Hiking has many health benefits such as preventing and reducing risks of having diabetes, heart complications, obesity and anxiety. How to choose the best clothes for hiking has always been a challenge to many. The biggest challenge is how to fit everything in a suitcase, but luckily there are quite a few hacks and tricks online to teach you how to do this properly.
Dressing properly and ensuring you have the supplies needed for hiking is important before you take off on your adventure.
Tops
Comfort and safety should be a big consideration when dressing for a hike. Your hiking dress choice depends on the weather forecast, the location of the hike, and also the length of the hike. It is prudent to dress in layers, whether it’s warm or cold, so you can remove some layers when it becomes hot and add them when it gets cooler. In order to keep sweat from sticking to you, wear an inner layer made of wicking material. Most importantly, it might be essential to wear sweat-wicking bottoms to keep the legs dry. Otherwise, you might be prone to getting rashes on your legs as sweat accumulation can cause a bacterial infection. Most of the time, hikers rash on legs can occur due to improper ventilation and moisture accumulation. Following this, the infected area may become itchy and swollen and it can be painful. It is, therefore, recommended to wear clothes made of breathable and wicking material when hiking for long periods of time.
This also helps to insulate your body. Your mid-layer should compose of either short or long lightweight pants when hiking in warm weather or heavyweight in colder environments. Your clothes shouldn’t be so snug that you cannot move freely and shouldn’t be too loose that it gets caught on things.
Footwear
The recommended footwear is sturdy, broken-in boots that are comfy and have a good grip. Hiking footwear comes in different types. Heavy hiking boots are the best footwear for backpacking, especially in areas with difficult terrain and climbing is involved. This is because they have an ideal stiff midsole. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on new hiking gear, you can buy secondhand gear from places like rei salt lake city. Whatever you choose to do, be sure you acquire high-quality items.
Light hiking is robust and suitable in most hiking conditions. For light hiking and trail running, adopt a trail runner- a type of light sneaker with a good thump. Wear trail shoes- a type of sneakers, if you are hiking on moderate or easy terrain. They are stiffer and have a good tread suitable for this type of terrain.
Outerwear
It is prudent to carry with you a proper outwear for when you might need it, irrespective of the season you are hiking in. For short hikes where you are anticipating favorable weather, a lightweight, water-resistant jacket will do. It protects you from wind and light rain. Make sure you have wet weather walking gear such as rain pants and rain jackets, when hiking with heavy rains expected. Wear a waterproof overall or a coat-insulated outer layers, coupled by an extra mid layer such as a long-sleeved shirt or a fleece jacket when hiking during winter because cold temperatures are common in this season.
Accessories
Select socks that fit well and draw off moisture. Use lightweight, breathable socks in warm weather hiking. In cooler temperatures, wear heavyweight socks to provide good insulation.
To protect your skin from sun, you can carry a lightweight hat. A stocking hat can also be carried to keep you warm and to protect your body from losing heat in the cold. Carry sunglasses to shield your eyes from sun rays and for snow blindness prevention.
Make sure to have a strong and comfortable bag to store you extra layers and other important accessories such as first aid kit, food and drinks, flashlight with extended battery, GPS and a whistle.