoodie over it.
Click to expand...

Heading out in the cold is one thing.

Sitting through a whole football game for hours... totally something else.
 


GridironGus said:
Great thread. I'm laughing out loud.
How old are you?
When I was in my teens and 20s I could have handled the cold in the clothes you mentioned.
I'm older now and can't tolerate cold (or excessive heat) very well anymore.
PLEASE take the suggestion of toe warmers (and hand warmers). Bring extra. But from what I heard, only one pair of socks. Your feet need some room in order to stay warm. I have a navy blue (PSU color#$&%) winter coat that I will carry in and put on whenever I have to (which may be ten minutes after I get there. I would get a baclava? That will keep your neck and chin and forehead warm. You can put the hoodie over it.
Click to expand...

29. im thinking gopher hockey jersey over the hoodie and coat now. definitely going to buy some hand/ feet warmers. or just dress Bud Grant style from the playoff game against Seattle.
 

Mistakes I see people make is:
1. No hat
2. No gloves
3. No long underwear or insulated pants
4. Casual shoes instead of insulated boots
5. Too little “core” protection
6. Nothing to cover their seat or wipe-down their seat

Often times people think of what they need to be comfortable outside for 10-15 minutes instead of 4 hours. It is almost impossible to over-prepare for the cold. You just shed layers if you are too warm. In fact, my rule of thumb is that if I don’t get too hot at least once, I didn’t bring warm enough clothes. Being outside in the cold can be a lot of fun if you take the time to bring/wear the right gear.
 

Dress like an Ogre......In layers!!!!

WarmGear thermals do a good job keeping you warm and wick sweat away.
Then a long sleeve t-shirt
Insulated pants with fleece on the inside are awesome, Duluth Trading Co. and more have them.
Hoodie and skull cap.
Is your North Face jacket wind proof? Cause if it isn't and there is any wind at all, your screwed!
Good Gloves
Thick Socks
Thinsulated boots.

Cover it with your XXXL Hockey Sweater! Available at Goldy's locker room level III Mall of America and in Dinkytown.

Stand as much as possible!

Alcohol not beer. Having a full bladder makes you colder. I recommend Knob Creek in a plastic flask!

Good Luck!

Go Gophers!
 

However warm you think you will be, go even further and layer up. Bring a plastic garbage bag or two in your coat pocket. Then if you feel warm and want to lose some layers, you have a place to keep them dry and can put them back on if you want or need to. The worst thing is to be cold at these games because even if you hit Goldy's Locker Room or a stand to get some extra stuff, you're paying higher prices and there are some items you won't find.

Here is my layering plan which has been executed both for cold weather Gopher games like the Wisconsin snow storm, the terrible Illinois game, and for when the Vikings played outside in 2014 and 2015. This is comical overkill on my part but I sit on the generally colder home side and can always lose layers if this is too much. Right now we're looking at temps in the low to mid 30s at kickoff with cloud cover.

- Smart wool socks with Columbia winter boots. Skip the tennis shoes and hiking boots that aren't warm enough for freezing temps.

- Regular underwear, long underwear, jeans, some sort of wind pants or track suit pants, and snow pants.

- Long underwear shirt, under armor type t-shirt, regular t-shirt, long sleeved t-shirt, under armor long sleeved shirt, hoodie, winter coat and an XL maroon Gopher football jersey over that.

- Winter hat, scarf, gloves. It is important to get warm gloves or mittens because the fingers will feel it first and most. Cover those ears too.

I'm not sure of how effective this is, but if it's possible, get a piece of cardboard to put your feet on because it provides some level of insulation from the concrete below your feet which is not good for keeping your feet warm.

Especially if you are on the metal benches but also if you're in a plastic seat, get something to sit on be it a seat cushion (supposedly you can't bring them in, but I see them at every game) or a folded up blanket or even a piece of cardboard, something to keep your rear away from the cold metal or cold plastic.

Remember that if you step outside for a minute or two in the morning while trying to judge the cold and what to wear, you'll feel warm because you came right from inside and will likely be in the sheltered area of your home and neighborhood instead of a wide open football stadium. Don't use that as a measurement of the cold while determining what to wear. I probably overdo it but have seen people who underdo it in complete misery from being cold at these games. It's an avoidable fate if you plan correctly for the weather.
 

Last November game I went to was Northwestern a few years ago. I think the high for the day was in the teens and it was pretty windy. I survived just fine with long sleeve under armor, t-shirt, long sleeve gopher shirt, hoody...just jeans and undies, winter hat, gloves, 2 pair of socks, and moccasins ...only thing that was cold was my feet.
 

I have a Columbia shell (waterproof) I like to put under a hockey jersey/outer maroon shell for this game. Put a couple layers under that and a hat on. Boots for your feet are great if you have them.
 

I know beanies are stylish these days, but an old school stocking hat, folded over/doubled over the ears, is a lot warmer.
 

For cold weather games I try to wear a hockey jersey over the coat to sill be in school colors. Works well unti you have to pee...
 

Layers are what will keep you warm.

Start with thermals, then a warm sweatshirt, and a quality winter coat.

And of course warm stocking hat, gloves, and socks.

You want to avoid getting to warm and sweating which will in turn make you colder.

If you are just a little bit cold but tolerable you are dressed correctly.
 



Is this a game where insulated jeans plus long underwear will do? I see some people saying snow pants or track pants over jeans. PS... I am going to the game now! Found someone to go finally.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom