Outfits and Gear for Hiking and Backpacking in the Fall
What to wear hiking in autumn and gear for camping and backpacking in september, october, and november
October 1st, 2024
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Fall brings cold weather, rain, and the potential for snow. As temperatures go down, you likely know to pick up some additional layers like a jacket or thicker socks. This time of year is called the “shoulder season.” It’s still three season backpacking, but requires extra gear and skills to comfortably enjoy. Our focus is on how to increase the quality of your fall hike for minimal weight and additional cost. We also include several options for different budgets. Lastly, the lightest weight item is knowledge–which is why we’ve share fall hiking tips.
Each September and October, thru-hikers rush to finish the long trail they started many months ago. Day hikers also must manage mud and shorter days.
This is a collection of outdoor gear and apparel items that our staff has personally purchased for adventures that extend into the late season, including multiple shoulder season hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Great Divide Trail in Canada, Pacific Northwest Trail, and Superior Hiking Trail. It also includes gear tests performed while doing Trail Magic on Glen Pass in the Sierra (~12,000 feet) in October.
We believe in making safe and smart decisions when hiking in the fall, including taking into account the weather, conditions, your skill level, and where you're hiking.
If you are thru-hiking, section-hiking, backpacking, or day hiking in fall, this list is for you.
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FALL HIKING AND BACKPACKING GEAR LIST
Hiking and Backpacking Gear checklist
| GEAR ITEM | PRODUCTS WE LIKE | |
|---|---|---|
| What all hikers and backpackers should carry | ||
| Satellite messenger | ||
| Garmin inReach Mini 2 | ||
| Headlamp and extra batteries | ||
| BioLite HeadLamp 425 |
Fall is a good time to wear many layers to react to changing temperatures. Additionally, we recommend wearing wearing bright hunter orange while hiking in the fall to make yourself seen by hunters.
What to wear hiking in the fall checklist
essential fall gear for hikers and backpackers
Whether you're out for a short day hike, on a backpacking trip, or thru-hiking, these gear essentials should be on every hiker's list for fall hiking. You'll see many of the Ten Essentials here and that's for a reason: hiking in cold and wet conditions poses dangers that you may not encounter during summer hiking. Carrying the right gear can help you in an emergency.
As usual, always leave an itinerary with expected return (or return to cell-service) dates with a trusted contact at home.
Discuss with your loved ones what skills you do and don’t have and what decisions you will make to avoid needing Search & Rescue in the first place. Learn about risk assessment and decision making.
Most important of all is knowing when to make the decision that can save your life in cold weather: deciding when to call it quits.
First things first. If you’re going to be out hiking in October or beyond, please carry an emergency satellite messenger to let people know where you are. Every year, thru-hikers and backpackers go missing and need to be rescued from the PCT. Sometimes, they are never found.
If you’re going to take on the responsibility of continuing a hike into October or beyond, take the responsibility of carrying 3.5 extra ounces and bring an inReach Mini 2 or Garmin inReach Messenger. It’s no replacement for making smart decisions. But at least if you were to get into trouble, it’ll make the search mission much easier for both the rescue team and for loved ones back at home.
Don’t want to be found? Too bad. People will come looking for you, even if you’re the biggest introvert in the world. The trail and other hikers keep an eye on those in their community. Don’t be a burden on Search & Rescue Teams. Save others from worry. Carry a device.
When hiking in the fall, it is imperative you are aware of weather and snow conditions ahead. A sattelite messenger allows you to get a weather forecast so you can make smart decisions.
Writer Dean Krakel likes the inReach Mini in our Best Satellite Messengers and Personal Locator Beacons story because of the weight and ability to send and receive text messages. When you can two-way text, you can let Search & Rescue or family at home know the difference between:
“Hey, I got waylaid by a storm for a few days but have plenty of food. No need to send a rescue team for me. I’ll walk out a few days later than anticipated.”
“Hey, please save me ASAP. This GPS point is exactly where I can be found hunkered in a yellow tent. I’m wearing a red jacket. My body is healthy except for frostbite on my toe.”
The inReach Mini’s ability to send exact details to Search & Rescue allows them to better utilize resources and people to match your needs. For example, if you have frostbite on your toe but are otherwise healthy, they won’t send the cardiac team. Letting them know the coordinates of where you are and other pertinent details (“look for a red tent”) gives them information to make smarter decisions.
Many people who are rescued say waiting is the hardest part. With two way text, Search & Rescue can let you know when they are on their way and how long it will take to reach you.
Most importantly, if you are a thru-hiker staying on trail into October, make sure your emergency contacts at home have read this story by the Pacific Crest Trail Association.
Have a conversation with your loved ones at home about where you’re going, when you anticipate being at each town stop, under what conditions you feel comfortable, and what to do in case of an emergency. Read our PCT Gear List & Strategy or PCT Southbound Gear List & Strategy for more tips on what unique challenges face those staying on trail late in season.
For easy access, Garmin inReach Mini close to your body (not at the bottom of your pack). Photo by Mike Unger.
You should also have a conversation about reasonable expectations of what technology — including satellite transmitters — can and can’t do. Human error (like turning off the inReach too quickly) can make it look like a message went out when it didn’t. Satellite messengers can run out of battery (see our suggestions for Powerbank in #13).
Warning: Carrying a transmitter can give some people a sense of false confidence. Even if you have a device, it’s no replacement for snow skills, navigation skills, cold and moisture management and experience.
2. headlamp & Extra batteries
The BioLite headlamp on an October trip in the Sierra
In the fall, days are shorter and nights are longer. You may find yourself needing to hike into the dark to complete your day hike or that your campsite may get darker earlier in the night.
Backpackers may need to set up camp in the dark. Your headlamp is going to see a lot more use this time of year. Also, if you’ve been using a minimalist light like the Photon Freedom or Petzl e-Lite, it may be time to upgrade to a legit night hiking headlamp.
Our favorite headlamp is BioLite 425 for a lightweight USB-rechargeable. For folks who feel more comfortable using a headlamp with AAA batteries, the Black Diamond Spot, a winner for its ease of use, affordable price, and long battery life.
See our Best Headlamps guide for more recommendations. If you’re camping, consider using a camping lantern, as the battery will last longer and can illuminate larger areas.
If you’re doing anything on roads (including roadwalking on highways) or where cars or other users like mountain bikers or horses may be present, we highly recommend using reflective gear and lights that help with visibility.
3. NAVIGATION APP
When the weather turns out you find yourself in white-out conditions, having navigation equipment and knowing how to use it can save your life.
First, we recommend a GPS App like the FarOut App or Gaia GPS. FarOut is great for telling you about important waypoints along your trail and giving you crowd-sourced information on water crossings and snow that sticks at the high passes.
Gaia GPS is helpful for overview maps that provide bad-weather routes and lower altitude routes or even exit routes.
You can also pre-download maps to your GPS Watches for Hiking & Backpacking. Having multiple forms of maps is beneficial should one of more of your devices get wet, stop working, or run out of batteries. We recommend the Garmin Instinct 2 or Garmin fenix 7, which both allow mapping and have long battery life. If you’re willing to spend more, the Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) hiking watch has the best mapping visibility with an AMOLED display. If you prefer a non-Garmin interface, we’ve also enjoyed the mapping capabilities of the Coros Apex 2 watch.
4. PAPER MAPS AND COMPASS
This really should go without saying (and this item should probably be #1 on our list…), but while we’re on the subject of batteries dying in the cold, please bring a map and compass.
In fact, no matter the time of year and the distance of the hike, you should always have a map and compass and the skills to use them.
But we personally know the reality of how tempting it is to hike these long trails with minimal gear and navigate mostly from a phone. Too many rescues are associated with dead phone batteries. Maps show bail-out options that may not show up on apps.
We like the Suunto M-3 D Leader compass, which gives you just what you need but is big enough to read clearly.
We recommend refreshing your map and compass skills regularly by taking a one-day class each season. You can make the most of the non-hiking season by signing up for winter classes.
5. POWER BANK
Most thru-hikers carry a power bank (aka external battery). But during cool weather, it may be something day hikers and backpackers carry, too. Cold is no good for phone battery life. And when snow obscures the trail, you’ll be a lot happier with a phone or GPS that actually turns on.
In cold weather, Treeline Review’s team will often hike with their phone in a pocket close to the body (closer to base layer than top or mid-layer). In super cold situations, the bra-wearing among us will keep their phone right against the skin.
At night, turn your phone off and put it in your sleeping bag. It’s important not to expose your phone to below freezing temperatures for hours at a time. Wirecutter describes some of the science about what you can do to extend your phone battery life.
We like the Anker Powercore 10000 PD Redux to use while backpacking. This usually has enough charge for your electronics and plenty of ports to charge at night and has proven reliable. For situations that require more power, consider the Nitecore NB20000 Power Bank Gen 3, which has a whopping 20000 mAh and weighs only 10.26 oz.
What to wear hiking in the fall
We recommend wearing hunter orange while hiking in the fall.
WHAT COLOR CLOTHING SHOULD I WEAR HIKING IN THE FALL?
Bright safety orange is the best color to wear when hiking and backpacking in the autumn. In many states and National Forests and other public lands, autumn is hunting season. Wearing bright orange will make you more visible to hunters.
When choosing what to wear while hiking in the fall, try to choose bright colors—preferably orange.
Aside from color, how you layer and moisture management are more important in fall than in summer. A good starting place to know how to layer for fall is our guide on What to Wear Winter Hiking. You likely won’t need every trick in that story, but can use it to adapt as the weather changes.
And while we wrote these stories for runners, How to Run in the Rain: Tips and Tricks and Running in the Rain Gear List has tips on layering and moisture management as well as mental tricks for wet weather—useful whether you are walking, jogging, backpacking, or running.
The Patagonia Micropuff jacket has the best warmth to weight ratio of the synthetics we looked at. Photo by Liz Thomas
Jackets and Outer Layers
1. Synthetic Puffy Insulated jackets
During the shoulder hiking season, most hikers carry a heavier insulated jacket. While this is extra weight, it's the weight you will use. Many thru-hikers and backpackers sleep in their jacket as well as find themselves hiking in their jackets in the early morning as they leave camp.
In the shoulder season, we think it’s worth switching your down jacket to a synthetic jacket. Synthetics stay warm when wet and dry out more quickly than a soaked down jacket. The technology of synthetics is getting close in insulation-to-weight ratio of down.
Our favorite synthetic jacket in our Best Synthetic Jackets is the Patagonia Micro Puff (men’s and women’s).
We bought this jacket and have tested it on 800 miles of thru-hiking the Arizona Trail. We liked it so much that we wrote a long-term, in-depth review of the Patagonia Micro Puff. It has the best warmth-to-weight ratio of the jackets we considered with all the packability of down and the warmth-when-wet of synthetics.
For a lighter weight and more affordable puffy synthetic jacket, we highly recommend the Montbell Thermawrap (men’s and women’s). Almost all of Treeline Review’s writers own this jacket. We think it’s a gold standard for quality synthetic jackets. The Thermawrap isn’t quite as warm as the Micro Puff, but at 7.2 ounces for a women’s medium, the Thermawrap is lighter in weight and less expensive than any of the Patagonia jackets.
If you combine the Thermawrap with other layers like a midweight base layer and a cold-weather rain jacket, that could be all you need for the rest of your thru-hike.
2. Insulated Vest
Our senior editor Brandon Lampley loves his Patagonia Nano Air (men’s and women’s) and writes about it in his Bike Touring Packing List story. The Nano Air uses a quilted synthetic insulation that is warmer than the Patagonia Nano Puff jacket that many thru-hikers carry during the summer months.
Lampley likes how well the Nano Air wicks and dries away sweat created during uphills. He's a self-described sweaty person who runs hot, so the Nano Air as a vest is a good option for him. If you’re a sweaty person or expect to hike a lot in your puffy, the Nano-Air Vest may be a better choice for you.
The Nano Air is also the winner in our Best Men’s Vests. For more, see our Best Women’s Vests guides.
Not a vest person? If you prefer a mid-layer with arms, carry a fleece jacket instead. What is important is that you have an insulating layer between your baselayer and your outer layer. Whether that is a vest or a fleece is up to you.
3. COLD WEATHER RAIN JACKET
We’re a big fan of minimalist ultralight rain gear, but when it gets to be October, it’s time for backpackers to consider switching to something more robust. Although it’s a three-layer Gore-Tex jacket, the is one of the lightest cold-weather rain jackets available.
The Arc’teryx Beta SL (men's and women's) weighs about 5 ounces more than what many backpackers wear in the summer. Upgrading to the Beta SL is a prime example of getting a lot more warmth in your gear system without having to add much extra weight.
The Beta SL is a three-layer jacket in our Best Rain Jackets guide. As a three-layer rain jacket, the Beta SL is suited for cold weather travel over our other rain jacket picks—and notably, without the use of forever chemicals. You can read more in our article on PFC-free waterproofing.
4. RAIN PANTS
Treeline Review writer and former winter mountain guide Tiffany Searsdodd recommends that if you only carry a rain jacket for summer hiking, you’ll feel a lot warmer this time of year if you have rain pants.
Searsdodd recommends the Marmot Minimalist rain pants (men’s and women’s), the rain pants version of one of our rain jackets picks in the Best Lightweight Rain Jackets story. The Marmot Minimalist are also winners in our Best Rain Pants guide.
These are the only rain pants we’ve found that can perform better are heavier and less suited for lightweight hiking.
To add extra warmth, we see ultralight hikers and thru-hikers walking in their rain pants during the day, even when it isn’t raining. This is one way you can get multiple uses out of rain pants and reduce the weight of your pack in cool weather.
5. RAIN KILT
A rain skirt or kilt offers waist to knee rain protection and pairs perfectly with hiking shorts (and a hiking skirt) . They also provide a surprising amount of warmth. We like the Z-packs Rain Kilt, which also doubles as a ground cloth (keeping with the dual-purpose tenet of ultralight backpacking).
On any trail where there is heavy brush, such as the PCT in Washington, you may experience the "car wash effect." This is when wet brush soaks you from the waist down–even when it isn't raining!
A rain kilt can drastically help with keeping your lower body warmer and more dry.
Treeline Review writer Katie Brown testing the Patagonia Capilene Midweight base layer on a 27-hour trail run/scramble in the Wasatch Range. Photo by Matt Williams.
BASE LAYERS & LONG UNDERWEAR
If you're backpacking in the fall, we recommend keeping a dry lightweight base layer, tights, and socks to sleep in. Nothing feels better than climbing into dry clothes after a long wet day of hiking. Plus, in an emergency hypothermia situation, these dry clothes can be a lifeline.
1. Base layers
Picking up a baselayer will make a huge difference in your hike. During cooler weather, you’ll want base layer tops and bottoms. Look for synthetic or merino materials with minimal spandex. Why? Because Spandex and Lycra are heavier weight materials and can hold moisture (not great for keeping warm). See our Best Base Layers for Men and Women for our recommendations on our favorite layers to stay warm and dry while active in cooler temperatures.
We recommend the Smartwool Classic All Season Merino (men's and women's), which is a merino layer with little spandex, lots of durability, and a reasonable price.
If you're hiking late into the fall or at high altitudes or far northern latitudes, you may choose a heavyweight base layer like the Smartwool Classic Thermal (men's and women's)
If wool isn't for you, check out the Patagonia Capilene Midweight Crew (men's and women's).
2. Long Underwear Bottoms
Treeline writer and Sierra mountain guide Duncan Cheung writes in his Yosemite Clothing Packing List, “My students like the Patagonia Capilene Midweight Long Underwear Bottoms (women's and men's). Bonus: Patagonia Capilene series is made with 30% recycled polyester.”
Another writer, Mike Unger, used the Patagonia Capilene to finish his Southbound Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike.
You’ll find both of these layers in our Best Men’s Long Underwear Bottoms guides and Best Women’s Baselayer Bottoms guide.
3. Running Tights
If you are out for a day hike, we highly recommend considering running tights for using while hiking. Tights provide a lot of warmth, mobility, and durability that you won't get in hiking pants.
Where tights don't excel (compared to long underwear) is managing odor and drying quickly.
But if you know you'll be going home at night after your hike, tights are the way to go. See our Best Men's Winter Running Tights and Best Women's Winter Running Tights guides for our favorites. Though these recommendations are for runners, they apply just as much to winter hiking as well.
FOOTWEAR
1. LIGHTWEIGHT WATERPROOF MID HIKING SHOES
This time of year, a waterproof pair of higher cuffed trail runners can do wonders for keeping your feet warm. While we generally use mesh trail runners for almost all our hiking, autumn thru-hiking calls for extra foot protection to prevent frostbite and discomfort from frozen numb toes.
If you typically wear a trail runner, we recommend switching to the mid weight version of your preferred hiking shoe. For example, if you normally hike in the Altra Lone Peaks, we suggest switching to the waterproof breathable Altra Lone Peak All-WTHR Mid Hiking Boot (men’s and women’s). The transition from trail runner to waterproof mid will feel easy on your feet because both shoes are zero drop. The Altra Lone Peak Mid is the lightest weight hiking boot available.
If you’ve been using a sturdier trail runner than the Altras, the Salomon X Ultra Mid 4 GTX (men’s and women’s) is one of the most beloved mid lightweight hiking boots. It’s a pick in our winner in our guide to The Best Lightweight Hiking Boots and for more details, we have an in-depth review of the Salomon X Ultra Mid 4 GTX.
By switching to a mid, the extra warmth from the waterproof feature and higher collar will go a long way to increase your comfort while walking through snow, rain, or on frozen ground.
2. EXTRA SOCKS
We like to bring extra hiking socks for fall backpacking trips and thru-hikes. More rain means your socks will be wet often and you’ll have fewer opportunities to dry socks. A fresh pair of socks can be a morale booster, too.
3. WATERPROOF SOCKS
A waterproof sock can help keep feet warmer when trudging through snow
When our staff has thru-hiked for multiple days in snow or rain, we’ve found the experience much more enjoyable when we can feel our toes. Waterproof sock designs have improved significantly in the last decade allowing you vapor barrier warmth with an almost sock-like fit.
Still, finding a waterproof sock that fits like a glove and is comfortable has been a challenge. The best we’ve found so far is Sealskinz Hiking Mid waterproof socks.
We’ve tried many combinations but found that waterproof socks work better when you wear a thin liner or bike-style athletic merino sock against your skin, then layer it with the thicker waterproof sock on top. We’ve had our share of chafing from waterproof socks directly against the skin. The bike sock or liner sock is a thin layer that (admittedly) will get soaked with sweat over the course of the day, but will protect your skin.
The main issue for many hikers who use waterproof socks is that their shoes aren’t big enough to accommodate two pairs of socks. Keep this in mind when choosing your waterproof socks.
Related: if needed based on the conditions (i.e. dust, sand, mud), you may want to invest in a pair of hiking gaiters. Check out our Guide to Best Gaiters for Hiking.
Accessories
WARM GLOVES
We like gloves that will convert into mittens for extra warmth. See our guide to Best Winter Gloves for our favorites for hiking and backpacking.
Any non-cotton gloves — even gas station gloves — are better than none. Many backpackers will use the budget system of vapor barrier gloves from surgical gloves or dishwashing gloves (see Paul Magnanti’s article about the latter here). These systems are best for rain instead of snow or cold weather.
For more tips on keeping your hands warm, see a story by our friend Cam Honan, who hiked 12 long trails over 18 months: How to Keep Hands Warm During Cold Weather.
2. Waterproof Over Mittens
To keep hands warm and dry, Treeline Review writer and mountain guide Duncan Cheung recommends a two-glove combo in his Yosemite Clothing Packing List.
Consider waterproof over mittens to help keep your hands extra warm and dry during cooler weather.
3. WARM MERINO BUFF
Treeline Review writer Josette Deschambeault suggests picking up a warm merino buff for fall hiking. Buffs can be used in all sorts of combinations to keep heads, ears, faces, and necks warm. The merino weight is slightly heavier over the summer weight synthetic
4. DOWN OR SYNTHETIC HOOD OR BALACLAVA
Ok, so the “half your heat is lost through your head” myth has been debunked.
But the face and head can sense temperature changes more readily than other parts of your body. This means if it’s starting to feel cold, you’ll want a down or synthetic hood/balaclava.
A down or synthetic hood is a warmer and less constrictive alternative to the balaclava. For hikers who use a quilt instead of a mummy bag, a puffy hood can make a quilt function as a mummy bag.
Katabatic Gear makes two down hoods — the Windom Hood (1.8 ounces for use between 20° and 50°F) and the Crestone Hood (2.6 ounces for use between 0° and 40°F)
Mountain Laurel Designs makes the synthetic Apex Hoodie balaclava that has underarm bungee cords to keep it on your head while you sleep. It also comes in two sizes if you have a larger head or prefer a looser fit. It’s a favorite of several Treeline Review writers because it’s synthetic, so retains warmth even while hiking in the rain or sleeping in a condensation-filled backpacking tent. Our biggest complaint is that this hood can be too warm.
Treeline writer Duncan Cheung testing the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm in the snow. Photo courtesy Duncan Cheung
Fall Camping and Backpacking Gear
Night temperatures can drop quickly in the fall, making it essential to have the right sleeping gear. If you're looking for additional tips on maximizing warmth while camping, check out our guide on How to Sleep Warmer While Camping and Backpacking.
Another resource on fall camping and backpacking gear is actually our Winter Camping Gear Checklist and How to Winter Camp: Tips and Tricks guides. While you likely won’t need every item or every skillset on those lists, you can tailor your needs to the weather and conditions of your trip.
1. Well-insulated sleeping pad
Nighttime is often the most difficult part of shoulder season backpacking. Daytime temperatures can be manageable, especially for southbound hikers in the desert. But nights can dip into the teens and single digits making it near impossible to get a good night’s rest to recuperate unless you’re prepared for it.
With a rating down to -40F degrees, the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm is one of the best things you can get yourself to increase your quality of life on a late-season backpacking trip. It has a weight penalty of only 3 ounces more than the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite that most backpackers carry, the XTherm can make cold nights on the trail feel a lot warmer for very little extra weight in your pack.
Our writer Amanda Jameson calls The XTherm the “Best 4-Season Sleeping Pad” in our Best Sleeping Pads guide. Having a warm sleeping pad can be just as important — if not more — than having a warm sleeping bag."
I’ve known ultralight hikers who trade foam pads for XTherms when the trail is snowy.
Upgrading your sleeping pad is less expensive than getting a warmer sleeping bag.
If the XTherm is out of your budget, Treeline writer and former winter mountain guide Tiffany Searsdodd tells us, “An easy sleeping pad hack is to add a closed-cell foam pad to your inflatable summer pad.” Our two favorite foam pads from our Best Sleeping Pads review are the NEMO Switchback or Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol, both of which have a better warmth to weight ratio and better durability than the blue foam pads from Big Box stores.
Bonus: if you’re southbounding the Pacific Crest Trail or Continental Divide Trail and reach the desert, a foam pad can offer extra protection against spiky plants for inflatable pads.
A warmer sleeping bag can alleviate the discomfort associated with the long fall nights. Photo by Dan Slattery
2. WARMER SLEEPING BAG
If you have the funds to do so, upgrading your sleeping bag or quilt in October is one of the biggest things you can do to improve how much you enjoy your trip.
For shoulder season thru-hikers, chances are you want a warmer bag right now without waiting for custom work. Luckily, this won’t be a problem with the winner of this year’s Best Sleeping Bag in our Best Sleeping Bag story by Kate Hoch.
Feathered Friends offers Express and Next Day Shipping and makes a 10-degree version of our recommended 20-degree Best Three Season Sleeping Bag. For shoulder season hiking, we highly recommend the Made in the USA Feathered Friends Petrel 10 UL (women’s) and Lark 10 UL(men’s). The Petrel 10 UL and Lark 10 UL are the Extreme Cold winners in our guide.
If you know you need a warmer bag and the Feathered Friends is out of your budget, the REI Magma 15 bag (men’s and women’s) weighs less than two pounds and has One Day Express Shipping. The REI Magma won our Best Budget Sleeping Bag in our Sleeping Bag story. REI also has among the best return and warranty programs available, so if you decide this bag isn’t warm enough, returns are easy.
If you prefer something lighter, consider a 10F or lower version of one of the recommendations in our Best Backpacking Quilts guide.
3. SLEEPING BAG LINER
If a new sleeping bag is out of your budget, Treeline writer and former winter mountain guide Tiffany Searsdodd suggests picking up a sleeping pad (see above) and a sleeping bag liner.
The Sea to Summit Thermolite Sleeping Bag Liner adds up to 15 degrees extra warmth for almost 1/8th the price of a new sleeping bag. It will add 10 ounces of weight, but that isn’t bad considering the warmth. Plus, if you are headed south and find the desert to be too warm for your liner, it’s easier to send home than a sleeping bag.
If you need even more extra warmth, the Sea to Summit Reactor Thermolite Extreme Sleeping Bag Liner gives you up to 25 degrees warmth for one-fifth the price of a new sleeping bag. But it’s heavy at 12.8 ounces. We think most hikers will find the Thermolite to provide plenty of additional warmth.
4. DOWN BOOTIES
Treeline Review writer Amanda Jameson loves bringing out the down booties in the season when the nights are long. If sleep socks aren’t going to cut it for you, we’re fans of the ultralight, high-down fill models by Feathered Friends. They're the winner for best winter camp shoes in our Best Camp Shoes and a favorite of Treeline Review writer Stasia Stockwell.
5. Chemical Water Treatment
Combine Parts A and B of AquaMira in the field for one of the lightest chemical treatments available.
We love the Sawyer Squeeze (it’s the Best Long Lasting Filter winner in our Best Filter for Backpacking story).
But, news flash: the Squeeze stops filtering properly if it freezes. If you’re hiking between October and March, we recommend taking precautions to avoid your filter from freezing overnight. If day temperatures get cold enough, you may consider switching to chemical treatment for your water (we’ve personally had water freeze on us after leaving the tent in the morning).
Our chemical treatment of choice is Aquamira, which our writers have collectively used for tens of thousands of miles. It's reliable, easy to use, and relatively affordable for chemical treatment.
6. BACKPACKING STOVE AND COOK POT
If you’ve been going stoveless so far on your backpacking trips or thru-hikes, if it's fall, it's time to carry a stove. We could talk about how hot food is a morale boost on a cold day. We could talk about how hot water bottles can help stave off hypothermia and warm up your sleeping bag at night. But the real reason ultralight minimalists carry a stove this time of year is to melt snow for drinking water.
Depending on when and where you are traveling you may find your water sources obscured by snow or frozen over. When this happens, you will need to melt snow. Our favorite is the Soto Windmaster, which still manages to boil water when it is windy. If you're new to stoves, the Toaks 750 mL pot is our favorite because of it's priced to be a budget winner, but has all the durability and features we'd expect of an upgrade winner. That's a win-win!
See our Best Backpacking Stoves and Best Backpacking Cookware stories for which systems we like and why. Read our in-depth review of the Soto Windmaster for more details.
7. SLEEP SOCKS
A thick pair of dedicated sleep socks is a luxury item even a tough hiker can get behind. We’ve had the unfortunate experience of hiking through rain all day with multiple river fords when the daytime temps never got above 40F. Even with a 15F bag and full-length sleeping pad and night temps above freezing, our feet were like bricks of ice all night long. Lesson learned — always have a pair of DRY sleep socks in the shoulder season.
We like the thicker Darn Tough Full Cushion socks (women’s and men’s), which provide coverage well above the ankle where skin tends to be thinner and it’s easy to get cold. They're the full cushion version of the overall winner in our Best Hiking Socks guide.
We’re also fond of using Possumdown socks as sleep socks. We haven’t found the durability on the PossumDown to be good enough to hike in, but they provide a lot of warmth. The Darn Toughs are excellent hiking socks on your last day into town before hitting a laundromat.
8. LARGER BACKPACK
Often when thru-hikers or backpackers pack extra gear for colder conditions, they find it’s harder to get all their fall gear into a backpack designed for summer gear. A warmer sleeping bag and additional puffy jackets can take up volume in your backpack that you may not already have.
Our favorite high volume pack is the Six Moon Designs Swift X Backpack. See our Best Lightweight Backpacking Backpacks guide for our recommendations for larger volume, larger capacity backpacks.
On fall day hikes, you'll want to carry extra equipment too, including potentially a sleeping quilt as an emergency item. See our guide to Best Day Packs for high capacity recommendations.
9. TRASH COMPACTOR BAG
It’s critical that you protect your gear, especially your sleeping bag/quilt and sleep clothes, from rain that can happen in the fall. Do not rely on a “waterproof” pack or pack cover. We think a basic trash compactor bag (not a regular garbage bag) makes a good durable bag liner. Although durable, they will tear and develop small holes. If you're on a thru-hike, replace your summer trash compactor bag when the season changes.
10. Dry bag
In addition, use a dry bag or waterproof stuff sack to protect your most valuable gear (sleeping bag, dry clothes, electronics). When hiking in wet conditions, or when wet conditions are likely, we believe in the double protection of a dry bag and trash compactor bag.
Snow baskets can help when walking across fluffy fall snow, as seen here on the Arizona Trail. Photo by Naomi Hudetz.
GEAR TO MAKE HIKING IN RAIN, SNOW, MUD, ICE & SNOW EASIER
1. TREKKING POLES
If you don’t usually day-hike or backpack with trekking poles, fall is a good time to pick them up.
In the autumn, mud, wet leaves, and acorns can make the trail feel more like an obstacle course than a highway. When the trail is icy, you’ll at least want some poles to help with balance on the ice. See our Best Trekking Poles story for ideas on what will survive the rest of your chilly adventure.
2. SNOW BASKETS
If you use trekking poles, you’ll find they’re useless in the snow without snow baskets. Your poles will just sink deeper into the snow, probably when you need the stability of your poles the most.
Snow baskets are cheap and light. They’re easy to attach — Lekis are threaded and you don’t need any special tools to put them on or take them off. If they bug you while you hike, just unscrew them and put them in your pack. For more tips, see our guide on How to Run in the Winter.
Snow baskets are specific to the make and model of the trekking poles you are using. Be sure to get the right brand.
Bonus — now you can use your trekking poles as snowshoeing poles in the winter!
3. MICROSPIKES
Whether you’re on granite in the Emigrant Wilderness on the PCT or on the granite of the Mahoosuc Range on the Appalachian Trail — icy trails are one of the most annoying hazards of the early or late-season thru-hikers.
Depending on where you hike in the early spring or fall, rain and melted snow on wet rocks and trail can freeze overnight, then thaw during the day, and re-freeze overnight. The result is a slick trail that can range from frustrating to hazardous.
Treeline Review writers have broken a finger and given themselves black eyes from slipping on icy trails. Don’t let icy trails take you off the trail for good.
The ice traction device that we recommend is the Kahtoola Microspikes. Almost everyone on our staff has purchased and relied on these traction devices for more than a decade. They're the winner in our Best Winter Traction Devices (Microspikes + Crampons)
4. Snowshoes
You may find the fall snow to be soft and fluffy—but deep enough to cause you to posthole everyday (that’s when each step feels like you’re plunging into quicksand). A pair of snowshoes can help with that. Check out our Best Snowshoes story to see why the MSR Lightning Ascent are our favs for technical day hiking and the Atlas Helium our favorite for thru-hiking.a
FREEZE-PROOF YOUR TOILETRIES AND FOOD
When temperatures drop, many everyday backpacking items can become frozen solid (or at least thick enough to be too annoying to use). In the fall, consider replacing your freezable toiletries and food to have a more enjoyable experience.
Some common backpacking items that freeze include the following:
1. ENERGY BARS
Unless you enjoy gnawing on bars, opt for bars with more coconut (which has more fat and doesn’t freeze so easily) and avoid items that have binders like brown rice syrup, which can freeze. In our experience, freezing can happen to Clifbars, Luna Bars, and Pro Bars.
2. TOOTHPASTE
There is nothing sadder than trying to squeeze frozen toothpaste out of the tube.
We've been converted to toothpaste tablets, which are lightweight and can easily be portioned out for the number of days and nights on your trip.
3. OLIVE OIL
It’s still usable in colder temps, but olive oil turns cloudy and goopy. This can make it slow to pour and extra messy.
From October to March, we like to switch to solid fats. Our favorite is cocoa butter, which is a healthy fat that is easy to add to hot foods and melts quickly. Make sure you use food-grade cocoa butter, as it’s also sold as a moisturizer. In fact, we’ve used our food-grade butter to address wind-burned faces in cold weather, too.
Cocoa butter has the advantage over butter in that it doesn't require refrigeration. It also has a higher melting point than butter so if the weather swings towards warm again, you won't have to worry about melted goo in your food bag as you would when carrying butter (another cold weather favorite).
We also enjoy hiking with butter during the fall if the temperatures aren't predicted to go above 60F.
4. PEANUT BUTTER
Our writers have had peanut butter turn into a solid brick when nighttime temps get below 15 degrees.
While it has fewer calories, powdered peanut butter can help you get your peanut fix if temperatures are too low for solid peanut butter.
5. Insulated food container
For Fall and winter hiking, the Hydro Flask Food Jar is a game-changer. For day hikes and alpine ascents, I take my Food Jar on alpine ascents November and December. While I thought it’d be a nifty novelty to have hot chili on the top of a snow-covered peak, I could not have predicted how life-changingly pleasant the experience would be.
While the Food Jar isn’t lightweight, it is fully insulated and leakproof. Thankfully, with a solid seal lid, I didn’t have to worry about getting soup all over my down jacket. Despite hiking in temps that were consistently in the 30s and 40s for several hours, the soup was still hot when it was time to eat.
Author Liz Thomas hiking in on the northern rim of the Grand Canyon in October.
Why you should trust us / About the author
Liz Thomas is an award-winning Los Angeles-based writer and Editor-in-Chief of Treeline Review. A former Fastest Known Time (FKT) record holder on the Appalachian Trail, Liz came to Treeline Review from New York Times/Wirecutter, the New York Times’ product review site, where she was a staff writer on the outdoor team.
Liz has talked gear on Good Morning America (TV), in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Buzzfeed, Men’s Journal, Women’s Health, and Outside Magazine, among other publications.
Liz’s favorite time of year to hike is in the fall and she plans her thru-hikes, backpacking, and camping trips to spend time in cool, crisp weather. She’s hiked the Superior Hiking Trail, Arizona Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Colorado Trail, and other thru-hikes all in the September, October, and November seasons.
You can read more about Liz at her wikipedia page here or on her website. See all her Treeline Review articles on her author page.
FURTHER RESOURCES
When to Call it Quits on the PCT by Cam “Swami” Honan
Shoulder Season by Paul “PMags” Magnanti
