Introduction
Well, you chose a bad day for it, but don’t let it stop you. This post has my best tips, advice and kit for your bad-weather hikes. I’ve done my fair share of bad weather hikes, from cold and wet to hail, snow and ice. I have had a lot of bad conditions when hiking that I was pretty unprepared for. This makes me feel I have a better idea of what I’m doing in the harsh weather we can have in Great Britain. So read on to ensure that you learn from my mistakes and don’t end up in the same shitty situations that I have…
Clothing
Firstly I will start by telling you what you should wear so that you don’t feel bad and regret the whole hike. Trust me; I have done some hikes where I was so cold and wet due to not having the correct clothing on; it’s horrible.
Clothing is probably the most important thing on a hike when conditions aren’t in your favour. I’m sure that you know to layer. This can be done wrong easier than you think. It’s not just adding layers; it is also about the type of layers you have. Adding too much of the wrong thing can make you highly uncomfortable.
You need to start with a good base layer; you don’t need to go out and spend hundreds of pounds on them. Yes, more expensive ones may be better and be more breathable so that you don’t sweat as much, but you can also get some perfect ones from Decathlon, Go Outdoors or Costco. I’ve only ever used them from those stores, so I can’t give you advice on what good brands to get, but I like the ones I use. I have never had a problem with them other than there is not good ventilation in them so maybe I should invest in a better pair.
Now that you have your base layer, you need a good pair of trousers and a t-shirt. For trousers, I have this lovely pair of basic waterproof Craghopper ones that I like, but the one downside of them is they aren’t extremely comfy, but they do an excellent job non the less.
I haven’t tried them yet, but I like the look and have read amazing things about ones from Revolution Race. I’ll be buying some of them soon. I will write a full review and link it here. Do your research before buying so that you have the best trousers. So get down to Go Outdoors and find a pair that fits you nicely and is waterproof for budget ones. If you have the funds, I recommend researching for a perfect pair.
Your t-shirt doesn’t overly matter; you need one that is not too tight or loose. Too close and you’ll feel very stuffy and uncomfy; too loose and won’t keep you warm. If you have some money to spare, get a nice breathable t-shirt, as this will help prevent you from sweating too much. Honestly, the type of t-shirt you wear won’t make much difference. You don’t need to spend loads on a t-shirt; I am sure you will have one that is good enough for your wardrobe.
A good quality fleece will also help in keeping you warm as well. I would recommend going to a hiking shop such as Mountain Warehouse ( that’s where mine is from). I’d also say not to get one with a hood, as it will just get in your way. Instead of a hood, I would say to get a good hat; if you get too warm, you can just put it in your bag, unlike a hood that will be in your way and annoy you.
I like the hats from Thinsulate. I find they keep my head and ears very warm on really cold hikes; I recommend one of those if you don’t already have a decent hat. You may want a snood or a full balaclava if it is freezing. The wind chill on your face is not nice at all. I use an Alpinestars snood that is hot ad fits me well. I also keep a thin one in my bag just in case the thick one is too hot.
The coat that you have is also essential. You should put up some money for this one if you have it to spend. The coat that I use is by Craghopper also. With the coat, I say that a waterproof windbreaker is the best option most of the time in Britain and layer up underneath as they are lightweight and protect you from the elements very well. Once again, go to a shop or research the best coat. I find the way I dress for cold hikes, and using this type of setup and not using an oversized coat is the best way to go and from what I’ve seen, so do many other hikers. If you look through Instagram, many people’s hiking clothing is like this. (If it is freezing, forget that and put on your biggest warm coat.)
Socks and gloves are also important. Your socks are probably one of the more essential things you wear. If it is cold, I put on two pairs, one thin under a hose and then a thicker hiking sock that keeps my feet nice and warm; I don’t have any unique socks. I have a pair of my daily ones as the underlayer and a couple of hiking socks from Mountain Warehouse.
Then for my gloves, I usually have two pairs; one thick pair and one thin pair. I change two pairs of different thicknesses depending on how cold it is; I can also layer them up if it is freezing. Another reason I bring two pairs is that if one pair gets wet, I have a backup, as you do not want to go without gloves on a cold day, as you could lose dexterity in your hand or get hypothermia. You do not want that.
Boots, the boots you have, are very important, and I would say if you have the money put them into the boots; they are the most curtail thing on any hike, warm or cold. It would be best if you had a comfortable, warm and waterproof pair. I have Merrell ones that I highly recommend, and you can read my in-depth review about them here.
Boots are entirely subjective, however. What I like and works for me, you may not like them at all; they could even cause you pain or discomfort. You should head to a hiking shop like Blacks (I got mine from) and try them before buying. If you can’t do that, be sure to do your research to be confident in your choice. You can always send the boots back if you feel they aren’t suitable for you. Just make sure you read the company’s return policy before you make your purchase.
What To Put In Your Bag
There are quite a few things in this section I carry on all of my hikes. I will do two separate sections for what I always take with me. Packing light can be good, but you’d rather have a heavy bag and not get caught off guard than pack too light when I have a kit.
What I Always Carry
There are a few things I take on every hike. If it’s cold I will always have a windbreaker waterproof coat in my bag. As this is about bad weather hikes I would usually be wearing the coat already. Another thing that I carry in bad conditions is a spare pair of socks. As you never know if the puddle you think is not that deep. Trust me, it’s not nice to have this happen. I also always carry some paracord and a small knife. As you never know when you could need it. As of now, I have not used it on a hike, but it was handy when I went camping and one of our poles split, we used it to tie around it to stop it from snapping completely.
Food and drink are very good things to bring with you. you never know when you will feel hungry or dehydrated. I carry; two bottles of water at least, Two or three protein bars, and sometimes a bag of mixed nuts and or sweets. I carry water because I like it. My girlfriend brings Vimto, so what you bring is entirely preference. If it’s a longer hike, you may want to bring some proper food like a sandwich or pasta pot.
A head torch is in my opinion, an essential bit of kit to have with you. More so in the winter as darkness seems to creep up on me very easily. I still carry it in summer as there is always a chance that you could get lost. Then end up still being out when it goes dark. I do recommend going out for your hikes earlier. This will help you avoid this happening. Unless you want to be out when it’s dark.
What I Add When Its Cold
There is not much I do add to my bag when it’s bad weather. I always like to be prepared for anything. There are still some things ill add that I usually won’t carry with me. However, I do try to carry light. If I know that there is not a 100% chance I’ll use it I will only carry it when necessary. As we are in the UK the weather is often bad and can change very easily.
I’ll always add a small hand towel; I feel I could have that in all the time. I took it on a regular hike a few times but didn’t use it, so I took it out unless it was cold and wet. I never used to carry it, but I went on a hike with my friend up kinder it was so cold and wet. He brought one with him. It came in very handy; I’ve never looked back since. I now carry a small fire kit with me on my cold hikes; we were freezing as the temperature dropped a lot. He had a small fire kit on him, and it saved us; I was starting to lose dexterity in my fingers. I honestly think that bringing this saved me from hypothermia.
List Of Everything I Use
Here is a list of everything that I have talked about. If you want to make yourself a list to look through, you can use the list below. I feel doing this will make it easier to check everything off.
- Hat
- Snood/balaclava
- Base layers
- T-shirt
- Fleece
- Coat
- Two pairs gloves
- Waterproof trousers
- Three pairs of socks (two on and one in my bag)
- Boots
- Food
- Drinks
- Paracord
- Head torch
- Small knife
- Small fire kit
Disclaimer: This is not expert advice; it’s all my opinion. If you are in terrible conditions, seek proper professional advice. This is a post to give advice. And to share what I bring with me on my hikes in the United Kingdom.
