Winter Hiking Gear

Sea-to-Summit’s Alpine eVent Gaiters are high gaiters designed for winter hiking and snowshoeing. Hikers wear high gaiters in winter to keep snow from coming in over the top of their boots and soaking their socks. They also function as a wind layer around your lower legs and can provide protection …

The Atlas Helium Trail ($140) is a lightweight and surprisingly inexpensive snowshoe designed for use on rolling hills and easy terrain. It has great traction and an easy-to-adjust webbing-based binding system that is compatible with most winter hiking boots. The Helium Trail Snowshoes also come with heel lifts (televators) which …

The North Face Chilkat 400 II is an insulated waterproof/breathable winter hiking boot rated to -40F/-40C. Available for both men and women, these boots come up to mid-calf for maximum heat retention and feature metal lacing hardware for durability, a gaiter ring above the toes, and a ridged heel counter …

REI’s Activator 3.0 Soft-Shell Pants, available for both men and women, are softshell pants for winter hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing. They’re water-resistant and highly breathable to prevent sweat build-up, with articulated knees and a gusseted crotch for freedom of movement. They’re rated windproof to 35 mph wind and coated with …

Oboz Sawtooth II Insulated 8″ Hiking Boots (new in fall, 2020) have 200g Thinsulate insulation and are rated to -25 degrees Fahrenheit, making them ideal for hiking in cool, wet weather and milder winter conditions. They’re comfortable but quite supportive with a rigid heel counter and stiff upper that provides …

KEEN’s Revel IV High Polar Boots are insulated waterproof/breathable winter hiking boots rated to -40F/-40C. Available for both men and women, these boots come up to mid-calf for maximum heat retention and feature metal lacing hardware for maximum durability, a gaiter ring above the toes, and a ridged heel counter …

There are three kinds of winter hiking boots: insulated winter hiking boots, mountaineering boots, and pac boots. Which kind of winter hiking boot is right for you? Here’s a detailed guide that explains the differences between these so you can pick the right footwear for winter hiking, snowshoeing, winter backpacking, and …

KEEN’s Targhee High Lace Winter Hiking Boots are full-height (not mids) waterproof/breathable insulated boots rated to -25F/-32C. They are amazingly comfortable for a winter boot, with soft leather uppers that require virtually no break-in period to wear. Specs at a Glance Temperature Rating: -25F/-32C Footwear Height: Over the Ankle Footwear …

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 have a very simple velcro binding that’s compatible …

The CAMP-USA Corsa Ice Axe is quite possibly the lightest weight ice ax in the world, weighing just 8.8 oz (250 grams) in a size 60 cm length. Despite its lightweight, it is a fully functional UIAA-certified B ice ax capable of being used for self-rescue, glissading, and strong enough …

The Yaktrax Summit is a burly winter traction system that’s in the same league as Kahtoola’s Microspikes and Hillsound’s Trail Crampons. Compatible with soft-soled winter boots and hiking shoes, the Summits have 12 triangular spikes that attach to the underside of your footwear using a rubber harness, coupled with a Boa …

TSL’s Symbioz Elite Snowshoes are designed for use in mountainous terrain with aggressive crampons and a heel lift for climbing steep and icy slopes. They have a large horizontal front crampon, good for digging into slopes, with 8 stainless-steel cleats (rotated 90 degrees) down the sides to prevent side slipping. But …

Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras and Kahtoola Microspikes are the most popular winter traction aids for hiking on packed snow, ice, and mixed ice and rock. They’re like tire chains for your feet, with tiny metal spikes and chains that are attached to an elastic harness that you slip over your …

The Oboz Bridger 10″ BDry is an insulated winter hiking and snowshoeing boot with a BDry waterproof/breathable membrane and 400 grams of Thinsulate insulation, making them suitable for cold weather use. Oboz doesn’t publish a temperature rating for them but they’re comparable to other 400-gram insulated winter hiking boots (-40F) …