Best winter driving gear 2025: stay warm in your convertible or classic car this winter
If your car’s the height of cool, make sure you stay warm at the wheel this winter
If you’ve invested thousands of pounds to buy your dream sports car, it would be a shame to leave it in the garage all winter. There is just as much fun to be had on cold, crisp days, and the roads tend to be less busy than in the summer.
But although your car won’t mind the cold weather too much, you and your passenger might be less keen. Having the wind in your hair isn’t such an attractive prospect when the temperatures are in single figures and your car has the double whammy of scant bodywork and a weedy heater.
To make sure you enjoy the drive and arrive back home without frostbite, you’ll need to wrap up to protect yourself against the elements. Here are the products we’d recommend to ensure you get all your car’s thrills, without the chills.
1. Buff CoolNet UV Neckwear
- Price: around £16.95
- Contact: buff.com
We love the versatility of these Buff tubes and wear them all year round when driving a convertible with the roof down. The stretchy snoods can be used to keep your neck warm, and pulled up over your chin if you’re getting a draught under a crash helmet.
If your car has a windscreen, they make excellent bandanas to go over your head too, keeping the cold away and providing UPF 50 protection against the sun – remember you can still burn in the winter when it’s cold. There are similar products available, such as car maker Ariel’s branded option and cheaper alternatives from Amazon – but we love the quality and design variety of Buffs.
2. McLaren F1 Team x Loop Switch 2 earplugs
- Price: around £59.95
- Contact: loopearplugs.com
While many modern convertibles have all sorts of deflectors and other gadgets to keep wind buffeting to a minimum, cars like the Atom and Caterham will leave your ears ringing after any long journeys where you’re driving at more than 30mph.
Disposable foam earplugs are cheap and effective, with 200 pairs of Howard Leight Laser Lites costing £31.98 from Toolstation. At the other end of the scale are these limited-edition McLaren F1 Team x Loop Switch 2 earplugs. They are battery-free, and have three switchable levels so you can choose to filter out certain noises, but still hear conversations and emergency sirens.
3. OMP Circuit Evo 2 Helmet
- Price: around £94.75
- Contact: demon-tweeks.com
Wearing a helmet while driving a car on the road isn’t a legal requirement, but if your car has no windscreen, it offers far better protection against the wind, road debris and insects than just a pair of goggles. It has the added advantage of keeping your head warm in winter, too.
Bear in mind that most track day organisers will also require a full-face helmet to be worn in an open-top car. The OMP Circuit Evo 2 is a cheaper option for drivers who just need a ‘lid’ for the road and track day use, because it doesn’t have the full FIA approvals required for fully fledged motorsport events.
4. Macna Nucleo Heated Jacket
- Price: around £199.99
- Contact: sportsbikeshop.co.uk
If you’re going out when it’s really cold or feel the chill more than most, then thermals might not cut it, so you’ll need to get some electrical assistance. Sites such as Temu and Amazon offer heated jackets, gilets, gloves and even socks that you plug into a USB port and can cost less than £30. However, we prefer the proven quality and nicer style of the Macna Nucleo Heated Jacket, especially given that it is not too bulky and therefore better in the tight cockpit of a sports car. It has heating elements in the front, back, arms and collar and can use power from a rechargeable battery in the jacket, or a direct connection to the car’s 12V feed.
5. Piloti Shift Sneakers
- Price: around £139
- Contact: piloti.com
Although your toes might not get cold in the confined pedal box of a car like the Atom or Caterham, there are some other challenges if your feet are on the large side. Wearing clunky sports shoes that have thick soles designed to absorb shocks won’t allow you to feel the pedals, for example.
We suggest specialist driving shoes, which are thin-soled with rounded heels to allow a smooth movement between the pedals. We prefer them to look like regular trainers so they wouldn’t seem out of place in the pub or in the pitlane. Puma offers its smart Speedcat range, but we prefer the bright colour choices from Piloti.
6. Rukka Mark Thermal Set
- Price: around £39.99
- Contact: sportsbikeshop.co.uk
Thermals might not sound glamorous, but building up with at least two layers will make a real difference to your comfort in the cold. These Rukka full-length upper and lower thermals are designed for motorcyclists, so can easily take the blasts of cold air you might experience in a roadster. But they’re also thin enough to help you fit in a racing bucket seat. The 100 per cent polyester material will retain your body heat, but will also wick sweat if the weather is warmer than you expected.
7. Oxford Hot Seat
- Price: around £74.99
- Contact: oxfordproducts.com
Some drivers believe that the heated seat is the greatest invention in the world, and on a cold morning it’s easy to see why. It’s nice in a hatchback, but could save you from a lot more discomfort in an open-top car, relieving the onset of cold, particularly on your lower back.
This Oxford Hot Seat is designed for use on motorbikes but also would work well in a roadster, with three heat levels, a grippy material and Velcro fixings to prevent slip. It’s weatherproof too, so there’s no need to worry if you get caught in a shower.
8. Fjallraven Lappland Balaclava Cap
- Price: around £50
- Contact: cribgochoutdoor.com
If it’s very cold and you’re not wearing a crash helmet, the obvious choice to keep your head warm is a beanie-style hat. But these don’t have a peak to stop the sun getting in your eyes, which is important in winter when it’s lower in the sky and more likely to dazzle you.
You could opt for a cap, but that will leave your ears exposed. Which is why we think the Fjällräven Lappland Balaclava Cap is great. If it gets really cold, you can fold down one of the layers to keep your cheeks and chin warm.
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