Clothing Reviews

Outdoor Research’s Ferrosi Convertible Hiking Pants are highly breathable and quick drying convertible hiking pants with zip-off legs. They’re very stretchy which makes them great for scrambling and even rock climbing, with a gusseted crotch that provides great range of motion. In addition to zip-off legs, there’s an elastic band …

The Marmot Precip ECO is a lightweight waterproof/breathable rain jacket made with recycled nylon ripstop with a PFC-free DWR coating. Weighing 10 oz, the Precip is inexpensive but fully featured and suitable for year-round hiking and backpacking. It has a fully adjustable hood, pit zips, velcro wrist cuffs and two …

The REI Rainier Rain Jacket is an inexpensive but well-featured waterproof/breathable rain jacket that can be used year-round for hiking and backpacking. Priced at $89 dollars, but often discounted, the Rainier is virtually identical to the Marmot Precip Eco Rain Jacket and includes pits zips, an adjustable hood, hook and …

REI Screeline Hiking Pants are super-comfortable spandex and nylon gusseted hiking pants with vents behind the knee and reinforced knees and rear. I like wearing them for my more rugged scrambly hikes, off-trail bushwhacks and harvesting firewood that would rip up a lighter weight pair of pants. While the Screeline …

Outdoor Research’s Protector Sun Gloves ($20) are fingerless gloves designed to protect your hands from the sun. I originally bought them for fly fishing to reduce my sun exposure, but I’ve also started wearing them for all of my hikes as an insect barrier. They weigh next to nothing and …

Vidda Pro Pants are tough hiking pants made by Fjallraven, a Swedish company that makes technical expedition clothing and gear. They are constructed from Fjallraven’s G-1000 fabric which is a blend of 65% polyester and 35% cotton. While cotton is treated as a taboo for outdoor clothing, this fabric blend …

The Patagonia Houdini Jacket is an ultralight jacket designed to help you stay warm in cool windy weather. It’s not waterproof or insulated but provides a windproof layer to prevent the cold air from stripping away the heat trapped in your baselayer or mid-layer clothing. Wind shirts and jackets like …

The Massdrop Veil is an ultralight breathable wind shirt which provides active insulation even in high winds. Wind shirts are very lightweight and usually weigh between 2 and 3 ounces. While they’re not waterproof, many experienced hikers carry and use a wind shirt to prevent heat loss in windy exposed …

Bug season can be unpleasant, but it’s no reason to give up hiking and backpacking. You just need to cover up with insect-proof clothing and wear bug dope. If you never hike when insects are active, you’re not going to get much hiking and backpacking done, are you? Here’s a …

Outdoor Research’s Thru-Gaiters are short stretch gaiters with a Hypalon instep strap and two front hooks for clipping on to your shoelaces. They can be used with hiking boots, mids, or trail runners and incorporate OR’s ActiveIce thermoregulating technology to keep your calves cool while keeping mud and trail debris …

Montane’s Atomic Rain Pants are lightweight waterproof/breathable rain pants with thigh-high side zippers for easy ventilation and temperature regulation. They’re ideal for spring, autumn, and winter hiking in highly variable temperature conditions when you need rain protection for your legs, but cool temperatures can chill you unless you can vent …

Prana’s Stretch Zion Hiking Pants are my favorite hiking pants. They’re buttery soft with just the right amount of stretch. They have snaps in the legs so you can roll them up if you get too warm and include an integrated belt, something that I wish all hiking pant manufacturers …

The Outdoor Research Apollo Jacket is an inexpensive but fully featured waterproof/breathable rain jacket that can be used year-round for hiking and backpacking. Priced at $99 dollars, but often available for less, it compares favorably with other value-priced rain jackets like the Marmot Precip and Patagonia Torrentshell Jackets. The Apollo …

Frugal hiker that I am, really, I picked up a couple of pairs of REI Sahara Convertible Pants on sale. They’re quite thin nylon pants with color coded zip off legs and lots of pockets, including side cargo pockets. I’ve never been a huge fan of convertible pants or cargo …