If you’re just getting started hiking, you’ll likely have some questions on what to wear out on the trail. After all, what to wear hiking is just as important as — if not, more important than — what gear to bring. Believe me, it’s never fun feeling ill-prepared, too hot, or too cold while halfway up a mountain or in the middle of a forest. To make sure you’re ready for your next hiking trip, use this day hiking checklist as a guide.
This post is part of our Hiking 101 series, where we cover all of the things we’ve learned over the years hiking.
Key considerations for hiking attire
In general, there are a few key principles when it comes to dressing for hiking:
- Think in layers. Temperatures can vary when you’re out in the wilderness. For example, if you are hiking through a forest, it may be cool under tree cover but hot on exposed sections of the same trail. Layers and clothing that can perform double duty will make it easier for you to adapt depending on what Mother Nature brings.
- Consider your clothing material. In general, you’ll want to stick to moisture-wicking material and wool, and stay far away from cotton which tends to be heavy and difficult to dry.
- Know your terrain. This may seem like common sense, but it’s important to know a bit about where you plan to hike. If you’re hiking in a rainforest, you’ll likely want to choose water-resistant clothing. If you’re hiking in a desert, you may opt for protective head wear (e.g., a wide-brimmed hat or buff to keep sand from flying in your mouth).
- Check the weather forecast before you go. This is another tip that may feel like common sense, but we can’t stress how important it is to research where you are going. For example, is rain in the forecast? Has it snowed in the last week? This will help guide your planning.
- Small investments in hiking clothing make a big difference. When we first started hiking, we initially resorted to wearing what was already in our closet — workout clothes, a pair of running shoes, athletic socks. While there’s nothing wrong with this, we quickly found that clothes meant for hiking also meant a much more comfortable hike! For instance, I’ll take thick wool socks and a pair of hiking boots over athletic socks and tennis shoes any day of the week (and my feet will thank me for it every single time). If you plan to hike a lot, trust us, a little investment in hiking clothes will go a long way.
What to wear hiking checklist
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1. Hiking boots
Our pick for women: Columbia Women’s Newton Ridge Plus Waterproof Hiking Boot
Our pick for men: Merrell Moab 2 Mid Waterproof Men’s Boots
Favorite brands: Merrell, Northface
2. Moisture-wicking tops
Our pick for women: Nike Women’s Crew Training T-Shirt
Our pick for men: Under Armour Men’s Tech 2.0 Short-Sleeve T-Shirt
Favorite brands: Patagonia, Nike (Dri-Fit)
3. Hiking pants
Our pick for women: pRana water-repellent pants
Our pick for men: Columbia convertible pants
4. Light jacket
Our pick for women: Marmot Tempo Softshell Jacket
Our pick for men: Marmot Lightweight Waterproof Jacket
Favorite brands: Patagonia, North Face, Marmot
5. Wool socks
Additionally, wool has amazing properties that make it so ideal for hikers, backpackers, and campers. It has both cooling and warming properties, dries quickly, and can keep you warm even when wet. When our wool socks started to wear, we bought this exact new pack off of Amazon and found these to be just as good quality as others we’ve bought at stores like REI (plus, at a much more affordable price).
6. Buff
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Ready to hit the trail? Put your hiking gear into action.
Read our posts on our favorite hiking trails, national park trips, and more. We’ll also continue to build out our Hiking 101 series, so stay tuned!
This post contains affiliate links to products and services we love. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your supporting our blog!
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