Spring and autumn turn the mountains and the outdoors into an ever-changing environment: cold mornings, warm post-noon hours, brief but intense showers, unpredictable winds, lingering ground moisture, and temperatures ranging from 5 to 20 °C in just a few hours. Equipping yourself for the shoulder-season calls for a layering system that can handle these changes while remaining lightweight, breathable, protective and adaptable. This is precisely what the AYAQ clothing range was designed for.
1. The technical challenges of the shoulder-season
The shoulder-seasons are not simply “milder winters” or “cooler summers”: they bring their own specific challenges.
- Wide temperature swings: cold mornings, warm midday conditions, and cold, damp evenings.
- Ambient moisture: dew, showers, fog and melting snow at altitude.
- Unpredictable winds: causing convective cooling that is difficult to anticipate.
- Varying exertion levels: frequent transitions between energetic climbs and slower walking.
Your layering system must therefore allow quick adjustments without ever becoming saturated with moisture.
2. Base layers: the central role of RWS merino
Merino is essential for managing sudden temperature changes. Warm even when damp, breathable and temperature-regulating, it adapts naturally to changes in pace.
- BIAFO (men / women): lightweight 100% merino, perfect for days when sustained effort begins first thing in the morning.
- MEFONNA (men / women): versatile 100% merino, well suited to days with frequent changes in pace.
- SHIRWALI (men / women): merino + Tencel (~240 g), ideal when mornings are cold and the wind picks up during the day.
The aim: maintain a stable temperature without over-insulating.
3. Midlayers: adjusting warmth without trapping moisture
KOKANEE (men / women)
An active fleece, perfect for cool mornings, energetic climbs and damp days. Its water vapour management makes it a key shoulder-season layer.
AROLLA (men / women)
A warmer, high-pile fleece. The preferred choice when the forecast is changeable but generally cool, or when stops are frequent.
4. The outer layer: the key to shoulder-season versatility
AYAQ hardshells — SKORA (men / women), LONAK (men / women), LONAK-XT (men / women) — all use the same exceptional non-microporous hydrophilic membrane: 52,000 Schmerber, RET < 12, highly wind-resistant, ultralight, resistant to clogging, PFC-free.
Adapting your layering system to rapid changes
In spring and autumn, the aim is to be able to remove or add a layer without upsetting the balance of the whole system. For changeable conditions, see our guide to unsettled weather. For a methodical approach to choosing each layer, explore the three-layer system.