Acheela, Hi right back to you! Before I would make any recommendations about base and mid layers (and BTW, shop in whatever section works for you. I have, for example, a set of women's Cuddl Duds that I sleep in. They are warm and light, just the ticket for my winter backpacking set-up), the more important Q's are; 1) What kind of physical shape are you in now, and, 2) How high is "higher elevations"? Your greatest risk in pushing where you are at now as a hiker does not come from your gear (unless you have none, or the gear you have is so poor that it is useless, that is, just like having nothing) but from how ready your body and mind are to meet the next hiking challenge. Understand that this is a value-neutral assessment, that is, asking "am I physically ready for this hiking challenge" has nothing to do with any particular weight or fitness level. For example, I am closer to sixty than fifty, I am in great physical condition, working out five to six days a week and hiking every week, and I always do a long (think 5 to 12 days) backcountry hike in the summer, typically at much higher elevations than where I live (elevation of my town - 700 feet about sea level). BUT, I am VERY careful to train for the hike, lose weight for the hike, and always have a physical before the hike. When you go out backpacking for longer days and higher elevations, you want to have that "Oh my Lord, it is so beautiful!" experience, and not the "Oh my Lord, how am I going to get out of here!" experience. The difference in that outcome starts with our most important piece of gear - ourselves. That all being said, check this REI vid on layering ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYKkfjE5GpQ ), keeping in mind that if you are on a tighter budget, you can shop the types of layers in all sorts of places, even stores like Walmart (again, my Cuddl Duds). And don't worry about which department (men's/women's) you get your stuff in, just keep moving forward - You will drop the weight that you don't want and reach the heights you are aiming for, one step at a time. See you down the trail! JBG
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