Want to know which backpacks are the most comfortable on the trail? Or which hiking boots are my favorites? Or the best stroller to use to take your baby on dirt paths?
In the Hiking Lady, Hiking Baby, and Hiking Kids reviews, I put to the test all sorts of adventure apparel, gear, and footwear. I know how to beat up gear, and as I go on hiking adventures I share my thoughts with you! When stuff is great, I let you know, and when it is bad, I also let you know! There’s no holding back here!
I have the long sleeve and short sleeve version of this fitted women’s Nike Pro top and I use it for hiking, trail running, skiing, and gym workouts. Why I like this versus other brands I’ve tried: Fit. I find that the Nike Pro fitted tops are flattering, and are far better than the “compression” …
I use my REI White River Womens Fleece Vest at home, on the trail, around town, backpacking, running (on cold days!), snowshoeing, skiing, you name it. I’ve bought this fleece vest as gifts for family and friends, and I wholeheartedly believe that every active outdoors person should have a fleece vest. This one is a …
The Columbia Omni Dry Silver Ridge III Long Sleeve Shirt is one of the few feminine cut tops I’ve found that not only looks great but does a superb job of providing sun protection, with a UPF 30 rating. I wear mine year round. Most recently I wore it on an early spring hike, layered …
I had never heard of Icebreaker until couple of months ago when a friend told me about an amazing pair of Icebreaker socks he wore for a week on the trail…and that didn’t stink! I didn’t believe it until I went ahead and bought this pricey (but worth it!) Atlas baselayer. If you are new …
The Patagonia Active Brief are a good choice for underwear for hiking. These are moisture wicking, quick dry, and modest enough to wear as swimwear if you find yourself without a swimsuit on a backpacking trip! I’ve had friends wear them as swimwear at mountain lakes… Pros: Comfortable. These are soft, and generally stay in …
Want a super comfy pair of long underwear to layer under hiking pants on winter hikes, snowshoe trips, or skiing? The SmartWool Lightweight Bottoms are the highest end long underwear I’ve tried, and work exactly as advertised: they help your body maintain a comfortable temperature, they are made of fine merino wool (so are “wicking”), …
Native Hardtop XP Polarized sunglasses are lightweight, provide very good coverage, and fit well (at least on me!). I’ve had my pair for awhile now and love them. Like Oakleys, it is very easy to switch out lenses, and this pair includes 3 different lenses.
I was super lucky and won this Marmot Diva daypack on a MatadorNetwork contest! I’ve been using it quite a bit, primarily for long day hikes (including on my 17 hour hike up to the top of Mt. Whitney in the Sierra Nevadas), as well as snowshoe day trips. Because it is slightly larger than …
The women’s North Face Denali jacket is a very popular and flattering fleece jacket (a Mid Layer). I have yet to head to Denali in Alaska, but my North Face Denali jacket has had more use than any other hiking apparel I own. I first got mine to keep warm in the winter, especially in …
If you are looking for a very warm down jacket, the Mountain Hardwear Phantom Jacket is the answer. It has 800 fill down, which means that it is extremely warm, but also very light weight and compress down to a small size. The Mountain Hardwear Phantom Jacket only weighs 14oz.! When I’m backpacking, the weight …