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Monica Devino, a technical consultant with Oxford Consulting in Boston, Massachusetts, enjoys running and hiking in her spare time. Hikers like Monica Devino need to carefully consider their choice of gear and clothing for a hike.
Denim and cotton make poor choices for hikers. These fabrics’ strong water retention leads to sweatiness in hot weather and chills if things abruptly shift toward cold or wet. Polyester and nylon quickly move sweat off skin and dry out in short order, making them better choices. Depending on the weather, hikers should also consider a jacket to deal with cold or wet days.
As tempting as it may be to expose one’s feet with sandals or flip-flops, hiking footwear should be sturdy, providing support and traction. This is especially important on wet, rocky, or overgrown trails. These same principles apply to legwear, too, as rocks and branches can shred through thin, tight, or clingy legwear.
Overall, hikers should work to anticipate the conditions of the hike when choosing what to wear on a hike. Even those who spend a lot of time outside need to recognize that hiking trails can differ from paved walkways and well-groomed suburban nature walks, and plan for both geographic and climate challenges.
Monica Devino 
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