How to layer clothing for hiking: the three-layer system
Base layer, midlayer, waterproof: how a layering system keeps you warm and dry on the hill, how to adjust it through the day, and what to wear for each layer.
A layering system is a set of thin garments, each with its own job, that you add or take off as the weather and your effort change. The classic system has three layers: a base layer to keep sweat off your skin, a midlayer to hold warmth, and a waterproof or windproof outer layer to keep the weather out.
Get it right and you stay comfortable from the car park to the summit and back: not soaked in sweat on the climb, not shivering at the top.
In this guide
- What a layering system does
- The three layers and what each one does
- Two thin layers or one thick one
- Insulated jackets and hybrid layers
- Legs, hands and feet
- Adjusting your layers through the day
- Layering for winter and cold weather
- Layering for women
- Two complete layering systems for UK hillwalking
- Layering for other activities and seasons
What a layering system does
A layering system does three things. It moves sweat away from you, it traps warm air, and it stops wind and rain getting in. No single garment does all three well. A waterproof that kept out every drop and held all your warmth would also hold in all your sweat, and you'd be wet from the inside within an hour of walking uphill.
Splitting those jobs across layers means you can change one without changing the others. Climbing hard on a cold day, you might walk in a base layer and a windproof. At the top, a fleece and an insulated jacket go on. When it rains, the waterproof goes over whatever you're wearing.
For this to work, every layer has to let moisture through to the next. A breathable base layer under a fleece that doesn't breathe still leaves you damp.
The three layers and what each one does
Base layer: keeps sweat off your skin. It sits next to your skin and moves sweat away, either by taking it up into the fibre (merino) or by drawing it through the fabric to dry (synthetic). Cotton is the one to avoid: it holds sweat against you and stays cold. Our Kepler Long Sleeve (women's) is pure merino for stop-start days. See merino or synthetic base layers for how to choose.
Midlayer: holds warm air. It goes over your base layer and traps a layer of still air around you while letting sweat escape. Fleece is the most common, because it's light, keeps much of its warmth when damp, dries fast and breathes well. Wool is the natural alternative. A lightweight grid fleece like the Griffon (women's) breathes well enough to walk uphill in. See fleece and midlayers.
Outer layer: keeps out wind and rain. A waterproof jacket keeps rain out with a waterproof layer and taped seams, while letting the water vapour from your sweat escape. It's the least breathable of your layers, so most people wear it only when it's raining or blowing hard. A windproof is far more breathable and packs into a pocket, so on dry, blustery days it's often more comfortable. The Fortitude (women's) is our hillwalking waterproof, with a longer cut and room for layers underneath. See how to choose a waterproof jacket.
Two thin layers or one thick one
Several thin layers are easier to manage than one thick coat. The main reason is control: you can take off exactly as much warmth as you need, instead of choosing between a heavy coat and nothing. Each layer also traps a little air between it and the next, which adds some warmth.
The thin layers also handle sweat better. A thick coat worn uphill soaks up sweat and takes hours to dry. Thin, breathable layers let it move through and out.
The exception is a long stop in the cold. Then one thick insulated jacket over everything is the quickest way to get warm again, which is why most hillwalkers carry one in their pack.
Insulated jackets and hybrid layers
An insulated jacket is the layer you pull on when you stop: for lunch on a windy top, waiting for the rest of the group, or around camp. Down gives the most warmth for its weight and packs smallest. Synthetic keeps you warm when it's wet. A light one, like the Filoment Hoody (women's), can also go under your waterproof as a midlayer on the coldest days. See down or synthetic insulated jackets.
Hybrid layers sit between a midlayer and an outer layer. They combine a breathable insulating layer with a wind-resistant face, so you can wear them all day on a cold, dry walk without changing. Our Morphosis (women's) has zones of grid fleece under a wind-resistant, water-shedding outer. The Katabatic (women's) uses PrimaLoft Gold Active insulation under a breathable fabric, so it stays comfortable while you're moving.
A vest keeps your core warm and leaves your arms free, so you overheat less on the move.
Legs, hands and feet
Legs. Most of the time one layer is enough: walking trousers that stretch, dry quickly and keep off wind. Carry waterproof overtrousers for rain and add leggings or long johns underneath on cold days. Arnison (women's) trousers with Cloudburst (women's) overtrousers in the pack cover most UK walking. See how to choose walking trousers.
Hands. Gloves layer the same way: a thin liner you can keep on for fiddly jobs, with a warmer or waterproof glove over the top when you need it. See outdoor gloves.
Feet. A thin liner sock under a thicker hiking sock cuts the risk of blisters on long days, as long as your boots have room for both. See layering socks. Gaiters like the Colca keep rain, mud and wet heather out of the tops of your boots.
Adjusting your layers through the day
Start a little cold. If you're warm standing in the car park, you'll be too hot ten minutes up the first climb. Set off feeling slightly cool and you'll soon warm up.
Change before it's a problem. Take a layer off or open the zips as soon as you start to feel warm, before you're soaked. Put a layer on as soon as you stop, before you get cold. It's much easier to stay warm than to get warm again.
Use the zips. A half-open front zip or opened pockets on a waterproof let out a lot of heat without stopping.
Everyone runs at a different temperature, so it takes a few walks to find the combination that works for you. Keep notes on what you wore and how it felt.
Layering for winter and cold weather
The system stays the same in winter. Each layer just gets warmer, and you carry more spare.
- Base layer: a warmer merino top, and long johns or leggings under your trousers.
- Midlayer: a heavier fleece, or a fleece plus a light insulated jacket.
- Insulated jacket: a warm one for stops, kept at the top of your pack. Down for cold, dry days; synthetic when it's damp. The 0Hiro is a tough synthetic jacket with a waterproof membrane for the wettest winter days.
- Outer layer: a waterproof with room for everything underneath, and a hood that fits over a hat.
- Extremities: spare gloves, a warm hat and a buff. Cold hands are what usually make winter days miserable.
For the hardest UK conditions, see what to wear in the Scottish winter mountains.
Layering for women
The layering system is the same for everyone. What differs is fit, and fit matters to how well each layer works. A base layer that's loose won't move sweat away, a midlayer that's tight across the hips will ride up, and a waterproof that's too short lets rain in at the back under a rucksack.
Our women's base layers, fleeces, insulated jackets and waterproofs are cut for women, with room at the hips and a longer back where it's needed. Every layer in this guide comes in women's versions. If you run cold, plan for it: a warmer midlayer, an insulated jacket you'll actually put on at stops, and spare gloves. See why fit matters in women's outdoor clothing and how to find the right fit.
Two complete layering systems for UK hillwalking
Two ways to put a system together for a typical UK hill day: one mostly synthetic, one mostly natural fibres.
| Layer | Mostly synthetic | Mostly natural |
|---|---|---|
| Base layer | Koulin Trail Long Sleeve (women's): recycled polyester, mesh panels, fast to dry | Kepler Long Sleeve (women's): pure merino, slow to smell |
| Midlayer | Griffon (women's): light grid fleece | Pennine (women's): undyed British lambswool, made in the UK |
| Insulated jacket | Heiko (women's): PrimaLoft Silver Eco, packs into its own pocket | Filoment Hoody (women's): recycled down |
| Outer layer | Fortitude (women's): hillwalking waterproof | Ranger (women's): organic Ventile cotton |
| Legs | Arnison (women's) trousers, with Cloudburst (women's) overtrousers for rain | |
| Feet | Ushbar lambswool socks and Colca gaiters | |
Ventile is a tightly woven cotton that swells when it gets wet, which keeps out showers while breathing far better than a membrane waterproof. It's at its best in showery weather rather than hours of heavy rain. See what Ventile is and how it works.
Layering for other activities and seasons
- How to layer for cycling: the same system for riding, with less bulk and more wind protection
- Layering for trail running: light layers for high effort
- Summer layering: staying cool and protected from the sun
- What to wear when camping: staying warm around camp
- Winter hillwalking in Scotland: layering for the hardest UK conditions
- Spring clothing for hillwalking: packing for changeable weather
- DofE expedition clothing: layers that work without adding weight
- What to wear for paddleboarding: wetsuits, layers and changing robes
- Caring for outdoor clothing: keeping every layer working
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