Whenever we go over the topic of “Layering” for the camping merit badge, I instantly flash back to an episode of the TV show Friends with the phrase “Could I be wearing any more clothes?!”

But seriously, layering is a very helpful skill to master when camping and hiking. The art of layering can be used in both warm weather camping and cold weather camping.

For warm weather, if starting your hike in the early hours of the morning, a light jacket and sweater over your t-shirt will be your best friend. When you start to warm up, shed the extra layers into your pack. I always hike with pants rather than shorts. But if shorts are your thing, maybe try some break-away pants that the lower half zip off. The key is to have the right type of clothing with you for the most extreme weather you may encounter.

The same goes for cold weather. just thicker and more insulated clothing will be used. I have attended Klondike campouts were some of the scouts were only wearing a single layer of pants with a official Scout windbreaker. Ya, these scouts were not prepared for the -20 degree weather. With some help from their fellow scouts they were able to get a few more layers on and stay warm for the remainder of the outing. The key again, have the right type of clothing with you for the most extreme weather you may encounter.