How Two-Time Olympic Curler Chris Plys Stays Warm and Ready
Ambassador Spotlight | Chris Plys, Olympic Curler
If you grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, you didn't just learn to tolerate winter; you learned to live it. For two-time Olympian and five-time U.S. National Champion Chris Plys, that lesson started early and never stopped shaping him.
"If you live in Duluth, you have two options: embrace it or be miserable in the winters," Chris said. "The best way to embrace it is to dress for what Mother Nature throws at you on a daily basis."
The philosophy of dress right, stay active, and embrace every season, is how Chris Plys has always challenged the climate, and is why ororo pairs perfectly with him and his lifestyle.
Chris’ Story
Chris has been curling since he was 11 years old, and after two Olympic Games, eight World Championship appearances, and more national titles than most athletes dream about, one thing is clear - curling isn't just a sport for him, it's a lifestyle. And like any elite athlete, the demands on his body don't stop when he steps off the ice.
A typical week for Chris looks like hours of training at the Duluth Curling Club - a place that Chris considers a second home - cross-training on his mountain bike, hiking the trails around Lake Superior with his partner Alyssa and their dog, and working alongside sports psychologists, trainers, and nutritionists to stay at the top of his game at every level.
"Sports should be fun as much as possible," he said. "And cross-training with other things I love to do makes it so much easier to not get burnt out."
For Chris, dressing right isn't just about surviving the season; it's what makes all of this possible.
On The Ice
Anyone who's ever stepped inside a curling club knows the ice doesn't care about your comfort.
"Some curling clubs are notoriously cold," Chris said. "Sometimes to the point that I wonder if the people who run the clubs are having a laugh while we're out there."
His go-to solution is his Heated Hoodie that he wears to the rink, through warm-ups, and depending on the venue, sometimes straight through the entire game. The heated hoodie has become such a fixture in his routine that he describes it as something he wears almost every day at the rink.
Chris said, “That thing has been a lifesaver, it's cozy, it's super classic looking, and keeps me warm. I'm a hoodie and hat guy pretty much every day, so that one is always in rotation.”
And when it's time to brave the drive to and from the club, his Heated Duluth Chopper Mittens are always waiting by the door.
“Makes that cold drive every day much easier not grabbing that ice cold steering wheel.” he said.
Fly Fishing and Cold Trails
Chris' love of the outdoors goes well beyond the curling sheet. In the off-season, you'll find him ripping through Duluth's legendary trail system on his fat tire bike, hiking the wooded paths that go quiet when summer tourists head home, and standing knee-deep in a Wisconsin stream with a fly rod in hand.
"The heated pants and heated socks are an absolute game changer," he said. "I love not having to wear as many layers, just the right layers.”
Fly fishing, though, is in a category of its own for Chris.
"It's such a love for me, and somewhere that helps me clear my mind and just be. The only thing is you're not moving a ton, so the extra heat makes it easier to stay on the river a little longer for that inevitable one last cast,” said Chris.
When Heated Gear Was Needed
We asked Chris about his most memorable ororo moment, and he shared this…
"Sometimes I like to bike to the curling club from my house. I can take the lakewalk all the way from my house out by Brighton Beach to the club. Sometime during my practice, the weather rolled in, and the wind and snow started ripping in off the lake. About halfway home, I thought I was gonna die and be found in the spring. But my Heated Choppers and Heated Socks saved my butt."
Warm Enough to Keep Going
At 38, Chris is candid about what it takes to stay competitive in a sport that keeps getting younger.
"I'm an old guy now when it comes to curling, like any sport, the bigger it gets, the younger and younger it gets," he said.
His approach isn't to fight that, but to make sure he actually enjoys the journey.
"If I'm gonna do something now, I just don't want to be miserable. Staying warm makes the activities I like to do so much more fun," said Chris.
Beyond enjoyment, there's a practical edge. Chris continues, "It's so easy to put the hibernation weight on in the cold months here in the upper Midwest, so keeping the body moving and staying active over those months not only keeps me ready to go for curling, but for longevity in life."
And at the end of the day, it comes back to something simpler than the sport of curling. He said, "I love this life more than anything, and it goes by so fast. I want to enjoy it as much as I possibly can before it's over. And preferably warm."
Chris’ Advice…
For anyone venturing into Minnesota winters for the first time, or the hundredth, Chris' advice is simple: “Invest in warm clothes and get outside.”
"I think some of the most beautiful moments outside happen in the winter. The epic sunsets, hiking along frozen rivers and lakes, the stillness, and the ability to see deep into the woods that are hidden and keeping its mysteries to itself half the year. And the coffee tastes so much better by a fire while listening to the wind blow through vacant branches and the call of a coyote or wolf letting you know that you are only a guest in their beautiful home."
That's the ororo way…Challenge the climate to do what you love!
The cold isn't something to escape; it's something to enjoy, with the right layers, the right amount of warmth, and living life to the fullest.
