Clothing:

Selecting clothing is a combination of planning to take enough to provide warmth in order to prevent hypothermia yet light enough to not load down your backpack with too much weight. Take what is needed and nothing more. The following are considerations in purchasing various clothing items:

1) selecting boots -

For many ultra-light hikers sneakers will be the shoe of choice, however, keep in mind that muddy conditions are very common in the outdoors and simply because the ground at home seems fine, when you start hiking in the woods a form of waterproof boot or sneaker may be advisable. A firm sole in combination with traction that prevents slipping obviously is the safest way to hike. Wearing a running shoe will allow you to hike fast, use less energy and attain more mileage per day. However, for extended hiking trips, in which the weather is less predictable, a certain amount of consideration should be given to the kinds of situations one might encounter. There are two theories related to the kind of boot to wear:

The first theory reasons that by wearing a light-weight sneaker-boot you are able to avoid the major concern of blisters and are able to cover more mileage per day. Covering more mileage allows you to carry less food due to the greater accessibility to grocery stores due to the decreased time between store visits. Obviously, the more access to food you have the less food you need to carry, thereby making your pack lighter and in turn your hike more enjoyable. This theory is the basis of the concept of ultra-light hiking and should be considered in selecting hiking boots.

The second theory is to purchase a boot that provides total support and durability. Those who subscribe to this theory believe that, while it is important to maintain a light pack, safety and comfort are issues that make hiking more enjoyable, which is after all the purpose of hiking. Carrying the absolute minimum, according to this theory, invites trouble and simply makes the hike dangerous due to unforeseeable circumstances and meaningless since those covering so many miles are not spending any time to smell the roses. Hiking to these ‘traditional' hikers is not governed by spending less time in the woods due to increased hiking mileage, but rather the spiritual and mental benefits of being in the outdoors.

There is much to be said for both theories. For the beginning hiker it is recommended that you consider your style of hiking to be somewhere in the middle. The middle path is the one that may lead to enlightenment. Don't allow yourself to carry so little that you are putting yourself at risk. On the other hand, know what you really do need and what you can do without. For most, you can go without much more than you think and still be safe. At any rate, the hiking boot is a reflection of the theory to which you subscribe. In general, a heavy hiking boot will most likely lead to blisters and make your hiking pace much slower, while a hiking sneaker will not provide the support you may need and may easily wear and become prematurely useless.

Lastly, in selecting a hiking shoe, it is recommended that there is as little stitching as possible. The more external stitching the shoe contains the more likely that these stitches will fail. Select a shoe that is made of one-piece material with significant ankle support.

Socks:

There is a significant decrease in the likelihood of developing blisters if you wear two pair of socks when hiking. One silk liner sock in combination with a thick hiking sock. The silk liner acts as a buffer between the constant rubbing of the outer sock and the foot. Silk, or nylon, is slippery allowing the outer sock to rub the foot without constantly rubbing the skin which causes blisters.

The kind of hiking sock you select has much to do with personal preference. It would seem that most hikers are devoted to a particular manufacturer. Most modern socks that are specifically designed for hiking are of extremely high quality and durability. Choose the one that meets your personal preference.

Shorts:

Hiking shorts must have two very important qualities; they must dry very rapidly and have a liner. Swimming trunks are actually a very good substitute for hiking shorts as the material dries extremely fast and does not absorb water. The absolute worst material you can wear hiking is denim (i.e. blue jeans) Once jeans become wet they become extremely heavy and cold and require a minimum of two days to become dry. Many people make the mistake in thinking that jeans are good for hiking because they are durable. This idea is simply a mistake as other materials are even more durable and do not retain water.

Shorts that have a string to secure their position sometimes cause a certain amount of rubbing due to the backpacks hip belt. Hiking shorts using a flat strap in place of a string have been found to be very comfortable.

Rain gear:

The purpose of rain gear is not to keep you dry. The purpose of rain gear is to regulate your body temperature. There really is no such thing as staying dry while hiking in the rain. This is not necessarily due to a flaw in material, rather it is due to the fact that the body perspires while hiking. If the rain does not find its way in through the exposed areas of the jacket, such as the collar or sleeves, perspiration surely will saturate your clothing so that you may in fact be wetter inside the jacket than if you wore nothing at all. Therefore, the most important aspects in selecting a rain jacket are its weight and its ability to block wind and keep you warm in a heavy rain. In general, selecting the lightest rain jacket available will suffice in keeping you warm under normal conditions.

Jacket:

Always remember that you need to have at least one set of dry clothing in your backpack or on your body. This may involve waking up in the morning after a night of rain, taking off your dry clothes, going outside and putting on clothing that was hung outside on a branch and may be cold and soaking wet. Never give in to the temptation of wearing your set of dry clothing in the morning unless you know the weather is going to be nice and sunny. Having two sets of wet clothing is a sure way to develop serious problems.

Your jacket should always be kept dry. Never double your jacket with your rain gear in wet weather. If you become cold while hiking with only your rain jacket on then there is nothing you can do except hiker faster and attempt to build your internal body temperature. Your jacket should at all cost be kept dry to provide insulation in cold weather.

In selecting your jacket, you are looking for the best possible combination of light weight and insulating properties. Fleece is an excellent choice as it maintains a high level of warmth in relation to weight. Furthermore, fleece does not retain water in the unfortunate event that it becomes wet. A jacket with a hood also is an excellent choice as it provides more insulation for the head, the area of greatest heat loss, (the hood is not a significant weight addition to your pack).