Broadly speaking, the thought process for hiking when the weather will be colder is similar — adaptability to changes in heat and cold. The difference is in your basic garment choices. In this case, an extra mid-layer, thicker outdoor pants, and possibly long underwear and an insulated jacket are needed.
- Mid-layer
Here, we recommend a wool piece for the primary reason that if you’ve used wool as a base layer, more of its key properties are retained if the next layer is also made of wool. A mid-layer in a mix of wool and, for example, polyester, functions similarly but also makes the garment more durable, guarding against the friction wear from a jacket.
- Long Underwear
Carrying a set of thin long underwear in wool or merino wool in case it gets colder than expected is almost never a bad choice. These weigh little, take up almost no space and are nice to have for sitting around an evening campfire or on chilly mornings.
- Pants
Here we recommend a pair of lightweight softshell pants or a pair made of GORE-TEX® Paclite. Softshell materials are durable and hold up well in forest where, for example, you might come into contact with branches and other objects. Softshell trousers are typically reinforced against wear, wetness and wind in exposed areas such as knees and buttocks, meaning they have good ventilation—an advantage if you’re someone who often sweats around the legs. A key consideration is that softshells weigh a little more and have a slightly larger packing volume. Pants made of GORE-TEX® Paclite, however, while not as wear-resistant, are extremely light with a very low packing volume. They’re also completely waterproof and windproof—perfect for hiking open landscapes and ridges where rapid weather changes are common.
- Insulated Jacket
If you’re hiking in temperatures between 0˚–10˚C, we strongly recommend carrying a lightweight insulated jacket. This is because as soon as you stop being active for a period, it gets cold fast. This is when a warm extra layer not only feels good, but provides a margin of safety in case you get stuck somewhere and can’t move to keep warm.