Winter Hiking

Dachstein’s Arctic Boiled Wool Gloves are very warm, three-ply, boiled wool gloves (more on this below) that make exceptional liners in waterproof shell mittens. When the mercury drops to near zero or below, these are the gloves you want to be wearing. …

Marmot’s Minimalist Shell Mitts are waterproof/breathable shell mitts insulated with a lightweight liner that can be worn alone or layered over insulated gloves or mittens. They are made of Gore-Tex Paclite with reinforced leather palms and are seam-taped for leak-proof protection from …

Hillsound Trail Crampons are a winter traction aid that’s tailor-made for hiking on inclined trails covered with hard ice or packed snow where you need longer and sharper spikes to penetrate the surface and give you a good grip.  They’re compatible with insulated …

Outdoor Research Phosphor Down Mitts are warm down-insulated mittens for people who get very cold hands during winter hikes or when downhill skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling. They’re insulated with 600 fill power goose down and made with Goretex Infinium with Windstopper. While …

Sealskinz’s Waterproof Extreme Cold Weather Gauntlet Gloves have a high degree of dexterity and warmth. I use them when I need to use an ice axe above treeline in winter and need a warm glove that is flexible enough to wrap around …

Crescent Moon’s EVA All Foam Snowshoes are high flotation snowshoes that are made of foam without any metal crampons or heel lifts. Highly rockered, (curved like a banana), they’re good for walking and running on well-packed trails and groomed cross-country tracks. They …

Winter River Crossings can be quite high consequence if you slip off a rock and get your boots and clothing wet or you plunge through an ice shelf along the bank and get swept underneath it. You can usually avoid these dangers …

An insulated skirt? Could that possibly be an idea that has any merit at all? A few years back, I started to ask myself this question and I thought the answer would be “no”. I’d seen a couple of women on the …

Most winter hikers carry several pairs of gloves and switch between as their needs for breathability, dexterity, wind resistance, waterproofing, or warmth change during the day. No one pair of gloves can satisfy all of these needs, so it’s best to carry …

STABILicers Hike Macro Winter Traction Spikes are a traction device in the same vein as Kahtoola Microspikes and Hillsound Trail Crampons but with a very different binding and spike design. Instead of free-floating chains suspended from an elastomer harness, they have a …

Winter hiking burns a lot more calories than hiking the rest of the year because your body has to work harder to stay warm in the cold; you have to wear more clothing layers and heavier insulated boots; you need to carry …

When gearing up for winter day hiking you want footwear, clothing, and traction aids that can be used across a fairly wide range of temperatures, wind speeds, sun, precipitation types, and surface conditions. For example, typical winter weather includes: Temperatures: from 40 …

I’ve been a serious winter hiker for close to 15 years and I’ve never owned a pair of single-layer, insulated waterproof/breathable winter hiking boots that didn’t leave my socks damp or wet from foot perspiration. I’ve used 400g and 200g insulated winter …

The Best Winter Hiking Pants are highly breathable softshell pants that prevent the accumulation of perspiration when hiking, snowshoeing, climbing/mountaineering, or even ski touring in winter. They’re made with woven nylon or polyester that is warmer and more windproof than normal three-season …