Cold-Weather Checklist: What to Pack for Winter Trips

They have a saying up north: there’s no such thing as cold weather, just cold clothing. And sure, that might feel like nonsense when it’s -10°F and your breath is crystallizing in front of your eyes, but there’s truth in it. The right gear will keep you cozy and warm at any temperature.

This guide covers everything you’ll need to stay toasty on your next subzero adventure. It’s based on months of painstaking research and my own experiences visiting Fairbanks, Alaska. In mid-February. During a week-long snowstorm. 

Unless you’re going backpacking in Antarctica, this stuff should cover you.

Base Layers

Base layers, thermals, long johns… Whatever you call them, they’re the foundation of any cold-weather outfit. They mostly come in two-piece sets these days, but you can always go for an old-school union suit to indulge your inner prospector. Nothing wrong with the classics!

Base layers serve two purposes: they help keep you warm while removing sweat from your body. And yes, you will sweat, even on cold winter nights. If you don’t wick that moisture away, it can freeze on your skin, and nothing keeps you warm if you have frozen armpits.

For material, your best bet is merino wool. It’s warm, lightweight, breathable, and it wicks sweat like a dream. Unfortunately, merino wool can also be kinda expensive — I paid about $200 for the set I brought to Alaska. If that’s a bit outside your price range, synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon are almost as good and a whole lot cheaper. They’re not as warm, but they wick moisture just fine and cost about $50-$150 for a solid pair, so you won’t have to explain to your partner why you spent a couple hundos on long johns.

Whatever you end up buying, make sure you avoid cotton. Because cotton absorbs moisture rather than wicking it away, you’ll finish every hike with a shirt made of ice water. And that’s gonna suck.

Mid Layers

Alright, here’s where things get a little more loosey-goosey. Remember that whole “frozen sweat” issue from the previous section? Even with a good base layer, you’ll still want to avoid overheating as much as possible.

Overheating? In freezing temperatures?

It’s more common than you’d think! You wake up to a chilly morning, so you leave the house wearing your warmest clothes. But then the sun comes out, you start walking around, your heart rate goes up… suddenly you’re roasting under your jacket. 

That’s why you want mid layers, plural. It’s the easiest way to regulate your body temperature throughout the day — put on four layers in the morning, cut down to two by the afternoon, up to five for stargazing that night. 

Unless you live in the desert, you should be able to piece your mid layers together from clothes you already have. For my trip to Alaska, I brought a few t-shirts, a lightweight long-sleeve shirt, a heavy long-sleeve shirt, a hoodie, and a fleece jacket. For my legs, I stuck with a single pair of insulated weatherproof pants over the base layer, but I’m a cold-weather critter by nature. If you’re worried about a chilly lower half, some proper snow pants would be a great investment. You can get a solid pair for about $80-$150, depending on the brand.

Parkas

Along with boots, a warm jacket is probably the single most important thing you’ll bring on a cold-weather trip. You can skimp out on most of your other gear and still get by, but only if you have a good parka to fall back on.

That means definitely no wool. A traditional pea coat might feel nice and cozy, but rain and snow will turn it into a big, heavy sponge in short order. And while merino wool doesn’t absorb moisture the same way, it won’t do much to keep the wind out. 

For insulation, nothing will keep you warmer than down. All the science in the world still can’t beat actual feathers, although synthetic fibers come pretty close these days. Unless you’re looking at some truly fancy gear, you’ll probably wind up with a natural-synthetic down mix anyway.

When you’re browsing down jackets, check for a measurement called fill power. This refers to the fluffiness of the insulation, with higher ratings signifying airier down. The bigger the number, the lighter and more compressible the parka will be. An inexpensive jacket might have a fill power of 400-500, while nicer ones hit 900 and above. A lower rating will still keep you warm, mind you, but it’ll be bulkier (and harder to fit in your suitcase).

For the outer shell, look for weatherproof synthetic materials like Gore-Tex or nylon. Try to avoid cotton, although a blend won’t hurt as long as there’s enough nylon in there. The wind up north gets pretty vicious, so trust me, you’ll want a tough shell. You’d be surprised how easily a gust can cut straight through to your bones.

Speaking of which, make sure you pick a jacket with a hood. Popping it over your head is the best way to stop the wind from blasting you in the face and blowing down the neck hole of your parka, chilling you from the inside. You’ll also want elastic or Velcro cuffs to block the armholes, and a zip that goes high enough to cover your neck and the bottom of your face.

The best cold-weather jackets will cost you upwards of $400, although you can get some pretty solid budget ones for $250 or so. If that feels steep, I’d recommend checking Vinted for a secondhand parka. People will often buy them for a single trip, only to sell them the next time they clean out their closet.

Boots

Boots are another piece of gear worth spending a bit more on. Jackets don’t reach all the way to the ground, and you’ll feel the cold in your feet long before it reaches your core.

Right now, there’s at least one person thinking, “Hey, I have a nice pair of heavy hiking boots. That should be fine, right? I can just double up on socks to stay warm!”

That, my friend, is a recipe for frozen toes (or even frostbite). Hiking boots will keep your feet dry, but they won’t keep you warm. They also don’t usually go up past your ankles, so snow can fall in and melt, creating a miserable puddle of ice water in your boots. And, unless you’re packing socks specifically designed for layering, wearing multiple pairs will just constrict the blood flow to your feet, making them even colder.

Luckily, snow boots solve all those problems. I splurged on a nice pair of Sorels (about $220), and was very glad I did. Those things kept my feet warm and snug for the whole trip — I didn’t even use the toe warmers I brought!

Since your boots are providing the warmth, focus on socks that wick away sweat. I recommend some lightweight synthetic pairs, but you can go for wool if you want to add a little extra heat retention. Just stay away from cotton and you’ll be fine!

Winter boots typically have a temperature rating, so look up the nighttime lows for your destination and use that as a guide. For something all-purpose, a -20 or -40 rating (-30 to -40 in Celsius) should cover you for just about anywhere. Look for boots with removable insulated liners (easier to clean) and make sure they come up past your ankle to keep the snow out.

One last tip: Your pant legs go over your boots, not tucked into them, in case the snow goes higher than the top of the boot.

Gloves

Hands are a little trickier than feet. A heavy pair of ski gloves will do the job in most circumstances, but they can be pretty cumbersome. Unzipping your pockets, using your phone, taking photos… all these things become a hassle in big padded gloves. 

That’s why I turn back to my cold-weather North Star: layering. Start with a thin pair of insulated liner gloves, ideally merino wool to keep water out, then add some heavy-duty mittens on top. Any time you need to snap a pic or fish your car keys out of your pocket, pull off a mitten and go about your business without exposing bare skin to the elements. 

Why mittens, you ask? It’s the double-sock problem again — gloves can reduce blood flow in your hands, especially if you’re wearing two pairs. Mittens also allow your fingers to share body heat with each other, which does actually make a difference in chilly climates.

Proper heavy mittens are designed like parkas, with warm insulation inside a weatherproof shell. I don’t recommend knit ones (sorry, Grandma) because they’ll soak through if you get them wet. Synthetic microfibers, merino wool, and polyester are all fine for the insulation, with nylon for the shell. On the cuffs, a good cinch cord or strap will prevent heat from escaping while also keeping snow out.

A really nice pair of ski gloves or mittens will run you $100-$180 or so, but I did just fine with $30 mittens and $30 liner gloves. In fact, most days I popped a couple of disposable hand warmers in my jacket pockets and walked around with just the liners on. You’ll want the mittens for hiking, dogsledding, and clearing snow off your car, though.

Hats & Scarves

To avoid killer brain freeze, a cozy hat is a cold-climate must-have. I recommend something with earflaps, like a trapper cap, to protect those sensitive lugs. But if you’re not into the whole “grizzled pioneer chic” look, a warm beanie will do the trick. Just make sure you can pull it down over your ears when they get cold (because they will get cold).

You know what else gets cold? Necks. Mouths. Noses. Everything below your cheeks, really, so you’ll want to cover that all up — especially when it gets windy. A scarf is a classic for a reason, but a cold-weather neck gaiter or snood can be a bit less awkward to manage. Just keep it around your neck any time you’re outside and pull it up over your mouth and nose as needed. 

From personal experience, I can tell you a bushy beard also keeps your face surprisingly toasty, although you’ll still need to cover your neck unless you’re rocking the full Santa.

Finally, if you don’t mind looking like a bit of a dork (or cartoon burglar), a balaclava is a great all-in-one solution for your neck, face, and ears. As always, merino wool is my personal recommendation, but that’ll cost you about $45 or so. You can find cheaper balaclavas for around $20, trapper hats for $30-$50, and neck gaiters for $20-$35.

Renting Gear

Most cold-weather spots will have businesses that rent gear to tourists, which can be a lot simpler than trying to collect (and pack) all this stuff yourself. A standard package typically includes a parka, snow pants/bib, boots, and mittens or gloves, so you’ll only be responsible for underlayers and headwear.

Even renting gear can still be a little pricey, though, so you’ll have to do some napkin math to see what fits your budget. For reference, a weeklong rental from Alaska Element costs $315, while two weeks will run you $465. A similar business in Tromsø, Norway, charges 2,201 kroner (about $226) for a week, or 3,794 kroner ($389ish) for two.

That’s not cheap, but it’s still less than buying everything listed in this article. Even just the essentials (parka, boots, pants, mittens/gloves, hat) can cost you over $500, and you can easily hit $800 if you pick up base layers and higher-quality gear.

Ultimately, the rent vs buy debate comes down to how much time you want to spend in the tundra. If you think you have more than one cold-weather trip in you, it’s worth splurging on your own set.

The cold can be miserable — it batters your face, seeps into your bones, chills you from the inside out. But if you bring the right gear (and a little respect), it grants you access to some of the most achingly beautiful places on Earth. When you’re lying in the snow, watching your breath rise and dissipate against the background of the aurora borealis, every cent you spent on warm clothing will officially be worth it.