What to Wear on a Backpacking Trip: Women Edition

I recently got back from a three day backpacking trip down in Southern Utah. We backpacked in Buckskin Gulch, hiking through the Paria River, in and out of shade, and temperatures ranging from 29°F-50°F. I wanted to pack as light as possible because I had to carry my toddler, who is about 20 pounds, so I really limited the clothes I packed. I’m going to share what to wear on a backpacking trip for women.

Packing list shared at the bottom. *This post contains affiliate links.

Underwear

I like to wear a simple sports bra that is basic and comfortable. On my most recent trip I wore an old Under Armour bra I got in a 2-pack from Costco a few years ago. As for my bottoms, I wore Midies 6-inch boxer briefs. They are breathable and really comfortable. There is a built in cotton liner that, in my opinion, is a great design. The longer design makes them warmer which was perfect since we were mostly going to be in shade.

Top

The first thing to know about what to wear for a backpacking trip as women, layering is key. I love merino wool and hike in it year round. I brought my 15 month old on our most recent backpacking trip to Buckskin Gulch and he is still breastfeeding in the mornings and at night. Because of the that, I chose to wear a nursing-friendly merino wool long sleeve made by Kojo Activewear. It made breastfeeding so much easier and kept me warmer. I slept in this top as well so it never came off.

I like to bring a midlayer as well when temperatures get close to freezing. Fleece is my go-to midlayer material. I have an old quarter zip fleece I got from Lands End years ago. It’s nothing special, but it’s comfy, pretty warm, and fits great under my puffy jacket.

My puffy jacket is the Arc’teryx Cerium LT. It has both down and synthetic filling. It’s extremely lightweight, yet warm. It has synthetic insulation in areas that are most likely to get wet if it rains: the hood and shoulders. I wore this pretty much the entire trip and was so happy to have it. I did sleep in it as well since I tend to sleep cold.

Bottoms

I hiked in a basic pair of hiking pants from REI. They are the Co-op’s own brand, but are not made anymore. I normally like hiking in leggings when it’s cold. But because we were going to be in and out of water, I wanted something that I could roll up easier, and would also dry quicker if they did get wet (which they did).

When choosing a pair of pants for a backpacking trip, find something comfortable and breathable. Nylon pants with a bit of spandex is always a good combination to look for. Nothing too tight or that is constantly falling down. When it’s warm, I love hiking in shorts but if there’s going to be bugs or a lot of bushwhacking, it’s best to stick with pants.

Shoes and Socks

The shoes people wear backpacking varies greatly. There are backpacking boots, day hiking shoes, and trail runners. Backpacking boots are great if you want good stability walking on uneven terrain with a heavy pack. Those and hiking shoes are also going to be more durable and last longer than trail runners.

I decided to wear the Salomon Speedcross 4 trail runners on this trip because of all of our water crossings. They dried fast and did not weigh me down. I had an old pair I brought because I knew they would get gross from the silty water and sand.

I’m very happy with my decision. Leather or waterproof boots would not have dried at all by the next morning. While waterproof boots keep your feet dry when splashing through puddles or if it’s raining, when you’re crossing rivers and water comes up over the top of your boots, they get saturated and take a very long time to dry.

As for socks, I brought both wool socks and neoprene socks. Wool socks are always my go to because even when wet, they still help your feet stay warm. They are anti-odor and don’t wear out as quickly. I also love to wear toe socks underneath my wool socks as a liner to reduce friction and prevent blisters.

The neoprene socks were wonderful for the two days we were mostly in the river. The water was very cold and they were like wetsuits for my feet. I went with a 3mm sock and it was the perfect thickness. They kept my feet warm enough but still fit comfortably in my shoe. I highly recommend neoprene socks if you are going to be spending a significant time in cold water.

Extremities

As I mentioned at the beginning, the temperatures varied quite a bit and it never got very warm since we were mostly in the shade. It’s important to make sure all parts of your body are warm when deciding what to wear on a backpacking trip as women.

Head Covering

I brought my trusty beanie with me and pretty much never took it off. It is Logan’s military issued beanie and my favorite. Any beanie is going to do the trick.

I also brought a neck gaiter which has a lot of different purposes. It worked perfectly under my beanie and over my head when it was really cold. I also just wore it up over the bottom half of my face when it was really cold and windy. Just wearing it around my neck also helped cut any breeze.

Gloves

Gloves are great to have when you are backpacking with trekking poles and your hands are totally exposed. I have never found a pair of gloves I absolutely love. I have poor circulation in my hands and have a hard time keeping them warm. Mittens seem to do the best job, but they don’t have great dexterity.

I actually forgot to pack a pair of gloves for this trip. We were at my in-laws the night before because they lived a little closer to the trailhead and we were leaving our dog, Summit, with them. So we borrowed and old, thick pair from them and they actually worked out great! They were from Old Navy Thinsulate gloves.

I didn’t end up wearing gloves as much as I thought. Mostly I pulled my jacket arms down so they mostly covered my hands and that worked great. But I did wear the gloves on our last day because it was raining/snowing and really cold.

Pajamas

We wanted to go as lightweight as possible on this trip, so the only clothes packed in my pack were a couple things to sleep in. I just slept in the same merino wool shirt I hiked in but brought different pants and socks. I had a pair of Kari Traa merino wool leggings as well as a pair of Logan’s military long underwear. That combo was plenty warm for my legs and I was cozy. I also brought my thickest pair of Smartwool merino wool socks in. It’s really important to have a dry pair of socks to sleep in since your socks are very likely to get wet when backpacking.

I usually end up sleeping in my down coat and beanie as well, if it’s really cold. Just depends on what the temperature drops to.

Rain Protection

We were not expecting any rain so we didn’t bring rain jackets or the rain cover for my little guy’s kid carrier. I did pack a couple of cheap rain ponchos though just in case. We ended up getting rained and snowed on and I was so happy to have those ponchos. We also fashioned a rain cover out of a huge black garbage sack my mom happened to pack. It worked perfectly.

If you are hiking in a place you know you are going to get rained on, especially for multiple days, a rain jacket is really nice to have. But when you aren’t expecting rain or it seems mild, I think a cheap rain poncho is all you need. The weight savings is awesome and it’s an easy thing to just throw in. I recommend bringing a poncho even if there is 0% chance of precipitation because weather can change quickly and getting soaked is no fun and can even become dangerous.

What you wear on a backpacking trip as women is really going to depend on where you are going and what the weather is going to be. Plan out what makes the most sense to you to bring and don’t second guess yourself. It’s really easy to overpack on clothes. Just remember, it’s not a fashion show and while you will be a little stinkier, you will be so happy not to have that extra weight in your pack.

You can read more about my backpacking trip to Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyon here!

Packing List

• Under Armour sports bra
• Midies 6″ bamboo brief
• Kojo Activewear merino wool nursing top
• Land’s End fleece pullover
• Arc’teryx Cerium LT jacket
• Rei Co-Op pants
• Icebreaker socks
• Injinjii toe socks
• Neoprene socks
• Beanie
• Kari Traa merino wool leggings (sleeping)
• Smartwool socks (sleeping)
• Salomon Speedcross 5 Trailrunners