The Chronic Consumer

My main form of exercise is to walk or jog a couple miles outside every day. This is possible for about 8 months out of the year without any problems, but starts getting uncomfortable — and sometimes impossible — from November to February because of weather issues. I hate being out in cold weather, and do everything I can to avoid it. That usually means gaining some extra pounds while being shut in, only to have to work twice as hard during spring to get my conditioning back.

But this year I’ve decided to try working out outdoors for as long as possible instead of just crawling into my shell as soon as the temperature drops. That’s why I bought this Under Armour ColdGear SubZero Mock.

If you watch professional sports at all, then I’m sure you’ve seen athletes wearing Under Armour garments. The sleeves and logo are very recognizable, and depending on the line you buy, can be used either in cold weather (to keep you warm) or hot weather (to keep you cool). The SubZero series is part of the ColdGear lineup and is meant to be used as a base layer for temperatures under 55 degrees.

The SubZero Mock uses Under Armour’s “compression” technology. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but the result is that the shirt is skin tight. I usually hate stuff that’s skin tight, but Under Armour actually feels good this way. It’s not restrictive at all, and it’s more comfortable than I imagined it would be.

Plus, the SubZero Mock actually does its job. I’ve been wearing it under a regular long-sleeved t-shirt during my morning runs (where the temperature is in the 30′s or 40′s already), and have not felt the cold very much. I’m cold for probably the first three or four blocks of my walk/jog, but once I start moving in earnest, I’m fine.

The only drawback to Under Armour thus far is that it is very, very expensive. This SubZero Mock cost me $50 at Sports Authority, and even though the product works as advertised, I do feel that I spent too much on it. I really want more shirts like this (and perhaps even a pair of Under Armour gloves), but the price is definitely holding me back. I’ll just have to get by with one shirt for the time being.