How to Choose Backpacking Clothes
Using a Simple 3-Step Recipe

There is no easier place to get carried away with excess weight than in your backpacking clothes. So many of us have grown up with the Boy Scout adage to "be prepared" that instead of preparing for the most likely occurrences, we prepare for every possible contingency.

We load ourselves down with pounds of clothing that is not only inappropriate for the conditions where we intend to hike, but will sit uselessly in our packs, and on our backs, throughout the trek, weighing us down with every step.

Serving a Simple Purpose


If we keep in mind that the purpose of backpacking clothes is simply to keep us warm and dry, we can be prepared for the conditions we anticipate, including unexpected conditions or emergencies and make every article of clothing “pay its own way” in our pack.

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We will follow a simple 3-step recipe in choosing all the backpacking clothes that you will need to keep you warm and dry. Ready? Here it is:

1. Wicking Layer
2. Insulating Layer
3. Windproof Clothing Layer

Sound simple? It is! Modern technological advances in the manufacturing of clothing make it just that simple. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s spend a few minutes exploring the advantages and disadvantages of fabrics, both natural and man-made.

Cotton is bulky, heavy, holds water, nearly never dries and is prone to freezing in cold weather. A wet cotton shirt or socks for example, will hold water from sweat, rain or snow, cling to your body and wick body heat away from at an alarming rate. Additionally, cold, wet feet from wearing cotton socks leads to blisters…..certainly NOT your friend on the trail. There is a reason for the saying that “cotton kills”. It really has no place in a well-planned ultralight pack.

Wool has been an old-standby in the outdoor world for many years. It is heavy and bulky and retains water, drying very slowly, but it stays warm when wet. It still has its place as an insulating layer---in the form of socks. Wool socks are especially effective when coupled with synthetic sock liners that wick away sweat from the feet.

Silk is warm when dry, compact, but dries slowly when it gets wet. The best place for this natural fabric is in long underwear. This would be an excellent choice for sleepwear. Planning for a separate set of clothing for sleeping ensures that you sleep clean and dry. Clean clothing reduces wear and tear on your sleeping bag and dry clothing helps you sleep warmer. Silk long underwear packs so small that you can leave it inside your sleeping bag when not in use without adding any appreciable bulk. Another possible use for silk is glove liners. When kept dry, they will add to the warmth of a good pair of mittens.

Leaving our discussion of natural fibers and proceeding to synthetics, we will round out our discussion of backpacking clothes. To achieve our goal of lightweight, warm, dry clothing, much of our trail wardrobe will consist of modern, man-made fabrics. Polypropylene, polyester and fleece will become our mainstays. They are very light, dry extremely quickly, take up little space, are warm and will provide most of our clothing needs.

Exactly What Do I Need?

So, let’s put it all together into a functional complement of backpacking clothes. It is time to explore the AMOUNT of clothing we need. Because we will be primarily using synthetic materials that can be washed in camp and will dry quickly, we will not need to carry a fresh change of clothing for each day. In fact, most 3-season hikers get by nicely with:

• One pair of pants/shorts
• One short-sleeve synthetic shirt
• One long-sleeve synthetic shirt
• One fleece (or micro fleece) jacket or vest
• Two sets each of regular shorts/bras and long underwear
• Two to three pair of socks and liners
• One outer windproof/waterproof shell
• One hat and possibly a pair of gloves/mittens

Not as much as you thought? You don’t have to take my word for it, try packing for a long weekend, or even longer, with all of the above clothing and see if you get along just fine.

Remember, using synthetic, lightweight fabrics, we can air-out and wash in camp to freshen up our wardrobe. Our clothes will dry very quickly and be ready for the next day. Click the links above to elaborate on each layer of our perfect 3-step backpacking clothes recipe.

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