How to dress in the mountains?

Are you going to hike in the mountains or conquer peaks, but don't know exactly what to wear? Hiking shops are full of ultra-super-high-tech clothes, but will a classic granny-knitted sweater do the trick? What's the weather like in the mountains anyway?

First of all, you need to consider that the weather in the mountains is usually quite changeable - sunny T-shirt weather during the day is replaced by windy minus degrees at night. Rain or thunder clouds can appear unexpectedly, and it can snow higher up. In addition, similar to regular hiking, more active walking periods in the mountains alternate with standing still - you want to rest, take a picture, wait for friends or enjoy the view at the top. So, what solves these problems? Dress in layers.

Layered clothing

Dressing in layers means that instead of one thick jacket, you wear several different (thinner) layers of clothing that you can take off, add on, and combine as needed. This is so that you can quickly adjust your clothing as the temperature and weather conditions change. 

In general, three layers are distinguished:

1. Base layer (in English base layers), which aims to keep you warm while wicking moisture away from your skin. The base layer is usually made of warm underwear made of either synthetic material or merino wool. Warm underwear should sit quite snugly against your skin - this is how it performs its task most effectively. To clarify, regular underwear can also be worn under the base layer (for women, definitely not lace underwear with wires, but a comfortable sports bra).

2. Intermediate or insulating layer (midlayer), which aims to retain heat. Fleeces, down jackets and jackets with synthetic fillings are ideal for this layer. The mid-layer can also be made up of several different items of clothing (e.g. fleece + down jacket), if the cold temperatures require it.

3. It all comes down to outer layer (outer layer), which aims to protect you from wind and precipitation. Waterproof or shell clothing is usually used as an outer layer - you should choose a jacket and pants with appropriate waterproofness and breathability as needed.
   

How to choose the right warm underwear for you?

In general, you need to decide whether to choose synthetic or merino wool underwear. The biggest difference between the two is that synthetic underwear is more oriented towards moisture management and merino wool underwear is more oriented towards keeping you warm. Therefore, it is recommended to use synthetic underwear for more active sports and merino underwear for less active activities, such as hiking.

When choosing merino underwear, note that it is sold in quite different thicknesses and wool content. For example, Aclima's product range includes the Lightwool, Warmwool, Woolnet and Hotwool series. They all have different properties and different areas of use. Lightwool is designed for low-activity activities in warm climates, Warmwool for medium-activity activities in cool spring-autumn climates (e.g. hiking, mountaineering), and Hotwool for minimal activity in cold climates (e.g. fishing). Woolnet, however, is designed for situations where more active activities alternate with standing (e.g. for conscripts). Therefore, think about for yourself what activities you need warm underwear for, what climate, and how active your movements will be.

What material should I choose for the intermediate layer?

Whether to choose synthetic or natural materials is more of a matter of taste. Feather is still the lightest and most compact insulation material in the world, but it requires more care than synthetics. When the feathers get wet, they can stick together, forming clumps, leaving some areas without insulation. Fortunately, most modern down jackets have a water-repellent treatment, meaning that light rain will be held in place by the jacket without the feathers sticking together. Washing and drying down jackets is also a more time-consuming process — you have to wash them with down detergent, dry them in a dryer, or manually fluff/tumble the feathers while they dry.

If you have decided on a down jacket, it is worth considering such indicators when choosing a jacket as: proportion of down feathers ja fill powerJackets with a down percentage greater than 80 are good, high-quality jackets that will keep you warmer. Fill powerThe unit of measurement is cuin and it essentially indicates the quality of the feathers — their fluffiness and compactness. The higher this indicator, the better. A good down jacket fill power is 700-800 cuin.

Synthetic materials are heavier, but they keep you warmer than down in wet conditions. Fleece and sweaters are also good options for a midlayer, but they are generally not very windproof — something to keep in mind if you want to skip the shell jacket in warmer weather.

Cotton materials should definitely be avoided during active activities, as cotton absorbs moisture and takes a very long time to dry, which can cause the wearer to feel very uncomfortable and cold.

When choosing a midlayer, be sure to try out how it fits comfortably with the other layers. For example, three or more hoods inside each other are very uncomfortable - make sure that not all of your layers have hoods. There can also be conflict in the throat area if some of the outer layers have a smaller neck circumference than the inner layers and the interaction creates a strangling effect. You probably don't want that when the air is already thin and movement is difficult.

How to choose a shell jacket and pants?

It is essential to make a distinction when choosing a shell jacket water-repellent ja waterproof. Water-repellent material repels the first few drops, but lets heavier rain through (e.g. softshell jackets are usually water-repellent). Waterproof material is more filmy and will also hold back heavier rain.

When hiking with a backpack, the waterproofness of the jacket should be at least 15 mm, because jackets with a lower waterproof rating will allow heavier rain to penetrate more quickly through the areas where the backpack rests on your body (shoulders, withers, hips). However, it does not rain above the clouds, so the waterproofness of the jacket may be significantly lower there. It is advisable to choose a shell jacket that is large enough to comfortably fit other layers of clothing underneath. In wet conditions, you may also need shell pants to protect your legs from the rain.

Be sure to also bring waterproof clothing breathability indicator, because just as the shell must retain water from the outside, it must also effectively release water vapor from the body to keep you dry. A waterproof fabric with a breathability rating of 15-20 g/m000/2h is already very good and will allow you to hike comfortably.

Based on experience, the best waterproof membrane manufacturer so far is Gore-Tex. GoreTex does not provide waterproof or breathable performance, but it is considered “sufficient” even when exposed to heavy rain for a long time. And it really is. Clothing with a GoreTex membrane is a little more expensive than its competitors, but in the long run this price difference is definitely worth it, because GoreTex guarantees waterproof and breathable performance for much longer than others. Are you ready to experience years of stuffy hiking to save a few dozen euros?

When purchasing shell clothing, it is also wise to pay attention to its additional details. For example, ventilation holes (under the armpits and on the sides of the jacket, on the outside of the pants) are great helpers if you want some ventilation during active activities, but still want protection from the wind. The placement of the pockets is also important - so that they are accessible even when worn in a backpack and are large enough for you. Many jackets also have the option of being compatible with a helmet, so you can make the hood large enough to fit over the helmet. Wearing a hood under a helmet is uncomfortable and blocks your hearing too much. If you are involved in snowboarding or downhill skiing in addition to hiking, then important elements for you could be a mountain pass pocket on the sleeve and a snow skirt at the bottom of the jacket.

In high altitudes, in addition to the classic three layers, super thick down parka, which goes on top of other layers. There are also down pants and down overalls that are used in such conditions. If it is constantly colder than -20 degrees around you, then warm underwear and a couple of fleeces are simply not much help. However, such tough clothing is not needed for hiking in the Alps in the summer; it is more relevant in mountains that are higher than 5000 m, are located in a very cold climate zone, or on winter climbs.

Weight vs. Price vs. Durability

Now that you have clarified the characteristics of the clothes that suit you, it's time to start shopping. Everyone probably has one thought at this point — they want the best and lightest thing possible at a cheap price (because, indeed, sometimes the prices of technical mountain equipment really do make your eyes water...). Unfortunately, over the years, the sad fact has become clear that it is not possible to meet all three criteria at the same time. A light and cheap product is usually not very durable, a durable and cheap product is rather heavy for its weight, and a light and durable product tends to be expensive. A point to consider - what are you willing to compromise on?

Unless your budget is extremely limited, it makes more sense (and in the long run, cheaper) to pay a little more and get something that lasts longer and is more comfortable to wear.