Just because the sum­mer is behind us doesn’t mean that hik­ing should be post­poned until next year ― but if you plan to set foot in the wilder­ness this fall, it’s wise to pre­pare for precipitation.

First things first: update your wardrobe. Your torso and legs should be cov­ered with a mate­r­ial that will keep you dry and warm, as well as stave off hypother­mia if the tem­per­a­ture really drops. In other words, forego shirts, pants, and other gar­ments made from cot­ton, wool, silk, or synethic fab­rics like fleece. Instead, try this three-layer cloth­ing formula:

Wick­ing

Your first (or base) layer should con­sist of a thin, long-sleeved shirt, long leg cov­er­ings, and socks. For the first two, many pre­fer polypropy­lene because it removes (or ‘wicks’) mois­ture from per­spi­ra­tion and leaves your body dry; poly­ester has also been known to work. For socks, poly­ester or nylon effec­tively wick the mois­ture away ― but for added pro­tec­tion against blis­ters, a sec­ondary layer of wool socks is also recommended.

Insu­la­tion

Your mid­dle layer should, in the­ory, keep your body warm regard­less of how low the tem­per­a­ture is out­side. Whether you are inclined to wear a vest or full jacket, micro-fleece effec­tively traps body heat and helps you remain toasty with­out feel­ing over­cooked. If it’s espe­cially nippy, a pair of fleece mit­tens or gloves will keep your dig­its warm. A sturdy, depend­able hat is also essen­tial ― but if it’s rain­ing, you may want to forego the cot­ton base­ball cap and wear a beanie instead.

Wind­proof­ing

Your out­er­most layer should con­sist of two items: nylon pants (tear-away tend to be the most con­ve­nient) and a shell for your jacket. Both of these gar­ments should be made from a water­proof mate­r­ial. If you have a bulky pack, it might be wise to wear a larger upper-body gar­ment, such as a pon­cho, to keep your stuff from get­ting wet.

As far as footwear goes, Appalachian Mountain Club suggests pur­chas­ing a pair of sturdy, water­proof boots with fab­ric uppers. For added mois­ture pro­tec­tion, you can fill the seams with shoe grease; sprays are also avail­able. And it might be wise to wear gaiters, as well. They’re fairly effec­tive at keep­ing rain, mud, and dirt from enter­ing your boots.

Finally, it should also be noted that it’s impor­tant to hike at a steady, slower-than-usual when the rain starts to fall on warm days. The mois­ture will actu­ally make your body colder if you’re mov­ing too quickly. So stay warm, and stay safe!

Any personal tips?

//Originally posted on The Clymb