Cold Weather Discing on the Cheap

So, you might say to yourself, gee, I'd love to go play disc golf in winter just like Chad, but I don't have the sisu or the clothing to pull it off.

I can't help you with an indomitable spirit, but I can clue you in to a few ways to keep the cost down. First off, realize that brands don't matter on a lot of key, layering products. I have both premium and knock-off things like thermal underwear, and let me tell you, if you know what you're looking for, sometimes you can do great with department store brands. Let me give you an example.

Say you want a comfortable, stylish jacket for cool days. Since you'll probably wear it over a t-shirt, you'll want the jacket to breath nicely and wick away some moisture. A polyester track jacket would work pretty well for that. Let's take a look at the Marla Singer jacket from Moosejaw. It fits the bill, looks slick, relaxed, and good for around town. Additionally, Moosejaw is a pretty awesome company which often runs amazing sales. However, let's see what we can get down the street at Target. Check out the Mossimo Track Jacket. Look familiar? Oh yes, except for the part where the price tag is $13 bucks less. Let me repeat: same exact jacket (save the logo on the back of Moosejaw's) for 35% off. Note that these are everyday prices, and both places often run sales!

Instead of digging up discs in the snow, I like to downhill ski in winter. My go-to mid layer is a Champion c9 (again, a Target brand) poly long sleeve mock turtleneck. It was probably on sale between $10-15, and works like a total champ. Even has a convenient chest pocket. I compare this to my friends who buy anything and everything made by Burton and shelling out $40 for a similar chunk of synthetic cloth. That means I have a minimum of $25 extra bucks for beer at the end of the day.

That said, what should you look for in lightweight winter clothes? Polyester, polypropylene, and wool handle a lot of that ticket. Equally important, cotton should not be in your wardrobe. Both poly's wick well. Wool, though scratchy on the skin, is very warm for its weight and more importantly will still insulate quite well when wet. Cotton barely insulates, holds onto water like a sponge, and is going to pull heat out of you faster than my local river takes stray discs downstream. Old army sweaters are a great way to get some bargain wool. Check out friends that have served or your local surplus store.

Your baselayer (whatever is touching your skin) should be something soft and comfy, but capable of wicking away moisture. Polyester/wool combo long johns are readily available at chain sporting goods stores, often for $30 a set or better. Compare this to premium brands, like Patagonia, where you can't even get a shirt for that price, and you're saving some scratch that could buy you another distance driver. The one thing you aren't getting, of course, is the warrantee. If you pull the seems out of a Patagonia garment somewhere in 2026, they'll get you a new one. Pull the seems out of something you bought at Dunham's and you get to tell your kids how back in your day there was a store called Dunham's that sold discount sporting goods. Choose wisely.

For your midlayer(s) pile up accordingly depending on temperature. Put an appropriate shell layer (which could be anything from a fleece to a rain jacket) and you're set to go.

Remember: friends don't let friends buy cotton long underwear.