15 Life Saving Winter Hiking and Gear Tips

Enjoy Hiking Year-Round

Cooler temperatures and snow on the trail don’t mean hiking has to end, but some additional considerations and gear will make your adventures safer and more comfortable. In addition to the 10 essentials recommended by search and rescue teams, consider the following hiking and gear tips, offered by members of the Mountain Rescue Association, for enjoying the outdoors through the winter.

Know Where You Are

The consequences of getting lost in cold weather can be dire. If a person isn’t prepared for the drastic drop in nighttime temperatures, hypothermia can be life-threatening. Know where you are and how long you’ve been traveling from your vehicle or shelter. If the trail is snow covered, make sure you are indeed following the trail, and confirm periodically that you are on route. Don't continue on a trail if you're uncertain of your whereabouts. Periodically look behind you so you can identify markers on the way back. If you’ve been traveling downhill, consider that it may take you longer to hike back uphill. Smartphones are incredible navigation tools – until the battery dies. Relying on smartphones to be your map, flashlight and emergency communication device is putting all of your eggs in one basket. Many times a person will call for help, only to see their phone die as the call uses the remaining battery. Having a backup GPS unit, smartwatch or map, extra flashlight and even a camera allows you to keep your phone’s battery charged for emergencies.

BUY NOW: Garmin Smartwatch | Amazon, $148.36 (Reg. $279.99)

Know Where You Are

Stay in contact and even call for help with the SPOT X Satellite Communication Device. Send text messages to any cell phone or email address even when there’s no cellular service, and call for emergency services in case of trouble with its S.O.S. signaling feature.

Buy Now: Two-Way Satellite Messenger | SPOT X, $199.99

Stay Hydrated

Even though you may not want to drink as much water in cold weather as you would in summer heat, keeping hydrated is important year-round. Staying properly hydrated helps your body maintain your core temperature through blood volume and circulation, keeping you warmer. Hydration is critical in preventing hypothermia, too. Just because you’re not sweating doesn’t mean you’re not losing water when exercising in cold weather, so make sure to take water on your hike and drink up.

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Recognize Signs of Hypothermia

Most people have experienced the first stage of hypothermia – shivering, and cold fingers, toes, nose and ears. If a person continues to lose core heat they can enter into the second stage of hypothermia that presents as violent shivering, slurred speech and reduction of motor function (shuffling or “drunk” walking). The third stage is life threatening. A person can lose consciousness, shivering stops, heart rate slows to dangerous levels, and the skin can appear pale and waxy. Keeping tabs on hiking partners, and especially children, can head off serious cold-related injuries and make the hike much more comfortable. Make sure the person’s clothes are dry and that they have enough warm layers. Eating a snack, drinking water and exercising will help warm the person. Don’t continue until everyone is comfortably warm, and turn around if someone can’t get warm.

Stay Safe

It’s easy to twist an ankle or scrap a knee while hiking, especially when conditions are icy. Common injuries in winter are knife cuts from whittling kindling for fires, and burns from fires and stoves. A basic first-aid kit can keep small injuries from becoming a big issue in the backcountry. VSSL First Aid kits come in lightweight, waterproof, modular cylinders that carry everything you need for most minor mishaps.

BUY NOW: VSSL, $125.00

Learn to Layer

Properly layering clothing in order to adjust your temperature is critical in cold-weather hiking. Layers trap your body heat, keeping you warm. Clothing shouldn’t be too tight so as to leave a pocket to trap warm air. There are typically three parts to good layering. The base layer against your skin should provide some warmth while wicking away sweat. It should also retain heat even when wet. The mid-layer is often a fleece jacket or pullover that retains heat. The outer layer is a heavier, insulated coat and/or waterproof shell designed for maximum heat retention and dryness. As you hike and generate body heat, the outer layer and even the mid layer can be removed to regulate your temperature. When you stop and begin to cool down, layers can be added to trap warm air. Avoid cotton for any layer, as cotton absorbs moisture and will chill you. Polyester or wool pull sweat and moisture away from your body, keeping you dry, and retain heat even when wet. Keep your outer layer stored at the top of your pack so you can quickly put it on when you stop to maximize the heat.

Gaiters such as Hillsound’s Armadillo LTs are tough fabric sleeves that wrap around your boots or shoes and your shins to keep snow and ice out, helping to keep your footwear and socks warm and dry.

BUY NOW: Backcountry, $59.00

Get a Good Mid-Layer

The mid-layer is insulated clothing between your base layer and your shell. It can be worn as your outer layer when you're warm, and a shell can be placed over it when you stop and cool down or if there's snow or rain. Sherpa's OM mid-layers allow you to dial in your comfort zone, and look great doing it.

BUY NOW: Sherpa Adventure Gear, $60.00

Don't Skimp on Socks

A common mistake of winter hikers is to wear several pairs of socks, which can restrict blood circulation and make your feet colder. Wearing one good pair of winter-rated socks in a good winter boot is recommended. Even if snow doesn’t work its way into your footwear, chances are your feet will sweat on long hikes. Cotton socks can become sponges for moisture, a potentially dangerous situation in winter. Wool retains heat even when wet, and helps wick moisture away from feet to the outside of the sock, and it stays warm if it does get wet.

BUY NOW: Smart Wool, $14.95-$27.95

Keep Heat on Your Feet

Keeping your feet warm and happy is paramount when hiking, especially in winter. Many tennis shoes are designed to allow air flow, which can quickly chill feet and let in moisture from snow, quickly becoming soggy after stepping into snow or crossing a stream. Insulated boots that cover the ankle help keep snow from working down into the boot to chill your feet. Leather boots can be very effective if they are treated with a water repellent such as Nikwax, and boots made with materials such as Gore-Tex keep water out but allow moisture to escape.

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Stay Cozy

Feet are one of the first things to get chilled when you stop moving. Packed with 800-fill down with rubber-coated soles, Sierra Design’s Down Booties work great around the fire back at camp and for keeping feet warm in sleeping bags, too.

BUY NOW: Sierra Designs, $89.00

Light Up Your Night

Winter’s shorter days can quickly turn to night, catching unprepared hikers in the dark. Many a day hiker has watched the sun set on the trail by underestimating the time. Even if you think you’re just going out for a quick day hike, take a light source. Smartphone flashlights rapidly drain batteries that are needed for communications and navigation. Beyond allowing you to see, lights can help search and rescuers see you.

BUY NOW: BioLite, $44.95

Tools for the Trail

Carrying a few essential tools when hiking, even if just for the day, can keep a slight mishap from becoming an emergency. A whistle is perfect for helping rescuers find you or getting the attention of other hikers if you’re injured, and its sound carries much farther than shouting. A first-aid kit with an elastic bandage for wrapping ankles or knees can come in handy in the event of twist injury, not uncommon in icy conditions. A way to make fire will get you through a frigid night, or at least make for a warm break where fire is permissible. The Solo Stove Lite kicks out much more heat than its small size suggests, and it's light weight enough to toss into any pack. Fill it with twigs and pinecones, and in seconds you'll have hand-warming heat that will quickly boil water on the trail. The Solo Stove Lite works well when other fire rings are covered in snow, it leaves no fire scar and clean up is easy after use.

BUY NOW: Solo Stove, $89.99

Helping Hand Warmers

Chemical hand warmers use an endothermic reaction to produce heat for hours. They are lightweight and inexpensive, and can quickly warm up cold hands, feet and even electronics to help extend battery life. Ignik’s biodegradable Air Activated Warmers have a resealable package that allows them be used longer and saved for later use. The warmers’ packaging and chemicals are safe for composters.

BUY NOW: Ignik, $19.99

Keep a Lid On It

While it's not true that people lose most of their heat through their head, it still represents almost 10% of a body’s surface area. Wearing a waterproof, insulated hat is essential in the winter. Brimmed hats are usually thought to be worn in the summer to keep the sun off hikers, but they serve a great purpose in winter, too. Tilley’s TTW2 Tec-Wool Hat keeps your head warm and dry while also preventing snow from drifting down your collar and into your face with its brim. The water-repellent wool traps warmth even when wet, and the tuck-away ear warmers keep ears toasty even in wind.

BUY NOW: Tilley, $100.00

Traction Action

Micro spikes are metal teeth and chains that attach to footwear to improve traction on ice. They fold up and are lightweight, making them easy to carry in a daypack, and are quick and easy to put on if you come across any icy sections of trail. Several manufacturers make a variety of micro spikes, including Black Diamond Equipment.

BUY NOW: Black Diamond Equipment, $39.95â$99.95

Avoid That Sinking Feeling

Snowshoes increase your footprint’s surface area to help prevent “post holing” (sinking into snow) and sometimes can be the only way to navigate through snowy terrain. Before setting out on a hike, research if you’re expected to encounter snow fields and prepare accordingly. Also be aware that firm snow in the morning can soften in the afternoon sun, requiring snow shoes on the return trip.

BUY NOW: Backcountry, $140â$270

Try Hiking Poles

Hiking poles have interchangeable tips that convert to metal for hiking on ice, and baskets, like those on ski poles, to keep from sinking into and keeping balance on snow. Poles can also be used to probe snow depth when hiking, especially around logs and trees where there can be tree wells. They are also invaluable for helping to climb out of deep snow, and can be used with tarps to create a shelter. On any hike, hiking poles can take strain off of your knees, prevent hand swelling and generally increase your pace and comfort on the trail.

BUY NOW: Amazon, $20.99

Shelter Insurance

“Space blankets" are lightweight sheets of Mylar that efficiently reflect body heat back to the user, making a waterproof shelter in emergencies. S.O.L. emergency gear has created an emergency bivy sack of Mylar that users can crawl into to ward off hypothermia. Staying put in a safe place when lost makes it easier for search and rescue teams to locate people, and travel at night — especially in the winter — greatly increases the risk of other problems.

BUY NOW: Amazon, $16.95

15 Essential Winter Hiking and Gear Tips

Related To:

Enjoy Hiking Year-Round

Know Where You Are

Know Where You Are

Stay Hydrated

Recognize Signs of Hypothermia

Stay Safe

Learn to Layer

Get a Good Mid-Layer

Don't Skimp on Socks

Keep Heat on Your Feet

Stay Cozy

Light Up Your Night

Tools for the Trail

Helping Hand Warmers

Keep a Lid On It

Traction Action

Avoid That Sinking Feeling

Try Hiking Poles

Shelter Insurance

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