At Backpacker, we’re champions of hiking year-round—why trade your trail time for couch time just because it’s a little chilly outside? But we’re also clear-eyed about winter hiking’s challenges. When the mercury drops, what would be a pleasant weekend trip can become an ordeal. Instead of recharging you, it leaves you more drained at the end than you were at the start.
Instead of just surviving your winter adventures, you can learn to thrive on them. Knowing what gear will help you stay comfortable and happy in the cold is a good place to start. We polled Backpacker’s editors and the rest of our parent company Outside’s staff to get our coworkers’ personal favorite gear picks for hitting the trail in the winter, and came away with a hit list that might just help you turn the fourth season into your favorite hiking season.
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Argali Absaroka 4P Tent
Dennis Lewon’s idea of essential winter gear: a big tent. “Winter loads are already heavy so it can be tempting to bring a smaller and lighter tent,” said Lewon, Outside’s director of content (and Backpacker’s former editor in chief). “But having more space and ventilation makes winter camping so much more comfortable, especially with the long nights.” This tester favorite is a four-person pyramid tent with an unusual feature: a fold-up titanium stove that puts out enough heat that our reviewers could hang out in their baselayers during freezing nights. This isn’t like the canvas hot tents you may have tried in the past: The Absaroka packs down to the size of a paper towel roll, the stove to the size of a laptop case, and the whole package weighs just more than 5 pounds.
ReadEra App
With early sunsets, winter nights are already long, and when winter storms move in, it’s easy to find yourself waiting out the weather for hours or even days. Packing a book is a great way to kill time, and I’m partial to this free e-reader, which I’ve paired with public domain ebooks (Dracula, anyone?) from Project Gutenberg. ReadEra doesn’t have any ads, subscription fees, or annoying pop-ups, handles a wide variety of file formats well, and it makes it easy to organize your files. I especially appreciated the customization: Being able to change font size and background has kept me from straining my eyes into oblivion while paging through stories on my phone.
Hothands Hand Warmers
We’ve lost count of how many colleagues professed their love for these disposable warmers, which they stuff into gloves, boots, and sleep systems. “I hold onto those puppies real tight each night or stuff them in my sleeping bag,” wrote Emma Veidt, Backpacker’s associate editor. Trying to cut down on your waste in 2025? Zippo’s HeatBank 9s, which combines a USB-rechargeable hand warmer with a power bank, is a reusable option.
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Pants
Packing down pants to take the chill off the coldest nights is a favorite strategy of Jake Stern, Outside Magazine’s digital editor. Mountain Hardwear’s Ghost Whisperer pants keep weight down with 800-fill down and gossamer ripstop construction; a men’s medium weighs in at 9.6 ounces, but still features two side pockets and ankle zips to make getting them on and off easy despite the trim cut. Bonus: Pair them with a matching Ghost Whisperer Hoody to create the world’s most technical sweatsuit.
Baffin Cush Booty
Cold toes are a little issue that can have a big impact on your comfort, and packing insulated booties is a lightweight, easy way to banish them in camp. There are a lot of good choices on the market, but Ryan Snow, Outside’s data warehouse engineer, suggests this pair, which features a B-Dry waterproof liner and blended polyester and wool insulation for warmth. A drawstring around the cuff seals out drafts, while the nylon bottom is resistant to punctures and features silicone accents for slip-resistance.
Warbonnet Blackbird XLC Hammock and Wooki Underquilt
On fourth-season adventures, Mike Ardagh, a support operations tools specialist for Outside, prefers to avoid sleeping on the cold ground entirely with a hammock system. His model of choice: the Warbonnet Blackbird XLC, which at just under 1 pound 6 ounces is comparable to some ultralight tents out there. Ardagh pairs it with the company’s Wooki underquilt, which he calls a “game-changer.” The quilt features 850-fill dry-treated duck down, and fits users up to 6 feet, 6 inches; a 0-degree, XL model weighs in at a reasonable pound and a half.
A Warm Water Bath for Your Canister Stove
This cheap hack comes from Anthony Walsh, Climbing’s digital editor, who’s used it down to -30°F. Just put a plastic container big enough to fit your fuel canister in on a sleeping mat or pack, add warm water, and stand your canister inside to help increase the canister’s pressure. “It seems like a magic trick: literally just a splash of water will turn a sputtering stove into a total beast,” Walsh said.
Underwood The Bubbles Sparkling Wine
If you’re a fan of a tipple around the fire, these cans of sparkling wine are a compact, great-tasting option. “Sure, it’s added weight, but life’s too short not to celebrate the moments that make us feel alive,” said Sierra Shafer, editor in chief of Ski and editorial director of Outside’s Adventure group. “How fun is it to pop a little bottle of champagne at the summit or once you’re settled in camp for the night?” (A non-alcoholic canned option: Gruvi’s Sangria is a fruit-flavored, alcohol-removed wine that’s just tannic enough to taste like the real thing.)
Skida Sunday Alpine Neckwarmer
A neck gaiter is a multifunctional piece of equipment for staying comfy on both summer and winter adventures. Quality is important when you pick which neck warmer to bring, said Shafer, but so is quantity: “I swear by my Skida Sunday Alpine Neckwarmer, but more importantly, packing a second gaiter in your pocket or pack can be a lifesaver when your first one gets damp from condensation or snow,” she said of this polyester model, which comes in an array of vibrant prints. “A fresh, dry gaiter makes a world of difference in keeping the elements out and staying warm,” Shafer said.
Bear Creek Soups
What’s better than hot soup on a cold night? With classic flavors like minestrone and cheddar broccoli, this popular brand “makes a big pot of warmth, is super easy—just add water—and is pretty dang good for a packaged mix,” Lewon said. (Downside: None of these mixes are vegetarian, so if you’re plant-based, you’ll need to look for another option.)
Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody
It’s not the lightest down jacket on the market, but the Fitz Roy is as warm of a layer as you’ll feasibly be able to pack in. “It’s way too warm to hike in, and I’ve been told it makes me look like I’m wearing a trash bag, but it makes hanging around in sub-freezing conditions actually bearable,” says Jen Smith, a software engineer for Outside. The Fitz Roy features 800-fill down encased in a DWR-treated recycled nylon shell. At 14.8 ounces and packing to about the size of a 1-liter Nalgene, it’s reasonable to carry, and includes twin chest pockets, side pockets, and an internal stuff pocket for quickly storing essentials. Plus, a drawstring waist helps keep out the elements.
