What I Wear Now After 5 Years of Living & Hiking in Europe

One small note about micro spikes… be very wary of the heel slipping off. I nearly died on black ice near a frozen waterfall while hiking in Iceland. It wasn’t steep at all (about 20 degrees and then flat ) but I was was about 5m from the edge of a waterfall. My spikes had slipped off my heel and when I put a step forward onto what I thought was grass on soil but was actually grass poking through black ice, my leg went from under me and I was headed toward the waterfall wi5 no way of stopping, fortunately there were two rocks at the edge that I managed to brace against.. I now use a strong Velcro strap to lift the back of the heel up.. also, unless sharp they won’t grip well on hard ice without a good stamp

Thanks for consistently promoting active living💪🏻 Getting out in nature on f.ex a hike is one of the most physically/mentally rewarding things we humans can do if we are able to - and looking at the big picture it’s a very low impact and sustainable hobby compared to a lot of other popular leisure activities people engage in👍🏻

Certainly good advice with the layering concept. As a farmer, most of my hiking time is in the winter so I’ve had to dial in the layering. I also happen to be one that sweats a lot and that makes moisture management more critical. The base layer that works best for me is the Brenja (Norway) merino/poly mesh. A poly sun hoodie and I’m good down to freezing. Under freezing I add an Alpaca hoodie- I find alpaca is superior to merino as it breathes better and hold far less moisture, not mention surprisingly warm. Temp control is with alpaca neck gaiter which I find is as important as the beanie. I can regulate head heat loss with the sun hood and alpaca hood- more than enough down to windy 20deg F. This works so well for me I left my puffy coat at home when did 10 days early season in the Icelandic Highlands. Gloves and socks as you described. I have been a fan of SilverLight since they came out. However, below freezing I find I need to add a thin poly sock liner- makes a huge difference. If there is going to be water crossings etc I take a pair of waterproof socks because my trail runners are not waterproof.

Really beautiful images and good choices for gear. Always looking to see what other people are using. Been liking your videos.

I would add gaiters for deeper snow and I always like trekking poles. A buff around the neck is always nice as well. I sometimes bring a pad to sit on in winter and rain. And great content as always.

Microspikes are one of the best inventions for winter hiking. The popular trails in the North Shore mountains near Vancouver are so well trodden that snowshoes are almost never needed. They're great for firm snow or flat(ish) ice, not so good in softer or slushy snow (learned that the hard way). I don't have too many issues with grip on ice but my wife does as she weighs less than me. I find layering difficult in winter as I overheat so easily on the uphill. I'm often down to my t-shirt, which I supplement with the pull-on sleeves that cyclists sometimes wear if it's cold. A mid-weight fleece and puffy jacket are always in my bag to cover up when I stop moving. I have insulated winter boots but it has to be well below freezing for me to want to wear them so I often wear my summer hiking boots, although they can wet through if the snow is wet (as it often is here on the BC coast). As someone else mentioned, gaiters are invaluable for off-trail travel in soft or deep snow. A Thermos of hot water (or tea or hot chocolate) is also one of our mandatory items for winter hiking. Even if we don't drink it hot from the Thermos, it's useful for warming up the water in our water bottle. Definitely going to get one of those electronic hand-warmers though.

Happy to see you wearing it! 💪🏻

I found one of those micro puff jackets on clearance at REI and it’s the best winter jacket I’ve ever owned. So warm and light, and love that blue. Now you’re tempting me with that yellow backpack, even though I don’t need another pack.

This is a really inspiring and informative video.

Vivobarefoot’s trail shoes are all great. I have both the Primus Trail and the Tracker FG. For winter hiking it is imperative that you get a model with the thermal insole though. Of course I prefer to take out the insole on warmer days to maximize ground feel.

Stellar video! Thanks

Thanks for showing us Montserrat!

I can't keep but admire Bestard mountaneering boots. Their FF series is the lightest in class

I laughed at how joyful you were about snow! In Montana, I am ready for spring but we still have two months to go of off and on snow. I wear my Altra sneakers all winter in Montana. I put gorilla duct tape over the fabric toe box to keep air out, and by itself this helps with warmth and snow, but if it’s really cold, I stick a toe warmer on top of my socks at the toes. The tape reduces the air which keeps the toe warmers from over activating. If it’s really cold I can wear two pairs of socks. Lastly, I can slip on rubber grippers from Costco or Amazon to keep from falling on ice. Thank you for sharing your gear!

That artifact at 6:18 scared the daylights out of me lol

Amazing informational vid! 😎👍

Thanks. I use Buffalo Systems Gear from the U.K. I use the Teclite shirt in damp cool weather down to 30F with no layers underneath. Or just cold weather while hiking. On the outside, at times, I use the Buffalo wind shirt. In colder weather, <30F, I use the Buffalo Special 6 shirt with no layers. That served me well hiking to Ice Land’s Arctic Circle and a Volcano on cool, damp, misty, windy weather. If needed, the wind shirt could be applied. I have kept warm with a zero wind chill. Best wishes. Happy Trails!

Climbing this mountain with nobody near you and in wide open environment wouldn't be a problem at all during covid years. I used to jog a daily 5k walking my dog, and lockdown days were the best. Almost zero traffic, so no urban noise or pollution, and I even let the dog off leash in part of the route 😊

Based in Scotland, I'm a fan of the combination insulation-windshell, to replace that 'midlayer' you have - examples like the Buffalo Mountain shirt or Rab VapourRise jackets (my favourite) - as they're warm but breathe well enough to prevent overheating. I don't know if I'm as open to an insulated shell that traps moisture.

I'm really bad at layering so i always appreciate seeing what other have to say in order to figure out what's best for me! Also i saw that while you talked about the Magna's, you also showed the Tracker Deacons at 10:47. Have you tried them out? What did you think?