Top Accessories for a Warm Winter Hike

There are plenty of benefits to a nice winter hike. It’s great exercise, a fantastic mental health boost, and when you get going, a good way to keep warm. You’ll have to be more careful when the weather is bad and watch out for slippery patches and ice. But for an experienced hiker, or even a careful and adventurous beginner, a winter hike can be fun, challenging, and a great way to pass a winter’s day. Keeping warm while you are out, however, is crucial. As well as soft base layers and waterproofs, there are some essential accessories that will keep you warm and make your winter hikes far more enjoyable.

A Travel Mug

Travel mugs are a great way to make sure you’ve got a nice warm drink to warm your insides and help to refresh you during a cold walk. A Hydro Flask Mug is the perfect addition to your hiking accessories because it will keep cold drinks cold on a hot day, and hot drinks hot when you need warming up in the winter.

A Food Flask

A warm drink during a winter hike is fabulous. But when you are working hard, you’re cold, tired, and hungry, and the last thing that you want is a cold, boring sandwich. A food flask means that you can take chunky soups, chilli, a casserole, or a warm pasta dish to fill you up, warm you up, and boost your energy levels.

A Padded Headband

Hats are great. But you might find that once you’ve been walking a while, especially if it’s a challenging route with lots of scrambling, you get too hot if you are wearing a thick hat. But as soon as you take it off, your ears are too cold. A padded headband that covers your ears and keeps your hair out of your face on windy days but doesn’t cause overheating is ideal.

Hiking Socks

Hiking socks keep your feet and toes warm, protect you from blisters, boost your circulation and don’t annoyingly fall down in your boots. You can get winter hiking socks in materials like merino wool, which are warmer than summer options, without being uncomfortably thick or causing your feet to sweat.

Waterproof Gloves

In the winter, a shower can hit quickly even on the brightest days. When your gloves get wet, they can get very cold, and make climbing or supporting yourself very difficult. Waterproof gloves with excellent grip are a must.

A Waterproof and Lightweight Rucksack

You might pack more on a winter hike. As well as snacks and drinks, you’ll need extra layers and waterproofs to stay warm and dry. This means that you need a waterproof bag, but also one that isn’t too heavy, seeing as you’ll be carrying more.

A winter hike on a fresh, bright day can be a wonderful experience. The views are wonderful, the autumnal colours glorious, and the shorter days make it much easier to catch a magical sunset or rise. With these warming accessories, you’ll be able to comfortably hike throughout the season and beyond.