If you’re planning a hike this spring, you’re probably pretty aware that the weather can go from sunny-almost-summer-days to wait-is-it-snowing?? in a matter of no time at all. So planning what to pack and what to wear for spring hikes hiking what you is crucial to make sure you’re prepared for whatever weather you run into.
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The Short Version
The Long Version of “What to Wear for Spring Hikes”
Related: Packing List For Your Winter Mountain Vacation
Hiking Clothes and Attire
Let’s get into what you’ll need to pack to bring for a spring hike, as well as what you’ll want to wear to be prepared for any type of weather.
The Right Shirt
You’re going to want base layers that work well for warm or cool weather, and I’m the biggest fan of merino wool for that. Merino wool does an amazing job of keeping you warm in cool weather and keeping you cool in warm weather; I swear it’s a magical fabric. My absolute favorite brand of merino wool is Unbound Merino and I’ve bought both myself and my husband multiple articles of clothing from them. These shirts specifically are my tried and true favorite hiking (and even travel in general) clothing items, and I couldn’t recommend them more.
Flexible Hiking Pants
I pretty much always wear a long pant during any sprint hike, and reserve shorts for the peak of summer. My favorite spring hiking pants are usually leggings, and once again merino wool leggings from Unbound Merino do a great job of regulating your temperature while hiking. But there are additional pants if you’re not a legging fan that I would consider good to wear for a spring hike as well.
Spring Jackets
When planning what to wear for a spring hike, what to pack for outerwear is going to be a big question. My favorite combination is a puffer jacket and a raincoat. I’ll have the puffer coat to keep me warm if the temperatures dip, and the rain coat in case precipitation threatens to interrupt. You can also easily layer the rain coat on top of the puffer jacket if you’re in need of both!
Footwear
The biggest rule for what to wear on a spring hike is simply that whatever it needs to be needs to be water and mud-proof. So wear whatever you want for your hike, whether it’s a hiking shoe or a hiking boot, just make sure it can deal with the elements.
And don’t forget a good, thick wool hiking sock as well!
Other Spring Hiking Items to Bring
In addition to what you’re going to wear for your spring hikes, you’ll want to bring a some other items that might save the day if the weather shifts.
- A quick dry towel is an absolute life-saver for if/when you get rained on and you want to dry yourself off.
- Sunglasses are always a must-have hiking essential, but especially on a sunny day where it might be reflecting off of some leftover snow or a lake. These Ray-Bans are my absolute favorite (I have 3 pairs).
- A waterproof bag or backpack with a rain cover. Whether you’re going on a longer hike and need a big backpack, or a short hike, you won’t want everything you’ve packed to get soaked. Here are the bags I love:
- Small bag: LL Bean Waterproof Stowaway Day Backpack
- Larger bag: Osprey Mira 32 Hydration Pack
- Hats! I’d bring a beanie and your favorite ball cap.
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen is my aaaabsolute favorite specifically for the face. It is weightless and feels like nothing.
- You can also use it on your body but I’d just use whatever your standard is since Supergoop! is a tad more expensive.
- Whatever allergy medicine you may need, don’t forget to pack it!
- Eyedrops (again for allergy issues) — one of my best friends has extremely severe allergies and she swears by these Pataday 24 hour relief eyedrops.
Related: My Favorite Hiking Trips
So there you go, everything you need to be prepared for your next spring hike! As always, if you have any questions please reach out! If you need to know what to pack for specific trips and treks, check out my Packing Lists for help and resources.
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