Autumn has arrived, and with it, fewer daylight hours, hunting season, wet leaves, cold rain, and morning frost. It’s still a great time to go hiking and backpacking, but I like to add a few technical, safety, and comfort items to my day hiking and backpacking gear list and swap in some different footwear as temperatures drop.

Additional headlamp

As the days get shorter, it’s increasingly likely that I’ll have to hike and set up camp after sunset.  I like to add a second headlamp during this time of year as a backup, and so I can have one to use if the other is charging. I normally carry a Nitecore NU20 Classic headlamp, but I like to add a Petzl Actik CORE 625 when the nights are longer and I might need a stronger light for setting up camp after sunset. Both are USB-C compatible, which reduces the number of charging cords I need to carry.

Warm Gloves

I carry Possum Down gloves for cool-weather hiking. They’re super light, super warm, dry quickly, have high dexterity, and take the chill off. When it gets colder and wetter, I’ll switch to REI Fleece Gloves are warmer and heavier.

Insulated jacket

I also pack a Montbell Down Anorak in my daypack and for overnights when I sleep with a quilt or hoodless sleeping bag. It’s not really suitable as an active mid-layer when I’m hiking because it’s too warm. I use an ultralight Farpointe Polartec Alpha hoody, coupled with an Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Windbreaker. This combination keeps me toasty warm, even in winter, and is easily vented.

Insulated Sleeping Pad

If I’m backpacking or camping, I’ll swap my lightweight inflatable sleeping pad, a Sea-to-Summit Insulated Etherlight XR ASC (R-value =4.1) with an insulated Therm-a-rest Xtherm sleeping pad (R-value=7.3). When the ground gets cold, it will leech the warmth out of your body unless you use a warmer sleeping pad or stack a foam pad, like the Thermarest Zlite (R-value 2.6) underneath your warm weather pad. I aim for an R-value between 4 and 5 for autumn and between 5 and 7 for winter, when camping on snow.

Extra insulation

If I’m solo day hiking in colder weather in a more remote location, I’ll often pack a highly compressible and ultralight Feathered Friends Tanager sleeping bag and a Mountain Laurel Designs bivy sack as extra insulation in case I’m hurt or need to spend an unexpected night out. The extra pound or so of weight is a great hedge.

Blaze Orange GMC Cap

Blaze orange hats

Come October, it’s hunting season. While I’m not that worried about accidentally getting shot, I do wear blaze orange clothing as a precaution. I have a blaze orange-billed Green Mountain Club cap and a Minus 33 blaze orange wool hat that I’ll wear depending on the outside temperature. I also wear that wool hat when I sleep out to keep my head warm.

Insulated boots

When daytime temperatures dip into the mid 30’s, I switch from trail runners to lightly insulated hiking boots with 200g of insulation. I hate having cold feet in autumn, and these really pay off when I hike through wet and boggy terrain. I wear North Face Vectic insulated boots, which are fairly soft boots, but it is still a shock to transition from trail runners to them. I upgrade to a much warmer winter boot when full winter arrives.

Being Prepared

Adding gear to your backpack when the days get shorter and colder is prudent, especially if you hike in challenging terrain. Put it like this. Ultralight backpacking is a lot easier to do when the days are long and the weather is hot. While you can still use ultralight backpacking techniques and gear to keep your gear weight on the low side, I think it’s helpful to be a bit more conservative in what you bring on day hikes and autumn backpacking trips as winter approaches.

Conclusion

Plan ahead, check the weather forecast, consider the demands of your route, and assess the skills and experience of your hiking partners. Gear lists aren’t static, but should be tuned to the conditions you expect to encounter or that you might conceivably encounter, whether you plan to or not.

SectionHiker never accepts payment for gear reviews or editorial coverage. When you buy through affiliate links on our site, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Help us continue to test and write unsponsored and independent gear reviews, hiking and backpacking FAQs, and free hiking guides.