My Hiking Gear

Below is a list of all the hiking gear (clothes, footwear, and accessories) I currently use and recommend.

I have also included links to all of the products where possible.

Some of these are Amazon affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you purchase an item after clicking on one of the links. This comes at no additional cost to yourself and helps to support my website and my ability to continue to create content.

At the bottom of this article I have also written about the 6 items you should invest in first and how to find the cheapest price for your gear.

No matter the weather and the season, I always head into the mountains carrying at least a three tiered layering system for my top half. This consists of a base, mid, and outer shell. Forecasts can be wrong and the conditions can change in an instant, so it’s better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

Base layers

The purpose of a base layer is to wick sweat away from your skin to keep you dry alongside offering protection from the elements. The type of base layer I wear will depend on the season and temperature. I will usually wear a long sleeved base layer which is either made of merino wool or a synthetic material, avoiding cotton.

  • Smartwool Active hoodie - This has recently become my go to base layer for spring, summer, and autumn hiking. It’s lightweight, quick drying, breathable, and because it is made of merino, has odour control. This top also has a hood meaning it offers more protection against the wind and sun.

  • Columbia Summit Valley Technical Hoodie - My synthetic base layer for warmer conditions. If you are after something cheaper and without a hood then check out this from OEX

  • Smartwool Intraknit Thermal Merino Base Layer 1/4 Zip - My choice in winter and colder weather. Its warm, comfortable, lightweight, breathable, moisture wicking, quick drying, and doesn’t smell. In fact I wore it for 5 straight days hiking in the Scottish highlands. I also wore it on my 8 day trek up Kilimanjaro.


Mid layers

The purpose of a mid layer is to provide warmth and insulation. Even if I dont wear them while I am hiking, I will always carry them in my bag as an extra layer. They often come out when I reach a summit or if the conditions get colder.

If you are looking for more affordable down jackets I would recommend the or Decathlons Forclaz Jackets, The MT100 Down Jacket is £60 and is rated to -5 and the MT500 Down Jacket is £85 and is rated to -10.

Outer shell

The purpose of an outer shell is to protect you from the wind and the rain. No matter the season and weather I will always carry one just incase. I recommend getting a outer shell which has a hydrostatic head rating of at least 10,000mm.

  • Columbia Ampli-Dry II Shell Jacket- Waterproof, lightweight, functional, and packs down well, so I can easily stuff it into my bag if I get too hot. It also has breathable stretch shell fabric with underarm zipped ventilation.

  • OEX Tirran Jacket - This is my go-to, wet weather, winter coat. It’s strong, durable, and most importantly keeps me dry. The only downside is that it is a little heavy/bulky and not that breathable, however the arm vents do help with this. I wore this on summit day when I climbed Kilimanjaro

  • Columbia Loop Trail II Windbreaker - My go to choice in the summer, for trail running, or if I know its not going to rain.


Lower half

I tend to wear shorts hiking for as long as the weather permits, however when the weather gets colder I will opt for water resistant softshell hiking trousers.

  • Siroko Stellar Gym Shorts - They are lightweight, quick drying, stretchy, and have zipped pockets.

  • Craghoppers Men's Kiwi Pro Shorts –More technical and rugged shorts for multi day hikes. I wore these for 6 consecutive days on Kilimanjaro. They fit well, are unrestrictive and stretchy, dry quickly and have anti odour properties

  • Columbia Triple Canyon II Trousers - My go to in Spring and Autumn when the temperature drops. They are Lightweight, water repellent, elasticated, and have an adjustable ankle.

  • Craghoppers Kiwi Pro Active Trouser– My go to in colder conditions. They are comfortable, fit well, hardwearing, and because of the stretch fabric, are unrestrictive. They are also wind and water resistant and don’t run too hot.

  • Quencha Waterproof over Trousers - These stay in my backpack and come out if there’s a downpour. At £15 they are bargain.

Footwear

  • Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 GTX - They are by far the comfiest hiking shoes I have ever owned. The break in period is non-existent and they can be worn straight out of the box. They are also durable, offer great grip and stability, are waterproof, and also light enough that I could even trail run in them if needed. I also wore them for my eight day trek up to Kilimanjaro.

  • Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 - These shoes come out when I know the conditions are going to be dry and I’m hiking on non-boggy terrain. I wore them for 7 straight days hiking in the Dolomites, so they can certainly handle the toughest of summer mountain conditions.

  • Socks - I prefer mid-length crew socks which are breathable and have padding around the heel and ball of the foot. There are a few different pairs I favour

Backpacks

Osprey Talon 22L - My go to for summer hiking. It’s comfortable, lightweight, and big enough to fit all my gear. It’s also got a whole host of functional features, including stretch mesh pockets on the front and side, alongside waist belt pockets big enough to hold a phone. The only down side is that it doesn’t come with a waterproof cover.

Lowe Alpine AirZone 30L- My go to for winter hiking or if I need more space. I also used this when hiking up Kilimanjaro. It’s comfortable, extremely light, and has some great features including an AirZone back panel, walking pole attachments, stretchy side pockets, waist belt pockets big enough to hold a iPhone 15, rain cover, and a side zip so you can easily access the bottom of your bag.

Osprey Kestrel 48L - This comes out when I’m wildcamping, again its comfortable, lightweight, and functional.

Equipment & Accessories

  • Osprey 3L water reservoir – Unless I’m going on a relatively short hike, I will always opt for a water reservoir over carrying a bottle so I can drink on the go. 

  • Forclaz MT500 stretch gloves - Lightweight, practical, functional, and warm. They are also stretchy, clip together when not being used, and you can use your phone with them. At £13 they are bargain.

  • OS Maps Premium Subscription - My go to app for hiking. I use this for planning and following hikes on my phone. I have the premium subscription which allows me to download and use maps offline, alongside the ability to print off to-scale paper maps to use as a backup.

  • OEX Dry Bags - Keep my clothing and electronics safe from the rain.

  • Silva Baseplate Compass - It has rotatable compass housing alongside a 1:25k and 1:50k scale.

  • Portable Power bank – Essential for any hiker, especially if you rely on your phone for navigation. I recommend one with at least 10,000 mAh of power.

  • Forclaz Foam Seat Pad – Weighs 60g, can fit in the side of your bag and doubles up as mat to stand on when getting changed after wild swimming.

  • OEX X-Lite Trigger Trekking Poles - Lightweight, collapsible, quick locking, and comfortable on the hands. I used these for summit day on Kilimanjaro alongside hiking in winter.

  • Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar Edition - This is not essential to hiking in the outdoors but has some awesome features which make hiking safer and easier. My favourite features include, GPS mapping, the ability to upload and follow custom routes, heart rate monitor, compass, and altimeter, alongside a pretty powerful flashlight. Its also solar powered and the battery lasts weeks.

  • Headtorches - Essential for hiking, especially around sunrise or sunset, alongside wildcamping & astrophotography.

I also carry plenty of camera gear which you can find in a separate article here

Winter Specific gear

Salomon X Ultra Winter CS WP boots - A high cut winter boot which has Thinsulate insulation, are waterproof and have a midsole-moulded shank allowing it to take a crampon. They have now been discontinued.

Merino Baselayer bottoms - I own ones from Smartwool and Craghoppers

Quencha Snow hiking Trousers

Forclaz MT900 stretch gloves – A winter version of the MT500 Gloves, Comfortable down to -5, windproof, water repellent, and they can be used with a smart phone.

Van Rysel Merino Wool Neck Warmer – Used for keeping the wind off my face. It’s meant for cycling but does a great job when hiking. It’s soft, warm, and made of merino so it dries quickly and doesn’t smell.

Thermos Flask - For carrying hot drinks up the mountain

Rab Men's Trek Gaiter – These stop snow getting inside your shoes.

Simond straight Ice axe - I use this ice axe for security and safety rather than for climbing. It helps provide balance and security when ascending. It also acts as a safety measure if do end up falling on a snow or ice covered slope and need to bring myself to a stop.

Mini Crampons/ Micro spikes – The best investment I’ve made for winter walking. These are a set of chains with 18 small spikes connected to a thick elastic rubber which can be pulled over any footwear. They are perfect for hiking in snowy and icy conditions when crampons would be overkill as they are much easier to walk in, and are far lighter and easier to carry.

GRIVEL G10 EVO Crampons - 10-point crampon suitable for both newcomers and for those who regularly practice mountaineering.

What outdoor equipment to invest in first?

Ultimately there are hundreds of outdoor brands with tens of thousands of different styles and types of equipment to choose from.

While it can be very hard to decide upon and find the right pieces of outdoor clothing, it can be very easy to choose the wrong ones.

Theres two quotes which I tend to stick by when it comes to outdoor clothing:

  • “Theres no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing”

  • “You buy cheap, you buy twice”

You dont have to spend a small fortune or buy the most expensive and ‘best’ pieces of equipment to be properly equipped for the outdoors, just dont skimp out on the key pieces of equipment.

Invest in your gear and it will not only keep you safe in the outdoors, but it will last.

Most people will start their journey into the outdoors by being be ‘fair weather, casual hikers’ who will tend to go out infrequently in the better and warmer conditions.

For that reason you don’t need to go buying the best of everything straight away.

Here are the 6 items I would recommend investing in first,

  1. Waterproof coat

  2. Waterproof hiking shoes

  3. Waterproof over trousers

  4. Down jacket

  5. Hiking daypack

  6. Soft shell water resistant trousers

Also if you live in Wales or have a dog, its a good chance you’re going to need a waterproof coat, boots and trousers anyway.

I got away with using lots of synthetic gym clothing in the early stages of my journey into the outdoors and I still do use it.

Technical synthetic gym clothes such as shorts, leggings, t-shirts, hoodies, and 1/4 zips are perfect for hiking in.

During the warmer months in dry conditions, you can even get away with hiking in a sturdy pair of trainers with good grip. Just remember to check the weather, dress appropriately, and always carry extra layers.

How to find the best price for outdoor gear?

  1. Buy second hand - You can find some incredible pieces of almost knew kit on E-bay, Vinted, Facebook Marketplace, and even in charity shops. While I wouldn’t recommend buying second hand for every piece of outdoor gear (pants and socks), it’s always worth checking for unwanted and unused gear before you buy new. You can also repurpose and re-waterproof coats

  2. Decathlon - I really rate decathlons gear especially when it is incredibly affordable.

  3. Google Shopping - Once you have found an item which you like, search it up on google shopping to try and find the lowest price.

  4. Wait for a sale - Black Friday, January, Autumn, Summer, Winter. Theres always a end of season discount. Hold out until then.

  5. Go-Outdoors price match promise - If Go Outdoors stock a item in your size which you have found cheaper elsewhere (for example using google shopping) they will beat said price by 10%. You have to be a Go-Outdoors member to do it, but it only costs £5 to join.

  6. Create an outdoors based social media account and build up a big enough social media following that they send you gear for free! While this is a tongue in cheek joke, and not something you should create a social media account to do, it can be done. You dont need a massive following , you just have to be passionate about their product and the outdoors or have an audience and skillset which can showcase said products.