Here’s a summary of what I pack when walking in winter conditions in Scotland. What do I mean by winter conditions? Well that can mean anything. Snow, rain, sleet, bog, ice, wind, you name it. So my winter packing list is inevitably bulkier and heavier than what I might carry in summer (top tip: I use Lighterpack to inventory my gear and pack weight).
Even if I can’t see snow on the hills, I still almost always carry an ice axe and crampons – a seemingly innocuous Scottish bog could be an impassible slick of frozen ice when encountered up close (something I’ve learned from experience!).
Packing lists are a very personal thing, and I often think of things while walking that I “must add to my packing list” (then forget to do it when I get home!). If you’ve got any winter walking hacks / packing essentials, I’d love to hear them!
Winter Day Hike Packing List
| Item | Notes | What I carry | Rough Costs |
| Winter essentials | |||
| Rucksack / backpack | 30-40L | I carry a Lowe Alpine Halcyon though TBH I think there’s much better bags out there | £120 |
| Winter boots | B2 or B3 crampon compatible – get a boot fitting to ensure a good fit for your feet! | Scarpa Ribelle CL | £300 |
| Crampons | Or micro spikes depending on conditions. See Mountaineering Scotland’s microspikes or crampons? | Grivel Evo Crampons | £147 |
| Ice Axe | Grivel Ice Axe | £99 | |
| Goggles | Clear goggles can be helpful especially if you’re out at night | Cheap-ish clear ski goggles from Amazon | £29.99 |
| On your body | |||
| Base layer | Thermal top | ||
| Winter trousers | |||
| Socks + sock liners | |||
| Waterproofs | |||
| Waterproof jacket | Berghaus MTN Guide Gore-Tex Pro or Paramo Velez Smock | 250 | |
| Waterproof over-trousers | Not needed if you’re wearing all day waterproofs like Paramo Cascada | Paramo Cascada | 300 |
| Warm layers | |||
| Warm hat that fits under a hood | Like a beanie | ||
| Midlayer fleece | Mountain Equipment Hispar Fleece | 100 | |
| Insulated jacket | Rab Xenair Alpine Jacket | 150 | |
| Buff | |||
| Waterproof Gloves | Mountain Equipment Guide Gloves | 30 | |
| Spare Layers | |||
| Buffs | Spare buffs can be used for both head and neck warmth | ||
| Gloves | Gloves are useless once wet, so ideally carry 1-2 spares | ||
| Insulated jacket | Something really warm to put on over everything when stopped for any length of time | Mountain Equipment Fitzroy / Alpamayo Jacket | |
| Navigation | |||
| Map | |||
| Compass | |||
| Map case | |||
| Comfort / Safety | |||
| Sunscreen | |||
| Lip balm | |||
| Hand warmers | |||
| First aid kit | |||
| Whistle | |||
| Emergency surival bag | |||
| Bivvy shelter | 4-person Terra Nova Bothy Bag (smaller ones are available but the 4-person is good for two people plus dogs and packs) | 64.99 | |
| Headtorch | |||
| Tech | |||
| GPS / Satellite Communicator | More for safety than navigation. Something with an SOS feature in case you get into trouble. | I’m a big fan of my super compact Garmin inReach Mini 2. This also allows me to send check-in messages to my contacts so I can let them know I’m safe. | £260 + subscription fee (from £7.99 per month) |
| Mobile phone | iPhone + OS Maps & OS Locate Apps | ||
| Watch | A good GPS watch with altimeter can be very handy. | ||
| Optional Accessories | |||
| Helmet | Not always needed but I do carry if scrambling or going up gullies | ||
| Walking Poles | Useful for stability | ||
| Gaiters | Keep snow from getting in your boots | ||
| Sunglasses | Yes, the sun does sometimes shine in Scotland! | ||
| Snow shovel | |||
| Snow probe | |||
| Food / Drink | |||
| Easy to eat snacks | |||
| Flask of something hot (soup, tea, hot chocolate) | |||
| Water | In a hot flask or carried close to the body so it doesn’t freeze | ||
| Spare high energy snacks |
Achmelvich Bay Walk via Alltan’abradhan
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