A Day on the Trails: My Favorite Hiking Attire
A fun fact about me is that I love nature. Ninety-nine percent of the time, you will catch me outside. With the hiking season fast approaching, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about my favorite clothing pieces that I wear for a day on the trails. Now I don’t claim to be an expert, take this with a grain of salt. While I love to hike and have been doing so for years, the things I like to wear may not be someone else’s cup of tea. This might be a fun and simple read if you love fashion and being outside like me.
Starting with the most important thing… shoes. I don’t judge, but it shocks me the number of times I’ve seen people hiking in Converse and Air Forces. I admit I’ve done a hike or two in my Crocs, do as I say not as I do. I don’t claim to be a doctor, but I can assume that consistently wearing impractical shoes with no support on a long or heavy terrain trail can negatively impact your feet in the long run. Take this from someone whose mom is about to undergo foot surgery. This is why as of recently I try to invest in good footwear.
Shoes are pricey, no matter the brand. My tip is to go on your favorite shoe brand’s website and check their policies. Many stores will let you return and/or exchange them if they don’t end up working out. Check out different sites as well to see if the shoes you’re interested in are discounted somewhere else. Trust me I’ve had my fair share of trial and error when it comes to hiking and trail shoes. For example, a lot of people tend to wear hiking boots or just some sort of shoe with ankle support and let me tell you, I personally don’t like them. But some people swear by them so it’s all about finding what works for you.
Here’s a little review of some of the shoes that I’ve tried:
On Cloudsurfer Trail 7/10
These get the job done. I have found that a typical hiking shoe does not have any sort of cushion so if you prefer a little bit of cushion in your hiking shoes these are a great option to try. I wore these when I hiked Half-Dome and I found they had great traction and for someone as clumsy as me, that was a godsend. I will say my feet felt like they were going to fall off after but I don’t think any shoe will save you from a hike that strenuous. There is also a weird curve in the front of the shoe that is not uncomfortable, but weird. A plus is they took little to no time to break in.
Nike Pegasus Trail 4 GORE-TEX 8.5/10
I don’t have any complaints about these. I mentioned before that I don’t like any shoe with ankle support, but these, in particular, are bendable and soft, so they move with you rather than restrict you. They have little cushioning, but they are soft in a way I can’t explain. They lasted me quite a while and had the best traction of any shoe I’ve tried. I would repurchase these.
New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v14 9.5/10
These are an honorable mention because they are not hiking shoes—they’re running shoes. But they are some of the greatest shoes I’ve ever owned. They feel like I’m walking on a cloud, and if you are a runner, I recommend trying these out. I wear them on paved trails when I go on my daily walks and for everyday recreational use.
HOKA Anacapa Breeze Low 4/10
I don’t like to be a hater, but I felt like I needed to be honest about these shoes. The soles were tough. Many people prefer a stiff sole for hiking, and honestly, I was able to look past that, too. What did bother me was the traction. These are technically the only hiking shoes I have on my list; the others are considered “trail” shoes. With that being said I expected them to have the best grip. I wore these when I hiked Glacier Point and the trail is paved with dirt for most of it. My feet slipped out from under me more times than I can count, causing an injury to resurface in my knee that lasted over a month.
Teva Hurricane XLT2 Sandals 8/10
Not a shoe but a sandal. A great option for hiking as well. I noticed a lot of people wearing these on the way back down from Half-Dome and I thought it was genius. I tend to wear sandals like these when camping and doing light hikes but I will consider packing these for my next big hike.
When talking about shoes we have to mention socks. If you’re doing a beginner hike or something that isn’t too hard on the feet you can just use whatever you own. However, if you’re doing an advanced hike with steep hills please buy some wool socks. I got mine from REI of course. Trigger Warning: It is common for people to lose toenails when hiking because of how much pressure you’re putting on them when going down hills and mountains. I heard it’s better to buy wool 5-toe socks, they look like gloves for your feet. I used a pair of wool socks that looked like any other normal sock and they worked fine for me but either way, this isn’t something I would skip out on when it comes to your hiking wardrobe.
If anyone is curious to know what I pack for a hike I would love to do an article on that as well. But for now, let’s get back to the clothes.
I prefer a loose pair of running shorts for bottoms, similar to the Nike ones in this photo. In my opinion, you can never have too many of these.
Leggings tend to feel uncomfortable on me in the heat so a free-flowing pair of shorts will usually do the trick. Hiking pants are a good option. Some brands offer zip-away pants that let you remove a layer as you go until you end up with shorts. I’ve never owned any, but if you plan to do a hike where the weather changes dramatically throughout the day, I’ve heard good things about them. You can find different options at REI or maybe check out your local gear shops.
As for tops, any sort of camisole is great. If it already has a built-in bra even better. If you can find a matching cami and shorts set even better than better because we love a two-piece around here. In the photo below you will see me in a two-piece jacket and short set from Pink that I wore on my journey up to Half-Dome. Yes, I was wearing a cami with a built-in bra underneath.
Long-sleeve cooling tops are a good option to avoid sun exposure as much as possible. I bought a pack of two from Costco and they work well. Brands like Columbia have sun protection collections that also protect you from UV rays.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even go for a dress. A tennis-style dress is not only useful for a day on the courts. It’s stylish, flattering, and moveable; most importantly, you can get some cute pics.
If you’re hiking in a colder climate, fleece-lined anything is a must-have. Sweatpants for me are a go-to, but I’ve also been enjoying leggings recently. As I said they’re not something I typically wear in the summer but for a cold day a pair of pants in general are non-negotiable. Also… layer, layer, layer.
When it comes to brands, I don’t usually venture away from Nike or the North Face. Old Navy also has some great activewear sets, and if you purchase online, they have tall and short girl-friendly options. Thrift stores or places like TJ Maxx, Ross, and Marshall’s are also great sources for name-brand activewear for a fraction of the cost.
Baseball caps and sun visors are a good addition or just a good slick back. Headbands can come in handy and they make for a fashionable accessory. DON’T forget sunglasses.
This is my last tip and it might be too much information but I just have to say it. Please be mindful of what underwear you’re wearing. Hiking is already difficult enough and it’ll make for an uncomfortable treck if you don’t choose wisely.
If you ever see me hiking it is safe to assume that I wore the same outfit the day before, and the day before that. Or at least some sort of variation of that outfit. I like what I like. If you’ve been interested in taking up hiking as a hobby I hope my wardrobe guide was a little helpful. As I mentioned in the beginning, sometimes you have to try things out for yourself to see what will stick.
Note: I wrote this article before cuts were made to the National Park Service. If you plan on visiting a park this year please be mindful that they are now short-staffed and that there may not be as much maintenance to the land. There is also the possibility of public safety threats. Please be patient with the employees. Respect them. Respect the land. It’ll respect you back. Get outside and take advantage of what little beauty we have in this world. You’ll thank me later.
For more information on this unfortunate setback, visit:
