Hiking Gear Buying Guides - Coolhikinggear.com

How To Buy The Best Hiking Boots On A Budget

Online shopping gives us access to a huge array of products, often at discounted prices. However, it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff, particularly with brands you may not have worn before and cheaper models from non-specialist manufacturers.

While it is undoubtedly the safer option to pay more and buy from a well-known, quality manufacturer, if you know how to buy the best hiking boots on a budget, you could end up purchasing the same high-quality pair with a substantially lower price tag.

If you just want to check out some top hiking boots, then you can check out the best hiking boots for men, and the best hiking boots for women. You will find some great options there, for all types of hiking, all at a range of prices.

Read on to find out more and check out our money saving tips for great quality hiking boots at reduced prices.

The Importance of Good Quality Hiking Boots

Good quality hiking boots are essential to hiking, providing protection and comfort mile after mile and even year after year. They mold to your feet over time, protect you from the damp, rocky terrain and prickly vegetation.

To the uninitiated, they may appear uncomfortable, stiff and heavy, but once they are correctly broken in, they will provide you with the protection and support you need for happy feet out on the trail.

Naturally, all this comes at a price. While you may be happy walking about town in your sneakers, try even just several miles in them over rocky trails and you’ll be longing for a rigid midsole to protect your feet from the continuous impact.

Your feet will feel each and every pebble, tree root and branch, as you limp across uneven terrain. Not to mention the lack of waterproofing, heel stops for descents and spacious toe boxes, ankle protection, lugged soles for traction and so on…

While, of course, you can hike in just about any type of footwear, it’s about whether you would still want to again once you’ve arrived at your destination.

Not to mention the increased risk of a slip or a fall from wearing unsuitable footwear, sometimes miles from the nearest sign of civilization, with no cell phone coverage.

Common Shortcomings of Budget Hiking Boots

If it looks too good to be true, as the saying goes, it often is. Quality is more expensive for a reason. That is the design process, expert consultations and superior materials.

Specialist hiking boot manufacturers have a long tradition and will have ironed out any mistakes years back. They are also often at the forefront of new materials and cutting-edge technologies specially formulated to boost their boots’ performance.

All of this costs a lot of money and, understandably, this cost is reflected in the price of their products.

On the other hand, cheaply-made hiking boots are usually from a non-specialized manufacturer. They may look the part, but then again so do many fashionable boots when the latest popular style switches to an outdoor look.

Without the knowledge, specialized materials or even the desire to create an outstanding outdoor boot, you tend to get just that, a boot that resembles a hiking boot. Substandard protection, lack of breathability, poor waterproofing and substandard workmanship.

Some budget hiking boots, especially those from outdoor brands that have introduced a cheaper line, can still provide a good choice for less. However, it often really does pay in the long term to invest in the best quality that you can afford.

The better the boots, the longer they will last and the more comfortable your hiking trips will be.

Buying cheap boots is often a false economy and especially as hiking boots take some time to break in, you end up wasting both your time and money. Even more so considering some of the better brands have substantial guarantees.

How to Get the Best Hiking Boots on a Budget

So, now we’re focused on buying the very best, how can you get the best pair of hiking boots for less?

Basically, nothing comes for free and unless you happen to get lucky, you’re going to have to put in some time and effort to discover a great pair of hiking boots at a budget price. Here’s our tried and tested money saving tips.

1. Research

Research and then research some more. You want to know exactly what you want, what it’s called and who makes it. In the crazy world of quick discounts and prices that seemingly fluctuate by the hour, you’ll need to know your facts and RRPs off by heart.

Resellers often dump unwanted stock at bargain prices without the hype or even correct specifications, so if you happen to know what’s what you could avoid a costly mistake or make a great bargain.

Keep a list in your head of your top five pairs you would buy with a 25-30% reduction and know what range they are in, and what other boots in that range are a step up or down in price.

2. Online Deals

Check on your favorite hiking boots or shoes at a range of different stores. Look at how much they’re offering as a reduction if you sign up for the newsletter.

Hiking Boots Or Trail Shoes For Backpacking

Start with the specialist sites that tend to cost more but have better information and photos. Search for discount codes, add the boots to your cart and enter the codes to see if any work.

Repeat with other sites. Just be careful of scams, if you’re unsure and it looks too good to be true, check out the site’s contact information and look for any reviews of the site itself and the company.

On reputable sites, make an account and put in your birthday as being in a few days’ time, you may get 10-15% off. Sometimes you can get a discount code, just for signing up!

3. Sales

With discounts all year round, the sales are often overlooked. They can, however, still offer good value both online and in stores. You may want to plan your purchases around the traditional sale times of the year e.g, Black Friday, after Christmas, etc.

Remember, you’ll need to be armed with your thorough research. That way not only will you know that you are getting a decent bargain (and not just buying something that has been bumped up to knock down), but you’ll actually come away with a decent pair of hiking boots that you really want.

Unless they’re really, really what you want, don’t be afraid to hold out for extra discounts. If you’ve got a few options, hold out and wait for the final reductions, and then some.

4. Timing

If this all seems like too much stress and you just want to make a simple, relaxed purchase, wait until there’s a new release out or look at the outlet sections of your favorite sites.

Often when a new version of a hiking boots is released, prices are automatically cut on older models to simply get rid of stock.

In some cases the new model may just be something as simple as a color or logo change, and you can get pretty much exactly the exact same pair of hiking boots at a discounted price.

5. Pick the Best of the Rest

Your hiking trip is coming up, there are no bargains in your size and you really can’t afford to spend the extra. Pick several of the best pairs that you can afford and read all of the reviews carefully before reaching a balanced judgement.

Pay particular attention to reviews that mirror your needs and disregard those that don’t. Be wary of all positive or all negative reviews and try to find out as much information as possible.

If time is short and the climate and terrain are appropriate, consider a pair of trail shoes or hiking sandals from a reputable brand, they tend to cost much less than hiking boots, do not need as much in terms of breaking in, and they benefit from the know-how and quality that comes from an established, specialist outdoor wear manufacturer.

You could wear them around the house and in town too, meaning you’re not spending money on something you’ll never wear again. This could also be the better option for a one-off hiking trip.

Conclusion

While you do tend to get what you pay for, there are definitely some great bargains to be had with a little planning, research and luck.

While you may not get exactly the pair that you hoped for, at the price that you wanted, taking time to consider how to buy the best hiking boots on a budget will give you the edge and the confidence to bag a true bargain.

Remember, that if you are looking for some potential options for great new hiking boots, check out our best hiking boots for men, and best hiking boots for women.

We hope you found this useful, please like, link to and share if you did, it helps us a lot 🙂

Hardshell Jacket Buying Guide

Hardshell jackets use advanced technology to provide complete protection from the elements, whilst allowing moisture from perspiration to pass from the inside to the outside.

This combination of waterproof protection and breathability makes hardshell jackets the ultimate protection for extreme weather conditions.

However, they are an expensive piece of kit and there are plenty of occasions when a rainshell could be a better all-round choice for a hiker.

They are also much cheaper, leaving you with more to invest in other elements of your hiking gear. You can check out the best rain jackets for men and the best rain jackets for women, to see if that may cover what you need.

If not, this hardshell jacket buying guide will help you to decide if you do in fact need to invest in a hardshell, and also show you how to pick the right hardshell jacket for your needs.

If you want to learn about hardshell jackets and leave the guidance to later, check out our best hardshell jackets for men, and our best hardshell jackets for women. You’ll find some excellent options there to choose from.

Hardshell vs Rainshell

Before discussing hardshell jackets in-depth, it’s important to note that a decent rainshell jacket combined with layers can provide adequate protection for the majority of the average hiker’s needs.

If you are looking for a waterproof winter jacket for a few winter day hikes, a rainshell will provide you with plenty of protection against the elements, whilst layering effectively will wick moisture away from your body.

You can use vents to dump any excess heat from any intense sections of the trail.

Hardshell jackets are designed to provide enhanced protection while preventing you from becoming hot and sweaty on the inside. If you really need a very breathable jacket, then a hardshell jacket is your best option.

Although, a high-quality rainshell jacket with good wicking layers and vents will work fine in the majority of cases, hardshell jackets are the best option for extended periods of exposure to in tougher conditions with intense activity.

When deciding whether or not to invest in a hardshell, take into account where you will be likely to use your jacket, the kind of activities you’ll be doing, the climate and how much use you expect to get out of it

Hardshell jackets are designed to last, so durability is another option to consider. If you’re looking for a jacket to wear day after day in harsh environments, then a hardshell is going to be your best option.

Obviously, there are also plenty of circumstances where either could be used. If you feel like you need an upgrade to a hardshell then go for it. This could also work out as a saving over time, thanks to the longevity of a well-maintained hardshell jacket.

Material and Construction

The best hardshell jackets consist of a three-layer construction, making them fully waterproof, durable and breathable. The inside layer, closest to the body, allows perspiration to pass through to the middle layer, the membrane.

The inner layer is designed to protect the membrane and reduce friction with clothing layers. Certain face fabrics are treated with an oleophobic coating, making them more resistant to our body oils which can damage the waterproof membrane.

The membrane prevents water from passing through from the outside to the inner layer, whilst allowing perspiration to pass through from the inside to the outer layer.

The durable outer layer is typically made from woven nylon or polyester. It is treated to make water bead and roll off the surface with what is known as a DWR, a Durable Water Repellent.

Marmot Minimalist Jacket Beading On The Sleeve

The membrane between the inner and outer layers is relatively delicate and is bonded to a protective fabric to create what is known as a laminate.

Laminates are generally made from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), polyester or polyurethane (PU) membranes.

PU membranes are usually less expensive and slightly lighter. Importantly, they can also better accommodate the flexibility of your jacket’s fabric and are less affected by hard impacts.

On the other hand, ePTFE membranes traditionally offer enhanced breathability, although PU membranes are making excellent progress. There is also a lower risk of interior condensation appearing with ePTFE membrane.

Waterproof capabilities and breathability

All hardshell jackets are thoroughly waterproof, thanks to their membrane. The DWR can with time wear off and will need to be reapplied. Even when the DWR is less effective, water will still be unable to pass through the membrane.

However, this will often result in a reduction in breathability as the water no longer beads and rolls off the exterior, it becomes harder for the perspiration to pass through, leading to a build up inside the jacket.

Essentially, hardshell jackets rely upon moisture vapor transfer. What this basically means is that the warm, damp conditions inside the jacket contrast with the colder, drier conditions outside, encouraging the movement of the warm and damp air towards the exterior.

Once the water from perspiration has passed through the membrane, it will evaporate as vapor from the outer layer.

Understanding the basic principles of moisture vapor transfer clearly underlines the importance of maintaining your DWR for breathability, as it works in tandem with the membrane itself.

If the outer layer becomes saturated due to a worn out DWR then the water molecules from the sweat will no longer be attracted from the higher concentration inside, to the (relatively) lower concentration on the outside.

The perfection of this technique is one of the main reasons for the expensive price tag that accompanies a high-quality hardshell jacket.

Blocking the external elements, whilst allowing sweat vapor to pass through has taken much experimentation, financial outlay and scientific breakthroughs, just to arrive at where we are today.

When you are looking for a fully-breathable hardshell jacket, customer reviews and brand confidence will have to be your main guides.

There currently is no universally accepted breathability test that will allow you to compare products and many breathability claims are not independently verified. So, a word of caution against some of the marketing hype.

Technologies

For many years, Gore-Tex has been the market leader in waterproof and breathable outdoor fabric treatments. It has a strong, proven record dating back over 30 years.

Gore-Tex continues to develop and is used by many famous, reputable outdoor brands. Its latest offering, the Gore-Tex Pro Shell is renowned for its superior breathability qualities. Gore-Tex uses an ePTFE-PU combination that has proven to be extremely durable.

One of Gore-Tex’s main competitors is eVent. eVent also use an ePTFE membrane, but without the PU layer. As a relatively young newcomer compared to tried-and-tested Gore-Tex, the full durability of an unshielded ePTFE remains to be fully evaluated.

However, eVent is known to work well in both low and high humidity levels, whereas Gore-Tex performs better in higher. This could give eVent the edge for those looking for a breathable hardshell for use in cold and dry conditions, especially winter sports.

When combined with the high transfer rate of moisture to the exterior, this also means you’re less likely to suffer with condensation inside your jacket.

Another new name, Dry Q, uses eVent technology, so it is essentially the same, yet they have developed their own way of laminating alongside their own liners and fabrics for their Mountain Hardwear range.

As the market opens up, there are more names coming into what used to be a very limited field. However, with an important purchase such as a hardshell, it is important to research as much as possible before taking a chance on a new technology.

How to Choose the Right Hardshell Jacket

In this section we go through all the specific things to consider when choosing a hardshell jacket.

Requirements

When choosing your hardshell jacket, think long and carefully about where and when you expect to be wearing it and for what kind of activities.

Before you make a purchase, check that the fit, durability and feature set are all fully compatible with what you need.

Some models may be lighter weight with pared back features, others heavier with all the features you can think of. Likewise, consider the outer fabric.

Is weight a priority for you, or do you need a high denier nylon outer for extra durability in highly abrasive environments? Think climbing.

When you make such an important purchase as a hardshell jacket, you need to know that you can rely upon it in extreme conditions. It could even be a lifesaver, so you need to be sure of its provenance and quality.

Price

Hardshell jackets are expensive, however they are worth the hefty price tag. Hardshells are designed for durability and extensive periods of wear.

If you don’t feel that you’ll get enough wear out of one to really justify the price tag, then you should go for a rainshell with vents and add layers.

Like most things in life, you do tend to get what you pay for. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the most expensive hardshell jacket is going to be the best one for you, as mentioned above.

It all depends upon where you’ll need it, for what kind of weather and the activities that you’ll be doing. Average price ranges are from around $200 to $600 although they can go higher.

Depending on your budget you may have to prioritize a feature over another and compromise, although as this is going to be a jacket you’ll have for several years to come, it’s well worth getting the one you really feel is right for you, even if that means spending a little extra.

Features

Technology is going to be the main decider in the majority of hardshell purchases, however, having a useful and adapted feature set is also important.

Features also affect weight so bear this in mind, as well as price, notably zippers and the extra waterproofing they require. Here’s some of the most common hardshell jacket features that you will need to consider carefully when making your purchase.

Hood

Check that the hood has adjustment features that will work for you. If you expect to be in torrential downpours or blizzard-like conditions, it’s going to be important to have a hood that adjusts quickly with one gloved hand, to tightly fit around the contours of your face and any protective gear.

Check the collar area provides seamless protection with the hood up. Also, will you need to wear a helmet? An important consideration if you do.

Pockets

Pockets are important, although external ones come at a cost with waterproof guards and treatments. Any zipper is essentially a weakness in your jackets waterproofness, although manufacturers work hard to ensure that they are watertight.

Take the position of any pockets into account. Do you need them above your pack harness for easy access? Think of what you need to keep on you and what you can trust to your pack in severe weather conditions.

Even if you are more of a minimalist, the conditions that require a good hardshell jacket are not really the ones you want to have to delve into your pack in.

When you’re taking a hardshells pockets into consideration, favor ones that are of a useful size to accommodate your needs. Zippers should have pulls that will facilitate opening in harsh conditions while wearing gloves.

You want to be able to comfortable be able to reach inside of your pocket, without struggling in low visibility.

Some jackets provide vents in the form of breathable mesh pockets, however, bear in mind that any storage purposes that you had in mind for these pockets, will be temporarily suspended when you’re using the vents with the pockets open.

Make sure that there are alternative pockets or that using your backpack for these items won’t pose any problems. Or look for a jacket with another type of ventilation.

Vents

For high activity sports and intense periods of sustained effort, vents will quickly cool you down and release internal water vapor far quicker than any membrane.

This will ensure you cool off quickly without allowing perspiration to build up while it transfers to the outside.

Pit zips and mesh lined pockets are tried and tested, effective ways to dump heat without getting a chill. If you will be using your hardshell jacket for any type of intensive activity, these should feature on your must-have list.

Fitting

It goes without saying that your hardshell jacket must fit well. Check your measurements carefully against those provided by the manufacturer.

Any points of adjustment, such as drawstrings around the waist and at the hem can also improve wearability.

When purchasing a hardshell jacket, you need to bear the layers you’ll be wearing underneath for insulation in mind.

If you haven’t previously worn a modern hardshell dating from the last few years or so, you may find that you will need an extra or warmer layers, due to improved breathability in certain models.

So, if a jacket is on the tighter side for your measurements, or you generally prefer a looser-fitting garment, you may want to size up. Ask questions and take others’ experiences on board, perusing user reviews for specific jackets is great for that.

Mobility and cut are also deciding factors. If you’re going to be doing fast sports and activities you will need a closer-fitting, athletic trim, whereas for hiking alone you may prefer a more full, longer coverage.

Some jackets have specially designed panels to ensure that over-arm reaching doesn’t cause them to rise up. This is essential if you’re going to be doing any climbing.

Color

When you’re choosing the color of your new hardshell jacket, like most garments, it’s mainly a matter of personal preference. However, there are two factors to bear in mind while making your choice.

Firstly, the fact that you’re looking for a hardshell jacket, signifies that you will be spending a large amount of time in an often inhospitable environment.

If you’re out in the backcountry or even nearer to home in a blizzard, bright colors are much more likely to be seen from afar and get you rescued if there’s ever an emergency.

Secondly, a hardshell jacket is an investment and with a little care it should last you for many years. If you’re going to spend a lot of money on a top of the range hardshell jacket, you should really make sure that you’re happy with it.

That includes the color even if it’s a small detail that is not really relevant to the performance of your hardshell apart from your visibility.

Washing and Care

Hardshell jackets need to be well-maintained to ensure a maximum protection from the elements, whilst providing efficient breathability.

You will need to wash your hardshell jacket as best required to prevent any loss in performance.

Dirt and abrasive substances can build up on the exterior face of your jacket and over time the DWR coating will wear away.

Harsh weather conditions can also lead to a deterioration in your outer fabric if you do not keep it in prime condition. It is, therefore, essential that you check the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding washing and regularly clean your jacket.

The majority of hardshells can be machine washed on a low cycle with a mild or specially formulated detergent. It is extremely important to follow the recommendations here as certain products can harm the waterproof membrane and leave you with an expensive, yet useless jacket.

Regular washing will also remove the body oils that tend to gather around the shoulder and neck areas. These oils can damage the membrane if they are not regularly washed away.

You could also consider purchasing a jacket with an oleophobic interior lining that is resistant to body oils, allowing you to space out washes a little more, providing that your exterior isn’t too dirty.

Hardshell jackets will need to have their DWR restored depending on usage. When the DWR starts to wear thin, you will notice a decrease in breathability.

Although external moisture will not pass through the central membrane, the outer layer will no longer bead water. This will result in a heavier, saturated outer layer that will not be as conducive to the passage of internal moisture.

As there will no longer be a disparity between relative moisture levels outside and inside the jacket, the vapor from perspiration will no longer pass via the membrane. This will result in a build-up of perspiration and a damp, clammy interior.

Treatments such as Nikwax and Revive X spray-ons for DWR restoration are popular options that can be quickly and easily applied after washing your hardshell jacket, while it is clean and damp.

However, always check with the manufacturer’s notice when restoring your DWR for the first time.

Guarantees

Buying a brand that stands by its reputation and offers a lifetime guarantee is recommended. This says a lot about the quality of the garment and will also be useful should you ever need any repairs in the future, you know you will be able to get assistance.

Gore-Tex stands by its products with its Guaranteed To Keep You Dry® promise, offering to replace, repair or refund any waterproof, windproof or breathability related issues for any Gore-Tex new item purchases for the useful life of the product.

Many large outdoor garment manufacturers also offer a guarantee covering the durability of their products, so when you are looking to make a purchase be sure to read up on what any of these guarantees cover, what they don’t and any time limits or usage restrictions.

Conclusion

When purchasing a hardshell jacket it is easy to get confused by the scientific terms and marketing jargon.

If you already have a great experience with a particular brand, you may wish to favor them, however be sure to fully evaluate the item based upon each of the points featured in this hardshell buying guide, before making your purchase.

A hardshell jacket should be an investment and you shouldn’t feel pushed into making a purchase. Take your time to consider your options.

If all of your preferences are way out of budget, you can sometimes get a great bargain when a new model is released, reducing the older model to clear.

Not every new model necessarily means a change in the technology and if it’s just more of a stylistic update, you could grab a great bargain.

What Is A Hydration Bladder?

Chances are, you’ve probably seen them mentioned when you’ve been looking at backpacks.

Or maybe you’ve got a hazy recollection of a fellow hiking enthusiast raving about the convenience of a newly-purchased hydration system?

In any case, you’ve probably heard something about them, but you might still be wondering exactly what is a hydration bladder? Also known as a hydration reservoir.

Here’s the lowdown on hydration bladders, what they are, why they’re useful and how to use them.

If you already know all this and just want help to buy one, you can check out our hydration bladder buying guide which will help you make a purchase.

You can also checkout our top hydration bladder recommendations, if you are looking to invest in one. But for now, lets get back to basics!

What is a Hydration Bladder?

Essentially a hydration bladder is a flexible pouch with at least two sealed openings. One for attaching the drinking tube, the other for filling with water.

The latter may vary, some have a screw-on top closing, others a slide-to-seal full-width opening.

The drinking tube can usually be detached for replacement and most hydration bladders feature a tube cut-off valve so you can easily disconnect the tubing.

The drinking tube is finished with a mouthpiece, typically a bite valve (meaning it opens when you bite it), allowing you to drink without water exiting the tube when it’s not in use.

Essential Hydration Bladder Features

Although hydration bladders vary slightly by manufacturer and model, they have plenty of common features. Let’s take a look at some of the most important ones.

Capacity

When you’re looking for a hydration bladder, you’ll notice they come in a range of sizes with different capacities. Extra small hydration bladders may even take on the form of more rigid style bottles, making them easier to hold and carry.

Typically you’ll find hydration bladders vary between small, bottle style containers, with a 0.5 liter capacity, right up to three liters, and sometimes even more.

One and a half liter or two-liter hydration bladders are the most popular sizes for hiking (Although I personally use a 3 liter as I drink a lot of water while hiking).

Remember, the more water you carry, the more it’s going to weigh. However, if you need to drink, you need to be sure you have enough with you.

Activity

Hydration bladders are designed with a variety of activities in mind. So if you’re cycling, running or hiking you can find a hydration bladder that is adapted for your needs in terms of shape and capacity.

You will need a corresponding hydration pack to make it easy to transport and use on the go. In terms of hiking, most good daypacks have a hydration sleeve built in on the back inside wall of the pack.

Tubing

Some hydration bladders offer two openings, on either side to connect tubing depending upon which side you want to use, some just one as in the image below. Others offer a central opening only.

Ideally, especially when you’re intending on refilling your hydration system on the go, it’s best to look for a hydration bladder with quick-disconnect tubing.

This will allow you to leave your tubing looped through your backpack portal and to quickly and easily remove the bladder for refilling, before reconnecting with minimal hassle.

Tubing is available in different lengths and you can purchase replacement tubing as needed. Some people prefer longer tubes, and different activities can lend themselves to different tube lengths.

It’s what works for your needs though at the end of the day, so whatever suits you best.

Clips and Portals

Your pack in which you carry your hydration bladder may include a shoulder clip and a tube portal. The clip on your shoulder strap should help to keep the tube to hand and prevent it getting caught in any obstructions.

The tube portal allows the tubing to pass easily from inside the backpack to the outside. Sometimes you can make use of an existing pack that doesn’t have a tube postal by making your own.

Just be sure to reinforce the area after cutting your hole to prevent your pack from coming apart.

Mouthpiece

Some mouthpieces are more sensitive than others and different people swear by different brands. In general, you simply bite down to drink. It can seem a little odd at first, however, you soon get used to the sensation.

Some bite valves come with a shut-off switch so you can shut off the mouthpiece when it’s not in use.

Some may have molded covers available for purchase to place over the mouthpiece when you’re not using it, overnight at camp for example, to prevent dirt from getting on to it.

Opening Type

This is important not only for ease of filling and refilling, but also for cleaning a hydration bladder. Some people like the wide slide-open openings, others prefer screw on caps.

I like the former, see the slide closure in the image below, but again it’s all about personal preference.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages, it’s arguably easier to use a more conventional screw cap style to refill, but wide, slide openings make cleaning much easier.

Pressurized Hydration Bladders

You can also purchase pressurized hydration bladders. They work by sending a spray of water, so you don’t have to suck or bite down upon the mouthpiece.

There are positives and negatives about using pressurized hydration bladders, namely they can be great as they take less effort to use and you can get a spray of water which can be useful (clean off camping utensils, wounds, gear, water to share with your four legged friend).

However, they also risk mechanical failure like any complex piece of equipment and they do weigh more. Of course, they’re also more expensive.

What Makes Hydration Bladders so Popular?

Hydration bladders are a popular choice for two main reasons, convenience and ease of use.

When you use a hydration bladder, you’re able to carry a substantial quantity of water while maximizing available space in your pack.

Carrying the same amount of water in bottles would take up much more space and you’d end up with a bulkier pack, often with room for little else.

Whether you’re carrying a large or small quantity of water, hydration bladders are mostly still preferable because they allow you to drink on the go.

Not only is it important to stay hydrated, but it’s also quick and easy to do so with a hydration bladder and you don’t have to stop to drink, unscrew your bottle or get your bottle out of the pack if it’s not in an external pocket on hot days.

Overall, we think that a hydration bladder is the best way to carry your drinking water while you’re out on the trail.

Anything Else I Should Know?

Just a few little details, namely about cleaning, the infamous “hydration bladder taste” and hydration packs.

Filling Your Bladder

Remember that you don’t have to fill your larger hydration bladder to its maximum capacity. If you know there are reliable refill points en route, save yourself the weight and half fill and refill as convenient.

Water weighs almost two pounds per liter so you could potentially save yourself four pounds by filling up a three liter reservoir with just a liter.

While it may be tempting to go for the largest hydration bladder and just half fill, remember to select a hydration bladder that is suited to your activity and needs.

Fast packing, wilderness hiking and trail running are all suited to different capacities, which will also depend upon the availability of reliable refill points and how often you intend upon stopping.

The area and climate will also dictate how large or small a capacity you’ll need.

Cleaning

Cleaning your hydration bladder is important to stop mold from forming. Be sure to empty your hydration system and to wash it out thoroughly after every use.

There are specialist cleaning products available, or you can use regular dish soap. There are other tips for cleaning at the link in the last paragraph (I’m a fan of using denture tablets).

Depending upon the opening of your hydration bladder, you may need a special hydration cleaning kit to reach inside for a thorough clean.

Taste

Possibly the only main disadvantage of hydration bladders, aside from cleaning, is their taste. While some people don’t notice anything, others complain of a plastic taste.

It’s true that this can be more noticeable in the early days of using a new hydration bladder, however, it does tend to fade, or you just get used to it.

If it still bothers you after several uses and you’ve tried all the regular tricks (baking soda, lemon juice and so on), you could either try a different brand or just stick to water bottles.

Hydration Packs

The majority of backpacks today are hydration bladder compatible, however, it is always wise to check just in case. As mentioned earlier, your backpack should have one or two tube portals and possibly also a clip on the shoulder strap.

It’s worth noting that your hydration pack should suit your needs and bladder size.

They can very from low-profile cycling hydration packs and running hydration minimalist packs and vests to high-capacity multi-night hiking backpacks.

It’s important to make the distinction between a hydration bladder or reservoir, and an hydration pack. The former being the thing that you fill the water into, the latter being the specific pack you carry the bladder in.

If you’re planning a short hike, run or cycle, somewhere you won’t need to carry much, you could consider trying out a hydration waist pack so you can still benefit from the practicality of a hydration bladder, without being weighed down by a backpack.

They’re also a good choice for sightseeing in an urban environment if you don’t want to carry a daypack or stop regularly for refreshments in hot weather.

Alternatively, if you’re intending upon using your hydration bladder in a cold climate or for winter sports, you can purchase special winterized hydration packs that will help to keep your hydration system from freezing over.

They have insulation for the reservoir and tubing and often feature a bite valve protective cover.

Conclusion

So, we hope you’re no longer plagued by the question of what is a hydration bladder 🙂 You can decide if you’d be interested in purchasing a hydration bladder for use on the trail.

Everyone is different and what works great for one person may not necessarily be right for the next.

However, I’d certainly recommend trying one out, especially on long hikes with few refill points, you’ll be surprised how great they are and I personally am never without one when I go out hiking.

How To Buy Hiking Shoes

Hiking shoes, also known as trail shoes, are a fairly recent phenomenon, although people have been hiking in lightweight sporting footwear for a long time.

Thanks to their popularity, technological innovations and the move towards more increasingly hybrid models designed for greater versatility, experienced, new and casual hikers are increasingly turning to hiking shoes instead of traditional hiking boots.

However, as with any relatively new product, it’s well worth considering how to buy hiking shoes before making your purchase. It is important to consider the different styles of hiking boots and your requirements before committing to a specific model.

Many hiking shoes can also double as work or about-town shoes, wherever you’re likely to be most active and on your feet, as they are generally quite stylish.

With so many different types and models to choose from, let’s take a look at some of the most important factors that determine how to buy hiking shoes.

If you are looking for advice on how to buy ‘hiking boots‘, as opposed to shoes, please check out our hiking boot buying guide.

Different Styles

Hiking shoes are available in a wide variety of different styles, each intended for different types of hiking. In general two main distinctions can be made, hiking shoes that emulate a hiking boot style and those that have adopted a more lightweight, sporty aspect, with of course varying degrees in between.

Hiking shoes have become increasingly popular thanks to their light weight, breathability, out-of-the-box-comfort and durability. Those that align themselves more closely to a traditional hiking boot style tend to offer greater protection from the elements and make for better use at colder times of the year. They are also a better choice for carrying more substantial loads and tend to have better ankle support.

Lighter weight, more sports-style hiking shoes are often compared to trail runners as they allow faster-paced hiking. However, although they may have many features in common, hiking shoes tend to have a much more rigid, durable sole in order to protect your feet from miles of uneven terrain, whilst providing the necessary grip and traction needed out on the trail.

While they are less suited to carrying a heavy pack, they do nonetheless provide good stability and a secure footing. Lighter weight hiking shoe models tend to be more breathable, to allow for quick drying and greater perspiration during faster paced and strenuous hikes.

In between these two extremes, there are many models that use aspects from both ends of the spectrum, however, whichever style and features you decide upon will need to match your needs and hiking style.

As always, you need to very clear on what you need your hiking shoes for, so getting your specific requirements down is critical before you invest.

Materials & Construction

The best type of hiking shoes feature a strong, durable rubber outsole with multi-directional lugs for extra traction. You will need a outsole that can grip to the terrain and prevent slips and falls.

Obviously depending upon your anticipated use, the importance of the outsole can vary. However, bear in mind that a good rigid outsole will provide extra comfort by protecting you from uneven trails, stones and rocks.

Vibram rubber outsoles are considered to be one of the best outsoles available, offering enhanced grip over all terrain and in all weather conditions. This has been borne out in our experience too.

The midsole and shank, often overlooked by those with less hiking experience are also top priorities. They provide extra cushioning and protection from the terrain below. Lightweight nylon is a popular shank construction material as is EVA for the cushioned midsole.

EVA is also often used in hiking shoe footbeds, which may or may not be treated with a form of odor control, something to look out for depending upon how much your feet sweat, your anticipated level of exertion and the breathability of your shoes.

Leather uppers are a popular choice, thanks to their fit-enhancing flexibility and long lifespan. Mesh panel inserts and mesh liners are also popular with the aim of increasing breathability.

Some hiking shoes feature an internal waterproof membrane. It’s worth noting that it’s very difficult, which often means expensive, to create a membrane that repels external water while allowing internal moisture to pass.

Also, waterproofed shoes have a tendency to take a long time to fully dry out once they have been soaked. Not unlike traditional hiking boots.

You’ll need to carefully weigh up the pros and cons and consider which is most likely to be practical for you, more breathability and faster drying, or a shoe that is more waterproof, but takes longer to dry when it does get wet.

Breathable mesh uppers, rather like running shoes have become popular for hiking during warmer seasons as they dry quickly and allow your feet to breathe.

However, in colder, wetter seasons hiking shoes in general offer less protection from the elements. So you may wish to use boots for severe weather, and decide between a mesh shoe for fair weather and a waterproof shoe for showers.

If you are a regular hiker who enjoys mixing it up, we do advise that you have different footwear for different types of hiking, different times of year, etc. It’s a good way to cover all bases.

Support & Weight

Traditionally when we think of hiking boots we tend to see the ankle collar and think of ankle support. However, support is mainly provided by the stability of your footwear.

If you have a good gripping outsole and a snug, well-fitting shoe with stability provided by an internal shank and midsole, you’re less likely to sprain an ankle than by having a high collar alone.

Some hiking shoes have higher collars while others are low cut, in either case it is a matter of personal preference, although higher collars are useful for waterproofed shoes, where you want to keep the water out as much as possible, they are also useful for trails where there is plenty of debris, gravel, sand, vegetation and so on.

You’ll also appreciate ankle protection a bit more if you’re heading out into the undergrowth. However, if you’re planning to hike mostly on well-traveled trails, the choice depends mainly on your preference. One further point to note is that a higher tying lace can help prevent heel slippage in shoes that are less than a perfect fit.

Weight is another important aspect to consider. There’s less advantage to wearing a hiking shoe over a boot if it’s not much lighter. However, you still want a good durable pair of shoes and cutting back on weight can often mean cutting out important features or else using lighter weight, much more expensive versions.

If you’re not into fast packing or ultralight backpacking, it’s reasonable to assume you’re going to be carrying some weight with you on extended trips, or even on a day hike and a more robust, slightly heavier hiking shoe can feel much more stable with a pack on your back.

So in summary, lightweight is good, but stability and durability are more important. You don’t want to prioritize weight over comfort.

Although you may think lighter weight equals more comfort, lighter weight also equals cutbacks to cushioning and protective features. Yet more things to bare in mind depending upon your individual circumstances.

Waterproofing & Breathability

Waterproofing and breathability, as touched upon earlier, are slightly contentious issues. Unless you’re prepared to spend big, it’s a difficult combination to get right.

Again, as stated earlier, once you get waterproof hiking shoes thoroughly wet they then tend to take several days to fully dry out. They are also less breathable than shoes that don’t have waterproofing.

On the other hand a pair of breathable mesh-upper hiking shoes will keep feet dry from perspiration and if wet through they will dry quickly. However, depending upon where you are going to be using them most, apart from in summer, you’re likely to often come across mud and wet vegetation when out on the trail.

For some, the answer is to favor a waterproof membrane with breathability if you live in an area with high levels of precipitation, whereas others prefer to use hiking boots for colder, wetter periods and to use lightweight, breathable mesh hiking shoes over warmer drier periods.

As recommended above, about having more than one pair of boots or shoes for different hiking, I use a combination of this myself, so lighter boots and trail shoes in Summer, and heavier and sturdier boots in Winter. It all depends upon your individual circumstances and needs.

How to Choose the Right Hiking Shoes

Firstly, there is no one “right” pair of hiking shoes. Which pair is right for you depends upon your individual circumstances.

Lowa Mens Renegade II GTX Lo Hiking Shoe On the Trail Side Shot

Start off with basic questions about what you need your hiking shoes for. For example, what are you looking for in a hiking shoe? What are your needs? Where and when do you intend to be wearing them most?

To find your ideal pair it’s important to have your answers to these questions upmost in your mind whilst making your decision. As mentioned at the start, it’s critical that you have your requirements down clearly before parting with any cash.

Requirements

Consider your requirements. Are you looking for a versatile all-rounder you can wear about town after your day hike around Yosemite Falls? Or are you looking for a durable, rigid sole to get your feet through a long distance thru-hike?

We all have different requirements, hence the huge variety of hiking shoes available. Here are some popular requirements you may wish to prioritize depending upon your circumstances and anticipated usage:

Waterproof capability
Breathability
Weight
Rigidity
Traction and grip
Lacing systems
Fast drying

Prioritize those that are important to you and add on any other particulars for your needs and situation.

Price

The price of hiking shoes and boots can vary hugely. Hiking boots are usually much more expensive than hiking shoes. There is of course more in them in terms of construction, but hiking boots tend to have more functional capabilities.

With either boots or shoes, the general rule applies i.e. normally you do tend to get what you pay for, although if there are certain features that you don’t need, you can explore getting cheaper pairs without losing any quality.

If you’re just starting out or are simply looking for a versatile outdoor shoe, maybe to wear on vacation hiking when around town, look at previous models that may be on sale. You can get a good pair at a better price even if you may miss out on a more recent upgrade.

By upgrade, we are referring to a further model of the same shoe e.g. Lowa Renegade GTX III. This of course implies that there is Lowa Renegade GTX II version, and usually there is, and oftentimes you can get it at a good price in comparison to the latest model. Many times the broad capability of the new model of the boots are the same as the older model.

Features

The features you’ll need to look for will depend upon what you need. Here’s a selection of some of the most common important features to consider.

Vibram Rubber Outsole

Designed to provide grip and traction on all terrain no matter what the weather, a Vibram rubber outsole is considered to be one of the most durable, offering above average traction.

Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boot Vibram Sole

We have found this to be the case and think Vibram outsoles perform very well, in most cases. I have personally had good experiences with Vibram.

Nylon Shank

Shanks provide much needed support and rigidity to protect your feet from bruising and aching after many miles over uneven ground. Without a shank your comfort will suffer severely. Nylon is strong, durable and lightweight.

EVA Midsole

An EVA midsole provides your feet with cushioning and shock absorption for increased comfort. It will also provide foot support. EVA foam is lightweight and springy.

Contoured Footbed with/without Odor Treatment

A contoured footbed, an insole that molds to the foot, will help support your feet and improve your comfort levels. Certain foot beds provide additional arch support.

Odor protection can be useful if you have feet that are prone to sweating or waterproofed shoes with low breathability. Pictured below are an old pair of hiking boots of mine, not hiking shoes but the principle is the same, you can see how worn the soles got, but they were still quite comfortable to wear.

Leather (& Mesh) Upper

Leather is flexible and durable. It can be treated to repel water, although it does take some maintenance. Leather hiking shoes often have mesh panels for improved circulation.

Leather is also a good choice for colder months and travelling over rough terrain with a lot of abrasive elements.

Rubber Toe Cap

Essential for protecting your feet on rocky terrain or from sharp obstacles. Toe caps also provide protection and extend the durability of your hiking shoes.

If you plan to head into rockier terrain where you have a chance of stubbing your toes, these are a very good idea!

Bellows Tongue

A bellows tongue folds in on itself keeping dirt, debris and moisture out of your shoes. Useful for trails over sand, gravel, scree and vegetation.

Speed Lacing System

Some people like them, others prefer a traditional lacing system. Either way, it’s worth checking what kind of system is used in your hiking shoes, to prevent unwelcome surprises when ordering.

Bare in mind that the majority of untraditional lacing systems offer an even hold, but are not capable of tightening one specific area, as can be done with traditional laces.

Your individual requirements will depend upon your foot shape and how well your hiking shoe fits. Personal preference plays a large part here too. I prefer the traditional lacing myself.

Lowa Mens Renegade II GTX Lo Hiking Shoe On the Trail Single Shoe Shot

GoreTex/Other Waterproof Membrane

A waterproof membrane will allow you to keep your feet dry in wet conditions. Depending upon the quality of the membrane, some also offer enhanced breathability.

Not all membranes are equal, some struggle to keep feet dry in more than damp conditions. Most waterproof shoes take longer to dry out completely once wet than breathable mesh shoes do.

Heel Brake

This feature is useful for steep descents so if you’re likely to be using your hiking shoes over mountainous terrain, this is a bonus. Make sure your outsole also offers good traction (which should always be the case anyway).

Fitting

You’ll need your hiking shoes to have a good, snug fit for maximum stability. While fit can be a matter of personal preference, you need your feet to feel securely held and comfortable at the same time.

When deciding on fitting, you may be best trying more than one size. In any case, try your hiking shoes towards the end of the day when your feet are going to be slightly bigger, and remember your choice of socks will affect how your hiking shoe fits, and that is a combination you need to get right.

Style

There are a wide variety of hiking shoe styles available. Some considerations such as shoe height can have practical implications concerning which types of terrain you’re likely to hike over.

Low rise styles offer less ankle protection and may be less suited for colder, wetter weather conditions.

Other style considerations may enable the occasional hiker to find a more versatile hiking shoe they can wear about town or to work, such as color and the style of the outsole.

We think style, as in how the design, etc. looks, is a big one when choosing hiking shoes, as those factors, as well as function, play a big part in choosing hiking shoes, mainly as you are far more likely to use hiking shoes for casual use, than hiking boots..

Washing & Care

Washing and maintenance is an important part of hiking shoe ownership. Unfortunately many people don’t check the recommendations until several weeks or months into purchase.

If you don’t inform yourself prior to purchase, then you deny yourself the choice of low or higher maintenance hiking shoes.

Leather shoes generally require more care, and being more durable, you will probably end up cleaning them more often than say a mesh style shoe that is not likely to last as long.

Leather hiking shoes will also take longer to dry after a full clean and need specialist cleaning and reproofing products. Full grain leather shoes may require a conditioning treatment from time to time, to keep them at their best.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many things to keep in mind when considering how to buy hiking shoes. Most importantly, you need to consider your own needs and which features and construction will be of most use to you, most of the time.

When you’re planning on wearing them, where you’ll be hiking and your hiking style will all influence which hiking shoes will be right for you, so plan carefully and prioritize your needs.

We’ll mention it one more time as a final takeaway, but if you are regular hiker and enjoy varying terrain, all year round, hiking shoes should just be one part of your hiking footwear.

You don’t have to go all Imelda Marcos on it and get oodles of pairs of shoes, but a good of hiking shoes, a lighter weight pair of hiking boots for spring and summer, and a heavier and sturdier pair of hiking boots for Autumn, Winter and backpacking, should cover most bases for most people.

We really hope you found this guide useful. If you did, we would be really grateful if would share it or link to it on your networks.

Happy Hiking 😉

Backpack Buying Guide

Whether you’re hiking out into the wilderness for just a day, or going for a week-long expedition, your backpack is one of the most important pieces of gear you’ll need. So, it makes sense to take time to pick one that’s comfortable, durable and has all of the features that will make your trip a memorable one, for all of the right reasons. Let’s take a look at some of the main considerations to take into account when purchasing a hiking backpack in our Backpack Buying Guide.

Capacity

Your ideal pack size will depend upon several factors, how long your trip is going to be, the time of year and the weight and bulk of your hiking gear.

If you’re planning short day hikes in mild conditions, then a 30-liter daypack is going to have plenty of capacity for all of your needs. Longer trips of several nights or more are going to be better served by a 60-70 liter backpack, to ensure that there will plenty of space to pack your tent, sleeping kit, food and water and any other essentials.

It’s worth bearing in mind that if you prefer to keep things ultralight and aren’t making long trips into the wilderness on a regular basis, you may get more use out of a smaller backpack. With today’s compact, ultra-light gear, there are plenty of hikers out there who like to keep things light on short 1-3 day trips, especially on trails with more extreme terrain.

Other aspects to bear in mind when considering which capacity you need, are when you intend to be using it and where. Winter trips will, of course, require a lot more equipment and extra clothing layers for when you’re not moving. If you frequently hike at warmer times of year you may need to factor in extra capacity for more water and if you’re heading into bear country, a bear canister.

If you have recently upgraded several elements of your gear, or you’re contemplating your first multi-night trip, it can be useful to set out all of your kit, plan the essentials you’re going to need and to see how much space this is going to take up. If you’re having a hard time visualizing this, try packing it into a bag with a known capacity.

Bear in mind that if you have several bulky items you can run into difficulties as the capacity of a backpack will include any compartments, so you may struggle to comfortably fit in any less compact items. Also, be aware that strapping on any larger items, weather and terrain permitting, will leave you much more space, but can also destabilize your load. Generally speaking, its better to have all your kit inside your backpack, and utilizing dry bags is an excellent way to keep stuff dry inside.

Finally, remember that today’s backpacks are designed to be carried fully loaded in order to provide a maximum of comfort and weight bearing support. You should always use a backpack with the correct capacity for your needs, if it’s under or over-charged your load will not be balanced or stable and you’ll risk a fall. So, don’t be tempted to economize by getting a larger, one size-fits-all pack with the intention of half filling it for shorter trips.

Weight

Modern backpacks are much lighter than those used even in the not too distant past. Of course, everyone would like to have a lighter load where possible, however, unless you’re looking at a backpack that seems much heavier than similar ones in the same range, backpack weight is probably not going to play much of a deciding role in your purchase except for those who are into ultralight and light backpacking.

Ultralight backpacks typically have an empty weight of less than 2 lbs, with lightweight packs up to the 4 lbs mark and midweights coming in at around 5 lbs. However, if you’re looking to lighten your load, you should first think about upgrading your pack contents before focusing too much upon your backpack’s actual weight.

Replacing the essentials like your stove, tent and sleeping bag with new lightweight models and cutting back on any non-essential items will drastically reduce your load weight and really justify the pound or two weight saving in a lightweight backpack. Otherwise, focus more upon the capacity, features and fit. If it has everything you need and you’re not planning on going ultralight, then a pound or two difference in weight shouldn’t put you off.

Remember that lightweight packs have to make a saving in weight somewhere and this can sometimes compromise on comfort, reductions in padding on straps for example, or fewer features. In some cases, you may prefer a slightly heavier model depending on your trip and hiking style. Heavier packs are also known to be more durable, being made from thicker, more robust materials, again this may or may not be an issue for you, depending upon your budget, where you commonly hike, for how long and what your priorities are.

Material

Backpacks come in a range of different materials each with their own merits. Most backpacks are made from nylon or polyester, with many manufacturers choosing to use a combination of the two. Polyester fabrics such as XPAC are popular for being light and waterproof, whereas nylon, in particular, Codura, is used for its durability and strength.

A backpack might have a body made mainly from XPAC with a nylon-Codura bottom and edges for reinforcement, or a Codura backpack could have an XPAC laminate. In fact, XPAC is often applied as a laminate to other fabrics for waterproofing. Codura is available in different deniers which enable its weight and rigidity to be adjusted as needed.

Unless you have very specific needs, most modern backpacks will be made of material that has been tried and tested to provide the experience that you are looking for. If your trips tend to go deep into the backcountry you may prefer a fabric with a higher denier to ensure longevity and avoid rips, if you mainly stick to trails and more open areas you may prefer a slightly lighter material.

Most backpacks will offer some degree of waterproofing and the majority come with a fully waterproof cover for protection in downpours and extreme weather. The effectiveness of these are limited though, so as mentioned above, utilize dry bags inside your backpack to keep essentials dry.

Backpack material is an important consideration that the experts have spent time perfecting, so a good hiking backpack will do its job. It really comes down to a matter of personal preference and durability when opting for a more heavyweight or lightweight fabric.

Fit

A well-fitting backpack is essential to your comfort, thankfully with so many adjustable options on many packs today, it’s easy to make adaptations for an individual, fine-tuned fit.

Once you have found a backpack that you like the look of, check that your upper body length matches its recommended length range. Some backpacks may be available in different torso lengths. To find out your torso length you will need to measure from the base of your neck to the point of your spine that is level with the tops of your hip bones, known as the iliac crest. Make sure that you stand straight as you measure to ensure an accurate reading.

Once you have the correct size backpack, you will be able to adjust the suspension system, the hip belt and shoulder straps, load straps and sternum strap for a perfect fit depending upon your body size and load. You may wish to make adjustments throughout your trip as your load lightens, for optimum balance and comfort. Check out the video for some more information on fitting a backpack comfortably.

Features

To the uninitiated, backpacks seem to come with a bewildering array of features. There’s no shortage of great extras that will make your trips much more comfortable with less hassle. Here’s a list of some of the main features you should find on any decent hiking backpack.

Frame

If you’re looking for a hiking backpack for any longer than a day trip, we recommend getting one with an internal frame. This may add a little weight but will even your load out and help to transfer the pack’s weight to your hip area. Internal frame backs, as opposed to external frames, are much better in helping to balance the weight distribution across your body.

Pockets

Pockets are essential for storing items for easy on-the-go access, such as maps, mobile phones, water bottles (if you use them) and snacks. Their location and size vary vastly from one backpack to another, with a huge range of options, typically including hip belt pockets, side pockets, large stash pockets, waterproofed dry pockets and top lid pockets.

Some side pockets can be accessed without removing your pack, making them a popular and practical option, although when it comes down to pockets it’s a matter of personal preference.

Attachment Points

Attachment points are practical if you use trekking poles or ice axes and they can be found on most good backpacks. Adjustable straps are also useful at the bottom of the backpack to attach bulky items which may take up too much space inside. As mentioned above though, if possible, we recommend you try and keep everything inside your pack.

Hydration system sleeve

If you use a hydration system it’s worth noting where you’ll be storing it, especially if you plan to be using your backpack on long trips. An easy to access location will make refilling much easier and save you from having to unpack everything, if you come across a convenient, unplanned water source.

Extendible lid

Extendible lids allow you to fit in extra bulky items between the lid and the main compartment, this can be useful for sleeping pads or extra warm layers.

Waterproof cover

Most backpacks come with an extra waterproof cover for wet weather. Although your pack may be weather resistant, the majority will benefit from a waterproof cover in heavy downpours preventing leaking at the zippers and other possible points where water may enter. Again, always pack stuff you need to keep dry in dry bags inside your back, as while waterproof covers help, they aren’t 100% effective in very heavy rain.

Ventilated back panel

If you’re planning on making trips in warm weather a ventilated back panel will help you stay cooler and dry even with a heavy load. Most backpacks feature a comfort back panel, when this panel is covered with a mesh fabric, air can flow between your back and the panel for added comfort.

Price

As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Higher quality backpacks, in terms of design, comfort and durability, are definitely at the higher end of the price scale. Spending more on a high-quality backpack will make your hiking trips more enjoyable, with more features, a lighter, more balanced design and longer-lasting materials. Higher-price end models do tend to last longer than cheaper ones so purchasing a cheap backpack can actually turn out to be a false economy if you end up needing to replace it.

For those who cannot or do not want to spend big bucks on a backpack, there are plenty of extremely competitively priced options out there. As more products hit the market, this tends to drive prices down and the upsurge in hiking popularity has created a more level price range with accessibly priced, quality items. Such products are ideal for those who are just starting out and may not be ready to fully invest in more expensive products.

Read online reviews, ask questions, get a good idea why one backpack costs so much more than another, if it doesn’t’ seem justifiable, then you may be better off going with the cheaper option. A great way to get yourself a good bargain if you’re not the type that likes to show off the latest and greatest, is to purchase slightly older models especially after new releases.

Sellers looking to reduce stocks will often try to offload older models, and in some cases, the upgraded model may not actually offer much more than a change of color and a few pockets difference. Do your homework, there are plenty of bargains to be made and with it being such an important piece of gear, it’s important to get the best quality backpack that you can.

Conclusion

There’s a lot to bear in mind when purchasing a backpack and it’s important to consider your options thoroughly before committing to a particular model. By breaking down this decision into a list of key considerations, as covered in our Backpack Buying Guide, you should be able to purchase with confidence, making a choice that meets your needs and desires.

Too often we’re swayed by eye-catching designs or the new must-haves, however, true quality stands the test of time and it’s worth reading through customer reviews and taking the time to fully consider all of the options available before deciding upon a firm favorite to journey with you out into the wilderness.

We hope you found this backpack buying guide useful, please like, share and comment if you did 🙂

Leather vs. Synthetic Hiking Boots, Which is Better?

I was thinking recently about the pros and cons of the traditional leather hiking boot versus some it’s synthetic counterparts, in terms of its material construction. Before going any further, I think it useful for me to define what I mean by a traditional leather hiking boot and a synthetic hiking boot.

To me, a traditional hiking boot is the leather alpine style boot, like the one pictured above, which have been around for years. A synthetic hiking boot is one that may have a more technical look and will usually consist of textile only or a greater mix of textile and leather materials in the construction, like the one pictured below.

HiTec Mens Bandera Mid WP Hiking Boot Featured Image

The main construction material options for hiking boots are broadly summarized below:

Full Grain Leather
Nubuck Leather
Synthetic MAterials

Tough and durable leather with great abrasion resistance, as well as natural water resistance and breathability. Ideally used for wetter climates and rugged terrain. Can come in different thicknesses depending on what hiking you want to use the boots for.

I should state at the outset, that while I definitely have a preference which I won’t reveal till we reach the conclusion, I have over the years utilized both the traditional leather and more modern synthetic types of hiking boots. I thought I would walk through some of the obvious categories for comparison to see how they both fair in comparison.

Weight

A practical consideration for any pair of hiking boots is weight. This can be more relevant for certain types of hiking than others. For example, if you are planning to do a lot of backpacking, a sturdy but ideally lighter hiking boot could be preferable.

In my experience, in terms of weight, as a general rule, the more modern hiking boots constructed using a mix of leather and more synthetic materials and textiles are typically lighter than the traditional Alpine style full leather boots. There are exceptions on both sides of this equation but this has been what I have found overall. A fully synthetic pair of hiking boots will be lighter in weight, but you will lose out in other categories.

Stability

Given that the traditional leather Alpine hiking boot is usually heavier, I have also generally found the traditional style of leather hiking boots provide more stability over varying terrain. Again, there are exceptions and the overall construction of the whole hiking boot has a lot to do with this. However, that said, on a longer term basis I think leather is a tougher material that molds better to the shape of a foot than synthetic materials. It remains stronger for longer and with that in mind, I give this one to the traditional leather hiking boot.

Style and Look

This is one that I personally feel is a big one. It’s probably just good old fashioned conditioning but it is hard to not think of hiking when you look at a traditional style leather hiking boot. That style and design has been around for a very long time and so is just associated with hiking … I think of the Alps and I think of a fine pair of leather Alpine hiking boots 🙂

The synthetic style boots broadly speaking aim for a more modern and technical look or aim to mimic the traditional leather style. You can of course get a very technical looking hybrid that utilises both leather and textiles.

At the end of the day, this is down to personal taste and preference. For me, I think it’s very hard to beat the look of a traditional leather hiking boot. It is pleasing to the eye and looks the part. As this is a personal preference, so I will call this one a draw.

Waterproof Capabilities

A large part of any hiking boots waterproof capabilities comes from the lining which is often made from a specific waterproof material like Gore-tex. Nearly all hiking boots will have this lining. However, leaving the lining aside, the question here is whether an upper made 100% from full grain leather or one that is 100% synthetic, or a combination of the two, provides a better option in terms of being waterproof.

I will always come down on the side of the 100% leather option but the quality and type of the leather used plays a big part in that statement. Generally speaking though, the leather boots win out against synthetic.

Breathability

Most hiking boots these days will have an inner liner that is both waterproof and breathable. In that regard, most well designed hiking boots should have some level of breathability. However, leather is skin at the the end of the day and so has some level of natural breathability in it. However, by design and construction, synthetic materials can be adapted to allow a much better airflow inside hiking boots. In that regard, it could be argued that synthetic materials are better in terms of breathability.

However, you need to look at things in their entirety and in the right context. That is, if you’re planning to always do your hiking in warm and dry weather, mainly over well established paths and trails, you may think about sacrificing the other advantages that leather hiking boots can provide to be able to enjoy a better ventilated pair of hiking boots. It’s rarely that simple though 🙂

Price

At the end of the day, any top pair of hiking boots will likely have leather in its construction to some degree. The question becomes more, are the uppers 100% made from leather or a mix of leather and textiles. As a general rule, a good solid pair of leather hiking boots will cost more than something that is either made wholly from synthetic materials or a mix of both synthetic and leather. Leather is a more expensive material and so usually means a more expensive pair of hiking boots.

Break In Time

Nearly all new boots or shoes need to be broken in, to some degree. When it comes to leather vs. synthetic hiking boots, in the early stages synthetic will usually be the winner. Leather is of course a much tougher material than the synthetic materials used for hiking boots, so it logically will take longer to break leather in. However, what you may gain in the short term you may lose in the long term in terms of abrasion and wear and tear. On the cold number of breaking in alone, your feet will usually adapt much quicker to synthetic material boots than leather.

Durability

In terms of durability, I would say there is no real contest. Hiking boots made from quality leather are tougher and more durable. As a natural fiber, leather is more resilient and will withstand abrasion over time much better than hiking boots made from synthetic materials. This is borne out in the fact that many top quality leather hiking boots can be resoled if the leather upper is taken good care of. It is not uncommon for good leather boots to last for many, many years if you replace the soles. Synthetic hiking boots on the other hand, have a shelf life and when they’re done, they’re done.

meindl-vakuum-gtx-hiking-boots-for-men-in-the-field-2

Other Considerations

One other thing worth mentioning is related to your diet preferences. ‘Huh?’ I hear you say. Yes indeed … if you are a vegetarian or a vegan, a synthetic hiking boot may be more in line with your principles than one made from leather, which of course comes from animals.

Not relevant to all but most likely relevant to some so I wanted to add that in as a note here. While not directly related to the performance of the types of hiking boots against one another as such, it is still a valid point worth adding into the mix.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when it comes to leather vs. synthetic hiking boots, my personal preference is hands down, a top notch leather pair of hiking boots. I just can’t really see how synthetic hiking boots can compete in terms of functionality. However, there can be exceptions as outlined above e.g. hiking in really hot weather on well established trails.

While leather is my favorite, in summer I do sometimes use a hybrid mix in hiking boots with an upper made of nubuck leather and some synthetic materials. As outlined above, they are a bit lighter and definitely more breathable for a hotter time of year.

At the end of the day, it’s your personal preference but if you are looking for a quality pair of hiking boots, you will nearly always end up with some element of leather involved in the construction of the upper, if they are not 100% leather.

I hope you found this article useful and maybe even thought provoking. What do you prefer, leather or synthetic hiking boots? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

How To Choose The Best Insoles For Hiking Boots And Shoes

I received a comment from a gentleman last week on my review of the Lowa Lo hiking shoes, where he stated that he couldn’t understand where the comfort of the shoes, that I was referring to in the review, was coming from.

He stated, rightly so, that the insoles of the shoe were too thin for him and just wearing them in his house for a couple of hours was hurting him.

Now, my experience with the Lowa Lo, hasn’t been like that at all. On the contrary, I find the shoes very comfortable. I also tend to like a thinner insole (within reason of course), I find too much padding can lead to problems for me.

Either way, what I want to illustrate with this example is simply that, no one size or preference will work for all. I have no doubt the insoles in the Lowa Lo he had just bought were causing him discomfort.

Sometimes, as crazy as it sounds, even insoles, depending on the type they are need to be broken in but other times, they just aren’t the right fit for your feet.

I suggested to him to, if he was otherwise happy with the shoes, to consider getting a new pair of insoles. Failing that, his best course of action was to return them for a refund. With that in mind I thought it would be useful to investigate the insole side of that advice some more and explore what insole options there are available.

The range and types of people’s feet are as wide and varied as the many types of hiking boots there are available. From flat feet to high arches, from narrow feet to broad feet and a myriad of things in-between, there is a large amount of possible options. So it is not surprising that there are a lot of different types of insole available.

If you find yourself not 100% comfortable in any pair of hiking boots, reviewing the insoles is one possible solution that might help improve your comfort factor without having to go down the road of custom made hiking boots or buying a new pair.

Signs that you may Need New Insoles

To start with, let’s look at some signs that you might need new insoles for your hiking boots. At the extreme end, it will be fairly obvious a pair of insoles in a pair of hiking boots isn’t working well i.e. it will be sore and painful while walking in them.

However there are many destinations along the way to this extreme and you may never get that bad. Although as soon as you notice anything, you should aim to correct it as soon as possible, as continued use could lead to more acute problems down the line.

If, for example, you are out hiking and you notice that your ankles and feet are getting fatigued and feel achy more easily than you would expect. That can be a sign that your insoles aren’t up to scratch. Similarly, blisters and hot spots can also result due to ill-fitting insoles.

Please also keep in mind that pain may not necessarily manifest in your feet or ankles, you can experience pain in your back or legs while hiking that can be a result of issues coming from the feet area.

Generally speaking, you’ll know yourself after using your hiking boots on a long hike, just be sure to pay attention and listen to what your body is telling you, it is rarely wrong.

Aside from that, insoles can just wear down after consistent use over time, just like the ones in my old Scarpa boots in the picture at the start of this article, and they just need to be replaced like anything else after a lot of miles have been put in.

What are the Different Types of Insole Available?

When you’ve established that you may need new insoles, broadly speaking, there are two different types of Insole to consider for hiking boots (or indeed most kinds of shoes).

The first kind offers a more rigid fit and focuses on providing support, while the second has a more cushioned sole and focuses on shock absorption.

When it comes to the first kind which offers more support, think of someone who has a high arch vs. someone who has flat feet as an illustrative example.

You can easily see that a hiking boot that is comfortable for someone with flat feet may be very uncomfortable for someone with a high arch, as their feet require different support at different levels.

The problem here is structural support. For the second type of insole, the focus is on shock absorption and so it has more to do with cushioning.

A handy way to think of the difference is that a rigid structural insole encourages your feet to mold to the insole to provide stability and structure, while a cushioned insole molds to your feet to provide more cushioning. Insoles will also typically have anti-odor, bacteria characteristics to help your boots stay fresher.

How Your Feet Move

Next it’s worth thinking about how your feet actually move. Broadly speaking, your feet have two main motions, pronation and supination. Everyone pronates and supinates to one degree or another. Of course, some will pronate more than others and so on, depending on the way their feet are.

The post linked to just above covers this topic in more detail. However for the purposes of this post, in brief, pronation is the body’s way of absorbing shock and so your foot expands as you walk on flat ground.

With supination, which provides a natural support for the body, the foot roles outwards to provide lift to push forward. Both are part of your ‘gait’, or the way you walk. The video below also gives a simple explanation of pronation and supination.

To get a better idea of how you walk, for most people, any good outdoor gear or running store should be able to help you figure out whether you over pronate, over supinate, sit in the middle, etc.

For more extreme cases, you may need to see a foot specialist where they will perform a computerized gait analysis and so on. To get you started, you can do the wet test to get an idea of what type of feet you have.

What Insoles do Hiking Boots Typically Come With

In short, it seems to vary as best as I can tell. They will tend to have a mix of both kinds to try and suit the majority of people.

However, a more rigid insole seems to me to be the more common as it is I assume, and in my opinion, generally better for hiking. Some insoles in hiking boots can leave a lot to be desired though.

It’s worth noting, some boot and shoe makers, for example, Merrell, will have their own special trademark technology for insoles e.g. Ortholite foot beds. As far as I understand it, these are leaning more towards the world of orthotics as they are more specialized, and so could be very comfortable.

The insoles in most hiking boots will be removable so you can take them out to be aired, handy when you need to clean your boots after a hard day on the trail. This also means you can easily replace them or place more insoles on top of the existing insole.

Profile Guides

Insoles broadly can be explained by the profiles listed below:

Profile	Description
Low Profile	This if for people who require low arch support. If you have good arches a low profile insole could be the ticket
Medium Profile	The medium profile, aka slightly flat footed, is probably the most common. A medium profile insole will offer great support for most people and most foot types
High Profile	This is for people who have flat feet. If your foot pronates more rather than supinates, then a high profile insole can help you build up your arch support

As well as this, sometimes, there will be a reference to volume. What this means, is that it references the amount of volume (or space) needed in a walking boot or shoe, when combined with the existing insole i.e. sometimes it can be added to the existing insole.

Volume	Description
Low Volume	This insole should fit all types of low volume shoes e.g. cycling shoes as an example
Medium Volume	Should fit some hiking boots and shoes including boots with fixed insoles
High Volume	This will only fit “roomy” insoles i.e. you can take the manufacturer’s insole out (pretty standard in most decent hiking boots). Probably the most common choice for use with hiking boots

Getting a Proper Fit

Once you’ve worked out your profile, either instore or via the wet test, as you’re getting insoles for already problematic boots, a good fit is critical. Outlined below are some tips on how best to get a good fit from an insole:

Check if your heel fits inside the heel cup, and doesn’t spill over the edge
If the insole is too narrow, try going up a size
If your toes extend beyond the end of the foam forefoot, also try to go up a size

Insoles are normally cut to match your feet so they will normally be big compared to your feet and you adjust accordingly. Take your time with getting the cut right. Do too little rather than too much as there is no undoing it if you make a mistake and cut too much off!

Popular and Functional Insole Options

Below I have listed some popular insole options from two well-known insole companies, Superfeet and Sorbothane.

Superfeet are more to do with the first kind of insoles i.e. for more rigid feet to provide arch and structural stability and support. Sorbothane, focus on impact absorption providing more cushioning in particular parts of the insole.

Superfeet

Let’s start with looking at the Superfeet options, please note there are more options available but these are three of the more common ones in available.

Superfeet Green

The Superfeet Green are for folks with high arches and will fit most roomy footwear styles where the factory insoles can be removed. These can help with common foot pain like arch pain, heel pain & plantar fasciitis.

Superfeet Green Insoles

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Superfeet Blue

Superfeet blue are a Medium-arched insole for people who require intermediate support. They will fit most footwear, including hiking boots, without much extra room. Again, they can be used to help with common foot pain, arch pain, heel pain & plantar fasciitis.

Superfeet Blue Insoles

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Superfeet Black

You can probably guess what type of feet these are for 🙂 Yes, the Superfeet black are a low-arched insole for people who require light support. Again, they will fit most footwear and they can be used to help with common foot pain, arch pain, heel pain & plantar fasciitis.

Superfeet Black Insoles

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Sorbothane Insoles

These are general purpose shock absorbing insoles and they come in three varieties which are, single strike, double strike and full strike. They are for use in all types of walking shoes and hiking boots

Single Strike

These are High performance insoles complete with support, foot strike protection, flexibility and cushioned comfort.

Designed for activities where the heel is subject to the most impact shock, an inbuilt comfort contour and heel cup in the heel forefoot area offers a comprehensive shock absorbing solution. They rebound to their original shape after each impact for shock absorption and cushioning.

Sorbothane Single Strike Insoles

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Double Strike

These are high performance insoles complete with support, foot strike protection, flexibility and cushioned comfort.

Designed for activities where both the forefoot and heel are subject to the most impact shock, an inbuilt comfort contour and heel cup in the heel forefoot area and added shock absorption in the forefoot area offers a comprehensive shock absorbing solution.

They rebound to their original shape after each impact for shock absorption and cushioning.

Sorbothane Double Strike Insoles

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Full Strike

These are High performance insoles complete with support, foot strike protection, flexibility and cushioned comfort.

Designed for activities where the whole foot is subject to impact shock, Full Strike offers a comprehensive shock absorbing solution. They rebound to their original shape after each impact for shock absorption and cushioning.

Sorbothane Full Strike Insoles

Sorbothane Sports Trainers Foot Care Impact Shock Stopper Full Strike Insoles

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What I Prefer

When it comes to a general insole, my personal preference is a more rigid insole option as opposed to one with more cushioning. While it can take a bit longer to get more comfortable in, the rigid insole tends to toughen up my feet.

It also, apparently, encourages the feet to make more fat cells on the base of the foot, in effect creating your own shock absorption.

I am broadly cautious of too much cushioning. I always think of how running shoes that had too much cushioning, which although heavily marketed as running shoes, were eventually found out to be bad for peoples feet, and actually caused runners more issues that old fashioned flat running shoes! I used to run a lot so I experienced this first hand and I think the same logic applies in hiking boots.

However, as already stated, everyone is different and some folks may need that bit more cushioning. What works for me, will quite likely not work for you so take the time to find what meets your needs.

FAQ re: what can New Insoles help me with?

I say this a few times throughout this article, new insoles won't fix every problem, they're not a silver bullet. However, they are worth investigating if you are experiencing some minor discomfort in your hiking boots when hiking, especially if the source of the issues is down to the fit.

Some typical things that New Insoles can offer some help with are arch problems e.g. low or collapsed ones, where one foot is a little longer than the other and heel slippage.

It is worth paying attention to what may or may not have changed. Below are some questions to run through to help assess whether insoles could be worth a look.

Q1. Are your hiking boots brand new?

If yes, then it could just be about time to break them in. If too much time has went by, then it could be time to start experimenting with new insoles.

Always spend a bit of time wearing the boots at home in the house before committing to buying them. You can usually bring them back within a few weeks as long as you haven't worn them outside, be sure to check with the retailer in advance though.

While wearing your boots in the house is nowhere near the same as using them out on the trail, small issues in terms of discomfort in the fit, can well present themselves as noticeable.

These could of course be part of the breaking in process, but they should subside after a time if they are. If they don't, then you may have a fitting issue that could develop into something more substantial.

Q2. Are you only experiencing issues in one part of the foot? On both feet or just one?

Where the discomfort shows up and how, is important to note. If it's just in one place, then the assertion would be that you otherwise have hiking boots that fit pretty well, so insoles could help to solve the problem.

Q3. Has the irritation or issue only developed recently? Was it sudden or gradual?

Has the issue suddenly appeared, or has it manifested gradually. If sudden, did you start to notice the problems after a specific event e.g. your foot slid down into a hole in the ground while hiking.

If so, then maybe your discomfort could be due to a stressed muscle, tendon, ligament, or the like. Some stretching and a foot massage can help. a great way to stretch your feet is to get a hard ball, like a golf ball. We go into how to do that in more detail in the next question.

If it has manifested gradually, then this could be a sign that your insoles are wearing down, and so replacing them might help resolve the issue.

Q4. In reference to the last question, how can I stretch and massage my feet without the help of someone else?

Using a tennis or golf ball, stand on it with one foot while your other foot is standing normally on the ground. Apply pressure and roll the ball around the sole of your foot. Adjust pressure as required, gradually applying more into tender spots.

The video below is specifically in reference to plantar fasciitis, but the same process applies fro a general stretch.

This is a great way to loosen the feet, kind of like giving yourself a foot massage. Our feet are often neglected when it comes to regular and good TLC, mainly as we think we can't get at them without the help of someone else 🙂

This is somewhat ironic, as if there is one part of our bodies that takes a beating every day without fail, it has to be our feet, as we are walking on them each and every day.

If this doesn't help, then moving onto investigating into insoles is probably a sensible next step. Keep in mind, that if you experience any unbearable or very sharp pain while rolling the ball under your foot, stop!

You only feel tight tension in your feet, a kind of pleasurable pain if you will, like having a good shoulder massage, it can hurt a little in the shoulders at the time, but you know it's good discomfort as you can feel it loosening.

As always, use common sense when doing this. Take your time and ease into it gradually.

Q5. Are there any other things I can do to help keep my feet comfortable while hiking on the trail in my hiking boots?

One tip I will give, which is a bit out of left field in the context of this article. However, I feel it is worth experimenting with, as I was surprised at the side benefits of it.

Some years back, I started to apply Vaseline to my feet before setting out on a hike. My reasoning for doing this, was just as an extra thing to help prevent blisters and chaffing, especially on longer 20 to 30 mile hikes.

This is great to help prevent blisters and it works well for that purpose. However, over time I started to notice some other benefits of doing this.

It's hard to put my finger on precisely, but I would say that my feet in and of themselves, somehow felt less tired as well, after a long hike with the Vaseline applied.

I have reasoned that the Vaseline enables more micro movement within the boots, between your hiking socks and your skin. This means there is less friction, and so my feet are more comfortable.

On the flip side of that, when there is more friction, this can eventually lead to a build of a stronger tension which then drills down into the underlying tendons, ligaments, etc.

I have no scientific basis for this I hasten to add, purely my subjective experience. However, the main point is, that if you are experiencing minor discomfort, adding this into the box of tricks to experiment with to help resolve it, is worth a shot.

It costs pennies, and if nothing else, you will help fend off the dreaded blister and your feet should feel a bit more comfortable and loved, sure what can there be to lose with that 🙂

Conclusion

If you get a pair of good hiking boots that you otherwise really like, but you feel they could be more comfortable, investing in good insoles is certainly worth a look.

Trying to find the perfect hiking boots is a tough and ongoing quest for most, so if something ticks every other box but the insoles are causing you some issues, it could be worth looking into this more to see if some new insoles will do the trick.

Please remember to keep in mind that some insoles need a bit of time to break in as referenced above, so give your boots time and properly break them in.

Remember, I am adding this information here to hopefully be helpful for folks as guidance and information, but I want to stress that I am not a foot specialist. If you find you are experiencing serious problems with your hiking boots, or any shoes for that matter, you should seek appropriate professional advice.

I hope you found this article on how to choose the best insoles for hiking boots and shoes useful. If you did, please like and share around your networks, it always helps us when you do that 🙂

How To Choose The Best Hiking Pants

Hiking Pants are another key part of your hiking kit. There are a myriad of options available and the quality that is available these days is exceptionally good.

This is definitely one area where I have noticed real improvements over a relatively short period of time. The pants available today are definitely far more comfortable than their older compatriots.

The biggest difference I have noticed is in the material make-up, I personally find hiking pants construction much more comfortable these days and seemingly getting more and more so as every year goes by.

So, this is a buying guide of course so I want to add some notes on what to look for when trying to choose the best hiking pants for your needs.

If you just want to know the best hiking pants available on the market today, you can check out our best hiking pant options for men and our top hiking pant recommendations for women.

Moving back to buying advice, there are several things to think about but overall, let’s start with the good news.

For an average hiker doing average day hiking, I don’t think you need to break the bank for a decent pair of hiking pants. We’ll look at price in more detail further below but I though a short note on that would be good, it’s nice to get started on a positive note 🙂

Where do you Hike?

Before getting into the detail of what to look for when choosing your hiking pants, the first thing you should think about, is where you go hiking. This is probably the primary determining factor in choosing hiking pants.

For example, if you’re an average weekend day hiker in temperate climates, then a relatively standard pair of hiking pants, combined with rain pants, should see you good most if not all of the year round.

If however, you hike in predominantly warm conditions, say a desert climate like in parts of California and Nevada, then you may only want a light pair of hiking pants that can convert into shorts.

If you’re planning to visit a jungle for some hiking in the near future, then you may have other things to consider, e.g. bugs and so on.

Without going on too much, the main point I want to get across here, is that where you hike and the climate you hike in, will have a major influence on how you make the rest of the decisions in the additional sub heading areas below, so get that clear in your head first.

Types of Hiking Pants

There are more or less three types of hiking pants. Lets start with a brief introduction to each kind. I won’t go into too much more detail in this section, I’ll do that in the further sections below.

Good Old Fashioned Pants

The first type are good fashioned pants. No different, except in function and design of course, to any other type of pants.

Convertible Hiking Pants

The second are convertible hiking pants. These are hiking pants on which the bottom legs can be removed to enable you to create a pair of shorts. The bottom part of the legs are usually removed using zips which run sideways around the leg.

Roll-up Hiking Pants

These are hiking pants that roll up into shorts or Capri pants. Can be handy for extra ventilation.

Material

This is the area I have noticed really significant changes over the last decade. Broadly speaking, synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester are the main materials you will find in hiking pants.

However, a lot of modern Hiking pants available on the market today come in a very comfortable and stretchable fabric made from a combination of nylon with some spandex or elastane.

I have really noticed how much more comfortable hiking pants that employ this type of make-up are than what was available even a few years back. I put it that all down to the material combination changes.

What I’ve also noticed is that this kind of material make-up can really lend itself to some of the other key items, that you want to have your hiking pants to have, namely breathability and water resistance.

This of course varies depending on the type of pants and their specific function. That is a light summer hiking pant will of course be a lighter construction and fabric weave than a heavier winter pant.

A heavier pant will also have a thicker and tougher fabric weave and likely some extra water resistance capabilities on the face of the fabric, more about that below.

One phrase you will come across in terms of material for good hiking pants, and other hiking gear, in terms of material construction, is ripstop. Ripstop fabrics are woven fabrics that are made using a special technique which reinforces them.

This of course makes them tougher and more durable, a perfect fit for the kind of things you will be putting you hiking pants through on the trail!

Is there a best material for hiking pants? I can’t say there is one specific thing aside from a mix of the materials like nylon, polyester, elastane, is the way to go.

You want a strong stretch fabric that will enable you to move comfortable as you hike. You also of course want to avoid cotton as it isn’t best suited as a material for hiking pants, neither is linen.

The material in your hiking pants will play a big part in the next thing we will look at which is …

Weight

Weight is a factor that will have more, no pun intended, weight in the buying choice for some than others.

What I mean by that is that a day hiker may be much happier to carry a bit of extra weight in their hiking pants, than a thru hiker or a backpacker heading out for a week or longer would.

As a general rule, the more suited to hot weather your hiking pants are, like a summer hiking pant option, the lighter they will be. As mentioned, the material used also plays a big part in this.

It stands to reason that generally the material in summer will be less thick than a pair of hiking pants you would need to wear in winter when it’s usually colder.

Now, I hesitate a little in saying that as even in areas with hot weather the temperature can plummet when night time rolls around. A desert is a good example of this.

Really hot during the day, but much cooler, sometimes very cold, at night. Similarly, in certain places in Winter on a sunny day, it can be very chilly in the shade but hot when in direct line of the sun.

For an average day hiker, weight shouldn’t be a major concern and you can pick what feels comfortable to you. For a backpacker, it definitely becomes more of a factor you need to take into consideration as you will probably want as light and efficient an option as possible.

Sizing

Everyone will of course have their own preference for sizing. First and foremost you want your hiking pants to feel comfortable of course. I think good mobility in them is very important so a certain amount of bagginess is a good thing. However, you don’t want to go overkill on this either.

You will definitely want good mobility in the crotch and knee areas. When you hike over varying terrain you will be moving those areas the most and into the widest variety of positions so you want a bit of freedom in movement for sure.

Some pants will specifically have things like articulated knees and gusseted crotches so they can be good to look out for too as they will offer more mobility with added resistance to abrasion.

As a general rule, Summer hiking pants are usually that bit baggier than Winter ones. This makes some sense as you want more ventilation in hotter temperatures.

I always like some element of bagginess in my hiking pants. However, I have found that some more modern hiking pants, using the spandex combination mentioned above, can be quite snug in terms of fit but still be very flexible in terms of movement.

Overall, and this may be somewhat stating the obvious but, in terms of sizing aim for what feels comfortable to wear and pay a pit of extra attention to the knee and crotch areas.

A little bagginess can be good for hotter times of year, as air can circulate a bit better, but don’t go too crazy as too much and it will be a pain e.g. flapping in heavy winds.

Breathability

As with any hiking, you want your pants to be breathable. This is a lot to do with the material make-up from the previous section. Your hiking pants need some breathability to ensure you can let your legs breathe i.e. sweat can wick away from your skin.

While that is important, it is only part of the process and I think additional features like ventilation zips for quick ventilation are a great thing to have but we’ll look at that in more detail below.

Good breathability also lends itself to helping your hiking pants to dry out quicker if they get wet. I can’t overstate how important that is. Your hiking pants are going to get wet so the quicker they can dry off the better.

Water Resistance / Waterproof

I’m a little cautious of hiking pants that are categorized as waterproof. In terms of hiking, waterproof capability should generally be handled utilizing your rain pants in my opinion.

However, some element of water resistance on a thicker pair of hiking pants, for autumn / winter, can be a good thing to have. It just means that for a lighter shower of rain, you don’t need to get your rain gear out and on.

This will be provided by a DWR (Durable water repellent) coating of some kind. This sits on top of the material and beads the water letting it roll off.

The DWR coating won’t last forever though, so you do need to reproof the coating on your hiking pants, using Nikwax or a similar reproofing product, if you want to keep the water resistance working well.

For summer hiking, I don’t concern myself too much with water resistance in hiking pants. If the pants have good breathability and they get a bit wet they normally dry off pretty quickly in the warmer temperatures of summer. If the rain is too heavy, I just pop the rain pants on over my hiking pants till it passes.

As I mentioned, for serious rain, I always prefer to rely on waterproof rain pants as an outer layer over my hiking pants but this may not always be as comfortable in certain scenarios, say in very muggy conditions.

You’ll need to see what set-up works best for your needs based on where you do your hiking.

Windproof

This should be more or less covered by the material make up, and the waterproof capability can help a bit with this too.

However, having god hiking pants that can hold off a blast of heavy wind is a good thing to have.

Again, this will depend on where you are hiking and when. If you head into the Scottish highlands on a blowy late autumn day, you will most definitely need your hiking pants to shield you from the wind.

If on the other hand, you are out on a hot summers day in Zion national park in Utah, it may not be high on your requirements list.

UPF

Some summer hiking pants will have an extra UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) capability in the material make-up of them. Before getting into this, I think it’s worth covering the difference between UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) and SPF (Sun Protection Factor) so as not to get confused.

An SPF rating is a rating that indicates how fast skin will burn. So the SPF ratio of 20 means that 1/2oth of the burning radiation will reach the skin.

So, if you use sunscreen with a factor of 20, it will take 20 minutes for an equivalent of 1 minute of burning radiation to get through to your skin if you were not using sunscreen. It’s only a guide though so if you’re hiking in the heat using sunscreen, it’s always better to top up on it regularly.

UPF on the other hand is a clothing rating that works by indicating the number of units of ultraviolet light an item of clothing let’s in through the fabric. It’s a ratio that works as follows.

If a clothing item has a UPF of 40, it means that if 40 units of UV fall on the fabric, only 1 unit will pass through to the skin. In summary, when we’re talking about hiking gear, we are only concerned with UPF, the rating for clothes.

It’s worth noting here that standard clothing alone will provide some element of protection from the sun. If you’re wearing your normal clothes out in sunny conditions, it is rare that you will actually get sunburn through them.

However, the sun is something you need to be very conscious of when out on the trail as on a good day, you’re totally exposed. Often times you are often that bit closer to the sun as well, as you’re generally higher up in terms of altitude.

The temperature can also be a little cooler in that scenario which can be a little deceiving as to the amount of UV you’re actually getting exposed to is much higher than it may feel to your body.

Similarly, if you live closer to the equator, the sun can be a lot stronger and you may burn a lot easier. Some folks also have skin that is more prone to burning than others, so this may be more of a red flag for some than others e.g. people with fair skin.

People are also of course different. Some people can handle a lot more direct sun than others. If you have pale white skin, then you are probably more likely to need more protection than others.

Overall, having a UPF rating is something to consider as part of your hiking pants buying decision should you hike in sunnier and hotter climes.

Personally, I think there is no harm in having some UPF capability in a light summer hiking pant if you hike in a lot of hot sunshine or in certain locations or environments e.g. deserts.

UPF is a broad topic and one that is worth learning more about. This article on REI goes into UPF and sun protection in clothing in further good detail. Worth a look as an additional resource, if you want to go into it in more detail.

Color

Color is important,. Hiking pants come in a range of colors but again thinking in terms of heat, dark colors absorb heat and light colors reflect heat. So, this is why nearly all light summer hiking pants will be grey, beige, cream, etc. A much better color to have in hot temperatures.

Similarly, if you’re hiking in winter, a darker pair of hiking pants can help to absorb heat from the sun and help keep you warmer. It may sound a bit like overkill but it does have an impact.

Again, for someone who is out for longer times, say trekkers and backpackers, this is something to really give more consideration too as the wardrobe you can carry on your back will be limited 🙂

Bug Resistance

Again, something to consider for many, bug resistance in your hiking pants will help keep bugs at bay. This can be a real problem in many places and so anything that may help with this may be worth considering.

If you’re planning on heading away on a hiking adventure, say to the Amazon or somewhere, that’s when capabilities like this may be much more important to help protect you from getting bitten by various bugs and whatnot.

In saying that though, mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers and midges are never too far away in most parts of the world.

I think most places at a certain time of year in their cycle will have some kind of explosion in bugs / mosquitoes, etc. Therefore, insect shield technology can be worth considering for sure.

Of course, this an only ever be an aid to protect yourself from bugs. You need proper bug repellent as your main line of defense. Bug resistance in your hiking pants is only a bonus, and should never be relied on as your main shield of protection.

Pockets

Good pockets are a must on hiking pants in my opinion. I like deep ones, at least the standard two hand pockets should be deep. Hand pockets can sometimes be zipped, and usually zipped pockets in hiking pants will have a bit more water resistance.

You can see as an example below, that my Columbia summer hiking pants have a lot of pockets available.

That’s just one side view shot in the photo above and it has four available pockets: one standard hand pocket, a zipped back pocket, a hidden secure pocket and the side pocket.

The other side has 3, less the hidden pocket, and the back pocket uses a Velcro closure. Point being, there is plenty of available pocket space. Really handy to have.

As in the Columbia hiking pants above, some hiking pants will come with a small zipped inner, almost hidden, secure pocket, usually just on the entry to the right hand pocket of the pants.

This can be used to store something you really don’t want to lose e.g. a car key. The space is usually quite small in the pocket though but it’s a neat thing to have.

Hip pockets can also feature on hiking pants, one or two can be handy to have, but not always practical. They usually can be closed with buttons, Velcro or zips.

Rear back pockets are also common on hiking pants, not a major concern of mine as I don’t use the rear pockets a lot, but again no harm to have them.

Care

This could have slotted into the material section above, but it’s worth calling it out in it’s out section, to highlight it.

Nearly all good hiking pants should be relatively easy to care for. So to wash and drip dry should be pretty standard.

However, it is worth checking on this before you buy. If you get hiking pants that have a very specific material construction, say to enhance their water resistance capability, then you may need to care for them in a more specialized way, using special detergents, or that type of thing.

I don’t like this idea, I want to be able to wash my hiking pants simply and easily, with other dirty sports gear. I have my rain pants that need special love and TLC, in terms of reproofing every so often etc., and that is enough for me.

Also, hiking pants that can be washed by hand are useful to have. If you are on a long trek and can’t get to a proper washing machine facility, even giving them a bit of a rinse in a bathtub or bucket with detergent can be helpful, to get them a bit less smelly after days of use 🙂

The material make-up of most hiking pants, lend themselves to this, but it’s something to keep in mind if considering care and attention.

Features

For summer hiking pants, I look for removable bottoms. This means you can easily turn your hiking pants into shorts, also known as, convertible hiking pants. I have a pair of Columbia light hiking pants that do this and it works very well.

Zip Conversion of Hiking Pants Into Shorts

There are two zips around the pants at just above the knee level and the lower part of the pants easily zip off. Really handy for when you’re not sure if the sun will make an appearance on the day or not.

While shorts in the sun is a good idea, be careful as if it’s too hot you might be wiser to leave them on to protect your legs from the sun.

Another handy thing about the removable bottoms is that they can be removed and washed really easily. When you’re hiking, the bottom of the pants will get the worst hit in terms of dirt.

If you can’t wash them for a few days while you hike, you can simply detach the bottoms and rinse them in a river or a sink, whatever is handy. I did this when I hiked the Camino and it worked a treat and kept me looking somewhat respectable after numerous days hiking lol 🙂

A similar effect, making your pants into shorts, can also be achieved using roll-up hiking pants. The bottoms on these can be rolled up to form shorts or Capri pants.

In truth, you can roll up most standard hiking pants just fine but these ones will have a tie feature available so you can secure them when rolled up.

Not something I’ve used personally but might be good to have if you find the process of removing zipped bottoms a hassle as you have to take your boots off.

In more durable hiking pants, a key feature I really like to have are ventilation zips. These work in the same format as pit zips in a rain jacket.

They run along the side of the hip and usually have a mesh material under them which allows good air flow when you open them.

They’re a very effective way to quickly regulate the temperature in your hiking pants and I really like them. Breathable material is one thing but the quick venting option is the business in my opinion.

You can open them as you ascend a steep part of a mountain when you’re sweating that bit more with the extra exertion. Then when you get to a plateau or start heading downward, you can just zip them back up if it starts to get too cool.

In terms of zips, boot zips are also a popular feature to look out for. These are zips that run from the bottom of your hiking pants up to, approximately, the top of your ankle. When open, they can help with sliding boots on and off and they can also allow some element of ventilation.

Hiking pants will also often feature some way to secure at the waist. This will either be with belt loops to which you use your belt of choice but many hiking pants will come with an integrated Belt or drawstring of some kind.

Some kind of belt, integrated or otherwise, is useful as it allows an element of weight moderation, when you fill up the many pockets available to you with stuff, you need something to help keep the pants comfortably up and secure.

You can also look for a lined waistband, for example, a brushed Tricot-Lined waistband. This means that the waistband has a lining that makes it a little more comfortable to wear, as the waistband will be touching your skin.

Finally, if you will be using a harness, then you may want to look for hiking pants that specifically mention harness compatibility. Not a major requirement for most average hikers, but something worth noting.

Price

In terms of getting a very functional and comfortable pair of hiking pants for the trail, I really don’t feel you need to break the bank. You can of course spend a lot of money on hiking pants, as with all hiking gear there is a lower and upper range running from about €50.00 to €100.00.

However, I think spending in and around $80.00 (maybe a bit less if you take advantage of a sale or some coupons online) will get you a really good and functional brand name pair of hiking pants.

The more functionality you have in your pants, generally the more expensive they will be. What I mean by that is, all else being equal, a light pair of hiking pants should be a bit cheaper than a tougher and more durable Winter pair.

Keep in mind that brand name can have a big impact on price too. I do generally like particular brands over others, as most people do, but sometimes you won’t get much more in functionality and capability for the extra dollars you will pay for a name.

It is also true you can possibly find a bargain in a non brand pair of hiking pants on Amazon or in a local budget store. If you spend 10 bucks on a pair of pants though, set your expectations accordingly, you might get lucky and have found a really great deal, but you might not 🙂

My Recommendation

I recommend having at least two sets of hiking pants, a summer pair that are lighter and have some specific functions, which I list below, as well as a winter pair which are of course that bit heavier to keep you warmer in colder climates.

The summer hiking pants should be convertible into shorts. I prefer the capability to remove the bottoms using zips as opposed to roll-ups but whatever you prefer should be fine and will have the same effect.

For the autumn / winter hiking pants, I recommend a tougher material construction for the hiking pants, they need to be considerably warmer but still breathable.

I like a mix of synthetic fiber like nylon / polyester with some spandex or elastane into the mix to allow a bit more stretch in the fabric. I recommend you look for ventilation zips in your winter pants as I think they are really effective in helping regulate temperature.

Breathability is also very important for both your summer and winter hiking pants. As mentioned above, generally speaking, the more breathable, the quicker the pants can dry and that is a definite requirement for hiking pants.

Look for at least two hand pockets in each pair and a couple of back pockets, can also be useful. A zipped pocket or two can also be good to secure something away.

If you’d class yourself as a casual hiker, I think it is feasible to get away with one year round pair of hiking pants, for that I’d choose a middle of the road hiking pant.

Ones that are not too light for winter but not too heavy for summer, ideally with removable bottoms so you can turn the hiking pants into shorts.

That combined with good waterproof rain pants should keep you covered in most conditions.

Conclusion

Hiking pants are a key part of your hiking gear, there is no doubt about that. The good news is that the quality available these days I think is really top notch at a price that is affordable.

You can check out our best hiking pant options for men here and our top hiking pant recommendations for women. We walk through a lot of excellent options to choose from in those articles.

As mentioned above, hiking pants are one area I’ve really noticed a big change in quality in over the last decade and they seem to be getting better and better.

As with all hiking gear, it will be interesting to see how technology advancements help further enhance the quality and capability of hiking pants over the coming years. It should only be good I think.

I hope you found this article on how to choose the best hiking pants useful. Please share it around your networks if you did 🙂

How To Buy A Headlamp For The Trail

As a regular hiker, it’s inevitable that at some point you’ll end up out hiking at night. While hiking at night is another really beautiful way to enjoy the mountains, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Believe it or not, you can get some spectacular views when all the stars align, as they say.

However, more often that not, your visibility is of course not going to be that great and so the views not always that spectacular. It is night after all 🙂

However, aside from intentionally going out night hiking, there is a strong possibility that a time will come when you’re out in the mountains at night but not by choice. On a summit for example on a hike in Winter where things may not go according to plan.

Picture this …

How Easy could this Happen?

You’re on a Winter day hike, setting out at 10am and you reach your destination around 1pm. It’s lunch time so you stop to have a bite to eat before making your way back to base. Night falls at 5pm so you’ve got plenty of time, 3 hours there, 3 hours back with 1 hour, minus the time you stop for lunch, to spare. All good!

However, as you enjoy your lunch and take a hot drink in, the clouds start to close in quickly and the weather takes a turn for the worst. You know you’ve 4 hours maximum to get back before it gets dark so you decide to cut your lunch short and set out on your return journey.

Visibility is getting worse by the second, it starts to pour with rain and the wind starts to go up a few gears. You check your route plan and start to follow a bearing you took when you planned your hike last night.

Unbeknownst to you though, your compass has taken a knock in your pack and is now broken and pointing you in the wrong direction by 10 degrees. Unaware of this you push on. That seemingly small margin or error means you’re now going further into the mountains in the wrong direction as opposed to back to your car.

The visibility is getting worse, so it’s a while before you figure out that something is up. You notice the land under your feet should be sloping steeply down by now for the route you should be travelling, but it is in fact going upwards.

At this point, an hour has passed before you’ve realized your error. With no visibility and not knowing your exact location, you have no choice but to spend another hour trying to get back to where you were to first confirm your position. Your compass isn’t working and unfortunately no one else in your hiking party brought a compass along and you didn’t pack a spare.

The Long Journey Back

You manage to get back to the place you first made your error, that means you’ve just added at least 2 hours to the journey to get back to your car. You are now faced with the problem of getting back to your car from there, again with a damaged compass in zero visibility. It will be slow going and it will take a lot of your mental resources to get out of that one. Let’s say that adds at least another 2 more hours to your trip back to your car.

So, now your initial 3 hour trip back to your car will now take at least another 5 hours, 2 hours for the mistake and 5 hours back to your car. You’re now looking at 7 hours return journey in total, assuming you go the right way too of course. The earliest you can hope to get back at is 8pm!

The Importance of Having a Headlamp

In terms of hiking, the story above may seem like a very drawn out way to state what may seem obvious to some, however it may not be so obvious to others.

In the scenario above, which could happen to anyone, whether you wanted to or not you’re going to be hiking at night. A lot of the time, especially in Late Autumn, Winter and early Spring, carrying a headlamp is a very smart thing to do, even when you only plan to go out for a day hike. Should you get stuck in the mountains late in the evening, you will at least have some artificial light to help you see your way safely back.

Another great advantage to having a headlamp is that you can use it hands free so while you’re trying to figure a route out on your map or sort out whatever problem you may be confronted with, you don’t have to hold a torch in one of your hands.

Also, should be unable to walk, it can really help a rescue team find you at night. An emergency whistle is another critical piece of kit but if the wind is drowning the sound of that out, a flashing headlamp in the distance, assuming visibility is reasonable, is a really easy way to pin point your position.

Aide from these advantages in terms of hiking, if you enjoy any outdoor activity at night, a headlamp will come in handy. For example, if you like camping, a headlamp is a lot more handy to use than a handheld torch. While you’re rummaging about looking for your stuff, it’s a really easy way to have good light to see what you’re doing.

In summary, a good headlamp is a really important piece of your hiking kit. It’s not only practical and functional, but it can play a significant role in helping to keep you safe on the trail, and can potentially even be a life saver.

What is a Headlamp?

OK, so let’s start from the start. For those who don’t know what a headlamp is, it’s pretty much a lamp that attaches to your head. It usually comes in a strap that can be adjusted to fit your head size. The lamp itself pivots at the front as shown in the picture below.

All headlamps are operated by a button or two on the lamp itself, see the black button on the center of the lamp in the picture above. the lamp above is my current headlamp, the Black Diamond Storm. You can check out our best hiking headlamp recommendations to see some excellent options availble on the market today.

Headlamps are designed with all manner of outdoor activities in mind. From cycling, to hiking, to camping, they can be utilized for lot’s of different outdoor activities. The one above is a typical one you would use on the trail for hiking purposes.

What Should you look for?

Headlamps are broadly rated using three key measurements / indicators.

These items are usually listed on the side of the box on any good headlamp like in the picture below.

While these measurement ratings are important and fundamental things that you need your headlamp to have decent capability in, don’t take them too seriously. There are so many factors at play, it can be hard to say how useful the indicated ratings really are.

For example, Light capability and Burn Time will simply fade with use but some lamps do of course fade quicker than others. However, these 3 key performance indicators do provide a general performance expectation guide.

On top of that though, there are other essential components and things you should consider when thinking about buying a headlamp so let’s look at those next.

Durability and Construction

You will most likely be carrying your headlamp in your pack and so it will be getting shaken about and possibly even banged into things every now and then, if your pack bumps a tree or some rocks for example.

This is where a tough and good design is critical. If your headlamp is built in a flimsy way, it won’t be able to take a knock or two. You need something that is designed and constructed with tough outdoor use in mind. We are of course primarily interested in hiking, so most of these are small 3*1*1 inch devices that sit on your head.

It’s worth noting, that you can get much bigger and more powerful headlamps for other specific outdoor activities. I happened to use a cycling headlamp, at least that’s what I was told it was for, one night for a night navigation exercise I was doing once.

I didn’t have my normal headlamp for some reason and the outdoor center lent this to me for the night. Anyway, this thing was HUGE! It was big and chunky and sat heavy on my forehead. Not good in terms of size, weight or packability for hiking, but man could this bad boy light up the place lol 🙂 you could have landed a plane with it, it was that powerful!

As mentioned, I think it was a headlamp specifically used for cyclists who are moving fast and need good visibility from much further away. Excellent light but not really practical for hiking.

Waterproof

If you’re wearing your headlamp on the mountains, at some point it will take a battering from the elements. So as well as being durable it needs to be able to withstand the elements and be able to continue to work fine in very wet conditions.

Again, the physical make-up and design will have a lot to do with this. Keep this in mind when you’re shopping around for one.

Ease of Use

I think this is really important. Most headlamps will come with some form of pivot on them, as in the picture above. that is the lamp itself can be pivoted to point in several different directions. For example, straight ahead or pointing down.

Useful depending on what you want to do. For example, you can aim a flood light function straight ahead to survey a broader area in closer proximity or target a specific feature further in the distance with a spot light.

As well as that, ideally you want something that is easy to operate with gloves on. If the headlamp is too fiddly, you may need to take gloves off to work with it which isn’t ideal in cold and wet conditions. Most headlamps will have several settings options in them e.g. to make the beam stronger, to use a strobe feature, etc.

Ideally these functions can be easily accessed and utilized without having to do anything too complicated in terms of fiddling with buttons and so on.

Functions

There are a lot of functions that can be available in a headlamp. Normally, in terms of hiking, there will be a:

Floodlight:

This is the main beam that is most employed on the trail at night, certainly the one I use the most anyway. It’s effectively the main beam and will light up a broad area in a closer proximity.

Excellent for a campsite or taking a look in your immediate area for some land features, that type of thing.

Spotlight:

Some headlamps will have a spot feature. this enables the user to focus all the power into one much smaller but more targeted beam. Say you want to focus on something off in the distance for example.

This can be very useful for night navigation as if you’re looking for a specific feature in the distance, you can focus in on it. Very useful when trying to confirm your position using specific land features.

Red Night Light:

Most headlamps will have a red (or green) night light setting. The main purpose for this is that it can be a little less heavy on juice and apparently, red light can be seen easier at a distance than white light. So, if you’re in a rescue situation, it will preserve battery life and help identify your location easier.

I also read somewhere that the red light setting doesn’t spook animals and so will not draw their attention to your position. Possibly useful for hunters but also if you don’t want to freak a herd of animals out as you walk by them.

This function isn’t something I have ever used to be honest. Thankfully I haven’t been in a rescue situation before and hopefully I never will.

Price

Price is a lot of the time directly correlated to quality when it comes to hiking gear, and I have definitely found that to be the case with headlamps.

I have in the past bought a cheap headlamp but the performance was rubbish and rather than saving a few bucks, I felt I wasted the purchase price. Frankly, it was dangerous trying to hike in the dark with it.

I only did this once though. From that point I decided I’d get a good quality headlamp and spend a bit more on it to ensure I had good quality. The price range of a headlamp for the trail will be anywhere from $15.00 at the cheaper end of the scale to $200.00 at the higher end.

I think you can get a good headlamp for in and around $40.00 to $60.00 so you don’t have to break the bank. As a warning though, headlamps are one of those hiking gadget areas where you can get really expensive lamps that are terrible performers and very reasonably priced ones that are a top performers. Go figure!

It’s worth doing your research well and as it’s an electronic product, it’s good to shop for one online as you will get better deals with sales, coupons and so on.

What I Recommend

I think for the trail you need to of course take all the factors listed above into consideration. However, I specifically recommend the items below

As mentioned above, starting with the 3 key standard rating indicators, as a guide, when it comes to:
- Light: aim for a range of between 100 to 200 lumens and a light lock feature is a good idea so it isn ‘t turned on accidentally in your pack
- Burntime: aim for an upper limit of 50+ hours and ideally a meter gauge to display the power left
- Distance: aim for an upwards range of 70+ meters
Ensure the headlamp is on a movable / inclining pivot that is practical and functional. This gives you a range of areas in which to fix point the headlamp e.g. you can incline the light to point it down towards the ground or out in front of you and so on.
Look for an adjustable head strap that works well so you can find a comfortable fit. This means other folks can use it too should they need to, just need to adjust it to their head size.
A variety of a beams is a good idea. I like to have a:
- Good main flood beam
- Functional spot light
- Night light option (red or green usually)
- Some flashing or strobe capability (can be very useful in an emergency)
You don’t have to break the bank but I think you should be willing to spend at least $40.00+
While it gives no guarantee, choosing an established brand name with lots of good user reviews is sensible and a good brand will stand over their kit should something not work or fail.

What I am Currently Using

I am currently using the Black Diamond Storm Headlamp and I have been very happy with it. It’s got a tough and sturdy build with a nice design, and it’s a cinch to operate all the light settings on it from one main button on the top of the headlamp. It’s also easy to operate with gloves on which is awesome.

It also has a simple to use lock feature and a power gauge to indicate how much juice is left in it which works well, but if I have one criticism of it, it is that it is hard enough on batteries and can burn through them quite quickly.

Conclusion

Choosing a headlamp for the trail is surprisingly detailed. There are a fair few things to consider for sure. There are also so many different headlamp options available, it can be hard to know where to start. I hope this buying guide has went some way in helping to make the whole process that bit simpler and helps you in the process of buying a headlamp for the trail.

Always establish your needs before you buy and even if you’ve no interest in night hiking, think of it in terms of emergency use if a situation, as I started out this guide with, should arise.

In that scenario, an emergency when you need it most, you will really want it to be functional and working well. You will be grateful you spent a bit of time, taking the time to choose a good headlamp and parted with those few extra bucks to get a good one. Remember to check out our top hiking headlamp recommendations if you’re in the market for one.

As a final note, always carry spare batteries with you and should you be heading into the wilds for a longer trek, it can be a really good idea to bring a spare headlamp with you. Yes, I mean a complete replacement should the other one fail. Better to be safe and all that.

If you liked this guide and found it useful, please like and share it 🙂