Starting a hike in late summer in southern Europe and then hiking north as autumn gets going, I expect to encounter a variety of weather conditions. In the early days, I’ll be encountering overnight lows that will be higher than daytime highs by the end. For this reason, layering will be a key to staying warm on cool mornings while being able to quickly shed layers as the sun heats things up.
I also expect to encounter a fair amount of rain. While September is normally fairly dry in southern Portugal, but by the time I reach northern Spain, they average 17 days of measurable rain in October.
To keep me warm and dry, I will be taking:
A hat – I’ve picked up a Columbia Sportswear sun hat. It looks like a baseball cap but has flaps that can drop down to protect your neck, ears and even cheeks.
Sun shirt – I have a Mountain Hardwear sun hoody with built in SPF 50 sun protection. On cold mornings, it even has thumb holes so you can wear it over your hands. It also includes a hood to give me another layer of warmth or sun protection.
Fleece – I’m taking a Mountain Hardwear Microchill full zip fleece jacket to keep me warm on chilly mornings.
Rain jacket – Mountain Hardwear strikes again with their 3-layer rain jacket. This should protect me from all but the most torrential rains and if they come, I’ll wait them out indoors or under a tree.
Leggings – I’m slightly on the fence as to if these will make the final cut, but right now I have a pair of Nike Pro Combat leggings in my kit. These can be worn under pants as a base layer or as pajama bottoms on cold nights.
Running Shorts – I’ve also tossed in a pair of Nike running shorts that can serve as something to wear while doing laundry. They can also double as a swimsuit if I need one.
| Total Weight: | 1,066 g (2.35 lb) |
| Total Weight in Pack: | 999 g (2.20 lb) |