The Ideal Checklist to Follow While Packing Your Cold Weather Hiking Gear

The winter season can be excellent for a nice hike. But, you must pay attention to your cold weather hiking guide. Winter isn’t an easy time to hike if you don’t have the right gear.

In this post, I’ll take you through the things to wear hiking in winter. So, get ready to add some winter wear to your wardrobe.

The Value of a Good Hike

Hiking is an excellent activity to try out during the winter season. It has many benefits for the person who engages in this activity.

Let’s look at the various benefits that come with winter hiking.

• It’s an Exciting Way to Exercise

The amount of exertion and calories burnt in a hike can make you feel fit and fine for the season.

If you’ve missed many workout sessions during winter, don’t worry. If you go out on a long hike, you’ll feel the pump again.

You can do it at your own pace, allowing little risk of injury. Also, it doesn’t put much strain on your body either.

• You Get to See the Beauty Outside

The world has a lot to offer with its natural beauty. Do you want to know the best way you can explore this beauty?

You must try going on a long hike some day. Go on a multi-day hike and explore different parts of the world with each hike.

• Everyone Can Enjoy a Hike

You can either go as a group or individually. But, you must not hesitate to try out hiking. As long as you’re well prepared and trained, go ahead. As mentioned, it can be a fun activity to engage in.

You might feel a sense of achievement as you keep moving further.

• Switch Off From the Virtual World

As mentioned earlier, hiking lets you explore the natural beauty around you. It’s a time when you can put your phones away. All you need is your hiking gear and a perfect spot.

These benefits suggest that hiking can feel incredibly pleasing and fulfilling when successful. So, you must try a hike at some point in life during winter.

The Cold Weather Hiking Gear

Packing your cold weather hiking gear has many layers and aspects. Now, you must ensure complete safety in what you wear. You can’t land up for a winter hike without suitable preparation.

Warmth on the Top

You can start off your checklist with protecting your face. You have many options to carry along for a winter hike. Let’s see some of these winter accessories that will take you through a winter hike.

• Scarves

These are quintessential winter wear essentials. If you’re in extreme winter climates, scarves can help protect you. You can cover your neck, head, and ears too. All you need is a swift wrap around them.

Once that’s done, you’ve added one extra layer of warmth to your body.

They are also very comfy and stylish. You have many ways to tie a simple scarf. So, that brings some excitement into a simple winter accessory.

As for the materials, wool is among the most reliable scarves during winter. But avoid cotton at all costs.

• Neck Gaiter

The term might not sound familiar to you, but you would’ve seen people wear it. It looks pretty cool when you put it on. It’s great that such a stunning accessory is a winter essential.

Neck gaiters will cover the lower half of your face and keep the wind away. They are also a lightweight option to keep your face warm. Depending on how chilly it is out there, you can get some thick or thin ones as well.

But in all the excitement, please remember to adjust your gaiter from time to time. It can get uncomfortable as you move further and further in the hike. It’s because it’s worn close to your face.

They can also gather moisture as you breathe. And, as the wind blows, you might feel cold in that spot due to the moisture.

So, hence, adjust the gaiter at regular intervals.

• Beanie

A nice and comfortable beanie will work anywhere in winter. Beanies can trap the heat and prevent wind from blowing through it to your head.

The suitable material is paramount for beanies. It covers an essential part of your body. If the cold hits your head, you can get sick later on.

You could look for polyester or woollen beanies while packing your cold weather hiking gear. These have moisture-wicking abilities and keep your head warm.

• Balaclava

You can also add a balaclava to your cold weather hiking gear. It does well to keep your face and head warm.

A balaclava can make you look ninja-like. Wouldn’t that excite you about a hike?

A balaclava can easily cover up your scarf, gaiter, beanies, etc. So, ensure that you carry some of these for your cold-weather hike.

But, you must also be aware that it might cause some discomfort. After all, it’s covering almost your entire face. It leaves only the eyes to be visible. The situation is pretty similar to that of a gaiter.

So, these were some options to keep your head and face safe from the winter elements. If you’re figuring out what to wear hiking in winter, these are some options.

Layering Basics for Cold Weather Hiking Gear

Layering is essential whenever you involve yourself in extreme winter weather. Now, hiking can be one such activity. It can get freezing cold out there as you explore nature.

Hence, you must prepare yourself with suitable winter layers. So, let’s understand the basics of winter layering. It’ll help you know what to wear hiking in winter too.

• A Strong Base

Your winter base layer should be a snug fit and comfortable to wear. It should trap heat well and wick away any moisture when you sweat. Wool and synthetic fabrics will be excellent for your base layers. Again, you must try and avoid cotton here too.

• Move to the Middle

Next comes the mid-layer. Your mid-layer should provide excellent insulation. It should keep you warm like the base layer by trapping body heat.

Fleece and down are suitable fabrics for the mid-layers of your winter clothing.

• The Outermost Layer

This layer comes last but is very important in the layering system. It will keep the moisture away and prevent wind from penetrating the layers.

If it isn’t that cold after a while, you can even take it off. The rest of the layers will pull through for the moment. You might not need it on all winter days.

You must pay attention to the layers you wear anywhere in extreme winters. It also appies to a hike in this cold season. So, prepare well when you plan a hike during winter.

Winter Hiking Boots

Your cold weather hiking gear shouldn’t neglect winter footwear. It will keep you dry and insulated from the cold. But, it will cover more parts of your feet than regular shoes.

Winter boots for your hikes should be waterproof and seam-sealed too. It doesn’t let water seep through in damp conditions.

The amount of insulation can vary from one boot to another. But, the good insulators will trap warm air next to your foot and get rod of moisture.

Your winter footwear should also feature stability and traction. It’s valuable on damp and slippery trails in winter. Along with this, the tread design should also be a crucial element in your choices.

You might go for boots with cramp-ons or ice cleats. The terrain you choose can decide that factor.

Tips to Follow While Hiking

All you adventurous people would love to go on a hike, won’t you? But as mentioned, you must go well-prepared. You can’t take a chance during winter.

So, let’s give you a headstart with some tips to follow before you plan a hike.

• Check the Weather and Trail Conditions

You must be aware of the weather conditions wherever you go. Of course, it applies to winter as well.

When you plan a hike, you must be aware of the weather and trail conditions.

It’s because it could change anytime without you knowing. It will hamper your hiking experience. The route you follow could get damaged or messy because of rain, winds, and snowfall,

And if it happens while you’re at it, you could get confused as you move further. The visibility and route should be as clear as possible while you’re engaged in a hike.

It will prevent any mishaps that could take place in the process. So, it is best to learn the forecasted temperatures beforehand. It will ensure your safety while hiking.

• Stay Hydrated at All Times

A hike can exert your body and tire you. It’s good to burn calories, but you must stay hydrated too.

Please ensure that you carry an insulated bottle and a bottle sleeve for your winter hikes.

It won’t let the water freeze when you’re in extreme weather. If you don’t have an insulated bottle at home or forget to carry one, don’t worry.

You can keep the bottles warm with a sock or cloth wrapped around them.

• Pack Snacks for Your Winter Hike

Along with staying hydrated, you might feel hungry as well. Make sure you pack some nutritious meals to stay energised at all times.

Carry something you can munch on the go too.

• Check for Any Hazards

When you check the weather conditions, you will also learn about any hazards that are possible in that period. It will help you to prepare well for your winter hikes.

You can pack your cold weather hiking gear according to the information which you might come across while you’re hiking in the snow. You can always get on to the phone and check the weather at your chosen spot.

Ensure that you check the recent as well as current weather. It should be valid for the day you hike.

• Ensure You Have Knowledge of the Area or Trail Pass.

Now, you might love exploring the wilderness. But, you shouldn’t get lost in the excitement. Before heading out for your winter hike, keep a map handy with you.

You can bring it out in case you feel lost while you’re hiking as well.

You can follow these tips and enjoy an excellent hiking experience during the cold months.

How to Choose Backpacks for Your Cold Weather Hiking Gear

You can’t enjoy a hike without a backpack, can you? The experience would feel incomplete if you don’t carry one along. But really, a backpack is a must for your winter hikes.

You need a lot of layers and equipment for your expedition. So, there’s no better place to store them. Let’s try and see the ways in which you can pick the right backpacks for your journey.

1. What’s the Capacity?

The amount of gear you carry along will determine the capacity. Multi-day hiking trips will require greater capacity. You need more supplies and equipment along with a bigger backpack.

Bugger packs will also accommodate any technical equipment you need during your hike.

But don’t overpack. See how your requirements fit in the pack. If they compress well, you can add such stuff easily.

Check the Material

Nylon is the typical material used for hiking backpacks. Nylon comes in different deniers. The higher the denier, the more durable and abrasion-resistant the fabric.

Nylon can also have interwoven threads at regular intervals for better tear resistance. Ripstop fabric is used for this purpose.

Ripstop fabrics isolate the tear and prevent it from expanding any further. The nylon used for hiking backpacks is often coated with polyurethane or silicone to be water-resistant.

But that doesn’t make them waterproof. So, please be aware of that aspect.

How’s the Fit?

Your backpack should have the right kind of fit for comfort. If that’s missing, it can impact your performance and excitement. The right fit will never get in the way while you enjoy your winter hikes.

The backpack should match your torso length. It should fit comfortably on your back. There’s also a hip belt that comes along with the pack. It should fit around your hip and waist. It lets the pack stick to your body and not move around much.

So, you must check your torso length and match it with the backpack. Most modern backpacks have adjustable harnesses. So, you won’t struggle to find the right one for you.

If the hip belt fits you well, you can transfer the weight smoothly. It will go from the shoulder to your hips.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve got an idea of the ideal cold weather hiking gear for winter. This post highlighted some of those essentials you must consider.

So, you might have some references when you think of what to wear hiking in winter this season.

Wherever you choose to go, keep these points in mind. If you’ve done that, you’ll have a great experience. So, all the best for your next winter hike.

This post was written by Kosha team member – Shawn Mathias