Contrary to popular belief, the autumn and winter months are the perfect time to appreciate everything that the natural world has to offer. Yes, summer has its fair share of stunning sights, but the changing seasons create some truly fantastic scenes of their own.
Even haunts that you’ve visited time and time again will be transformed into something different and all the more beautiful by the autumn and winter weather.
Experiencing the great outdoors therefore shouldn’t be put on hold as temperatures drop. In fact, all you need is the right supplies to enjoy autumn and winter hikes comfortably.
Witness the joys of the cooler seasons by embarking on your hike with the following essentials…
1. Footwear
This may seem like an obvious essential but a hike without the right footwear can be a very uncomfortable one indeed – especially in the adverse weather conditions that the autumn and winter months are known for.
Whether you’re enjoying a short, manageable route, or you’re a hardcore hiker about to embark on an epic adventure, your footwear choice will make all the difference.
Choose walking boots that are designed for rough terrains with a firm ground sole that offers traction throughout your journey and protects your feet against impact.
2. A reusable water bottle
There’s nothing more essential to the success of a hike than a good quality reusable water bottle. Reusable water bottles aren’t just great for the environment, they’re money savers, extremely durable, and reliable.
Reusable water bottles are also highly versatile, so when they’re not being used on a hike, your bottle can be called upon in the office, at the gym or on the go.
Here’s some top rated hiking water bottles to get you started. Experienced hikers tackling more extreme environments will want to invest in a filtered water bottle that makes wild water from any source safe and drinkable.
3. Merino wool layers
Our Merino wool throws will keep you warm indoors, but unbeknown to most, Merino wool clothing and accessories are great choices for outdoor excursions.
Merino wool is the ultimate outdoor accessory for a number of reasons. Merino wool base clothing, socks and other accessories provide excellent odour resistance, breathability, moisture-wicking, and comfort.
Come summer, your Merino wool outerwear even delivers all-natural sun protection. Merino wool’s fantastic temperature regulating abilities are also second to none, we’ll let Best Hiking explain more:
“Merino wool offers superb temperature regulation due to its fiber’s construction. The Merino wool fiber consists of a cuticle (outer sheath) and a cortex (inner core). The outer sheath is hydrophobic (water-repelling) while the inner core is hydrophilic (water-absorbing).
Therefore, Merino wool absorbs moisture (up to 33% in its own weight) but doesn’t feel wet against the skin as the outer sheath transfers the moisture to the inner core and thus stays dry against the skin.”
Merino wool t-shirts, trousers, base underwear, neckwear and socks all make great, comfortable choices for avid hikers as a result. Our hand knitted Merino wool socks are an excellent investment for wearing on hikes or while cosying up at home.
4. Waterproof jacket
Don’t let the autumn/winter weather catch you out. Team the Merino wool base layers and accessories that keep you cosy and comfortable with a good quality waterproof jacket.
Choose a jacket that is waterproof and offers storm protection to cover all bases. Underarm zips are another useful feature to improve ventilation.
5. A handy tool
The modern day Swiss army knife just got smaller and handier thanks to our multi-tool keyring. Great for hikes, climbs, and everyday life, our multi-tool keyring is the ultimate traveller’s accessory.
Its built-in sprocket, butterfly wrench, hex wrench, karabiner and bottle opener are certain to come in handy across a multitude of settings.
Images: encierro / Shutterstock.com, everst / Shutterstock.com