Rain Hiking : Tips & Tricks on How to Stay Warm & Dry

Rain hiking is never what any hiker intends to do when they plan a hike. All of our ideal summits include sunshine peeking through the trees, with a clear beautiful summit. However, weather is very unpredictable in the mountains, so you might find yourself in this situation. Thus, here are some of my tips for when you get caught in a little sun shower, or a torrential downpour. This article is all about how to prepare, what to bring, how to stay dry when you find yourself hiking in the rain.

I have found myself in this debacle many times when hiking. Typically, when I start, the sun is always out, but then out of nowhere it can start to rain, especially in the mountains. I try to check the weather a couple days before I hike and the night before, but sometimes even if rain is not forecasted, it can still happen. Proving, again, that the mountains truly have their own weather patterns and do whatever they wish. Which is another tip, always bring rain gear even when it’s not forecasted.

In this article you will read about different rain hiking boots, rain hiking jacket, rain hiking gear, rain hike, rain hiking boots women, rain hiking shoes, rain hiking tips, is it safe to hike in the rain, can you hike in the rain, benefits of hiking in the rain, is hiking in the rain dangerous, rain hiking equipment, best rain hiking, hiking after rain, and more.

Rain Hiking Jacket & Rain Hiking Gear & Rain Hiking Boots

Whenever you hike, in the summer, I ALWAYS recommend bringing, a rain or wind jacket, even if rain is not in the weather forecast. Salomon has great products for this, that you can find, here, as well as, Eddie Bauer, which you can also find, here. Also, when it rains, the rocks and rock scrambles become much harder to grab traction on. Thus, I highly recommend investing in high quality hiking boots or shoes. I recommend ones with good ankle support, that are waterproof or water resistant, and that have good traction, here are some that I love, and here are more that I recommend.

Now, when hiking in the colder weather (during fall and winter), rain hiking becomes much more difficult. I would bring a thicker rain/wind jacket. I would bring a “puffy” for the fall and a “shell” for the winter. Also, rain can turn into snow in the winter and sometimes fall really quickly. Again, bringing extra base layers and thicker/quick drying puffys and shells will be your best friends.

Although, a lot of people prefer hiking shoes that are water resistant instead of waterproof. I like having ankle support, which is why I prefer hiking boots that are waterproof. But, the water resistant shoes do dry quicker, so you might prefer these instead when hiking. You can find some here.

Along with high quality hiking boots, I recommend buying some good collapsible trekking poles. This will help A LOT when it’s muddy and slippery. You are more prone to slipping when it’s muddy, thus if you lose your balance, having trekking poles to grab into the ground, will keep you from falling. You can find some good ones here.

Rain Hiking Equipment Continued

In addition, if you are hiking early or late season, either March-May, or October-November, I would suggest investing in micro spikes (here is a link to some). You will encounter ice and sometimes snow at the summits. Micro spikes allow you to walk on the ice and snow, as they dig into the ice/snow. Whereas, only having your hiking boots, you will probably slip on the ice. There is a rule about hiking in the snow, if there are 6-8 inches of snow or less, then you can just hike in your micro spikes. But, if there is more than 8 inches of snow, you must hike with snowshoes on.

Also, during late March and or April, or whenever the snow melts, it is NOT a good time for hiking. This is called the mud season. During late Spring, it is best to wait until all the snow has melted to start hiking again. This is so because erosion happens very rapidly when the snow melts. Thus, the more people that aren’t hiking during this season, the better, to help prevent erosion. However, if you do decide to hike during this time, please do not hike anything OVER 3,500ft in elevation. Particularly, no high peaks or 4,000 footers during this time (if you live in the northeast).

Another good gear investment is a bag cover, so your bag and items inside won’t get soaked. Here, is a link to some. Also, it’s not a bad item to bring some extra clothing. In the summer, I usually only bring extra under layers and in the winter, extra socks and another sweater. Even if it’s not raining, extra clothes in the summer are always a good idea because of how much you sweat.

 Rain Hiking Pants, Clothing & Rain Hiking Tips

Now, I understand, packing clothes and the right clothes can be difficult. Because, our bags can only fit so much. Thus, for hiking in the fall to late fall, I recommend, bringing a pair of long underwear (here is a link to some) or Under Armor (you can find here). In addition, a lighter sweatshirt for those extra cold days (here is a link to some), GLOVES, a HAT, an extra sports bra (for women), and even a pair of underwear at times. Once the rain stops, then you can change into your extra clothes.

A rain poncho is another good idea to bring with you when you go. They come in little packages that you can easily store in your bag. Then, you can wear the poncho when it starts to rain. REI has some great reusable rain ponchos you can use if hiking in the summer and it starts to rain. The poncho will not be warm enough to bring in the winter or late fall. On the other hand, if you get drenched in rain, it’s a little different than drenched in sweat. Again, I would bring a rain jacket, rain hiking pants (or quick dry pants), quick dry shirts, and quick dry hiking shoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some commonly asked questions.

1. First, is it safe to hike in the rain? Yes, it is. The only thing you have to worry about is, if it starts to thunder and lightning.
2. If it starts to thunder and or lightning, then get to lower ground as soon as possible. Being on ridge lines or open summits are probably the most dangerous place you can be during a thunderstorm. Because of lightening be able to strike a lot easier. Get to the lowest elevation you can get to that has good forest coverage or to your car as quickly and safely as possible.
3. In addition, you don’t want to be near tall trees either when lightning starts. Lightning tends to strike taller objects more, thus, try to stay near shorter trees. Here is even more tips on what to do when thunder and lightning happen unexpectedly.
4. Can you hike in the rain? Yes, you can hike in the rain, but again, just be on the lookout for thunder and lightning and get the heck out of there if you hear or see any.
5. What are the benefits of hiking in the rain? Hm, that is actually a good question. I wouldn’t say there are any proven benefits to hiking in the rain, except, maybe it makes you a stronger hiker. Otherwise, I’m unaware of any benefits to hiking in the rain.
6. Final question, is hiking in the rain dangerous? No, it is not. However, if thunder and lightning start, then yes, it is very dangerous, as previously stated above.

Okay, that wraps up how to prepare for wet weather when hiking. I hope this helps and you found some new, great, and useful gear for your hikes. Again, if you find yourself stuck in a thunder and lightning storm please read this article for more safety tips to follow. I would read this article in general to prepare because you never know what the weather will do when being in the mountains and in high elevation. Thank you for reading and stay safe when hiking!