Layering for hiking: clothing in layers for spring and autumn

With layering, instead of one thick jacket you wear three thinner layers on top of each other: a base layer that moves sweat away from your skin, an insulating mid layer and an outer layer against wind and rain. On the trail you can then take a layer off or put one on, depending on the weather and how hard you are working. In spring and autumn, when a day starts cold and turns mild, this is the most comfortable solution.

Why is one thick jacket a poor choice for hiking?

A thick jacket has only two settings: on or off. At the car park you are cold without it; after ten minutes uphill you are sweating in it. The sweat collects in the fabric, and at the next break on a windy Eifel hilltop you cool down fast. With layers you regulate warmth in small steps, and damp clothing becomes the exception.

What does the base layer next to the skin do?

The base layer should move moisture away from your skin. Cotton is not suited to this: it soaks up sweat, stays wet for a long time and feels cold when you stop. Synthetic fibres, merino wool and blends of the two work well. Which fibre you prefer is mainly a question of how it feels on your skin.

The Craft Core Wool Merino Set for women is a base layer set made from a blend of merino wool and polyester. Craft describes merino as a material that keeps you dry even when wet; the wool is mulesing-free. For men there is the Craft Core Wool Merino Set in the same design.

What keeps you warm in the second layer?

The mid layer holds the heat your body produces. The classic choice is a fleece jacket: light, warm, still comfortable when damp and quick to dry. A gilet (wind vest) keeps your core warm and leaves your arms free, which is pleasant on climbs.

The adidas women's fleece jacket is made of soft polar fleece, has zipped side pockets and backpack-friendly shoulder seams for more comfort under the straps; it is made from 100 % recycled materials. The Dare 2b Thor III is a simple fleece jacket in a wide range of sizes from XS to 4XL. The CMP softshell gilet is extra light, protects against wind and rain with Clima Protect and has an elastic hem to keep out cold air. If you want both in one garment, take the CMP women's jacket with detachable sleeves: padded with PrimaLoft Black Eco at the front, with sleeves and sides in light softshell, and two zips at the shoulders turn it into a gilet.

What does the outer layer protect against?

The outer layer keeps out wind and rain. In spring and autumn in the Eifel that almost always means a waterproof jacket with a membrane and taped seams. It should be cut so that a fleece or gilet fits underneath without pulling across the shoulders.

The CMP men's jacket with fixed hood in sage green is a two-layer shell with a Clima Protect membrane, taped seams and adjustable cuffs. If the jacket usually lives in your backpack, the Dare 2b women's Pack It Jacket III is lighter: unlined, with welded seams and its own stuff sack.

The ratings a rain jacket should have are covered in Rain jackets for hiking: hydrostatic head and breathability.

How do I combine the layers for different weather?

Three typical days in an Eifel spring or autumn, and how to dress for them:

• Cold, clear morning at 5 °C, sunny later: base layer and fleece, rain jacket in the backpack as a windproof. After the first climb, the fleece goes into the backpack.
• Mild and windy at around 12 °C: base layer and softshell gilet. The gilet keeps the wind off your core while your arms stay cool.
• Drizzle at around 8 °C: base layer, thin fleece, rain jacket. Open the zip a little on the way uphill so that no condensation builds up under the jacket.

When should I take a layer off, and when put it back on?

Take a layer off before you start sweating, so at the bottom of a climb, not at the top. Put it back on as soon as you stop, before you start to feel cold. That sounds fussy, but it is the real advantage of layering: you stay dry, and dry clothing keeps you warm.

The same principle applies to your legs, only more simply: hiking trousers in a quick-drying material, thermal leggings underneath in the cold, and waterproof trousers (rain pants) on top in the rain.

Does layering work in winter too?

Yes. In winter the mid layer gets thicker, often an insulated jacket is added, and a beanie, gloves and a neck warmer become standard. How to stay warm in frost and snow in the Eifel is covered in Winter hiking in the Eifel. Runners use the same principle in a lighter form, see Running in winter: what to wear.

Checklist: your layers for an autumn hike

• A base layer in merino or synthetic fibre, no cotton.
• A mid layer: fleece jacket or gilet, in late autumn both.
• A waterproof jacket with a hood.
• Hiking trousers that dry quickly.
• A beanie and thin gloves; they weigh almost nothing and make a big difference during breaks.
• A bag in the backpack for the layers you take off.