The Well-Outfitted Hiker

Photo: Frank W. Ockenfels 3

Carson Tang has hiked from Haleakala on Maui to the Presidential Range in New Hampshire...not in continuous fashion, of course. But at every opportunity, the Brooklyn-based chair of the Appalachian Mountain Club's hike and leadership committee is either leading a hike or taking one, teaching rock climbing or climbing on his own. He favors "any place above tree line"—hence his recent western forays in the Yosemite high country—but has dipped lower, too, in the course of hiking most of the Appalachian Trail between Pennsylvania and Maine. Tang is outfitted here with a Petzl Saxo Headlamp, Marmot Activent Cap, Black Diamond Ascent Flicklock Trekking Poles, Marmot Glissade daypack, Silva Guide Model 426 compass, Terramar Body Sensor EC2 shirt, Wild Things Wind Shirt, Timberland Cargo Pant/Zip Short, Wigwam Merino Wool Lite Hiker socks, Vasque Vista GTX boots, and a trail-hungry look in his eyes.

Hiking isn't exactly an extreme sport. But without the right equipment, an afternoon squall or a wrong turn can turn a predictable stroll into minor headlines ("Cotton-Clad Hikers Found Barely Alive") or maybe the latest disaster-inspired best-seller. Combine fitness and common sense with the right clothing and gear, and the odds for surviving a day hike will be in your favor.

ON YOUR FEET

Sturdy boots come in different degrees. The mid-height fabric-and-leather uppers on the Yukon Threshold Mid (two pounds, two ounces, $75) will comfortably brace your ankles as you hike, while its deep-lugged rubber outsoles grip the trail like claws. A nylon and fiberglass shank boosts the support factor in the sturdy boot—perfect for scrambling with a light pack. Vasque's split-leather and nylon Vista GTX ($137) is slightly heavier (two pounds, ten ounces), just stiff enough at the ankles to fend off sprains, and is lined with a Gore-Tex bootie. The split-grain leather, 3.5-pound Boreal Kailas ($176) will support any day load and keep your tootsies dry with a waterproof-breathable barrier. Even good boots can do bad things to feet without socks that wick away blister-causing moisture. Wigwam's Merino Wool Lite Hiker socks ($12) combine 60 percent cozy wool with polyester and stretchy nylon. SmartWool's Hiking Sock ($15) is even more sheepish, adding 10 percent stretch nylon to 90 percent nonitchy merino wool.

LAYERS AND PROTECTION

Say no to soggy underlayers and go with fast-drying, moisture-wicking synthetics. Patagonia's Capilene Briefs for men ($17) and women ($18) ensure a soft, dry, chafe-free layer, and they have an antimicrobial treatment to prevent stinkiness. Up top, Terramar's Body Sensor EC² shirt ($35) has an inner surface of acrylic and an outer of 80 percent polyester and 20 percent wool; it's airy, breathable, and flat-seamed for chafelessness. Then add an outer shirt: Royal Robbins's new nylon Eclipse shirt ($78) has a mesh-lined back, collar vents, and roll-up sleeve-tabs. It might be chilly on the mountain; you'll want a packable insulating layer. Moonstone's Kinetic Zip-T ($85), made from Polartec 100 fleece, is a toasty, stashable choice, as is the baby-blanket soft Tumbled Fleece V-Neck Jersey for women, from The North Face ($98). For extra insulation with minimal bulk, bring along Columbia's Shoshone II fleece vest ($56)—sleek enough to slip under a shell or to wear as a reasonably warm top layer.

Nix on the blue jeans; synthetics are lighter and stay drier. Butter-smooth Patagonia Gi II Supplex twill pants ($75) have convenient thigh-high cargo pockets that are easy to access when you're wearing a pack. An even lighter option is to wear tights under shorts. Exceptionally comfortable are the relaxed-fitting, 100 percent polyester Mountain Hardwear Kinetic tights ($65), with a wide waistband, loose mesh weave, and zip side pockets. When it's warm, the new Congo Backpacker's Short from Sierra Designs ($50) is a leg-liberating alternative, with three airy, mesh-lined pockets and a five-ply nylon fabric that holds tough against even the grittiest granite. Woolrich's Windward Short ($25) is made of 100 percent nylon with a mesh liner so it can double as impromptu swim trunks. If dry weather's guaranteed, the cotton Timberland Cargo Pant/Zip Short ($68) combines long and short pants in one unzip-and-strip package.

For mild-weather day hikes, pack a lightweight shell that sheds the moisture of a squall but also allows heat to escape your body. Navarro's 15-ounce Crest Jacket ($90) does it by way of a waterproof-windproof polyester microfiber fabric. To simply cut a chilly wind, wear the 1.5-ounce Wild Things Wind Shirt ($38); stuff it like a golf ball in your pocket when done. To keep your legs dry, the RLX Sprinter Pant ($98) is nylon-coated for wind- and water-resistance, with a CoolMax yoke over the knees for breathability and an extra bit of flex.

Cotton ball-caps just get soggy. The best alternatives include Marmot's Activent Cap ($20), water-resistant and breathable, and Patagonia's polyester/nylon Bimini Cap ($28), which protects your entire head from UV rays with ear and neck flaps and a broad brim. To round out your ray-blocking ensemble, Costa Del Mar's Euro Plus Sunglasses ($129) have spring temples that grip like a lobster and plastic polarized lenses that make scenery pop while repelling glare.

ESSENTIAL EXTRAS

Lightweight trekking poles are a treat to your skeletal system; they save knees from pounding and ankles from twists and turns. Black Diamond's Ascent Flicklock Trekking Poles ($100) collapse to a packable 25 inches; in use, spring-loaded grips take up shock. Eastern Mountain Sports Alpine Tour trekking poles ($85) are also telescoping and shock-absorbing, with tungsten carbide tips for extra durability. A lightweight medical kit beats a helicopter rescue any day. The Atwater Carey Pro 0.5 Professional Series Medical Kit ($27) is a tidy bundle of bandages, gauze, moleskin, and other essentials. As for equipment repairs, Leatherman's Micra ($28) is a 2.5 inch-long, 1.75-ounce trail alternative to larger multiblade models, yet it sports tweezers, three screwdrivers, a knife blade, scissors, and a bottle opener. A deluxe but pricier choice is the hulkish, stainless-steel Schrade Tough Tool ($80), with its ten locking blades, screwdrivers, openers, and pliers (alas, no toothpick) that'll take on most any trailside or household repair.

Every "ten essentials" list includes a flashlight, but even better is Petzl's Saxo Headlamp ($20), a four-AA flashlight/headlamp that fits as easily into your palm as it does against your forehead for a full nine hours of burn time. A compass is on that same list of vitals. The nine-ounce Silva Guide Model 426 ($21) has a full-size sighting mirror with declination scales, plus it's both flamboyant (well, it's two-toned, anyway) and buoyant—since you can't lose it, you can't get lost.

PACKING IT

On short day hikes you mainly need water and lunch, both handled neatly by the new 450-cubic-inch CamelBak Topo Hydration lumbar pack ($70). For a wee bit more capacity, Lodestone Mountaineering's Solode I lumbar pack ($65) offers 825 cubic inches plus two water-bottle holsters. Both main and front compartments ingeniously snug via drawcords rather than zippers. For the longer haul, Marmot's Glissade ($169) daypack has a padded waistbelt and shoulder straps for a Cadillac-meets-Maserati ride, even when its 2,800 cubic inches are stuffed to the gills.—NANCY PRICHARD

To contact manufacturers, please click here.