Summer is undeniably coming. I know this because the days have started getting the tiniest bit longer… 😉
Sadly, many of us emerge from Winter’s shapeless warm layers not as much the “beautiful butterfly” as we would like.
We must lose our Winter insulation!
Each Spring, we feel the need to improve our weight and fitness before we can flutter confidently in the sunshine. Or even wear shorts….
(I don’t mean to suggest that anyone needs to be a certain size. It’s up to each individual and their medical advisors to decide what’s best for them.)
For myself, the main goal is to be fit enough to do any hike I’m interested in without a struggle.
I want to be a beautiful butterfly!
Also, I want to buy clothes when I need something new, not because I’ve outgrown my current size.
Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to lose weight hiking and get more fit at the same time!
It’s the time of year when trees in the South release massive clouds of yellow pollen into the wind, to be distributed to allergy-prone noses and lungs everywhere.
Around here, it’s known as “The Pollening”.
Pine pollen is a huge problem in the South
Even if you don’t live in the South, it isn’t unusual to find your allergies heating up along with the air temperature.
The horrors of pollen season are so well-known that years ago, when my boyfriend told me he’d be unavailable for a few weeks due to severe allergies, I had nothing but sympathy for him.
Much later, I realized that my boyfriend’s allergies struck at exactly the same time as the “March Madness” basketball playoffs. Hmmm…
Basketball and pine pollen season arrive together
I’m not as gullible now, but I still have nothing but sympathy for people with allergies 🙂
If you have allergic asthma symptoms throughout the year (like I do), or even seasonal allergies and asthma, you can’t do much about what’s floating around in the air outside.
What you can do is take steps to control allergens inside your home, so you can breathe and rest easier year round.
You’ll need some good tread on your boots for this one…
Getting the right outdoor gear and clothing can make the difference between a happy hike and a miserable or even dangerous one.
There’s a lot of advice out there on what gear you’ll need and which products are the best.
On this page, you’ll find my picks for outdoor gear, clothing, and other stuff you might need for your hiking adventures.
If you’re looking for some travel pointers or ideas for your next adventure, check out my Travel Resourcespage.
For full service active tours at great prices, see myAdventures For You! page.
This page contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I will receive a small payment at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, and other affiliations, I earn from qualifying purchases. See full Disclosure page here.
Don’t forget your hat! Click to purchase
Usually people say they won’t endorse anything they’ve not used personally.
That’s a good practice, and I’ve tried to do that as much as possible with my picks for you.
P
That said, I tend to buy decent quality stuff and hang onto my gear until it falls apart, so I haven’t been able to try out all of these brands yet.
But I’ve read the descriptions and/or looked over them in a retail store, and I feel confident recommending these products to you.
HIKING GEAR LIST
My selections below are a result of weeding through many products to give you a sample selection of reliable gear choices for any budget.
For a more in-depth discussion of what to consider for each type of clothing, take a look at my Day Hike Gear Guide.
You can also see some info about less expensive – but still good to have – bits of gear on this post.
NOTE: The photos and grids below show my top picks for you from a variety of brands through Amazon. (Click any photo for more info or to purchase. You can also use the Search bar to find more options.)
PANTS AND LEGGINGS
Decades ago when I was shopping for hiking gear, there wasn’t much available for girls and women that would stand up to actual hiking and sweating on the trail.
Everything seemed to be made of flimsy pastel fabric, and some even had ruffles. Eeeww.
Fortunately, my daughter and I were small enough to be able to get what we needed in the Boys’ department.
Today there are so many options – both in women’s and men’s – for pants, shorts, leggings and even hiking skirts that trying to choose the right ones will make your head spin.
What to Look for in a Pair of Hiking Pants
The main thing you’re looking for is comfort and mobility. (Looking good won’t seem so important if your thighs are chafed raw, so when in doubt go for the larger size!)
Hiking leggings – click to purchase
Lately I’ve noticed a lot of women and girls hiking in leggings.
I’m personally not a fan of this practice because non-athletic leggings aren’t breathable, and I don’t think anyone needs to see that much detail of my butt.
That said, wicking running tights or athletic leggings can work for hiking, especially in cooler weather.
I also always opt for hiking pants rather than shorts because even in very hot weather, long pants help protect my legs from getting scraped up or bitten by insects – and offer sun protection, too.
MID LAYER (INSULATING)
Men’s fleece – click to purchase
There are three basic categories of insulating layers: a thin fleece to hike in on colder days, a thin synthetic jacket, and a down puffy jacket for really cold weather.
(I also sometimes top this off with a rain shell too for an extra layer of wind protection.)
Even on a warm day, you should pack an insulating layer.
Women’s full zip fleece – click to purchase
On colder days, you’ll need more layers to put on and take off as the day (and you) warm up or cool down.
You’ll need to gauge the outside temperature and how hard you’ll be exercising to know how many layers you want to start with.
When you sweat and then stop for a break, you’ll get cold very fast.
That’s when it’s good to have a jacket or a fleece handy.
I like a fleece layer with a full zipper, so I can just inzip it if I don’t want to take it all the way off.
BASE LAYER
Your base layer is what you wear right next to your skin. In any season, it should keep your skin as dry as possible (e.g. use a wicking fabric), provide insulation and ventilation.
The purpose of wicking fabric is to pull moisture away from your skin.
Merino wool is a great choice and comes in different weights for any season. It also keeps on insulating you even when it’s wet.
Mens Merino mid-layer – click to purchase
As an alternative, synthetic fabrics dry fast so you won’t wear a cold layer on your skin, risking hypothermia.
Which reminds me – stay away from cotton: it’ll get wet and heavy, and is slow to dry.
I’ve also used wicking thermals to double as a base layer and camping jammies.
JACKETS
I always carry a lightweight rain jacket in my pack (along with a hat and gloves in case it gets chilly).
This is one of those items that every hiker needs, but does unfortunately wear out over time and has to be replaced.
If you hike in some really wet places with torrential rains, it’s also a good idea to keep rain pants in your pack.
Pick some with zippers running the whole length so you can put them on quickly, without taking your boots off.
My picks include a sampling of warmer jackets for cold weather and lighter ones for layering.
Some of the jackets below are waterproof and will also serve as rain jackets.
Each one offers something a little bit different and will fit different budgets and hikes in all types weather.
PACKS
High on the list of “must-haves” for your hike is a decent daypack or backpack.
Not only do your packs take care of your gear, they also can make or break your comfort level while out on the trail.
There are countless variety of good packs out there to choose from to get you started.
BOOTS OR SHOES
Hiking boots may be the most important item in your hiker’s kit.
If you don’t choose your boots correctly, you may be in for a lot of pain – and also the expense of getting a new pair!
Women’s mid-range boot – click to purchase
There are lot of choices now for outdoor footgear.
Trail runners, hiking shoes and hiking boots are all equally good and it really comes down to where you’re hiking, personal preferences, and the weather.
I prefer hiking in boots but I choose as light as possible for the season.
For boots, I prefer mid-rise because I have strong ankles. Waterproof boots are good for wet days and winter hikes.
Mens waterproof hiking boot – click to purchase
For shorter day hikes I might pick trail runners or hiking shoes.
If in doubt, it’s better to wear boots – especially when the terrain is rocky, the weather is wet, or you’re carrying a heavy pack.
When you get your boots, make sure you try them on wearing thick socks that you would wear for hiking.
Then walk around a bit, and make sure you have a little bit of room in front: if your toes hit the front, downhill trails will hurt you.
Remember, feet swell when you’re hiking, so make sure the boots aren’t too snug.
For more detail on how to choose the right boots, and more boot recommendations, see this article How to Choose the Best Boots.
And if you’re still looking for gear and gifts, take a look at our IRW Merch Shop.
You’ll find gifts with the IRW Logo, Holiday-themed mugs and water-bottles, and other fun things to give as a gift.
ONE LAST THING….
Amazon logo
There are some other Idratherwalk.compages about gear and other hiking stuff that feature Amazon products.
If you’ve been eyeballing something on the pages below, you should take another look to see if anything you want is on sale!
Years ago, when my daughter was about 3 years old and I was looking for outdoor activities for smaller kids, a friend introduced me to the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh.
For my daughter – and for me, too – it was a magical place.
This was partly because we were living in a rented townhome with not even a minimal yard, and partly because the arboretum really is magical! 🙂
But seriously, it does seem to be getting more difficult to find simple inexpensive fun outdoor activities for toddlers, especially if you don’t have a home with your own yard.
This is a real shame, because toddlers love getting outdoors to run around in the sunshine, play with bugs, and eat dirt.
Part of a border garden at the JC Raulston Arboretum
Fortunately for me, the JC Raulston Arboretum was only a short drive away, and was a great place to get outdoors and explore without any admission or parking fees – or even funnel cakes or anything-on-a-stick that I had to say “no” to.
Fortunately for everyone, although it has grown a lot in the past 20 years, the JC Raulston Arboretum is still a magical and inexpensive place to take young children to play outdoors.
They can feel the sunshine, eat dirt, and maybe learn a few things about trees and plants, too.
The best food for asthma – or any kind of diet – is healthy food that you want to eat and keep eating for a lifetime!
Even when you know what foods to avoid, it’s hard to always stick with it, especially at family events and Holiday gatherings.
I’ve been looking for the best food for asthma and perfecting my own anti asthma diet for a long time – and my own strategies for being social and still sticking to foods that are good for me.
My earliest memory is being inside an oxygen tent when I was a toddler. (I’m in my 50’s now.)
That’s a lot of years’ living with the disease and learning what kind of diet and exercise helps.
A picnic break during a hike in the Mont Blanc range.
Through research and trial and error, I’ve created a diet that helps me breathe easier.
Over time, thanks in part to my diet, I’ve gone from being a medicated Bubble Girl who couldn’t take a deep breath to a 50- something year old woman who does alpine hiking and leads weekly 6-12 mile hikes.
If you’re looking for additional (non-medical) ways to minimize or even eliminate asthma symptoms, this diet could help you, too.
My friends came back with all sorts of great recommendations – most having something to do with goats, llamas, and alpacas – but also a lot of breweries, wineries and meaderies. Hmmm. Anyway…
So, I trimmed out all of the adult beverages (that will be a different set of posts!) and made a list of places to go see.
For my first visit, I narrowed it down to alpaca farms near me, specifically looking for an alpaca farm tour.
And that’s how I found M&M Alpaca Farm. Although M&M offers free self-guided tours of the farm, I opted for a scheduled guided tour for just a few dollars. I’m very glad I did!
If you’ve read any of my other posts, you know that given the choice I most always prefer to be outdoors – hiking, walking, gardening, dining, listening to music and whatever else I can do outside.
Bond Park and Umstead State Park in Cary, NC are a couple of local places that I go to hike, walk and run that are easy to get to and always deliver a really good experience.
Minimum driving, maximum time on the trail is what I’m usually looking for.
Entry sign at Bond Park in Cary, NC
I’ve been using the trails and other park amenities both on my own and with my kids since I first moved to the area in 1996.
Like all of us, the park has changed over time and also – I hope like all of us – has improved with age as well.
Actually, I recently took an afternoon break to walk Bond Park’s Lake Trail, and found significant improvements to all of the the walkways and bridges along the way!
Updated bridge on the Lake Trail in Bond Park.
Read on to learn about the Lake Trail and other trails and combined routes inside Bond Park.
Alcohol and a diet plan for weight loss don’t really go together – especially if you’re calorie counting to lose weight.
You can drink beer on a diet – if you plan for it!
I should probably also mention that alcohol and altitude don’t go together, either – even though you can really burn calories hiking!
(Seriously, don’t drink if you’re hiking at altitude.)
That said, when you’re sweaty and parched after hiking umpteen miles of vertical gain (then back down again) carrying a heavy pack, nothing tastes more like victory than a nice cold beer.
Surely, after all that, you’ve earned it. Right?? Well, yeah. But you’re still going to pay – with lots of extra calories.
Fortunately, my daughter and I were small enough to be able to get what we needed in the Boys’ department.
Lately I’ve noticed a lot of women and girls hiking in leggings.
There are three basic categories of insulating layers: a thin fleece to hike in on colder days, a thin synthetic jacket, and a down puffy jacket for really cold weather.
On colder days, you’ll need more layers to put on and take off as the day (and you) warm up or cool down.
Your base layer is what you wear right next to your skin. In any season, it should keep your skin as dry as possible (e.g. use a wicking fabric), provide insulation and ventilation.
As an alternative, synthetic fabrics dry fast so you won’t wear a cold layer on your skin, risking hypothermia.
I always carry a lightweight rain jacket in my pack (along with a hat and gloves in case it gets chilly).
High on the list of “must-haves” for your hike is a decent daypack or backpack.
There are lot of choices now for outdoor footgear.
For shorter day hikes I might pick trail runners or hiking shoes.
