My Winter Weather What-To-Wear Checklist
Remember when you were a kid, and your mom would send you out to play in the snow until your toes practically fell off from the cold?
Yea, me too.
I've been a complainer of the cold ever since. I'm your quintessential weather-complainer. I like it warm, and I like it sunny, and anything less than that makes me feel... complainy.
You guys, I'm a hiker who lives in Vermont. VERMONT! Where it's winter for 6 months of the year.
For those of you who think I'm being dramatic... well, I'm not. We got snow in November, and THAT snow is (likely) going to be on the ground until April.
For YEARS I blamed the Vermont weather for keeping me inside and ruining my life from November to April.
Hiking in the winter was NOT AN OPTION for me because I'm one of those people who's ALWAYS COLD.
There are no lodges to tuck into when you're hiking. No snuggly fire places. No adrenaline. No hot chocolate.
It's just one foot in front of the other. In sub-zero temperatures. With wind. And snow. And sleet. And the occasional icy patch that will WIPE.YOU.OUT.
But you guys!! Turns out, NONE OF THAT is actually a problem. You just need the right gear!
I've been hiking with my family year round, EVERY SUNDAY, for over 2 years now, and it's hands-down my favorite day of the week. It's taken me a while to pull together an adequate winter-hiking gear collection, but by golly, I FINALLY have everything I need to GET OUTSIDE in any temperature - any weather - any condition, without complaining.
And now, I'm gonna share with you my ENTIRE winter-hiking GEAR LIST.
Let's start with the BASE LAYER, because if you ask me, that's the MOST IMPORTANT LAYER. It's the layer that touches your skin, and is responsible for keeping you warm.
Ever heard the saying "cotton kills"? Cotton is great in the summer, but when the temperatures drop, LEAVE THE COTTON AT HOME.
The whole idea of wearing a base layer is to keep you warm, yes? That base layer traps warm air next to your skin and insulates you. Do you know what happens to cotton when it gets wet, either from perspiration (yes, we sweat even when it's freezing-ass cold outside), or from the elements? It absorbs all that moisture, and traps it next to your skin. If it's summer, no harm done. If it's winter, and the outside temp is significantly COLDER than your body temp, then that wet cotton tee is gonna KEEP YOU COLD.
You could be wearing 10 cotton sweatshirts, and it won't matter. If the layer next to your skin is wet-cotton, you're in trouble.
That's why wearing the "right" base layer next to your skin is SO important. You'll want to wear something next to your skin that will either 1) "wick" moisture away from your skin, out to your next layer or 2) insulate even when it's wet.
Let me show you MY base layers for winter:
SPORTS BRA TANK - I always wear a sports-bra-tank under my long-john top. It's an additional layer to keep my core warm, without any added bulk around my shoulders/arms. The one I'm wearing is from Athleta. I thrifted it for just a few bucks.
MID-WEIGHT POLYPROPYLENE ZIPPER TOP - I have a couple of these mid-weight polypro tops (one is EMS, and the other is Patagonia), both of which I found at the thrift store. (You can find similar ones HERE and HERE.) I've had a few crewneck tops over the years, but have since donated them because I've found the zipper-feature to be the best way to control my core temperature.
LONG-JOHN BOTTOMS - Honestly, I never thought I'd find bottoms that I didn't absolutely hate. Most of the bottoms I've tried (and I've tried close to 100 pairs!) have made me feel like a too-big-sausage in a too-small sausage casing. These Odlo merino wool* bottoms from REI make me feel like my body is the perfect body. They're pricy, but I'll tell you what, they're worth every.damn.penny.
*Merino wool is NOT THE SAME as “regular” wool. For MOST of us, “regular wool” is too damn itchy, and can cause a wicked rash. In fact, merino wool comes from a totally different kinda sheep than “regular” wool. Merino wool comes from Merino sheep, which are primarily found in Australia and New Zealand. “Regular” wool comes from all the other kind of sheep. So even if you’re “allergic to wool”, you might wanna give MERINO wool a try.
MERINO WOOL SOCKS - My Vermont-made Darn Tough Socks are non-negotiable. I know it's hard to pay $20 for a pair of socks, but I swear I wear mine 5 times before throwing them in the wash, so you really only need a pair or two to get you through an entire winter. Plus, they last forEVER, and keep the cold toes away.
NECK GAITER - These little numbers are essential for winter hiking. When the wind starts whipping, the gaiter goes on. I keep one in my backpack YEAR ROUND.
HAT - This one is an acrylic/wool blend that I picked it up at REI for about $7 on clearance! Cute and functional!
Ok, now let's talk about the MIDDLE LAYER, between your base layer and outer layer.
FLEECE - You gotta love fleece! It's light weight, super hydrophobic, and extremely warm. I picked up this Patagonia fleece at the Goodwill a couple of years ago and I love it. It fits me just right. I'm guessing most of you already have a fleece at home, but if you don't, they're a dime a dozen at thrift stores. In winter, I'll usually start my hike wearing this, and then layer up as necessary.
PUFFY JACKET - This Patagonia nano-puff jacket is THE work-horse of all my hiking gear. I NEVER hike without it, even in the summer. It's warmth-to-weight ratio is off the charts. I bought mine on super sale (hello last year's color) a few years ago, and I have literally worn it 100's of times. On a winter hike, this baby comes out when I plan to stop for more than a minute (to pee, snack, let the kids rest up), because getting cold is NOT an option.
And then, there's the OUTER LAYER!
OUTER SHELL (TOP) - There's no such thing as winter hiking without WEATHER, so you gotta have a good shell that'll protect you from the elements. I'm lucky enough to have two. One is a light-weight, three-season rain jacket (above) that I'll wear if the temps aren't too bad and the wind isn't whipping. The other is a more beefy winter-weather jacket that I've had for YEARS. It's roomy, so I can fit all my layers underneath without feeling squished. Outdoor brands like to update their tech-wear every year, so you can almost always find a nice shell on super-sale.
OUTER SHELL (BOTTOMS) - I got these waterproof/windproof REI pants in August before heading out to Banff for my mountaineering trip with Explorer Chick, and I LOVE them. They are light-weight, but with my warm Odlo leggings, they've kept me warm (while MOVING) in subzero temps with 40 mile an hour winds!
What else do we have...
BOOTS - I bought my winter hiking boots about 10 years ago at the thrift store. They aren't pretty, but they are warm, and they never give me blisters. I can't find anything similar online... they are THAT old.
GAITERS - Nothing worse than getting snow in your boots, so I always wear these Outdoor Research gaiters over my boots. I've had mine for over 20 years, and they still look like new!!
SKIN PROTECTION - One thing that folks often forget when they're hiking in winter is skin protection. The wind, sun and icy cold temps can do a number on your cheeks, so I don't leave home without my Mom's Stuff Protective Day Face Balm. This stuff is absolute GOLD, year round.
CHAPSTICK - This is another one of those things that folks often forget to wear/pack when they winter hike, and then end up with chapped lips that extend from their nose to their chin. I'm a total sucker for Burt's Bees, and won't wear anything else.
EARRINGS - I know you're gonna laugh, but I've said it before and I'll say it again, to me... earrings are like underpants. I don't leave home without 'em. I have very specific "hiking earrings" that I know will NEVER fall out, no matter what. I can jump into a glacier lake, summit a snowy peek, or trek 10 miles through the dessert, and these babies aren't going anywhere.
BACKPACK - I just upgraded my daypack before we left on our 2-month, cross-country, 4-people-in-a-Prius camping trip, and I gotta tell you, I just love my pack! (I got mine on SUPER sale!) The pack I had before this one was over 15 years old.
MICROSPIKES - If there's ANYTHING that makes me feel like a total badass-winter-hiker, it's my spikes. My whole family has a pair, and we wouldn't dream of hiking in the winter without them. Even if we don't think we'll need them, we bring them, because those are the days we end up needing them the most. They are kinda spendy, but we picked ours up on sale. And wouldn't you know it, I found a pair at the thrift store for $3!
INSULATED WATER BOTTLE - If you don't want your water to freeze, then you best put your water in an insulated water bottle, like THIS ONE. I usually fill my bottle with HOT water, add a drop of essential oil for flavor, and call it a day. (PRO TIP - if the temps are wicked cold, carry your bottle upside down so the water at the bottom of the bottle freezes, not the top! Nothing worse than a water bottle that won't open, or has a frozen block of water at the top.)
HEADLAMP - If we plan to do a good-sized hike, we'll pack a few headlamps, juuuuuust in case. You never know when a hike is gonna take longer than you think, so best to be prepared. We've used our headlamps MORE THAN ONCE, and let me tell you, we were SO HAPPY we brought them along.
BLISTER KIT - You never know when somebody is gonna get a hot spot or blister on their heels, so again, best to be prepared, just in case.
I'd say that's about it for essentials. And in case you're wondering, I dress my kids the same way. They are decked out with base layers, mid-layers and outer shells. (Only major difference is my kids wear insulated snow-pants.) And yep, MOST of their gear has been thrifted! You wouldn't believe the polypro tops and bottoms I've found for them at the Goodwill!
My kids ALSO carry their own backpacks. That's non-negotiable.
We have hiked over 1000 miles with our kids in the past two years, and I’m telling you, being able to get out in ANY weather has opened up a whole new world of year-round exploration!
Happy trails!
xo Stasia