Whether you’re a first-timer or seasoned hiker, the question of what to put on backpacking isn’t all the time simple. While the essential principles of out of doors layering are nicely established, everybody has their very own preferences and there are a LOT of options nowadays.
After a few years of backpacking and thru hiking, I ultimately dialed in a backpacking clothes system I love. I like to be heat in the cold, cool within the heat, dry in the rain, and comfy in my clothes, all whereas exploring rugged and wild locations. Is that too much to ask? (Spoiler alert: no!)
In this submit I’ll share my typical three-season backpacking clothes record. I’ll clarify what I love about every item, the situations I think it’s greatest for, and a few alternate options to think about in numerous circumstances.
My backpacking fashion tends towards light-weight however not ultralight, and my spending type focuses on worth for cash. I splurge on key gadgets that present a ton of worth, however I also love an excellent discount. I tend to run cold so I never skim on heat layers, but I additionally wish to hike far and fast with a lightweight pack.
If any of this feels like what you’re on the lookout for in your own backpacking clothes, then learn on!
Backpacking Layer System
Before moving into specifics, let’s briefly evaluation the essential elements of a layering system for backpacking. The idea is to have an inner layer that pulls sweat away out of your physique to keep you dry, middle layers that provide insulation to maintain you heat, and a water-proof prime layer to guard you from rain if needed.
Top:
* Base layer shirt
* Midweight lengthy sleeve shirt (optional additional for colder weather)
* Insulating jacket: fleece, synthetic, or down
* Waterproof rain jacket or poncho
Bottom:
* Shorts or pants relying on climate
* Warm lengthy tights for colder climate
* Rain pants
Underwear:
* Underpants
* Sports bra for the ladies
* Socks
Now, for every merchandise on that listing, listed right here are detailed suggestions.
Base Layer T-Shirt
My current favourite: Icebreaker Tech Lite Tee for girls (men’s model here)
If you learn my information to lowering pack weight, you’ll see that I suggest taking only one base layer shirt (no matter how lengthy your trip) and leaving the deodorant and soap at house.
There is simply one way I’ve discovered to make this potential with out things getting too funky: merino wool. During years of hiking, bikepacking, and journey I’ve tried extra merino wool t-shirts than I’d wish to admit. My favorite is the Icebreaker Tech Lite Tee.
As far as I can inform, merino wool is magic. How do sheep do it? No matter how long I wear my merino shirt, it never will get stinky! Even in scorching climate the light-weight version retains me cool (only exception: extreme humidity) and the fabric isn’t scratchy. The solely downsides: merino could be quite expensive, and it’s not essentially the most sturdy.
Merino wool comes in different thicknesses. For mountaineering in heat weather you want a light-weight possibility like one hundred fifty and even 120 grams / meter (the typical measure of merino material weight). Anything heavier than that’s thought of a midlayer, which we’ll get to down below.
This 150 weight Tech Lite Tee was my only base layer shirt for five weeks on the Colorado Trail.Lightweight Running Shorts
In warm climate I favor to hike in light-weight running shorts. They don’t chafe, they’re quick to rinse and dry when it’s time to do laundry, and so they breathe well.
As a trail runner I’ve tried plenty of operating shorts, and the most important half is to find a pair that matches your body well. Watch out for chafing around the liner, if there is one, and ensure the waist band sits comfortably beneath your backpack’s hip belt.
A good pair of climbing shorts doesn’t should be fancy. It may be as inexpensive as these basic shorts from Under Armour. If your budget permits it, shorts with merino wool lining are a pleasant improve (the aforementioned stink resistance factor, again).
There are a few situations after I wouldn’t recommend hiking in shorts: scrambles or bushwhacks, trails heavy with poison oak or ticks, or frequent chilly weather. In that case, think about more sturdy full-length pants. If the conditions are generally short-friendly, you can always layer on rain pants or hike in your heat tights (see below) for the occasional chilly day.
I selected to put on light-weight working shorts for 7 weeks on the Arizona Trail regardless of all the prickly issues, and it labored out great. Just don’t hug the cacti.Warm Tights
My favourite: Columbia Midweight Women’s Baselayer Tight (men’s version here)
A heat pair of tights or leggings is important for cold evenings at camp and chilly nights in your sleeping bag. They also can double as hiking pants on chilly days, or as “town pants” if you’re thru climbing.
For the most flexibility, search for midweight leggings that steadiness heat and bulk. It’s also useful in the occasion that they don’t appear to be long underwear, so you possibly can wear them on their very own if needed.
I’ve been carrying Columbia Midweight Baselayer Tight for years on all my backpacking and bikepacking trips. They have an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, are comfy to put on, and look like normal black leggings. They’re not merino wool, however they’ve an antimicrobial treatment that seems to do the trick. They’re more reasonably priced than merino wool tights, though Icebreaker leggings are also worth a look when you have the finances for them.
Hiking in tights during a cold morning on the Tahoe Rim TrailLong Sleeve Midlayer Top
My favourite: Icebreaker Women’s Merino 260 Tech Long Sleeve Crew Neck (men’s model here)
Sometimes a jacket is too warm and a t-shirt is too chilly. Sometimes you wish to sleep in a comfy shirt that hasn’t been towards your pores and skin all day. Sometimes your puffy jacket simply isn’t fairly heat sufficient by itself. For all those instances, a midweight lengthy sleeve shirt is the right merchandise of backpacking clothing.
Merino wool makes an excellent selection here as well, because of its wonderful temperature regulating qualities. On these days when the weather is constantly oscillating between too hot and too chilly, a merino midlayer will hold you extra comfy than the rest.
I love my Icebreaker 260 weight crew neck for its simple design and good warmth-to-weight ratio. I purchase one dimension larger than my base layer t-shirt so it could possibly easily layer on high with out binding, and I use it as both a warm layer and my sleeping shirt. Since it by no means goes instantly against my skin till after I’ve washed up for the day, it stays clear enough for each uses.
A wool midlayer is perfect for these occasions when you’re working up a sweat on a chilly day, like right here in Joshua Tree.Underwear
My favorite panties: Woolly clothing hipster temporary for women (men’s boxer brief model here)
If there ever was a perfect use for breathable stink-resistant merino wool, it will be hiking underwear! I particularly love these Woolly clothes briefs. They’re super light-weight and breathable and dry in about 5 seconds after washing. I never deliver greater than two pairs on a trip; I wear one till I’m in a position to wash the other and then change.
Though I usually choose pure merino wool to synthetics in this department, I additionally like the REI Co-op Active underwear (men’s model here). The panties are extremely light-weight but in addition fairly durable, and dry almost immediately.
My favorite sports bra: Patagonia Barely bra
Sports bras are a highly individual desire, however I completely love the Patagonia Barely bra. It’s comfy and supportive enough for me (I’m a 34A), resists stink pretty well, and has removable pads. It’s so much lighter and extra breathable than the everyday sports activities bras I use for figuring out, which I wouldn’t want to wear for days on end while backpacking.
For those wondering what quantity of sports bras to bring on a backpacking trip, my reply is simply one. I wear it until it wants washing, then wash it in a single day or make do with different layers until it dries.
Puffy Jacket
Much digital ink has been spilled reviewing puffy jackets for backpacking and outside, which makes sense as a outcome of it’s an costly and key piece of substances. I’m lucky to have two down jackets that I select from for backpacking, depending on the conditions.
For lightweight trips in hotter summer time situations, I love the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer. It’s loopy light (6.three oz for my women’s small) with a excessive warmth-to-weight ratio.
The downsides: there’s solely so much warmth that could be packed into such a light-weight jacket, so I won’t use it for trips the place temps might dip beneath freezing. It’s also fairly expensive. If you’re a more recent backpacker who doesn’t obsess over ounces and grams and also you need a versatile jacket for a lot of situations, the Ghost Whisperer might be not one of the best investment. See my Ghost Whisperer evaluate for extra particulars.
If the temperature is more likely to drop into the low 40’s or below frequently, I’ll deliver my Arc’teryx Cerium LT puffy jacket as an alternative. It’s additionally not low-cost, but at 9.eight oz there’s room for a bit extra down in there, thus it’s warmer. It nonetheless packs down surprisingly small, and I discover it to be an ideal steadiness of heat to weight and bulk.
Both these jackets use down insulation as an alternative of artificial. I are inclined to hike in dry-ish climates like the mountains and desert, so down works well for me. It’s hotter than synthetic insulation for a similar weight and bulk, nevertheless it must be stored dry to be warm. If you hike in wet-all-day conditions like the Pacific Northwest, you would possibly consider artificial.
Down jackets usually include alternative of hood or no hood. I choose no hood when attainable because I truly have a separate down hood that pairs with my sleeping quilt. This is a extra versatile combination, but when you don’t use this method it’s doubtless worth getting the hood. It adds very little weight but numerous warmth.
The Ghost Whisperer jacket is ideal for fast-and-light journeys in summer time conditions, like this 7-day fastpack of the Tahoe Rim Trail.The Cerium LT jacket is a superb alternative for extra variable circumstances, like this chilly morning on the Arizona Trail in spring.Rain Jacket
There are many different sorts of rain jackets. While all of them declare to be waterproof, some are actually extra waterproof (for longer, or in heavier rain) than others. The different important issue, no less than when you’re mountaineering uphill and working onerous, is how nicely they breathe. Keeping the rain out doesn’t do much good if you find yourself soaked with sweat.
As with puffy jackets, I select my rain jacket based on the conditions I expect. For comparatively dry weather – perhaps some thunderstorms but not anticipating rain day after day – I love the light-weight Helium II from Outdoor Research. Its feather weight (5.6 oz) and compact dimension make it a favorite among light-weight backpacking lovers, and for good purpose. However, it will finally moist through in heavy rain, so I don’t use it in situations (very chilly or stormy, very remote) where that could possibly be dangerous. See my evaluation of the Helium for extra detail.
When I need a burlier rain jacket, one that I can actually trust with my life in a backcountry alpine storm, I bring my Arc’teryx Beta AR. This is an expensive jacket (I obtained mine flippantly used on eBay) however I’m extremely proud of it. It breathes well despite the bomber protection it presents, and it by no means wets via. See my evaluate of the Beta AR for extra detail.
As a bonus, the Beta AR’s large hood provides excellent storm protection and fits over helmets, so I can use it for bikepacking and climbing too. It weighs more than twice the Helium II (14.4 oz) and doesn’t pack down as small, however once I want it, it’s unquestionably price carrying.
If you’re trying to economize on backpacking clothes and don’t see extreme conditions in your future, you can do fairly well with the favored Marmot Precip jacket. It’s a center floor between the Helium II and Beta AR in phrases of weight and options, for a lower cost than each. And if you want the safety and breathability of Gore-Tex without the Beta AR’s price tag, REI’s line of GTX rain jackets are price a glance.
It’s value mentioning that I often use a rain jacket for heat even in dry climate. When temperatures drop or the wind picks up, that extra layer helps so much. You may also think about that some folks, particularly ultralight through hikers in hotter climates, favor the air flow and minimalism of a poncho as their rain layer.
The Helium II labored well for the Arizona Trail, where conditions had been principally dry however occasionally (as proven here) quite nasty.The Beta AR, shown right here on the Colorado Trail, was most likely overkill for this delicate summer season storm. I was pleased to have it on the higher elevation sections of the path although, the place nasty storms are known to roll in rapidly.Rain Pants
My favorite: White Sierra Trabagon Women’s (men’s model here)
Rain pants are one of the debated items of backpacking clothes. While keeping your core warm and dry is important for safety, damp legs are sometimes tolerable. In summer situations some backpackers forgo rain pants to save tons of weight, or make do with a poncho. Personally, I use rain pants as an additional warm layer even in dry circumstances, so they’re virtually always in my pack.
For years I’ve used the reasonably priced and surprisingly lightweight White Sierra Trabagon rain pants. I just like the zip pocket on the outside, and the leg openings that unsnap for pulling over sneakers. They do wet through in constant rain, and require re-waterproofing with Nikwax every season, however they do their job of keeping me heat from the waist down in moist climate.
The Trabagon pants are no longer out there and mine are worn out, so I’ve been on the hunt for a new favourite. I lately purchased a pair of REI Essential Rain Pants and will update this as soon as I really have a chance to check them out.
Changing it up with some bicycle touring in Patagonia, where these rain pants had been essential.Light Running Socks
My favorites: DryMax trail socks, Smartwool PhD mild
One of many benefits of mountaineering in path running shoes: they pair properly with lightweight running socks. When backpacking I usually bring one spare pair of mountaineering socks, and rinse and rotate regularly. If I’m craving luxury or mountaineering in wet conditions I may deliver a third warmer pair for sleeping. While some synthetic socks cause sizzling spots on my toes and heels, I’ve had superb luck with each Drymax and Smartwool working socks.
DryMax socks maintain my feet blister-free on long hikes.Accessories
In addition to the major objects above, here are a few of my favorite smaller clothes objects for backpacking:
* Buff headwear: Useful as a hairband or sweat band, neck gaiter for solar protection, pillow case, and much more.
* Sun sleeves: I prefer to hike in a short sleeve t-shirt, but I add a pair of those on long hikes in uncovered terrain to guard my skin.
* Sun hat: I usually don’t like hats, but I also don’t like pores and skin cancer. I discover this Ultra Adventure hat from Sunday Afternoons to be pretty unobjectionable compromise.
* Fleece gloves: Thick sufficient for heat, skinny sufficient for dexterity, these are my go-to gloves for chilly mornings and evenings on the path.
I hope this submit helps you perceive a number of the priorities and tradeoffs involved in choosing your backpacking clothes. It’s typically said about outdoor gear: reasonably priced, light-weight, and practical – choose two! But don’t despair, because thinking by way of your particular person climbing targets and preferences can often lead to stable gear selections with minimal compromise. There’s by no means been a better time to find high-performance outdoor clothing, so make your choices and then hit the trail!
Cost vs. Weight Gear Worksheet
I know, choosing the most effective outside gear from so many options may be overwhelming! To help, I’m sharing theinteractive spreadsheetI use to make my very own selections. It will help you evaluate price and weight of potential gear choices, so you’ll be able to minimize weight from your pack in essentially the most cost-effective means attainable.
Enter your e-mail address beneath, then click the link within the affirmation email, and I’ll ship you the google spreadsheet hyperlink instantly. I love all of the gear I’ve chosen using this method and I hope you will too.
You’ll additionally get occasional emails packed stuffed with backpacking assets and inspiration. I suppose you’ll like them! But don’t worry, you’ll find a way to unsubscribe any time.
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About the Author
Hi there, I’m Alissa. I’ve had the pleasure of climbing the Arizona Trail, Colorado Trail, John Muir Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, and countless shorter amazing trails throughout the US and overseas. I love solitude, huge views, and a good light-weight gear setup. Learn extra or say hi.
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