When hiking in the winter, things are very different when you venture out in dry weather? You have elements from many areas, but when faced with cold weather, all you will think about is the survival from the cold.
Even if you are not in the depths of winter, you should be using the same principles as the weather gets colder, and in many cases, wetter.
Here we look at how you can go about cold weather hiking, and what you need to do to stay warm.
Following this guide, you can go hiking in cold weather, and still have a great day hitting the trails.
Basics of Upper Body Layering for Winter Clothing
The secret to staying warm and dry when hiking in winter is to master the art of layering your clothes.
This isn’t only from the elements, but also from your own sweat. There is little use in stopping wet getting in when you are sweating, and this moisture can’t get out.
Layering is where you have multiple layers of clothing. This will wick moisture away from the body as well as keeping the outer weather under control. You first start with base layers, which can be long underwear.
This should fit close to your body, yet not too tight for it to impede your movement.
After this, you have your insulating layer followed by a good outer layer. One of the best hiking tips is never to use cotton. Although it feels nice, once it is damp, it stays damp and can take ages to dry.
Polyester or wool are great options as this wicks moisture away from the body. Merino wool is one of the more popular materials as this retains warmth even when wet.
You can break these layers down into the lower part of the body and the upper body.
Insulating layers will be one of the most crucial, as it is the one which keeps you warm during cold weather hiking.
These will be thicker than your base layer and should be large enough to allow lots of movement.
When you are at rest, are the times you wear these for extra warmth, once you move you take these off to avoid perspiration buildup.
A fleece jacket is perfect for this because they are easy to zip up and are not heavy to carry with you.
A waterproof shell will be your outer layer; these will protect you from any rain or cold wind, which blows across the trail.
Like under layers, these need to be breathable, because a rain jacket will make you sweat more if it isn’t.
When you know you will be facing the worst of the weather, or you are camping overnight on the trail, it can be a wise choice to check out the best heated jackets.
These are becoming more popular in winter hiking gear as they maintain the bodies temperature for hours.
Lower Body Winter Clothing
Many people overlook the bottom half of the body when it comes staying dry and warm, yet it is just as important as the top half of the body.
Wicking is essential in this area, so under your hiking pants, you can wear synthetic or wool underwear to keep your legs warm and dry.
For outer layers, a good pair of waterproof pants should suffice. However, there is one time that this isn’t sufficient, or if you know, it will be very cold.
If you know there will be deep snow, then ski pants are a good option, as these are made to deal with these conditions.
These pants are also lightweight and won’t restrict movement while you’re hiking.
Winter Hiking Footwear
With beginning hiking gear for winter hikes, footwear is one area not to get wrong. There is no way you can wear trail running shoes because these don’t do anything for foot protection.
While hiking boots for the winter are not too different from regular ones, they will come with more insulation and possible go higher up the calf. If you are not wearing weatherproof pants, you can opt for a pair of gaiters.
The choice of sock material is as important as having boots, which are waterproofed for winter hiking. Feet sweat, so wool socks are highly recommended to keep feet warm even if damp.
If you are camping and your boots are damp, then you can use hand warmers to dry them out overnight.
Hands and Hiking in Winter
Body temperature drops in the extremities before anywhere else. This means toes and fingers are going to feel it first.
With your feet taken care of wrapped in wool and a good pair of insulated boots, it is time to look at hands.
On a winter hike, many recommend two pairs in case their hand’s sweat and the gloves are damp. One thing that is hardly ever considered is when trekking poles are used.
These can make hands feel colder than they are as fingers grip the pole and reduce circulation.
Instead of multiples pairs of gloves, you can check out the best heated gloves. These can keep hands dry, warm for hours and regardless of whether you are gripping poles or not.
Many of these, like the heated jackets, have adjustable temperature settings.
Hats
When on a day hike, there is still a requirement to reduce the amount of exposed skin? This does make all the difference between being warm and cold.
One area where you can lose the most body heat without realizing is through the top of your head. This means a good hat is crucial as a part of your winter hiking gear.
Food and Hydration When Hiking in Winter
You can spend hours going through all the hiking gear reviews to find the best gear to keep you warm and dry. However, there is the body itself and how it acts during this kind of weather.
Hiking clothes are one part of the equation in keeping the body warm, the other is remembering the body is the best heat source, and if that becomes cold, no matter what you wear, you will still feel cold.
Here are some tips to make sure there is plenty of fuel in the body’s fire to create heat in the first instance.
- Eating and Drinking – When hiking, it is easy to put off eating and drinking when it is very cold. It is advisable to keep snacks and drinking water handy allowing you to eat and drink through the day.
- Hydration packs – if you are using a hydration pack, you need to make sure it doesn’t freeze. Once this happens, you are without water access. You can purchase insulation tubes that help stop this problem, or you can keep sipping, so there is no chance of freezing. Once you drink, blowing back through the tube also clears it of water that is likely to freeze.
- Water bottles – water freezes from the top, so keep your water bottle upside down when you are carrying it. This should also prevent the top from freezing shut.
- Take lots of warm drinks – vacuum insulated bottles are great for filling with warm drinks such as hot chocolate or soup. You can sip from these when you stop to maintain your warmth.
Exposed Skin and Cold Related Injuries
Depending how cold it is when you are on a hiking trip, you need to be sure there is as little exposed skin as possible.
The two primary areas of concern can hit any part of the body. These are frostbite and hypothermia.
It may be the extreme cold, which causes these, yet it is better to know how to deal with them beforehand.
Frostbite
Frostbite is the freezing of body tissue. This occurs in the extremities such as toes fingers and ears. There are three levels you can suffer from, and these are deep frostbite, superficial frostbite, and frostnip.
Symptoms of this are skin that is pale, waxy to touch, and cold. You may have tingling, complete numbness and pain.
Once you begin thawing the tissue, you can have blisters if you have suffered from superficial and deep frostbite.
Frostnip is the least severe form, and once you stop, you may be tempted to warm the areas using hot water.
This should never be done as it can lead to burns and massaging the areas can damage the tissue.
Hypothermia
This is where the body temperature drops below normal. This isn’t just something you can get in a very cold winter, and plunging into a rushing river, or being caught in a cold rain can also cause it.
If you have this, you can face intense shivering, clumsiness, and retarded thought patterns in mild hypothermia. In the more severe cases, these symptoms worsen to the point it is hard to feel a pulse.
To treat this, you will need a change of environment. Ideally, this is indoors, yet if clothes are wet, then these should be removed and changed if possible.
Insulating blankets can help retain heat, and anyone with these symptoms should have something warm to eat and drink to give them energy.
Shivering isn’t a reaction to the cold, it is the body’s defense, and it is trying to warm itself up.
Hiking in winter can be a lot of fun as you choose your hiking route and your clothes carefully. There are more pitfalls at this time of the year, but that is what makes it more thrilling.
The great outdoors has lots to offer at any time of year. Being out there to experience it when possible is what makes hiking so enjoyable.
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