adWhat is the best sunscreen for hikers and climbers? In this post, we explore skin care essentials for hikers and share tips for keeping your skin sun-safe while on long walks or at higher altitudes.
Read on to find out our recommendations for our favourite sunscreens for hiking. Green People sun creams are natural and organic, gentle on sensitive skin and contain ingredients that are kind to the natural world.
At a glance
- Always apply sun cream when hiking and mountaineering to protect from sunlight, which may be more intense at high altitudes
- Choose one that is water repellent but doesn’t clog pores
- Best sunscreen for hiking: Green People's Scent Free Sun Cream SPF30
- Also take with you a good barrier balm and a natural deodorant
Choosing a sunscreen for hikers and climbers
The best sunscreen for hikers and climbers will be high-factor, water-repellent and designed to withstand sweat and high altitudes.
You'll also want to travel light as your hiking pack will already be heavy with water and your safety essentials.
To make it easy to keep your sun protection topped up on your hike, we offer hikers and climbers a choice of high-factor sun protection products in travel-friendly sizes, including 30ml, 50ml, 100ml and 200ml.
Best sunscreens for hiking and climbing
Scent Free Sun Cream SPF30
Looking for the best sunscreen for hikers prone to sensitive skin or prickly heat, our Scent Free SPF30 Sun Cream.
High-factor and water-repellent, this best-selling hikers’ sunscreen protects against UVA and shields skin from 97% of burning UVB.
Rich in cooling Aloe Vera, it’s powered by a protective blend of effective sun filters and Edelweiss, an alpine UV booster which gives hikers and mountain climbers an extra level of defence against UVA sun rays.
No wonder it is loved by Julia Bradbury, presenter of Britain’s Best Walks and Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast.
Scent Free Sun Cream SPF30 200ml
Protect sensitive skin naturally with our best-selling SPF30 sun cream
356 kr
“Really happy with this suncream, it’s the first natural suncream I’ve liked! It’s a nice consistency, it doesn’t smell weird & it worked brilliantly! I wore it hiking in Ibiza & didn’t get one bit of sunburn”
Carol M
Mineral Sports+ SPF30
Designed for an active lifestyle, our certified organic Mineral Sports+ SPF30 Sun Cream is a hiker’s essential. It is water-repellent, suitable for all skin types, and can be used on the face and body.
A 100% mineral sun cream, it provides instant protection and has the added benefit of coming in a no-spill 50ml tube that’s the perfect fit for your hiking kit.
To help keep your skin cool as you climb, we add a soothing core of over 60% Aloe Vera and the refreshing aroma of Peppermint and Eucalyptus.
Mineral Sports+ SPF30 Sun Cream 50ml
Reflect and protect with this 100% mineral SPF. Great for sport.
345 kr
Choosing an SPF for high altitudes
Are you heading for a walk in the hills? Summer hikes are a great way to escape the city's heat, but as UV is more intense at high altitudes (with every 1000 feet of elevation, there is an increase of 6-10% in UV exposure) you should always check the UV Index before you set off, wear appropriate clothing and apply plenty of high-factor SPF30.
The best sunscreen for hikers and climbers will be high-factor, water-repellent and designed to withstand high altitudes.
As you climb, you’ll no doubt work up a sweat, which can deplete the protective power of your hiker’s SPF. So, choose a water-repellent sun cream designed to endure the heat of a hot hike or mountain climb and reapply it regularly.
Avoiding insect bites when hiking
Looking for a mosquito repellent for hiking? Did you know that your sun cream could also help you avoid insect bites while hiking or climbing? Ideal for early morning hikes, our SPF15 with Natural Insect Repellent is a great choice for walkers who want to avoid insect bites.
Enriched with the clinically proven natural insect repellent Citrepel®75, it provides 2-in-1 defence from sun damage and biting insects and offers hikers a DEET-free way to protect their skin against mosquitoes, midges, ticks and more for up to 4 hours at a time.
SPF15 Sun Cream with Natural Insect Repellent 100ml
Protect, soothe and repel with organic sun cream with insect repellent
345 kr
Always remember to use after sun to cool your skin in the evening after sun exposure. Our Moisturising After Sun with Natural Insect Repellent combines soothing, rehydrating Aloe Vera and refreshing Peppermint with the insect repellent Citrepel®75.
Moisturising After Sun with Insect Repellent 100ml
Soothe, hydrate and protect with this organic after sun with insect repellent
197 kr
NATURAL DEODORANT FOR HIKERS
Need a natural deodorant to keep you feeling fresh and comfortable during a hilly hike? Naturally non-pore-clogging, our organic deodorants use a natural three-way action to effectively neutralise BO without agitating sensitive skin.
For a women’s deodorant that keeps you feeling fresh and protected as you hike, look no further than our Aloe Vera & Prebiotics Deodorant.
Our best deodorant for hikers, this gentle roll-on keeps underarms feeling cool, calm and balanced with a burst of Aloe Vera freshness and soft, earthy notes of Sandalwood Wood Oil and Chamomile Flower Oil.
Aloe Vera & Prebiotics Deodorant 75ml
Keep your skin beautifully fresh and balanced with our Aloe Vera deodorant
154 kr
If you are looking for a men’s deodorant for hiking, choose our Green People for Men Mint & Prebiotics Deodorant.
Made with cooling, refreshing Peppermint and Eucalyptus, this organic deodorant for men is the perfect choice for long hikes or climbs.
Green People for Men - No. 9 Mint & Prebiotics Deodorant 75ml
Stay fresh with our cooling, certified organic minty roll-on men's deodorant
154 kr
Discover barrier balm for hikers
Best anti-chafing balm for hikers and climbers
If your helmet and mountaineering equipment chafe your skin, you’ll want to protect it with a balm packed with skin-kind ingredients that soothe skin irritation while also working to prevent further chafing.
One Balm is our best skin balm for hikers and climbers. Packed with protective plant oils, including protective Myrrh and reparative Rosehip, it makes a brilliant barrier balm and knows just how to shield your skin from dryness, irritation, and other elements.
ONE Balm 30ml
Use this organic multi-purpose beauty balm to soothe lips, cuticles and dry skin
165 kr
We hope you have found this guide to hikers' sunscreen and skin care helpful. For further help choosing sunscreen for your next hike, please contact our friendly UK customer care team on 01403 740250 or @GreenPeopleUK.
REVIEWED BY CHARLOTTE, FOUNDER OF GREEN PEOPLE
This blog post has been reviewed by Charlotte Vøhtz, founder of Green People, who has 25+ years of experience in the natural and organic beauty industry.
A recognised leader in the field of organic beauty, Charlotte helped inform the UK's first organic beauty standards and was voted the People’s Choice in the 2023 list of Who’s Who in Natural Beauty.
A published author, she wrote the organic beauty bible ‘Naturally Gorgeous’. Previously, she qualified as a nurse and spent over 10 years working in pharmaceuticals.
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