What to Wear Winter Forest Bathing

The winter is cold. The winter is lovely. As the old Scandinavian saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.

To enjoy nature during the winter while forest bathing, it’s important to dress appropriately. ‘I know how to dress for the winter’ you say. I bet you do! But this isn’t like other outdoor excursions like hiking or skiing. Guided forest bathing walks are typically 2-3 hours and they are very slow and leisurely. So when you’re dressing for a walk, I want you to bundle more than you normally would. Unlike snowshoeing or even having a brisk winter walk, you won’t be moving quickly or exerting yourself. This means you won’t be generating additional body heat. You want to preserve the heat you have. Think LAYERS.

Baselayer

This is the first layer that you’ll be putting on. This is a thin layer that’s form fitting and snug. Let’s start with long underwear, an upper long sleeve layer, glove and sock liners (if it’s really cold), and thick socks. Being a vermonter, I definitely recommend Darn Tough Socks. Recreationalist folks would caution you against wearing cotton because if it gets wet, it won’t hold your heat like wool does. But like I said, you won’t be exercising and sweating so a cotton first layer is just fine.

Mid-Layer

I recommend getting a wool layer on next or fleece. I have an old Kashmir sweater that has retired from being a presentable outer layer so I wear that. Kashmir is amazing for holding body heat and so is wool! For a bottom mid-layer you could put on some sweatpants or normal pants. If it’s really cold, you might want to consider adding a vest or a micro down layer too.

Outer layer

I have a down jacket. It’s really big and puffy and it’s super warm. If you have a big warm coat, definitely bust that out and wear it. The folks who wear good coats are visibly more comfortable and at ease on winter forest bathing walks. This can be you! If your jacket has a hood, that’s good. Hoods are great to put on when there’s a chilly wind. Don’t forget a hat as well. Any kind of beanie will do. Wool hats are the best or if you have one of those bomber style hats with earflaps, wear that. I recommend wearing something on your hands, too. I recommend mittens. I love mittens because he can ball up your hands to keep them warm and also you could take in little acorns, pine cones or other nature objects you can collect while forest bathing and hold them.

I don’t want to forget the outer layer for your legs. I wear some old wool Johnson Woolen mill pants that are nice and thick. They are great for romping in the snow but generally, you want to knock the snow off before it melts on you. But if they get wet, wool will still keep you warm. And a big bonus is that they are silent when I walk. When you’re forest bathing your senses typically get heightened. When you are listening to nature, any noise can capture your attention. I say this because if you are wearing snow pants, you will hear the synthetic ‘swoosh, swoosh’ when you walk. That’s not the end of the world. If you only have snow pants please wear them but just keep that in mind he might be hearing yourself walk. That’s ok though, because remember, you ARE nature.

Benefits of forest bathing include:

Footwear

I wear insulated boots with thick soles. I wear Sorel’s which have a wool removable liner. Combined with wool socks, my feet are toasty warm. If you only have hiking boots, use sock liners and thick socks and depending on the temperature and your body, you should be ok. You don’t want your feet to feel tight in your boots because this restricts your circulation so leave room. But do wear some snow boots if you have them.

So that should do it! Remember, layer up. You don’t need anything else but if you want to use hand or boot warmer packets when it’s really cold, pack those. You don’t want to be carrying anything when you’re forest bathing. Bring hands-free is key. So if you want to bring something, wear a light, almost empty backpack to stuff some layers in if you want to shed them during the walk.

Forest bathing in the winter is magical so I encourage you to go. It can be hard to get outside in the winter especially when you’re used to being cozy inside. But if you dress well, it’s not only comfortable but it’s rejuvenating, inspiring and restorative. Combined with your warm clothes, you’ll have a tea at the end with your guide and if you’re lucky, a bonfire. So get out there in the sun and chilly air. You’ll feel better because of it. Sign up for a walk near you and give it a try!

What did I miss? Leave your comments below!

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by Duncan Murdoch

Duncan is a certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide through ANFT and a Nature Integration Consultant. Contact Nature Connection Guide if you would like to experience a Nature & Forest Therapy Walk and if you would like to know how to best incorporate nature into your life. Be sure to subscribe to Nature Connection Guide’s Nature Newsletter to keep informed and current on the movement of Nature Connection.

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Duncan Murdoch

CERTIFIED NATURE & FOREST THERAPY GUIDE Duncan is a Certified Nature & Forest Therapy guide living and working in Vermont. He grew up on the shores of Lake Champlain where his deep connection to Nature was formed. Following his passion for art, he moved to NYC where he lived and worked as a professional actor for 14 years. Nature called him to become a horticulturist so he transitioned to become a NYC parks department gardener which lead him to a life of nature (re) connection. After receiving his Nature & Forest Therapy Guide Certification from the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) in 2015, he began his practice in New York City guiding the first forest bathing groups in Central Park. He then moved back to his home state in Vermont in 2015 and began his work with the Intervale Center growing and planting native trees where he now serves as the Land Stewardship Coordinator. As a wellness practitioner, he is part of the UVM Integrative Health Practitioner Network and frequently conducts forest bathing experiences throughout Vermont and the world, in-person and online with his organization, Nature Connection Guide.