Essentials for Summer Hiking
Summer Hiking is a great activity to do during the summer. Finding swimming holes is one of my family’s favorite things to do. However, staying cool and hydrated is a challenge.
There are essentials you need for summer hiking, but it’s important to remember the difference between every hiking trip when planning on what to bring. In the deep south, summers are hot (no joke). During summer we can see highs of 100 degs+ and often times the lows are still in the high 70s or low 80s even. The humidity traps the heat and can make sleeping in the woods difficult if you’re unprepared. We highly suggest quick dry breathable clothing during the summer. Below are my gear suggestions for a perfect summer camping trip.
This list can be found on Amazon
Men’s Essentials Click Here
Women’s Essentials Click Here
Find These Essentials Here (Men’s) (Women’s)
We’ve split the list into men’s and women’s lists. Non-clothing items overlap and are in both lists!
- Day Pack (Men’s) (Women’s)
- Smartwool Socks (Men’s) (Women’s)
- Breathable Underwear (Men’s) (Women’s)
- Cool Sturdy Hiking Shoes (Men’s) (Women’s)
- Hydration Pack (Men’s) (Women’s)
- First Aid Kid (Men’s) (Women’s)
- Bug Repellant (Men’s) (Women’s)
- Sunscreen (Men’s) (Women’s)
- Water Filter (Men’s) (Women’s)
- Quick Dry Hiking Shorts (Men’s) (Women’s)
- Quick Dry Hiking T-shirt (Men’s) (Women’s)
- Compass (Men’s) (Women’s)
Above is a list of everything you need for summer hiking. Below is the reasoning behind each item.
A backpack is essential for carrying your gear. If the backpack is too small then you won’t have enough space to store all your equipment. If its too large it’ll just be inconvenient and get in your way. I suggest around a 22L backpack. This size also works great as a “personal item” when flying.
Choosing the right sock is incredibly important. Depending on your hike you could be going through nice dry areas with flat easy terrain, a hot humid mucky swamp hike, or rocky mountains through streams. Smartwool socks are incredibly comfortable yet the light socks keep your feet cool and quickly dry giving you dry feet without any unwanted rubbing. They are incredibly comfortable and out of all the clothing on this list, I would suggest buying these first.
Good underwear is the next article of clothing that I suggest buying first. Saxx and Exofficio are my go-to brands for hiking. These underwear are incredibly comfortable and yet very breathable. They are a bit pricey for a single pair, but they are an absolute game-changer in the outdoors.
Hiking shoes are very important. You need to choose a shoe with a solid grip that is breathable for the summer months. Of all the hiking shoes we’ve owned we’ve found that Keens hiking shoes offer great support as well as the best grip. These shoes even can grip to slippery, wet rocks.
Staying hydrated in the summer can be tough. A nice Hydration pack gives you easy access to water as well as a convenient way to store water in your backpack. You can pack 3 liters without a clunky bottle. Pair it with a backpack with a pouch for a hydration pack and the water is always available on the trail when you want it.
Always keep a First Aid Kit on hand!
Mosquitoes are incredibly annoying and can leave you with a not so pleasant hike. We suggest packing 100% deet. That way your pack stays light and you still have the bug spray you need to keep the mosquitoes away.
Anytime you’re in the sun, protect your skin! You know your skin better than we do, so pick what works best for you!
Water is always important. The water filter we suggest is light and easy to use. It can also be connected directly to your hydration pack allowing you to quickly fill the hydration pack with river water and have it filtered as you’re drinking it.
We love our Patagonia and Prana shorts, but any quick-drying pair of shorts will work. If you don’t have the money for an expensive brand like Patagonia or Prana, we suggest using what you have on higher-end socks, underwear, and shoes rather than shorts or a t-shirt.
Don’t go out of your way for an expensive t-shirt. Make sure it’s cool, dry-fit, and sweat-wicking and you’ll be fine. Again, focus on your socks and underwear. It’ll be a much more comfortable hike if you do! If you have the money, we love our Mountain Hardware, Colombia, and Patagonia cool dry-fit t-shirts!
Always know where you are.
All of these essentials are easily found online. Click below for the men’s and woman’s lists I personally put together on Amazon.
Men’s list
Women’s list
