The BEST Gear for Homesteading
There’s nothing like the feeling of having the absolute right things on your body when you set out to do some work or chores. And it’s terrible when you are wearing the wrong thing. I can’t count how many times I have torn a piece of clothing that wasn’t meant for working in or I was freezing because the wind was cutting through my clothing. Over the past 2 years of living off grid, we have slowly figured out the best clothing, shoes, and accessories to fit each situation, whether it’s the heat of summer or the dead of winter. Here are the things we swear by and links to where you can check them out!
Wind breaker / Bandana / Crocs / Blundstones / Puffy Coat / Overalls / Thermal Hoodie / Birkenstocks / Rain Jacket / Wool Socks / Beanie / Muck Boots / Basic Tees / Sloggers / Durable Winter Coat
Clothing
I have an unspoken rule that if I am going to be working outside, I have to have my legs covered. When you are working with tools or gardening- shorts aren’t going to cut it. I’ve learned the hard way so even in the middle of summer, I’m wearing my favorite overalls. Duluth’s Heirloom Gardening overalls are made of a light enough material that they can comfortably worn in the summer. They are tough, the wind doesn’t cut through them, but somehow your legs never feels stuffy in the heat. They also have little pockets over the knees where you can put knee pads. It’s a surprisingly nice feature and I utilized it when I laid tile and I loved it! Plus they have endless amounts of zippers and pockets. We have them in many different colors and every season they come out with limited edition prints that are so fun (like Casey’s mushroom printed ones below).
If you can’t bear the thought of wearing long pants in the summer, these overalls also come in a shorts version . For winter, we also have the Duluth Firehose Bibs that is made of a little heavier fabric. These are better in cooler whether, so if you live in a really cold place, these overalls might be a good choice for you!
I swear this isn’t a sponsored post for Duluth but we do love a lot of their products and we really love this coat for winter. While we don’t have super cold winters, it really comes in handy when it does get cold. It’s tough and durable but also comfortable to wear.
Our puffy coats are nothing fancy & they are inexpensive. We will likely get some nicer ones one day, but these have served us well over the last 3 fall/winters on our homestead. Both of our puffy coats have cuts somewhere on them and we just go with it. They are our true homestead coats/jackets. Slap some duct tape on and it’ll be just fine!
We have different rain coats, but I think I like Casey’s more. Mine is just fine, but Casey’s comes with a built in carrying case. I know that may sound crazy, but if you’ve ever needed to pack you rain coat (or even your puffy coat) the pouch comes in handy. And even though we are homesteaders, we still travel a good amount and take a rain coat almost everywhere we go. But in terms of doing a good job, both mine and Casey’s work great! If you have a couple extra bucks to spend, go with Casey’s.
A wind breaker is nice to have when you need an extra layer that isn’t quite as stuffy as a rain coat. In early spring it gets super windy on our mountain and this anorak really helps. It keeps the wind from cutting through but also isn’t as suffocating as a rain coat. It’s also water repellent so if you get caught in light rain, you’ll stay dry.
This is my go-to for under overalls in the cold. When you are working for long periods outside, your temperature becomes complicated. Your face is frozen, but your core is warm and cozy because you are moving around likely doing physical labor. This thermal hoodie helps keep your core warm and I use the hood like a beanie. You can take it on and off as needed and the hood will never get misplaced like a beanie might.
Since we wear a lot of overalls, we need shirts that go under overalls. Any sort of fitted shirt would work but we get cute basics here. This is where we like to show some personality and have a little fun. Since we wear everything else over and over again, we kept it simple. But the basic tee is where we have our fun. Some of our current favorites are this one, this one, and this one.
Shoes
Just like I require pants for working outside, I also have to wear closed toed shoes. These are my favorite work boots and I have had mine for 4 years. I’ve changed the inserts a few times, and they are still going strong. I sometimes even wear them with casual wear when I go into town or to hang out with friends. And I definitely wear them year round. Unfortunately, I spilled a bit of paint right on the top of mine and one of my boots has been stained (WHITE!) ever since. It doesn’t stop me from wearing them though! They are a bit pricey but they are high quality and that’s what we need in a homesteading boot.
We have thick woods full of briars, brambles, snakes, and all kinds of critters, and Muck Boots are perfect for those conditions. They are also great for muddy rainy days, and they are good for snow too. These boots are HEAVY DUTY. When you put them on, you feel like you can do anything. Casey has started wearing hers even when it’s not raining because they are just so sturdy. Casey bought this boot jack to help remove the boots because they can be hard to get off especially when they are caked in mud. We also keep this boot cleaner by the front door to help clean the dirt off your boots before coming inside.
Casey almost exclusively wear Birkenstocks all summer long. Occasionally, she even breaks my closed toe shoe rule for working outside and she usually gets into trouble when she does. (I’m obviously kidding, lol) I wear them more off the homestead, but they are so easy to slip on and run outside to pick some herbs, flowers, or vegetables or to grab some eggs and give the chickens treats. And most importantly, they are comfortable, good for your feet, and durable and will last a good few years before needing to be replaced. Even when you wear them almost every day in the summer and fall months.
These are a favorite of Casey’s. The ease of sliding them on while also protecting your toes is the perfect combination It’s kind of like a slipper, that is waterproof on the outside. They are watering plants and keeping your feet dry sort of shoes. I know all of these scenarios seem so specific, but if you are a homesteader, you know! There are just some chores or things you have to do that require a very specific shoe or pant, etc. And when you have that specific thing it just makes your life easier.
Another favorite of Casey’s. Never to wear out in public, though… these are strictly homestead only shoes. They dry out quickly, slip on, and are super breathable, while also mostly protecting your toes. I wouldn’t recommend these for building, but if you dropped a hand shovel on these, your toes would be fine!
Accessories
Homesteading and living off grid are two tough gigs. You definitely need tough socks to keep up! You know those socks you might get in a stocking at Christmas or that are in the dollar section at Target or Walmart? Those. will. not. do! I mean… you can wear them- I certainly have. But they will not last, they don’t breath well, and you’ll have stinky sweaty feet. You need a sock that will take the beating you will be giving them. We love wool hiking socks, and we are partial to these Darn Tough socks. Even if you can just have one pair to wear on the toughest days, they are worth it.
Casey and I wore these on an insane week long hike (it was WILD) and they held up great. They are designed to wick sweat away from your feet so your feet don’t feel sweaty or stink AND this means that when you take them off they will dry very quickly. Wow, I can’t believe I have so much to say about these socks, but there is one more thing! (I’m also realizing there is a lot of cross over between hiking/backpacking and living off grid…) These socks are guaranteed for life. So if they get holes or tear, the company will replace them, no questions asked.
One of my new favorite accessories for working outside is a bandana. I like to wear them on my head to pull the hair off of my face. I get sweaty pretty easily, so I don’t want anything touching my face or neck if at all possible. A bandana helps! Casey wears hers around her neck and this catches sweat and looks cute. On the cooler days it can provide a little warmth on the neck area like a lightweight scarf. This is one of our favorite brands of bandanas.
A buff is another option like a bandana, but maybe a little more hardcore. On the sweatiest days, a buff can do wonders keep sweat from falling on your face. We use these a lot when we hike in the warmer months. It also can be worn around your neck kind of like a sporty scarf- to provide warmth or protect your neck from wind. You can pull part of the buff over your face to protect it from the wind and cold too. It's very multi-purpose and takes up a tiny amount of space if that’s something you have to pay attention to.
When it’s just plain cold out and you know you’ll want to keep your ears warm all day or just for a moment to step outside and feed the animals, any beanie will do. But since we are on the subject I love this one and this one.
You should now be well versed in this selection of tough gear that is out there. Some of these pieces may cost a little more than you are used to (maybe not) but this is the stuff we wear over and over again. We sure don’t want our clothing breaking down on us on the “job”. These are high quality pieces that will allow us to get the most out of each of them, so we will feel very comfortable recommending them to you. If you have a need for something not on this list, let us know! I’m still on the hunt for a great tank top for hot summer days. Recommendations welcome!