11 Items You Can’t Forget To Pack For Cold-Weather Camping
The key to being prepared for any excursion is having the right gear.
There’s no wrong time of year to enjoy the great outdoors, but I particularly love the perks of camping in the fall and winter, when the trails are quieter, there’s less foot traffic, and you can wake up to picturesque views like snow-capped mountains. The only catch? Cold-weather camping requires a little extra preparation and the right gear to help you take on the elements.
After a fair amount of trial and error, I trust Columbia Sportswear to keep me comfortable — and cute enough for ’gram-worthy snapshots — even during the most brutal winter months. Columbia’s Omni-Heat™ Infinity warming technology is designed to maximize your body heat without sacrificing breathability, so you can stay warm while avoiding that sweaty feeling of being trapped inside your snow pants.
Here are 11 clothing essential items for cold-weather camping.
Women’s Payton Pass™ Interchange Jacket
A warm and durable jacket is possibly the most important item on your packing list. Columbia’s Payton Pass™ Interchange Jacket is stylish, waterproof, and provides plenty of insulation. Detailed with classic features like a longer length, faux fur, and plenty of pockets, it’s also equipped with Omni-Heat™ Infinity warming technology. Inspired by NASA space blankets, Omni-Heat™ Infinity utilizes reflective technology embedded in a pattern of gold dots to maximize your body heat, delivering instant warmth without compromising breathability or movement.
Women’s Holly Hideaway™ Long Sleeve Shirt
The key to staying warm during cold-weather activities? Say it with me: layering! The Holly Hideaway™ Long Sleeve Shirt features a cute, bold pattern and is comfortable enough to layer under a sweater or fleece to keep you cozy.
Women’s Back Beauty™ Highrise Warm Winter Pants
Not only are these Back Beauty™ Highrise Warm Winter Pants nicer than most pants in my own closet RN, but they’re outfitted with oh-so-necessary features — like Omni-Shade™ UPF 50 sun protection to shield you from harmful UV rays.
During an adventurous hike, the only thing I want to blow me away is the views. This classic knit beanie will protect your head from unpredictable gusts of wind — and keep you looking chic, no matter how wind-blown your hair gets.
Women’s Sweater Weather™ Fleece Gloves
Low temps? No problem! These knit gloves have your hands covered (literally). With touch screen-compatible thumbs and fingertips, you won’t lose out on any photo-worthy moments at the expense of staying warm.
Women’s Newton Ridge™ Plus Omni-Heat™ Boot
Created with the toughest trails in mind, these boots are waterproof, breathable, and outfitted with super-grippy rubber outsoles and thermal-reflective lining. They’re also made with a Techlite™ lightweight midsole for long-lasting comfort.
Men’s Platinum Peak™ Hooded Jacket
Designed with Omni-Heat™ Infinity warming technology, the Platinum Peak™ Hooded Jacket retains body heat to keep you warm and comfortable no matter which trails you’re traversing. Additional nice-to-have features include interior pockets, zippered hand pockets, and a hood with a close fit to keep your noggin warm. Plus, this jacket is made with Omni-Heat™ Recycled Synthetic Down, so it pairs nicely with the ‘carry in, carry out’ theme of campgrounds.
Columbia’s Wallowa™ Belted Pants are stretchy with cinch-able hems, an integrated belt, and plenty of pockets, allowing you to move freely, store essentials, and look good on-the-go.
Men’s Bugaboot™ Celsius Plus Omni-Heat™ Infinity Boot
Stomp out inclement weather with these high-tech boots ready to conquer any trail, peak, or rock scramble. Features include 400 grams of insulation, Omni-Heat™ Infinity reflective lining, and a waterproof-breathable membrane.
Stuart Island™ Omni-Heat™ Infinity Watch Cap
This winter hat is lined with Columbia’s most advanced thermal-reflective technology. Omni-Heat™ Infinity keeps you warmer, longer, so you can explore without holding back.
Men’s Newton Ridge™ II Plaid Long Sleeve Shirt
I don’t know what’s cooler about this classic plaid shirt: The fact that it has a cooling back vent so you can feel the breeze even during your most grueling adventures, or that it comes with a handy sunglasses-cleaning patch embedded in the fabric.
Now that you’ve got your packing list, your biggest problem will be narrowing down the options of where you want to go! For inspiration and more outdoorsy resources, check out Columbia’s Outdoor Guide.
