Eco-Friendly Womens Winter Sportswear Rochester MN

Whether you’re looking to go winter camping, snowshoeing, ice climbing, or urban coffee hunting, having the right gear is like having the right tools. Sure, you can suffer through without it, but why soldier on when you can have more fun being warmer, dryer, and farther along? Here’s a quick guide to this year’s best winter sportswear midlayers. Before we get down to specifics, remember the following: baselayer, midlayer, and shell. You adjust the thickness of the midlayer based on the outside temperature, your level of exertion, and the possibility for changes in the conditions. If you’re starting early or ending late, be prepared to adjust.

Sometimes what you really need is a midlayer that does double duty:

Patagonia calls this the Kernelius Jacket and they recommend it for skiing. I don’t see it that way. I see this as an ideal double-duty midlayer with plenty of technical chops: a DWR (durable water repellent) finish that blocks moisture and wind, a high collar for warmth with an interior gasket that seals out the elements, ribbing at the cuffs and hem, and two hidden pockets-within-pockets because the fear of losing your wallet and keys shouldn’t prevent you from warming your hands. And it looks good, equal parts Johnny-outdoorsman and Johnny Depp.

If you’re looking for something more technical, maybe something you can climb...

Looking good on the slopes is important, but looking good in the lodge is important. Yes, you read that correctly. Long gone are the days of skiing in one outfit and hanging out in the next. A night on the town is one thing, but Apres is another and so is the after-a-great-day-on-the-mountain drink. Some call this the most exciting and socially important drink of any modern winter vacation (on par with the happy hour cocktail or Sunday brunch mimosa). Given that level of importance, it’s in everybody’s best interest to look good and make a seamless transition from snow bunny to twilight seductress.

First things first, change into your organic cotton jeans — obvi? — and bring your sunglasses and your cutest boots .

Here are some great eco fashions for making the most of your winter fun:

Kombi’s Bamboo 4-Way Stretch is the ideal first layer for so many reasons. First, it’s one of the softest, most comfortable baselayers we’ve ever tried due to minimal chafing against your skin as well as your midlayer which helps with mobility. Second, bamboo has some wonderful anti-microbial and anti-odor properties, so you’ll feel comfortable socializing after spending real time on the mountain. Fun colors, material thickness and an understated graphic help you stand out without standing out too much.

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Nau’s Down Shirt is Apres-amazing. You can pair this with a shell during the day and look eco-fabulous at the lodge — this speaks for itself.

If you’re a little more serious on the slopes, you might want to pair that Kombi baselayer with something a little more technical, like the Patagonia Women’s Velocity Zipneck . Super-warm, tight fighting, made from 65% recycled poly, with thumb loops to boot. This is a versatile piece that you can wear almost anywhere — from cross-training in Yoga class to base camp at Everest.

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It’s tough to imagine a better-looking performance-minded jacket than this. It’s so fun, so fashionable, so warm! First, it’s waterproof. Next, it’s comfy wit...

Over the last year or so, our athletically inclined Lazy E team has been excitedly watching the cool green progress over at Nike like the Browerman Track program building running tracks from recycled shoes and the first eco-friendly Air Jordan XX3 . And we consider that some good green progress. Now CONSIDER this:

CONSIDERED is the company’s sustainable athletic line with an undeniably Nike (read funky awesome) design aesthetic. The track jackets, shorts, and pants are made from 100% recycled polyester yet still feature the Nike Dri-FIT technology with wick away action to draw sweat off the athlete. The shoes in the line are made cork and Nike’s proprietary recycled material Regrind (literally ground up old Nike shoes) and the tees are done in 100% organic cotton.

I’m fancying the Takos Women’s Trail Shoe because they are just so urban hiking sophisticate! Josh, the Lazy E, is looking to snag these Livestrong track shorts because they help him ride like Lance and 100% of the profits from LIVESTRONG Collection are donated to Lance Armstrong Foundation to help fight cancer.

Also, we hear from a fav sneaker-head blog that Adidas will be launching their own sustainable line SLVR in February 2009 during New York Fashion Week....