Winter Hiking Gear: Winter Gear For Women (2023)
On the face of it, choosing winter hiking gear should be easy.
Surely, it’s just all the same stuff you normally take, plus some extra warm clothes: a jumper, a thick pair of socks, maybe a beanie hat. It’ll be like a normal hike, just a bit colder. Right?
But the reality of winter hiking is a lot different, because there’s so much more to contend with. In winter, trails tend to be more difficult, especially if you’re choosing a longer hikes. And unpredictable weather can make any day outdoors far more challenging.
Before my first winter hike, my knowledge of what to wear and pack was pretty much zero and I struggled because I was either so cold or soaked through. Nowadays I carefully choose the winter hiking gear I need - clothes I know will keep me warm and dry.
And because I get asked a lot about winter hiking gear, I’m sharing everything I know and wear in this guide. It includes some of the lessons I’ve learnt along the way, so you don’t make the same mistakes I made on my first winter hikes.
Ready to find that all-important winter hiking gear? Let’s go!
Guide To Winter Hiking Gear For Women
The most common mistake about winter hiking gear is underestimating the importance of your clothing and equipment. You may not think you need much, but this can be a terrible mistake. Whether it’s icy, snowy, or slushy, the last thing you want on a winter hike is to spend the day freezing. Or have soaking wet feet. Or worse - find yourself in real trouble simply because you can’t warm up.
The trick to mastering being warm in winter is layering. Especially if you are hiking in changeable conditions. When I was hiking in Aviemore in mid-December I learnt that the weather is completely different in the car park than on the summits. And you want to take layers on and off depending on how chilly it gets.
And because winter doesn’t always mean snow and ice, it’s important to be prepared for any bad weather. That includes howling wind and persistent rain, cloudy days, and muddy trails.
Below my essential winter hiking gear includes warm layering options, like merino bases and insulated jackets. But I’ve also included waterproofs and waterproof boots. And for those looking for winter in the mountains, you’ll find crampons and ice-axes below too.
Winter Hiking Gear Base-Layer
Long Sleeved Merino
Upgrading your summer base layer to something with merino wool and long sleeves makes a huge difference to how warm you’ll feel on winter hikes. I usually switch to a warmer base layer in late autumn when the temperature starts to drop. And whilst these can be expensive, a merino base layer is well worth the investment and it’s an essential part of your winter hiking gear.
Avoid cotton, at all costs. It provides little to no insulation and takes forever to dry when it gets wet - cotton loves absorbing water.
My personal favourites are Helly Hansen (£75) and Icebreaker 260 (£95).
Winter Hiking Gear Mid-Layer
Fleece & Hoodies
Next is your mid-layer. This is the layer you’ll be wearing when it’s chilly, likely underneath a thicker jacket. Personally, I think a fleece is the best option for instant warmth! And although you want it to be warm, you also want to avoid anything bulky - because you might need to fit more layers over the top.
The Rab Power Stretch (£125), Montane Protium Hoodie (£85), and Patagonia Air Zip Fleece (£120) are all brilliant options.
Winter Hiking Gear Outer-Layer
Insulated Jacket
There are two options in the world of insulated jackets - down filled or synthetic. Down is warmer but stops doing its job when wet. Synthetic can handle a shower but is less warm. Whichever you choose, make sure it’s the best quality jacket you can buy, because this is an important part of your winter hiking gear.
My current favourites and warmest options are the Rab Microlite Alpine Jacket (£210), Patagonia Down Sweater Jacket (£280), and Montane Anti-Freeze Jacket (£180).
Winter Trousers
Maybe it’s just me, but I think finding walking trousers is quite difficult for women - they’re either too long, too loose on the waist, too tight… But I swear by these Montane Ineo Mission trousers (£100). They’re fleece lined and water resistant, and the perfect addition to your winter hiking gear.
Waterproofs
Jacket & Trousers
Essential in the UK at any time of year, with waterproofs I truly believe you get what you pay for - these can be an expensive purchase but there’s nothing worse than getting drenched through!
My current waterproof jacket is the Mountain Equipment Quarrel Jacket (£320) which I can’t rate highly enough. It’s breathable, light enough and packable. Most importantly, this jacket has never let me down, even on the wettest days. It’s a solid Gore-Tex jacket that is perfect for all seasons and a worthwhile investment.
I also swear by the Berghaus Deluge Trousers £60. Lightweight and stretchy enough to pull on over walking trousers; these have gotten me through very wet weather, and they pack down very small.
Gloves & Hats
Of all the essential winter hiking gear to keep you cosy, a woolly hat and warm gloves are a must. These are my current favourites.
woolly hats and winter beanies:
Rab Braid Beanie (£23), Montane Pip Beanie (£30), and Mountain Equipment Aurel (£20).
gloves:
Rab Storm Gloves (£52), Montane Power Stretch (£28), and Patagonia Retro Gloves (£55)
Rucksack
As you’ve no doubt gathered from this list, you need a lot of warm clothes and they tend to be bulky: puffy jackets, fleeces, warm layers, woolly hats, gloves, flask… It’s a lot to squeeze in! So another essential piece of your winter hiking gear is definitely a large rucksack.
The Osprey Sirrus is my go-to rucksack and at 36 litres there’s heaps of space. Plus this high-performing rucksack is designed specifically for women with padded straps making it incredibly comfortable.
Good to have accessories
Stuff sacks: I swear by these about space-efficient stuff sacks. They compress everything down, and divide your clothes into manageable piles, ensuring you’re not driven insane trying to find things in your bag.
Waterproof liner: keep everything nice and dry with this waterproof liner is incredible.
Winter Hiking Boots
On this entire list, winter boots are one of the most indispensable items in your winter hiking gear. There’re so many different types of winter boots, and which you choose will depend on the type of winter walking you’re doing. But the most important things are good grip, comfort, warmth, and waterproofing.
For mountaineering with crampons, the Scarpa Charmoz boot is a great choice. But for less challenging walks, my favourite boots for winter are Meindl Tramin (£255) which will take you anywhere. Also the Salomon Quest (£200) and Iowa Renegade (£215) have excellent traction and warmth for winter walks.
Socks
Socks are one of the most important parts of your winter hiking gear. Wearing proper hiking socks can give you that extra cushion and prevent blisters. I recommend merino wool socks, as they are great at keeping our feet warm and comfortable. In winter, choose a thicker set. My favourites are these Bridgedale Hiker Socks (£26) and these Smartwool Classic Hike Socks (£23).
Winter Hiking Gear: Accessories
Nalgene bottle: BPA free, sturdy, secure, and leak-proof, Nalgene bottles come in 1l and 500ml options and won’t freeze when tucked into your rucksack.
Lifeventure thermal mug: keeps your drinks hot for up to four hours and takes up practically no space in your bag.
Stasher food pouch: carry your snacks in this sealed, reusable food bag. It’s perfect for keeping food fresh.
Black Diamond head torch: make sure you get home safe on dark winter days with this extra bright head torch.
Winter hiking gear: For the mountains
If you’re planning on walking in the UK mountains when the snow hits then you’ll need specialist winter hiking gear - and the skills to use them. Below I’ve listed my winter hiking essentials for mountains, but if you’re new to winter hikes then I’d recommend taking a course like this one in Scotland or this one in England.
Goggles or Sunglasses
There tends to be two weather experiences on snowy winter mountains. The first is bight, blue skies where the snow can be dazzling bright, and makes for a surprisingly blinding experience. The second option is finding yourself in a snowstorm that forces your eyes shut.
Polarised goggles or sunglasses offer eye protection from the wintery elements. As both can be quite expensive, I recommend buying a pre-loved set from eBay, or keeping an eye out for sales.
Crampons
The best way to describe crampons is a set of metal spikes, that clamp to the bottom of your boot – and dig into snow and ice, stopping you from sliding. There are a whole range of crampons, and what you choose very much depends on where you’re going, and what boot you have.
It can all sound pretty complicated, but this boot and crampon buying guide will help.
I have and recommend the Grivel G12 crampons (£150); these are perfect for straight-forward winter walking. Plus, a crampon bag (£15) and protectors (£9).
Ice-Axe
After a few slides in the snow - including one almost disastrous incident in France - I understand why ice-axes are necessary.
The main purpose of an ice-axe is what winter hikers call ‘self-arrest’; basically, the axe will stop you sliding down the mountainside if you do slip. But you need to know how to use it properly - check out this ice-axe tutorial.
I’m still gaining winter walking experience, and for now I choose routes which are decidedly easy walking only and I use the Grivel Helix walking axe (£65) - perfect for straight-forward UK mountains in the snow.
Final thoughts on winter hiking gear
Knowing what winter hiking gear to buy can seem daunting, especially when you’re just staring out.
But don’t be scared off – yes hiking in winter might require you to buy various new warm clothes and equipment. Yet once the list is broken down, you’ll find that lots of these items are perfect for keeping you warm all winter long - and all types of trips.
That means you’ll get tons of opportunities to wear most of the winter gear on this list, on winter road trips, winter staycations, and even chilly walks to the office!
