What is the Layering System?

When shopping for outdoor clothing, you have probably heard about layering your clothing or as some people call it the ‘layering system’. The idea being, that you layer up clothing to help keep you warm, dry, and comfortable when moving through varying conditions. You can add or remove layers depending on how you feel and the conditions you are in. All the items should be easily packable, so they can fit inside your rucksack when not in use.

It is easy to assume that when the temperature drops, you should wear the thickest clothing possible. However, in reality, most mountain climbers, runners, cyclists, hill walkers and dog walkers will benefit from some variation in layering their clothing.

Carrying extra layers in your rucksack can help to keep you safe - the weather may be mild when you set off on your walk, but as you get higher into the hills, the temperature can and will take a sudden drop, and conditions can change in an instant.

How does the layering system work?

At a basic level, the layering system consists of three layers:

1 Baselayer - this helps regulate your body temperature and move moisture away from your skin

2 Mid layer - this is used to trap the warmth your body generates. Depending on how cold the weather is, this could be a fleece, a softshell or even a down jacket.

3 Outer Layer - this will be your protective layer from the elements. For example, a waterproof jacket in the rain or a windproof, down, or insulated jacket in the cold/dry.

Below we will take a look at these layers in a little more detail…

The Baselayer

• Worn next to the skin, creating a layer of warmth against your body
• Helps to wick moisture/sweat vapour from the skin to regulate body temperature
• The close fit of baselayers is important to help move moisture away and prevent chaffing and bunching against your skin.
• There are three different types of baselayers: lightweight, midweight and heavyweight. The heavier the clothing the warmer it will be, so choose wisely depending on the weather!
• Merino wool baselayers are best. They wick moisture effectively and are anti-microbial to keep foul odours at bay.
• Avoid using cotton as a baselayer. Cotton soaks up sweat and stays wet, drawing the heat away from your body, leaving you cold.

The Midlayer

• Worn over the baselayer to help trap in body heat
• Further wicks away sweat vapour
• If you are out walking, we would recommend a thin fleece or lightweight midlayer for milder days, and a midweight fleece or midlayer during cold weather
• A softshell midlayer is a protective layer that provides additional warmth but more importantly, it will keep out wind chill
• For resting, or passive exercise like a trip to the pub, or watching a game, insulated jackets or down jackets are great because that will effectively trap warmth even when you are not moving.

The Outer Layer (Shell)

• Protects you against wind and rain
• This layer will allow sweat vapour to pass through and away from the body completely whilst still able to keep water out
• This layer is usually a lightweight and packable waterproof jacket that can be quickly thrown on and off depending on the weather.
• An outer layer could also be a large, insulated jacket if the weather is very cold but dry
• There are various different types of waterproof material to learn about them in our Waterproof Guide

So, there you have it, layering in a nutshell! Focus on getting each layer as right as possible for your destination, and hopefully, your trip should be comfortable.