Get in Gear - It's Winter!

Finally our temps are heading in the right direction for winter play times. I want to share some thoughts on  gear and resources to keep you warm and upright while we snow play during the cold and icy months.

My Five Favorite Pieces of Winter Gear:

MICROSPIKES

My spikes!

Once I started using these babies, I was hooked. It completely changed my winter hiking (more, more, more!) and had me outdoors even more when the snow wasn't deep enough for snowshoeing  - a frequent occurrence as our climate warms.

Spikes in action while bushwhacking

I went with Kahtoola microspikes. They are tough, long lasting, grip your boots and have worked on ice, sugar snow, slopes, hills and slippery leaf hiking bluff adventures. They come in a little sack you can easily drop that in your backpack so you can have them on the trails in any situation. They fit tightly so I recommend going to the next size up when purchasing - you won't regret it when getting the strong rubber up and around your insulated boots. They are worth every penny of their price and will keep you hiking in the worst snow-covered and icy trail conditions.

SNOWSHOES

Insanely easy bindings

While I loved my old wooden and rawhide Iversons, I finally made the switch a few years ago to a smaller, lighter aluminum model featuring heel lifts, crampons and insanely simple yet tough bindings (Atlas Elektras). There are plenty of good brands out there. 

My advice here: really look at the bindings and make sure they are quick enough to get into, tighten and release - it will save you seriously frozen fingers. If you are hiking up any bluffs or climbing while you snowshoe, I highly recommend making sure your snowshoes have heel lifts that can be popped up to support your heel and keep your foot flatter when climbing. Your Achilles tendons and calves will thank you!

BOOTS

You know when you are in inadequate winter boot - your feet are freezing! Keeping tootsies warm is easy when you have waterproof, insulated boots. I found a pair of Merrill hiking boots that are less bulky than my old Sorrels and are mid height. It gives my foot lots more flexibility, while winter hiking, provides ankle support and keeps my feet toasty warm in even below zero temps. Best of all they work great for hiking and snowshoeing!

LAYERS

Typical gear for all winter fun
Image - Lloyd Lorenz

Tops and bottoms, it's all about layers. I always start with a thin Merino wool base layer on top and add additional thin layers as temps plunge. That gives me flexibility and maneuverability without feeling like I'm an over-stuffed doll. If I heat up, I can quickly shed a top layer and I'm good to go.

For bottoms, I swear by Smartwool's Intranet Thermal Bottom. These are warm and flexible yet light. I can wear wind-resistent cross country ski leggings over them while hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. It really helps not to feel I am dragging pounds of clothing on me and helps me when I am climbing and scrambling.  If it's blisteringly cold and windy I will sometimes add a light polypro bottom over the the Smartwool thermals as a third layer and voila - toasty!

GAITERS

I have had my bright blue Outdoor Research gators for decades. They have kept the snow out of my boot tops and socks when skiing and hiking. It makes all the difference in being able to stay out for as long as I want without feeling damp and cold. 

I could go on but I wanted to touch on the five major areas that have changed my approach to winter hiking. If you want more suggestions, I recommend this post from This Big Wild World blog by MN's Susan Gleissner. She delves even further into recommendations on hats, gaiters, jackets and more and has some great tips and recommendations!

What's your favorite winter gear? Let me know in the comments.

Below zero? I don't care.
Image - Kris Lawson

Images - Marge Loch-Wouters, unless noted