Short answer: Dress for hiking in three layers: a technical T-shirt or thermal underwear next to the skin, a sweatshirt or fleece as a warm layer, and a jacket against wind and rain on top. Add trousers to suit the weather and technical socks. You add and take off layers during the hike, because it is usually colder and windier on a ridge than in the valley. Cotton does not belong on a hike: it gets soaked with sweat and then chills.
What to wear hiking in different weather?
Temperature, wind and damp decide, not the date in the calendar. The table builds the layers from items that NORDBLANC offers.
| Weather | Next to the skin | Warm layer | Jacket | Trousers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm and dry | technical T-shirt | thin sweatshirt in the rucksack | lightweight jacket in the rucksack | outdoor shorts or lightweight trousers |
| Cool morning, wind, spring and autumn | lightweight or all-season thermal underwear | powerfleece sweatshirt | softshell or lightweight sports jacket | lightweight or softshell trousers |
| Rain and wet snow | technical T-shirt or all-season thermal underwear | thin fleece | outdoor jacket with a membrane | trousers with a membrane, or over-trousers |
| Winter hike | winter thermal underwear or merino | fleece or powerfleece sweatshirt | insulated softshell or jacket with a membrane | insulated softshell trousers |
The table is a guide. At a slow walking pace and with long breaks, add a warmer layer; at a brisk pace, keep it in your rucksack. You will find the whole selection in the collections women’s hiking clothing, men’s hiking clothing and hiking.
Which T-shirt or thermal underwear for hiking?
Next to the skin goes a material that wicks away sweat. NORDBLANC synthetic thermal underwear is made of polyester with DRYFOR technical fibre. All its ranges list hiking among the activities, technical T-shirts only some. The ranges differ as follows:
- Lightweight and all-season. The lightweight is 88% polyester and 12% elastane, the all-season 100% polyester or the same blend. Suitable for warm and transitional days.
- Winter. 96% polyester and 4% elastane, for winter hikes where walking alternates with standing.
- Merino. 96-100% merino wool. Wool keeps you warm even when damp, but dries more slowly than synthetics, so it suits a slower pace and cold days. More about merino wool is in the guide What is merino wool?
The differences between the ranges, and sizing, are described in the guide How to choose a baselayer.
Which sweatshirt or gilet as a warm layer?
The warm layer retains heat and has to fit under the jacket. According to the product details, hiking is among the activities of all NORDBLANC powerfleece, fleece and softshell sweatshirts.
- Powerfleece sweatshirt. Made of polyester with elastane, stretchy, with DRYFOR fibre, which wicks sweat away. Suitable for brisk walking.
- Fleece sweatshirt. Made of polyester, mostly 100%. Choose it for a cool morning, a slow pace and breaks.
- Softshell sweatshirt. On the Waterproofness scale it is at the Water-repellent level, on the indicative warmth scale down to 0 °C. It repels water but is not waterproof.
- Sports gilet. Roughly half of the models list hiking among the activities. Winter gilets are intended for everyday wear.
Which jacket for hiking?
A hiking jacket protects against wind and water, so choose it by those. An overview based on the product details for jackets with hiking among the activities:
| Jacket | When it suits | Product details |
|---|---|---|
| Lightweight sports jacket | wind, a shower, a spare in the rucksack | mostly without a membrane, most often the Light rain level, some have SOFTSHIELD® 10000 (10,000 mm) |
| Softshell jacket | cold, wind, snowfall, a shower | SOFTSHIELD® 10000, water column 10,000 mm, taped seams are not among the features |
| Autumn and spring jacket | spring, autumn, showers, wet snow | TERATEX® with a water column of 8,000-15,000 mm, taped seams on all those with hiking among the activities |
| Outdoor jacket | all-day rain, wet snow | TERATEX® with a water column of 15,000 or 20,000 mm, almost all have taped seams and waterproof zips |
Lightweight jackets are covered in the guide Lightweight sports jacket, softshell in the guide How to choose a softshell jacket and jackets with a membrane in the guide How to choose a waterproof jacket.
NORDBLANC winter jackets are intended for everyday wear and only exceptionally list hiking among the activities. For a winter hike, therefore, choose an insulated softshell or a jacket with a membrane and add warmth with layers.
Which trousers for hiking and the mountains?
Choose hiking trousers by the weather; they are described in detail in the guide Hiking and outdoor trousers. In brief:
- Warm and dry. Outdoor shorts, almost all of which list hiking among the activities, or lightweight outdoor trousers. Most are made of a stretchy fabric, and lightweight trousers tend to be without a membrane.
- Cool and windy. Softshell trousers, mostly made of SOFTSHIELD® 10000 with a water column of 10,000 mm; roughly half the models are rated down to -10 °C on the NORDBLANC indicative scale.
- Rain. Trousers with a TERATEX® membrane, which some of the outdoor models have, or over-trousers for your rucksack.
For hiking, look for leg adjusters, which most outdoor trousers have. You will find a selection in the collections women’s outdoor trousers, men’s outdoor trousers and softshell trousers.
Which socks, hat and gloves should you take?
NORDBLANC offers compression sports, hiking and merino socks in sizes 34-36 to 45-49, and all of them list hiking among the activities. Hiking socks contain cotton and, according to the description on the product, suit day trips; for multi-day hikes and heavy sweating, sports and merino socks are the safer choice. The differences are described in the guide Compression socks for sport and hiking, and you will find merino in the collection merino socks.
Keep a hat and thin gloves in your rucksack even in summer, as it cools down quickly on a ridge. Winter hats and gloves are in their own collections, and only some of the gloves list hiking among the activities.
How do you adjust layers as you walk?
Regulate warmth before you get hot or cold:
- Open the vents. Almost all outdoor jackets and some softshell trousers have ventilation zips. Open them before an ascent and close them in wind.
- Tighten the hood and hem. Most jackets with a membrane have a hood drawcord, and almost all outdoor jackets an adjustable hem. A tightened hood and hem hold the jacket in place in the wind.
- Take off the warm layer. Pack it in your rucksack at the start of an ascent, and put it on at the ridge or during a break straight away, before you cool down.
- Change anything soaked. At the first longer break, change a sweaty T-shirt for a dry one.
How should you dress for the length of the hike?
- A walk of a few hours. You do not need thermal underwear; a technical T-shirt, comfortable trousers or shorts and a lightweight jacket in your rucksack in case of a shower are enough.
- An all-day hike. The rucksack should hold a warm layer and a rain jacket even on a sunny morning, as the weather can turn during the day. Add a hat and thin gloves.
- A multi-day trek. Pack a dry T-shirt and socks for the evening. Synthetics dry faster than merino; bear that in mind when drying things on the way.
- A winter hike. The days are short, so take a headtorch. Have one more layer than you need while walking, and put it on at the first stop. The principle of layers is the same as for cross-country skiing, see What to wear cross-country skiing.
Women’s and men’s hiking clothing: how does the choice differ?
The types of clothing are women’s and men’s alike; the cut and sizes differ. Women’s models are most often in sizes 34-44, men’s mostly S-XXXL, and thermal underwear often from XS. The sizes on offer are on each product; compare your measurements with the size charts. You can try the clothing on in our stores.
What to take hiking? A checklist
- technical T-shirt or thermal underwear, a second to change into on a longer hike
- trousers or shorts to suit the weather
- thin sweatshirt or fleece
- jacket against wind and rain, at least a lightweight one for the rucksack
- technical socks, a spare pair on a longer hike
- hat or headband and thin gloves
Frequently asked questions
What should I wear hiking in summer?
A technical T-shirt on top and outdoor shorts or lightweight trousers on your legs. Put a thin sweatshirt and a lightweight jacket in your rucksack, because it cools down on a ridge and after sunset. NORDBLANC outdoor shorts have DRYFOR fibre and most are made of a stretchy fabric.
What should I wear for winter hiking?
Winter thermal underwear or merino next to the skin, over it a fleece or powerfleece sweatshirt, and on top an insulated softshell or a jacket with a membrane. Insulated softshell trousers on your legs, a hat on your head and gloves on your hands. NORDBLANC insulated softshell is rated down to -10 °C on the indicative scale. The scale serves to compare models with one another and is not a guaranteed temperature.
Trousers or shorts for hiking?
Shorts in warm, dry weather, which do not restrict your stride and dry quickly. Choose trousers in the cold, in wind and where you will be walking through tall grass or bushes. The route and the weather decide, not the season.
Is sportswear enough for hiking?
For a short trip in good weather, yes, as long as it is technical and not made of cotton. NORDBLANC hiking clothing also has features for changing weather: a hood drawcord on most jackets with a membrane, leg adjusters on most outdoor trousers and ventilation zips on almost all outdoor jackets.