Winter Backpacking on a Budget
Backpacking, day hiking, and mountaineering in winter is great sport. I got completely hooked last year and can't wait until autumn is over to get back into it. But winter gear is very expensive and you need to start saving now to build up your winter gear list. A lot of this gear will last, so you'll get several seasons from it, but the up front cost can be staggering if you are not prepared for it.
While some of your 3 season gear is appropriate for 4 season use, there are some items that you need to acquire that are specifically for winter use. These include an ice axe, crampons, snowshoes, a liquid fuel stove, a thick sleeping pad, a winter sleeping bag, and a winter tent. Depending where you hike, you may also need to acquire plastic or synthetic mountaineering boots, a winter pack, a shovel, a windproof balaclava, 1 or 2 pairs of goggles, 2 pairs of mountaineering gloves, high gaiters, and a goose down parka.
You can rent a lot of this gear at REI, or from local outfitters and guide services. You can also share it with hiking partners who already have it. But eventually, you'll want to own your own. If that's the case, you can expect to spend over $2,500 to get completely outfitted.
| Ice Axe | 75 |
| Snowshoes | 250 |
| Crampons | 150 |
| Liquid Fuel Stove | 80 |
| Winter Sleeping Pad | 150 |
| Winter Sleeping Bag | 400 |
| Mountaineering Boots | 300 |
| Expedition Pack | 250 |
| Avalanche Shovel | 50 |
| Windproof Balaclava | 40 |
| 2 pr Goggles | 120 |
| 2 pr Mountaineering Gloves | 200 |
| High Gaiters | 80 |
| Down Parka | 275 |
| Winter Tent | 350 |
| total | 2770 |
That's a lot of dough, so here are some suggestions to spread out your expenditures over a couple of years:
- If you are hiking in mountains, you want to carry an ice axe for safety reasons. They're reasonably inexpensive, but they are also rentable. I own a Black Diamond Raven which costs between $65 and $80, depending if you can find it on sale. This is a perfectly good beginner axe, mainly used for walking and self-rescue.
- You can rent snowshoes from REI or an outfitter, but I use them quite frequently in winter for day hikes, and they're worth owning if you plan on using them a lot. I own a pair of ultralight Northern Lites, but a lot of people buy the better known MSR Lightning Ascents or MSR Denalis.
- Last year I bought two pairs of crampons: step-in crampons for my plastic boots and strap-on crampons for my leather ones. If this is your first pair of crampons, I would suggest you buy strap-on ones first because they are compatible with regular boots and plastic boots. They're also useful to have in late autumn and spring when it's too warm to wear a plastic boot. I own Black Diamond's Sabertooth Pro step-in crampons and Black Diamond Contact Strap-on crampons, and wear each about 50% of the time. If you need plastic mountaineering boots for extremely cold conditions, you can usually rent them with a pair of step in crampons for the weekend.
- I always hike with other people in winter which makes it possible to share a liquid fuel stove to melt drinking water, if you carry your own fuel.
- In winter, the most important element of your sleep system is a thermally efficient sleeping pad. I think the warmest one on the market is an Exped Downmat 7, which is what I own. It is filled with goose down and has an R-value of 5.9. I love this pad, but some people just bring two layers of ensolite. Whatever you pick, make sure that it is thick. You can have a super warm sleeping bag, but if you have a poorly insulated pad, you will be shivering all night.
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- Winter rated down sleeping bags are horribly expensive but they will last 10+ years. I own a goose down filled -25 F Puma from Western Mountaineering for its compressibility, but you can also rent 0 degree F synthetic fill bags like the Mountain Hardware Phantom from REI. While less expensive, the bulk of a synthetic bag requires that you have a larger capacity backpack that weighs more.
- Mountaineering boots are another expense that you can defer because you can rent them at local outfitters and REI. Getting a good fit is important and the best way to get one is to rent a few pairs. Plastic boots are only required for very high or cold mountains where you can't afford to get wet feet. I own a pair of Scarpa Omega boots which are unusually lightweight for plastics, but can be overkill for winter day hikes. A lot of my friends prefer non-plastic Scarpas or La Sportivas, but these can be hard to try on before you purchase them because they're not stocked in stores.
- You need to carry a lot more gear in winter, especially if you're doing any overnight camping. This may require that you get a expedition capacity backpack that's 5,000-7,000 ci in size like the Arc'teryx Bora or the Gregory Denali Pro. There are often rentable, and you should defer this purchase until you know how much capacity you really need to hold all of your gear.
- I carry an Voile TelePro avalanche shovel in the mountains for digging tent platforms or kitchen areas in winter. Unless you are in avalanche territory (where everyone should have a shovel and avalanche training), these can be shared by a group. A ratio of 1 shovel for every 4 people works pretty well. These shovels can also be used to dig out snow caves or slit trenches, and as snow anchors. The Telepro is collapsible and can also be broken down into two pieces, making it easier to share in a group.
- A windproof balaclava is a must-have in the winter and I usually wear mine day and night.
- If you plan on climbing high peaks in winter, it's very useful to bring 2 pairs of goggles along with you in case one pair fogs up and freezes. I had to bag a major summit attempt 300 feet short last year because of frozen goggles, so now I carry two pairs of ski goggles and sleep with them every night to make sure they are dry the next day.
- I carry several pairs of gloves when I'm hiking in winter including primaloft-lined mittens and gloves with long gauntlets and idiot cords. These heavy gloves are an investment but they last if you take good care of them and they can save you from frostbite when the weather gets ugly. I own OR Cornice mittens and Alti mountaineering gloves. In addition, I carry a pair of OR windproof fleece gloves for warmer weather or when I'm snowshoeing and sweating a lot.
- You're probably going to want to own your own pair of high gaiters if you own a pair of snowshoes. OR Crocodiles are what most people use. Otherwise, these can be rented from REI or outfitters when you rent boots and crampons.
- When you're standing around camp or take a rest during the day, you need to put on a extra outer layer like a down parka to stay warm or you will chill rapidly. Down parkas with hoods are the best option because they compress very well and retain a lot of heat. I just upgraded from an 800 fill Mountain Hardware Phantom Jacket, which is exceptionally warm but hoodless, to a 800 fill Golite Roan Plateau (not yet commercially available), which has a built-in down neck gaiter and hood. It's quite reasonably priced too, at $275.
- You need a 4 season tent for winter camping, but if you can find someone who owns one and does not snore at night, share it with them. They can also be rented at REI.
Budgeting for Winter
If you want to get into winter backpacking or day hiking, but don't have the money to get fully outfitted, you can get by with renting gear or sharing it with your friends. For example, let's say you wanted to ease into winter backpacking by trying out snowshoeing and a little winter camping. Here's a budget that will let you gradually purchase what you need, while renting or sharing gear with your friends.
| Ice Axe | 75 | Rent | |
| Snowshoes | 250 | Buy | |
| Crampons | 150 | Rent | |
| Liquid Fuel Stove | 80 | Share | |
| Winter Sleeping Pad | 150 | Rent | |
| Winter Sleeping Bag | 400 | Rent | |
| Mountaineering Boots | 300 | Rent | |
| Expedition Pack | 250 | Rent | |
| Avalanche Shovel | 50 | Share | |
| Windproof Balaclava | 40 | Buy | |
| 2 pr Goggles | 120 | Buy | |
| 2 pr Mountaineering Gloves | 200 | Buy | |
| High Gaiters | 80 | Buy | |
| Down Parka | 275 | Buy | |
| Winter Tent | 350 | Share | |
| total | 965 |
This is just one strategy for gradually accumulating the gear you need for wintertime, but be forewarned. Winter backpacking is extremely addictive and satisfying, but it can wreak havoc on your budget if you try to buy everything you need in one season.
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Thanks for the list. Just got a pair of MSR Denali’s for my b-day (thanks padre). Looking forward to gaining a 4th season in outdoor activities.
Very helpful list to round out my gear.
This is how I have tried to reduce the costs of winter hiking:
- use a white gas stove year round
a weight penalty in the summer
SVEA 123R generates comments from fellow hikers all summer long
very reliable operation
- use a 3 season tent year round
I camp with my son in summer and early fall
I use the tent as a solo tent in the winter
a weight penalty in the summer
I need to watch the snow build up over night and camp below tree line in the winter
- use my son’s 15 deg down bag inside my synthetic bag
I bought my 15 deg synthetic in a semi-mummy shape (Big Agnes – Encampment model) to accommodate his down bag, wanted to ensure no compression of the inner bag when they are nested together
The extra interior space and optimistic rating of the BA syn bag make it an OK bag for 3 season use but it does a great job of extending the rating of the MARMOT bag.
I spent a bit of money on his bag to get a 850-fill down bag The MARMOT bag is rated to the EU standard. So the 15 deg rating is a true 15 deg rating. I have had this set-up down to zero deg and I have been toasty.
- use my son’s CCF pad (THERMAREST Z-PAD) with my insulated pad (Big Agnes Insulated Aircore) Again, I have had this set-up down to zero deg and very toasty.
- googles, wool hat, wool mittens, bavaclava, snow shoes, ski jacket, down vest, microspikes, SMARTWOOL mid weight tops and bottom (inner layer)
birthday and christmas presents over 2-3 years
- From Army/Navy Store
fleece bib pants for camp, 2 pair wool socks, 2 pair polyprop sock liners
- I wasted a little bit of money on “ice fisherman” gloves from a popular Sporting Goods store
They are great for shoveling snow or first day of winter camping but they do not dry out overnight
Thankfully I discovered this fact during a weekend shake down camping in my backyard.
- I bought Columbia winter boots shoes on clearance at a Sporting Goods store (~$50)
similar to Bugaboot model
These boots work well with my show shoes and the microspikes
I use gaiters to keep snow out
I stay off of anything requiring more than microspikes
The boots are where I am going to ask Santa for an upgrade this year. I want something with a removable liner – I would prefer a leather shoe over the plastics. My winter hiking is mostly in the valleys.
Phil, I am looking into making a pulk. Have you though about that?
Tom Murphy
Tom – I had to look up what a pulk was. Here’s a cool link for you: http://www.skipulk.com/.
I think your winter system looks pretty effective and is a creative way to combine gear that you already have. That’s an angle on budgeting that I missed. That Marmot Helium is a very nice bag.
A lot of people prefer something other than plastics boots – I was just discussing this last weekend in the back of a truck with some other winter climbers. Leather works but is a drag when it gets wet and you are out overnight. You might look at getting a gortex mid or a Sorrel to keep the cost down.
Winter is coming, winter is coming!
I’ve got a Rab Neutrino Endurance hooded down jacket, which logged a huge amount of vertical meters last season – supplies come & go, but it generally retails for around $250-275. I can’t recommend it highly enough (especially the high visibility orange version). The Haglof LIM Hooded Down jacket is also very nice.
Boot-wise, I’ve been very happy with my Aku Spider Kevlars, as you know. They’re a good B3, lightweight and waterproof (especially if you were a VBL sock to stop them getting damp from the inside out) and can be used for both winter mountaineering and ice climbing. And they look pretty funky.
I’ve been using a MontBell ULSS down bag for the past couple of seasons, and while it’s super-light, I don’t like the fabric – it sucks up water like blotting paper. They seem to have got their act together on this season’s bags, but I’ve yet to test them out. I’m intrigued, though, by the Mammut Ajungilak Shield bag – fully waterproof, and would obviate the need to carry my bivy bag. Maybe Santa will squeeze that into his sack for me this year!
You’re right about it being expensive, though. I often joke that I should just hand my paypacket to my local sports shop each month and be done with it. But the payoff is pretty high too
Nice stuff! I must confess that I too am ready for winter. Autumn is always nice but not nearly as satisfying as the deep freeze.
I am sticking my toe into winter backpacking and I was a little dismayed to learn that our local REI does not rent winter gear. Luckily, the Upper Midwest is not a very technical place and I can do without some stuff, like plastic boots.
- David
David D.,
The lack of elevation probably means that crampons and ice axes are not required.
Double plastic boots have the cold weather benefits of not soaking thru & a removable liner that can be dried out more easily (or replaced with a spare).
From my reading, it appears that many hikers in the Boundary Waters like to wear mukluk boots and pull sleds.
The sled takes the weight off your back allowing you to use the mukluks which have no ankle support. A sled is great on flat terrain whether you are XC skiing, snowshoeing, or barebooting.
http://www.skipulk.com – this site has an excellent free PDF file on how to make a sled
http://www.mukluks.com – seems to be the most popular manufacturer with winter hikers; the other sites appear to be more about urban fashion
wintertrekking.com – lots of your neighbors
Good luck.
TJM
Hi Tom,
The northern MN hikes can get pretty cold, I think the record temperature is -60F with -20 to -30F being common. My neighbor who has been to the North Pole by dog sled never saw temps that cold as – 60. (She also climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro twice, Mt. Everest base camp, etc, all in her 60’s. She embarrasses us.) Lots of hikers/backpackers in MN,WI & MI pull sleds/sledges while xskiing or snowshoeing. This winter I was going to start by having a camp within a couple miles of the trailhead and snowshoeing. I have been out this winer with a full pack but only boots as the snow was only 4 inches or so deep. Good points about the plastic boots. Still, I am just sticking my toe into winter backpacking. I have a pair of Zamberlan leather boots as my winter boots. Lots of folks use the snow boots from Merrell, etc., as well. I still put Mukluks into the urban fashion scene. If I start to go out on the real cold or potentially stormy days, I am going to want to upgrade my tent as well. My heaviest tent is a 3+ season/light winter tent. I have a Hilleberg catalog on my desk with a yellow sticky note on the Unna page.
- David
I’d really recommend against leather for winter if you will be out overnight. I accidentally stepped in a stream on saturday and the water froze instantly on my plastic boots. You wouldn’t be so lucky with leather. I’ve had sno-sealed leather boots freeze on me in similar conditions and it’s even worse if you are camping at night, because they’ll definitely freeze. Plastic is impervious to weather. Trust it. Or else wear pack boots with removable liners that you can dry out by sleeping with them in your sleeping bag.
Hi Phil,
I read one of your other reviews about boots were you cautioned about leather in winter as well. Even if I like winter backpacking I will spend more time snowshoeing, x-skiing; and, day hiking than I will overnight camping. Are there good alternatives of plastic mountaineering boots? I have seen products like the boots below:
http://www.rei.com/product/773563
http://www.rei.com/product/800267
It really depends on a lot of factors. Winter rescue is much harder than 3 season rescue and if a member of your party has a serious accident you may end up standing around on snow for a long time. In this case, you want the thickest sole possible. I snowshoe and day hike in plastic all the time, no problem. However, if you are near civilization or aren’t going into wilderness, you should be able to get by with a lighter boot. Just consider what will happen if they get wet. Removable liners should be given serious consideration if you plan on doing overnights.
Thanks. It sounds like plastic is on the shopping list if I embrace winter this season like I plan to.
- David
I’ve been getting into winter hiking also and trying to make do with my insulated gore-tex leather boots. But while they stay warm and dry, punching through crusted snow is rapidly fraying the outside stitching, so that’s another plus for plastic and another minus for my bank account.