Beginners' Basics - Clothing For Cold

Once the thermometer plummets, it's time to sort out your clothing for winter. If you've started walking in summer, it's easy to think that colder temperatures, rain and snow mean you've got to avoid the hills over the winter months, but modern outdoors clothing and equipment is so good that with the right kit, you can stay comfortable in the nastiest conditions.

Cooler Up Top

One thing it pays to keep in mind is that the air temperature can drop by 1 degree C for every 100 metres you climb up a hill, so what starts as a chilly but not unbearable day in the valley can get really flippin' cold on the tops.

You'll also be more exposed to wind higher up, which leads to a phenomenon called wind chill. The air around your body which you've warmed with your body heat is stripped away by the wind making the effective temperature much lower, so the windier it is, the more protection you need.

Here are some tips to help you cope with the cold.

In anything other than still winter conditions, you'll need to carry or use a windproof or waterproof jacket and, possibly, trousers.

If it's dry but windy, a windproof jacket will stop the wind stripping warm air away from your body and keep you more comfortable. Most windproofs are also water resistant, so they'll cope with drizzle and light rain if need be. For more details, see our Windproofs - Buyers' Guide.

When things get wetter, you really need a waterproof jacket. Waterproofs are windproof as well, but are made from materials and constructed so that they can cope with the heaviest rain. You can wear a waterproof as a windproof shell, but it won't breathe as well as most windproofs, so you're more likely to get damp and sweaty.

In UK winter conditions, a protective hood with a stiffened peak is essential to stop rain running into your eyes and to protect your face from sidewinds. For the full lowdown on waterproofs, see our Mountain Shell Jackets - Buyers' Guide.

Shell jackets will keep the worst of the wind and rain off you, but they're not warm in themselves since they're very thin and only trap a little air.

The answer is some form of insulation layer worn under the shell jacket, traditionally a fleece of some type. Fleece traps quantities of air, which in turn is warmed by your body and minimises the heat loss that makes you feel cold.

Fleece comes in a number of different thicknesses or weights and the bottom line is the thicker the fleece, the more air it'll trap and the warmer it'll keep you. If you run on the warm side, a 100-weight or 'microfleece' top will probably suffice in all but the very worst conditions. If you run on the cool side, a 200-weight or midweight fleece may be a better bet.

Just to confuse things, there are now alternatives to fleece that are also light and windproof using synthetic insulation to produce a very light duvet or puffa-type jacket. They pack small so are an excellent choice as spare / emergency clothing as well.

As a rule, you want to stay comfortable - not hot and sweaty as you'll lose moisture and wet clothing cools down rapidly when you stop moving, but not so cold that you're shivering.

More ideas and information in our Fleece - Buyers' Guide.

The golden rule is don't, whatever you do, wear a cotton tee-shirt and grundies under your other kit. Cotton is comfortable for day to day use, but it will soak up sweat and store it close to your skin making you damp, cold and uncomfortable in cooler weather.

It's better to use a proper outdoors baselayer made from either a synthetic fabric like polyester or polypropylene or merino wool, a very fine, but expensive wool from New Zealand. Both work in different ways but either will keep you comfortable and move sweat away from your skin.

Merino is a great choice and can be used for several days without smelling, but it's also quite expensive, but the most important thing is to avoid cotton.

Your legs need protecting in the same way as your torso, but legs are less sensitive and seem to be able to manage with less insulation. The best allround outdoor trousers we've used have been woven softshell ones that combine wind and water resistance with good breathability and enough stretch for decent mobility.

Schoeller or similar fabrics work really, really well. If it's particularly cold, consider wearing either waterproof overtrousers, or using some baselayer long-johns underneath to trap some more air and up the insulation levels over your legs.

Don't forget the basics - think about whether you can go to the loo easily - a zipped fly helps if you're a fella - and don't be tempted to overdo things to the point where you can barely bend your legs. Not good :-)

With overtrousers, ideally you want a side zip long enough to be able to put on or take off the trousers while wearing boots, so check you can in the shop.

It may sound obvious, but protecting your extremities in winter is crucial. Start with a fleece hat - you lose a lot of heat through your head, so it needs protecting. There are lots of designs out there, but most will do the job okay.

Hand need protecting too, there are lots of options, but again you're looking for a combination of windproofing and insulation with enough mobility to, say, use a trekking pole or adjust your jacket cords. More ideas in our Gloves Buyer's Guide.

Socks need to be thicker and warmer than summer socks as most boots won't offer much insulation. Wool or a mix of wool and synthetics with strategic padding in high pressure areas work well and should be comfortable even when damp.

More details in our Socks Buyer's Guide.

If you read the magazines, you'll believe that you need special winter boots for winter walking. That's not really true. If you're going to walk in snowy conditions and particularly using crampons then you do need a stiffer boot, but for all-round walking use below the snowline, you can get away with a reasonably lightweight boot.

One thing we would advise is to use a water-resistant or waterproof boot and / or think about gaiters. Cold, wet feet aren't much fun and while a waterproof liner can be sweaty in summer, in cold, damp conditions it makes a lot more sense. Mostly though, you shouldn't need special winter boots, unless there's snow on the ground.

More boot information in our Walking Boots - Buyers' Guide.

In cold conditions, it makes sense to carry some spare insulation in your pack along with some sort of emergency shelter. If you do have to stop for any reason, extra insulation can make the difference between being warm and comfortable and getting dangerously chilled.

A synthetically insulated top makes an ideal spare garment and packs light and small while giving decent warmth and added windproofing. You can take it a stage further and carry an oversized 'belay jacket' which you can simply throw on over other layers of clothing for quick stops.

Alternatively, a spare, lightweght fleece will do the job. We'd also suggest a spare fleece hat and, possibly some gloves as well. In really cold conditions, losing a hat can be dangerous, so it's well worth carrying a spare, just in case.

There's more information in our Insulation Buyers' Guide. Bear in mind that while down is very warm and light, it doesn't get on with damp conditions, so it's not always ideal in the UK.

More Help and Advice

This article should have given you some basic pointers. The good news is that there's a load more advice on OUTDOORSmagic:

Ask on the gear forum about general issues or specific items.

Check the member reviews section for user experiences of kit.

See OM editorial reviews on the front of the site for our impressions.

Ask Richard Gear if you have a specific question you need answering.