What leggings should I get for climbing a mountain?

[PoliteSquid]

I’m hiking up Snowdon in April. When I do normal hill walking I wear leggings and I really hate trousers! This morning I am sat under a blanket trying to warm up my poor legs after being out for a couple of hours - my normal walking gear won’t cut it at the top of a mountain 🤣

So, I need warm leggings that are stretchy but not too hot… I have long legs but I’m fat round the middle so rubbish leggings roll down!

Any recommendations?

I wear the Iuga leggings that @WafflePlusWord has linked.
I have zero mountain climbing experience, I live in the flat non sheltered part of Lincs.
Dog walking, looking after/riding my horses, and fit underneath my waterproofs.
I've tried several other brands but these are my favourites.
I also wear them in summer because I prefer the lining to the thin type that makes my skin clammy.

You could always wear thermal tights under your leggings as well. And carry waterproof over trousers to deal with chill at the top (and weather if needed). Layers are definitely the best option.

You’ll need to account for temperatures in the day and also the difference between your starting elevation and the summit. At 3000 feet it will potentially be up to 9 degrees cooler than at valley level and there could also be substantial windchill. April is pretty variable - it might be freezing or it could actually be quite warm, so take kit for all conditions then wear/carry according to mountain forecasts on the day.

Same - they’re not stylish but way better than rustly trousers 🤣

Layers is where it is at - both the fact that any weather is possible and that it will change from carpark to summit...I have done it maybe 5 times via all sorts of routes, and easter I have had snow and I have had sunburn..

Leggings or trousers, with a waterproof (and windproof!) trousers on top and enough room in your rucksack to store them. Leggings or trousers - if it is warm weather, one pair. If it is looking cold, double up...
Gaiters are good, and I do use them, but on Snowdon you will be on hard surfaced paths the whole time and therefore not much use.

Your biggest issue will be the car parking, the bus wait and the crowds. Last time I did it I was last parking space in Pen Y Pass car park at 7:30am (three years ago). By later in the day a family member had a problem getting parking in the valley and a 1.5 hour wait for a bus. I went via Crib Goch ridge, and stepping out the mist at an early summit (maybe 11am?) there was a queue of about 30 people already. I had an early lunch and by the time I had left summit there was just an absolute line of people coming up both rail path and Pyg track. Like hundreds. Getting down the Pyg with such lines of people and queues for the few snow patches was very slow going indeed.

Rab Power Stretch fleece leggings are my go to for hiking (with over trousers if it rains). They are warm and comfortable.
Rab Womens Power Stretch Pants | Cotswold Outdoor

Why don’t you wear two or three of the leggings you already have? Then you can take them off if you get too hot.

You won't need gaiters for that sort of climb.
Gaiters are only worn if you're tramping through muddy bogs or swamp like grass, or on a long walk in mud. That's not Snowdon.

It would be very hard work to sit on the path which is evidently so busy and take off boots, socks and leggings, and put it all back on.

I’ve bought some açai leggings - looking forward to seeing how they are. And found some waterproof over trousers in Decathlon, They’re massive so I’m going to do a trial run getting them on and off over leggings and boots! As @goldenlockets says, I’m not stopping to faff about with peeling off layers if at all possible.

Have a marvellous time

I wear Montane thermal leggings in winter-quite solid and stiff for leggings but I’ve heard good things about Açai so will give them a try next time. If you’re going to do Rhyd Ddu, it’s great as long as you have a reasonable head for heights-there is a bit of a ridge along Bwlch Main which I have to avoid looking down. The Ranger path has nice views and is nowhere near as busy as Llanberis and about the same level. Hope you enjoy it!

Remember sweat will get you so cold, and it's usually why people feel cold not rain.
If you're going for that approach, set off slightly too cold.

I think messing around with layers is part of serious hill walking, as you need to keep your temperature and dryness right. I've done a lot of hill walking across the UK and Snowdon was the most challenging- it's a proper mountain and I did feel a bit concerned in places when we were scrambling up a deserted mountain in the middle of changeable weather. And I didn't attempt it in winter! I'd say that's pretty hard core mountain climbing.

Snowdon is not that 'serious'.
I've known people of all ages and fitness do it quite easily.

And yet this is the report on 2025 from the Llanberis MRT that covers the area:

"2025 was another record-breaking year for Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, with our volunteers responding to 358 callouts – nearly an average of one a day. Of these incidents, over 30% are managed by our co-ordinators directly while 231 required full team deployments, placing significant demand on our entirely volunteer-run service.
By the numbers:
Busiest month: August
Busiest days: Saturdays and Sundays
Most common locations: Llanberis Path, followed by Crib Goch
Tragically, we attended 9 fatalities during the year.
In the final month of the year alone, we received 14 callouts, resulting in 10 full team deployments. Six of these incidents were to Crib Goch.
Following a similar trend in November, we continue to see callouts increase in this area of Yr Wyddfa. Many of these involved walkers who were inexperienced and had not fully researched the route or weather conditions before heading out."

The OP is going in April when snow is still common in the upper part of Yr Wyddfa.

Yes, huge numbers of people make it to the top successfully, but that doesn't mean it isn't serious. And the Llanberis path is the least technically difficult, being a long straightforward slog on a good path, but is the most common for MRT call outs.

Crib Goch is obviously another kettle of fish being technically difficult (involving a scramble), a rock ridge, and also likely to cause people to freeze in fear.

@goldenlockets It might not be that serious in hillwalking terms-there are good if steep well kept paths. But for people not used to hiking or who don’t realise how different the temperature can be at the top, it can be pretty miserable. I’d say Crib Goch needs decent experience not to be quite scary. There was a recent inquest of a fit, 20 year old medical student who died falling off the Llanberis path in May. Bad weather had come in quite suddenly, he was possibly hypothermic and with glasses misted over, he wandered too close to the edge. Whatever path, if you don’t have reasonable fitness, it’s not a walk in the park.

And actually @goldenlockets , the comment you were replying to was about clothing layers.

In terms of being prepared for weather and temperature changes and appropriate clothing Yr Wyddfa is 'serious'. For a start there would typically be a 10' temperature difference between the bottom and the top , and that's without any additional wind chill factor (as summits tend to be windy) or dampness (ditto: mist) . Or a sudden deterioration in weather - also very common on any upland walk.

N.B the MRT comment from above: Many of these involved walkers who were inexperienced and had not fully researched the route or weather conditions before heading out."

Dismissive comments like yours can encourage the TikTok numpties as well as the keen but inexperienced to be at risk of hypothermia and the other (otherwise manageable) risks of the fabulous activity that is walking over our hills, fells and mountains.

I wear running tights because they dry quickly. Then carry waterproof over trousers (which you need to carry even if you don't expect to wear them), which double up as a windproof layer if needed at the top/on the decent.

I think "warm" leggings would be too hot on a stiff climb even on a mountain.

Alpkit have a a couple of pairs of leggings for hillwalking etc Mello and Mello Tech which are reinforced.

Alpkit have a a couple of pairs of leggings for hillwalking etc Mello and Mello Tech which are reinforced.

Decathlon cross country skiing leggings. Windproof, warm, and dont fall down.