A guide to gear for cool weather hiking

Lightweight, waterproof, and comfortable. What more could you ask for in a hiking shoe? The Gore-Tex membrane allows the shoe to be waterproof but doesn’t take away from the breathability that your feet need on a long hike. The traction lugs on the bottom of the shoes are positioned in different directions meaning they will give you the most traction whether your hike is taking you uphill or downhill. These shoes have a quick-lace system that make them easy to put on, take off and adjust. These shoes are available for both men and women.

These Merino wool socks are moisture wicking and soft to keep your feet cozy and as dry as possible during any hike. The toes and heels of these socks are made from a durable material to reduce wear in these high-impact areas. Smartwool makes their socks in a variety of colours, patterns, and sizes so everyone can find their perfect pair of socks. Check out the men’s socks here and the women’s socks here.

Another lightweight, Gore-Tex product to add to your collection if you are someone who still likes to adventure in the rain or mud. They feature a simple hook and loop front closure and drawcord top, so they will work hard to keep your socks, shoes and pants dry while hiking. These gaiters are durable, breathable, and easy to use, grab a pair here.

These midweight base layer pants are great for wicking moisture away from your body and pushing it through your outer layers. The seams on these pants lay flat to prevent rubbing between your skin and outer layers. These pants also have UPF50+ rating, which means that the colours in them won’t fade, wash out or rub off. Check out Burton’s fun colours and patterns for men and women.

Basically the opposite of a sandbag, these lightweight pants will help you go the distance. Both water- and wind-resistant they make for a good outer layer when it starts to get chilly but the weather isn’t going to be too rainy or cold. These pants also have zipper pockets so you still have easy access to much needed items while knowing they are safely tucked away. These pants are available for both men and women .

Unlike most base layers this one has a high neck, giving you even more coverage from the cold. This shirt also has two zippers, one on the front from about mid-chest to the top of the collar, this one makes it easy to get the shirt on and off while also allowing you to unzip it a bit if you start getting too warm. The second zipper is located on the left arm giving you access to a pocket to store small items like a key or lip balm. Comfortable, warm, and practical you can’t beat this base layer, get it herefor men and herefor women.

Although this is considered a lightweight fleece, it is incredibly effective at keeping you warm. Plus you can feel good while looking good because they are made from 100% recycled polyester fleece. These pullovers come in very fun printed patterns or if you want something a little more subtle they come in colour blocked designs too. These great sweaters can be found for men here, and women here.

Different names, similar jackets. Although these jackets aren’t the exact same they are made by the same company and only have minor differences. What they do both have are water resistant zippers, underarm zip vents, plus internal and external pockets. Both jackets also have RECCO reflectors, a built-in passive transponder that makes you searchable to rescuers, should you ever need help on your adventures. Check out the women's Stella jacket, and the men'sCosmic jacket.

If you already have a Buff you understand why they made this list, but if you don’t have a Buff you don’t know what you are missing out on. They are an extremely versatile accessory that can be worn 12 different ways (or more if you’re feeling creative). They can sub in for a scarf, headband, hat or even a balaclava. Just the original can do all of this, but there are also Buffs with special features such as UV protection, fleece lined, high-visibility prints, and reversible designs. Check out the full collection here.

The name of this product says it all. These are not winter gloves, but they are water- and wind-resistant enough to get you through most fall days. For putting your hands on wet rocks when scrambling or keeping your hands covered when on a windy part of a hike these are the perfect gloves. Plus they have light insulation for good breathability, have grip on the palms, and are touch screen comtable. These gloves have everything they need, and nothing that they don’t. Check them out here .

This is a relatively small bag that you can fit a surprising amount of stuff in it. The main compartment has a deep opening, and an interior sleeve to keep things organized. The smaller front pocket has a mesh organizer and key clip. Plus on a long hike you’ll appreciate the breathable back panel that has a padded sleeve and hang loop for a hydration reservoir. Check out the colour options for the bag here.

One of the perks of hiking in cool weather is that you don’t need an insulated water bottle to have cool water! This water reservoir is BPA-, BPS- and phthalate-free meaning you get to bring your clean tasting water with you, wherever you go. It also has a leak-proof shut-off valve, one-handed pinch grip to fill the reservoir, and a self-sealing bite valve with large tubing to make the water flow easily. Best of all this reservoir comes in a few different sizes, so you can find the size to fit your hiking needs.

Hopefully, this is an item you don’t need on your hike, but with it getting darker sooner it’s always good to have a headlamp with you, just in case. This headlamp has multiple beams, including a red light setting for night use and to prevent blinding the other people you are with! A unique feature about this headlamp is that it can use standard batteries or the CORE rechargeable battery. Check it out here.