“There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear.”

I heard this on a recent episode of the podcast Post Reports by the Washington Post. Investing in the right gear has made my pre-daylight morning walks much more tolerable, even comfortable.

If it’s important to you to remain active outdoors during cold months, I highly recommend investing in gear that will support this habit. It’s so easy to find excuses to not be active in the winter - “it’s cold”, “it’s raining”, “it’s icy”. 

While investing in the right gear can be pricey all at once, I recommend adding gear little by little so that cold weather is more tolerable. 

Links to gear (note, as an Amazon Affiliate I may earn commission off purchases): 

Columbia Pike Lake Long Jacket

Adidas Beanie

Mittens

Headlamp

Reflective Belt

Birdie Alarm

“There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear.”

I heard this on a recent episode of the podcast Post Reports by the Washington Post. Investing in the right gear has made continuing to hike through the winter much more tolerable, even comfortable.

If it’s important to you to remain active outdoors during cold months, I highly recommend investing in gear that will support this habit. It’s so easy to find excuses to not be active in the winter - “it’s cold”, “it’s raining”, “it’s icy”. 

While investing in the right gear can be pricey all at once, I recommend adding gear little by little so that cold weather is more tolerable. 

Links to gear (note, as an Amazon Affiliate I may earn commission off purchases): 

Columbia Pike Lake Long Jacket

Dope Cozy Hood II

The contents of my trekking backpack vary by season. Here’s what’s in my backpack for cold weather trekking. 

• Backpack

• Changing Pad - Great for snack breaks where you may want to avoid sitting on wet rocks or fallen trees.

• Pocketknife - Can be useful in a plethora of ways.

• Charging bank - Great for ensuring I don’t run out of battery while shooting content and navigating trails.

• Snacks - My go-to snacks are peanut butter crackers and fruit snacks. I also often throw in an apple.

• Hand and foot warmers - Keep your hands and feet warm for up to 8 hours.

• Crossbody - I prefer to keep my safety gear up front and easily accessible. 

• Bear spray & air horn - If you’re hiking in Tennessee, be sure you’re bear aware and prepared. These two items have helped me move a bear along on a trail before so I always keep them on me.

• Gloves

• Emergency survival sleeping bag - Can increase chances of survival in any weather.

• Tripod - If you’re a solo trekker, don’t miss out on documenting your adventures. A tripod can help capture shots you’d normally need a fellow to help with.

• Dope hood/face mask - Keeps me warm and dry by preventing any cold air from getting in around my neck/face.

• Hydration - Always stay hydrated on treks, even when it’s cold. I prefer a combo of water and Gatorade.

• First aid kit (not pictured) - I also throw my first aid kit from my car in my backpack. It contains basics like an inhaler, Tylenol, bandaids, and athletic tape.