What to Wear for Quad Biking in Tenerife and on Mount Teide

Best footwear

Wear closed shoes or trainers. They stay on your feet on the footrests, grip when you climb on and off at the viewpoints, and protect your toes if a foot slips. Flip-flops and loose sandals do none of that.

This is a rule as well as advice. Every quad tour on this site lists closed-toe shoes as required or as something to bring, and several state outright that sandals, flip-flops and bare feet are refused. The Puerto de la Cruz tour says riders in sandals are turned away at the gate, and the shoes are not provided. One southern operator, the Teide National Park Day or Sunset Tour on Quads, rents shoes for an extra fee, but arrive in your own.

Dress in layers

A T-shirt with a light fleece and a windproof jacket over it works on most daytime routes. You leave a warm coast and climb to the caldera at around 2,000 metres, where the air is cooler and windier, especially later in the day. Layers let you open up at the viewpoint stops and zip up again for the ride.

Long trousers are the better choice on every departure. Shorts are not banned by the operators we list, and on a hot summer morning plenty of riders wear them, but bare legs take the full wind on the descent and the sun at every stop. The best-time guide explains how big the temperature gap gets, month by month.

Sun and wind protection

Bring sunglasses and sunscreen, because the sun at altitude can be strong even when the air feels cool. Put the sunscreen on before the briefing; once you are in a helmet and gloves you will not want to stop and do it at a viewpoint. Sunglasses also keep wind and grit out of your eyes if your helmet has an open face. The 3h Chío tour gives every rider a full-face helmet, which solves that.

A wind-resistant layer does more for you than a very thick jumper. On an open quad the wind of the ride cuts through knitwear, while a thin shell over a fleece keeps it out.

Sunset and winter

Long trousers and warmer layers become much more important on sunset tours and between December and February. The temperature drops quickly after sunset, you ride back down in fading light, and clear nights in the park come close to freezing even in summer. Add a thermal base layer, a fleece, a windproof jacket and gloves if your tour does not lend them. A neck buff tucked inside your jacket keeps the wind off your throat without anything flapping.

Winter brings one more factor: snow and ice close the mountain roads several times most winters, and tours are then cancelled. Keep your free-cancellation window open and check the forecast the evening before.

What the operators supply

What you need to pack depends on what the tour hands you at the meeting point. Every operator provides a helmet, for the passenger too. Jackets and gloves vary, so check the listing for your tour.

If you want the warm kit handled for you, the 3h Chío tour is the one to book: $116 a quad, rated 4.7 from 1,222 reviews, with a thermal jacket, gloves and a full-face helmet for the sunset ride as well as the daytime slots. The La Escalona double quad costs less, from $66, but gives you a helmet only, so you bring every warm layer yourself.

What to avoid

Avoid loose scarves, dangling straps, drawstrings, very loose clothing and footwear that can slip off. Anything that flaps can catch on the machine or the controls. Tie long hair back so it fits under the helmet, and keep a small bag zipped and strapped close to your body if the guide lets you bring one.

Dust depends on the route, and most Teide quad tours are cleaner than people expect. Off-road riding is prohibited inside Teide National Park, so the park routes run on sealed roads and the dust you meet is at gravel viewpoint pull-offs or on a hazy calima day. Our guide to whether quad biking in Teide National Park is off-road explains the rule. Tours with unpaved sections run outside the park: the North route option of the Puerto de la Cruz tour includes about 30 minutes of track in the Orotava Valley, and the 100% Off-Road Quad Adventure (4.5 from only 19 reviews) hands out a bandana to keep the dust off. On those, do not wear clothes you would be upset about getting dusty, and bring sunglasses or goggles.

Simple daytime outfit

A reliable combination is trainers, comfortable long trousers, a T-shirt, sunglasses and sunscreen, plus a light jacket that you either wear or receive from the operator. A quad has little room for a spare layer once you are riding, so wear it from the start and open it at the stops.

Simple sunset outfit

Closed shoes, long trousers, a base layer, a fleece and a wind-resistant jacket keep you warm after the sun goes down. Add gloves and a neck buff unless your tour supplies them.

What to Check Before Booking

Route

Confirm where the tour goes; the word “Teide” in a title does not mean you reach the caldera. A higher route means colder air and more layers.

Duration

Check whether the advertised time includes pickup, briefing and stops, and look for the actual riding time where the listing gives it. Three hours in the saddle at altitude needs more clothing than a short loop.

Pickup

Verify your exact resort or meeting point and whether transport is included or costs extra. If you drive yourself to the start, you can leave spare layers in the car.

Driver and passenger rules

Check minimum ages, licence requirements, passenger limits and whether registered driver swaps are allowed. Passengers get a helmet too, and need the same shoes and layers as the driver. Our licence and age guide sets out each operator’s rules.

Terrain

If off-road riding matters to you, look for a specific description of the unpaved section; do not assume it is included. Off-road sections mean dust, so dress for it.

Weather and clothing

Dress for high-altitude conditions, not only the temperature at your hotel, and check the operator’s weather policy. Look at the listing’s “included” line for a jacket and gloves before you decide what to pack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I wear shorts?

The operators we list do not ban them, but long trousers are the better choice. Shorts leave your legs open to the wind and the sun, and on sunset or winter rides they make for a cold descent.

Can I wear flip-flops?

No. Closed-toe shoes are required by the operators we list, and flip-flops, sandals and bare feet are refused at check-in.

Do I need a jacket in summer?

Yes. Bring a lightweight windproof layer even in July, because the caldera is far colder than the coast and the ride adds wind chill. On sunset departures bring a warm one, unless your tour supplies a thermal jacket.

Will I get dusty?

Not much on the national park routes, which run on sealed roads because off-road riding is prohibited inside the park. Tours with unpaved sections outside the park are dustier; one hands out a bandana for it.

Do tours provide gloves and a jacket?

Some do. The 3h Chío tour and the Late Morning tour include a jacket and gloves, the Puerto de la Cruz tour lends gloves and a rain jacket in winter or wet weather, and the La Escalona double quad gives you a helmet only.

Final Thoughts

Pack for a cold, windy hour at altitude even if the coast is hot: closed shoes, long trousers, a fleece, a windproof shell, sunglasses and sunscreen. Then check your tour’s listing for what it hands out, because a supplied thermal jacket and gloves change the sunset ride more than anything you can fit in a bag. If you are still choosing a tour, our comparison of Teide quad tours sets out price, departure point and kit side by side.