Purchasing Hiking Clothes

Appropriate hiking clothes are necessary for your comfort and protection in the rapidly changing weather patterns of Glacier and the rest of the Rocky Mountains.

Failure to dress and pack appropriately for your adventure can result in illness and grumpiness that can ruin a camping or backpacking vacation.

Many brands claim to have the best hiking clothing, but all their tags restate the same, generic material worded differently.

Before purchasing hiking clothes, you need to know what material to look for, the ratio of materials and find a hiking shirt or pants best suited to your needs and budget.

Why You Need a Hiking Shirt

Having a quality hiking shirt is the most important piece of clothing for hiking and backpacking. Everything else (pants & shorts, zippered thermals etc.) is just a luxury.

The reasoning is simple:

1. While hiking, you sweat--primarily on your chest, back and underarms
2. If temperatures drop and you are covered in sweat or your shirt is sopping wet from absorbing sweat, you can easily develop hypothermia
3. A quality hiking shirt diverts the sweat, keeping you dry and comfortable

The bottom line is that without a quick drying, sweat absorbing hiking shirt you are compromising your health and safety.

Hiking Clothes - What To Look For

There are so many brands on the market, each claiming to be the best. For this reason, you need to learn about the materials and what to look for in order to meet your hiking and backpacking demands. Here is what to look for when purchasing hiking clothes:

Allyson atop a Colorado mountain pass in quality, hiking clothing

A shirt that provides all this and more is the Mountain Hardwear Wicked T.

In my opinion, it is the best hiking shirt on the market and priced to meet the most modest of budgets. I personally own this shirt and will never wear any other shirt regardless of the hike duration.

Learn more about the Mountain Hardwear Wicked T

Discount Outdoor Clothing

Since hiking and backpacking clothes need to meet greater demands, they are priced higher. However, this doesn't mean you should wear cotton and avoid investing an extra 20-30 bucks.

Allyson & I in Yellowstone sporting discount, hiking clothes

There are options for finding discount outdoor clothing & apparel--you just need to know where to look:

• Outlet Stores - You can find sick deals online for discount outdoor clothing.
  
  
• One-Deal-At-A-Time Websites - My favorite of these is Steep & Cheap, which offers quality outdoor apparel for insanely cheap prices
  
  
• Bizrate - Bizrate compares prices of from across the web so you know you are getting the best deal possible. Click here to browse hiking shirt prices
  
  
• Craigslist - If you live in outdoor towns, like my home, Boulder, CO, you can find great deals on used outdoor equipment

More Backpacking Equipment Information

Return home to Backpacking Equipment

Stay hydrated: Keeping your body hydrated is essential for your safety and maintaining a healthy, hydration level is easy with a Hydration Backpack

Dress Appropriately: Learn about the hiking shorts you need to stay warm, dry, comfortable and healthy while hiking.

Drink Safe Water: You cannot drink water straight from a lake or river, or you risk compromising your health from giardia. Learn about water purification methods and my suggestions on the best portable water filters on the market to keep your family healthy and safe.

Bear Safety: Glacier National Park is Grizzly Bear Habitat. Outside of proper knowledge on hiking & camping in grizzly bear territory, no defense has proven as effective as Bear Repellent

Bring Your Kids: Using a Kelty Child Carrier you can easily bring the newest members of your family into the great outdoors.

Eating Well: Having the appropriate Camping Utensils to meet your family's needs can make or break your Montana vacation.

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Hiking Clothes to Glacier National Park Travel Guide