Gear!

Gear......to sum it up, it's important! Sore feet, lack of water, hypothermia....these can all ruin a hike....or take your life, if you aren't prepared.  Some people feel like they need to have the best of the best; well, that's pretty subjective to a point.  I say "Buy the very best that you can afford."  Seriously, why go into debt or have to eat Top Ramen for a month, all because you bought what you thought you HAD to have, or what someone else told you that you HAD to have, only to find out it wasn't really the right purchase for YOU?

SHOES
Shoes are important. You won't know just HOW important until you've hiked a few miles in the wrong shoes!  I've hiked in my regular walking shoes which are the Brooks Addiction 9 shoes. I love these shoes for putting on the miles during training for the Susan G Komen 3 Day for the Cure and I wear them during the 60 miles of the event, too.  In fact, I LOVE these so much, I wear them exclusively to work, as well.  They have worked well for me on a very smooth, level  trail. Can I stress anymore how much I love these shoes? When they have run their lifespan, they then become my "working out in the yard" shoes.

Once I started on the more technical trails such as in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands, I found myself falling more often than I'd like. It's not so much the falling that worries me, because bruises and scrapes will heal. It's the bumping my head on a rock or rolling off of a cliff that frighten me!  I knew I needed to invest in some trail shoes.When researching trail shoes, I naturally thought I'd go with the Brooks Cascadia trail shoes, since I love their Addiction 9 running shoes so much. I went up to Fairhaven Runners in Bellingham, WA to spend the gift certificate the hubster had gotten me for our anniversary, and imagine my surprise when I found  that I liked another brand of shoes much better. I ended up getting the Adidas Supernova Riots,  which have pretty much eliminated my falling, except for the occasional tree root or boulder that jumps out at me. So, I'm 100% pleased with these shoes. BTW, I'm usually a major bargain shopper, like I don't want to pay retail price for anything.  Imagine my surprise to find that the Adidas Riots, which were more expensive than the Brooks, were ON CLEARANCE at Fairhaven Runners!  Whoo Hoo! Score!!! 

Adidas Supernova Riot 3


I bought myself a little gift for my birthday. I figured it was time for some hiking shoes. Trail running shoes have a lot of flexibility, while hiking shoes are a bit more sturdy. So, in true Liz form, I did some research and found some hiking shoes I liked; the Garmont Amica hiking shoes. They have a wonderful Vibram sole and lots of built-in stability features, which apparently I need. They are light-weight with water-repellent suede and abrasion-resistant mesh. They have a thicker tongue for a better fit, and a toe kick so your little tootsies don't get demolished and a higher side on the inside of the shoe for added support. Oh, and they are dark grey and aubergine. Aubergine? I never thought I'd wear anything aubergine. Oh well.....I'm excited to give them a try this week. Best news??? 1/2 price at REI!! PS Sale ends September 5th......go on, click the link, you know you want to buy something!!  So, here they are!

Garmont Amica hiking shoe

SOCKS

Avoid cotton like the plague! Buy performance socks, made for the activity you are undertaking. Change your socks when your feet are sweaty. Be kind to your socks and they will be kind to you..  'Nuf said....

HYDRATION
Carrying your water while hiking is must, must, must! Unless.....you have a water filtering system (i.e.pump filter, purifier or tablets) that you  are carrying along with you. Water is essential. If you are trudging through the snow or hiking in the sun, you will probably need even more water than you think.  There are many options for carrying water; water bottles, vests, base layers, hydration packs, etc.  I drink A LOT and I mean A LOT of water, so I carry 3L of water with me in my CamelBak L.U.X.E, regardless of how long I'll be out on a day hike. I figure you can always bring water home, but being lost somewhere without water could be disastrous. And besides, you might get thirsty.

If you are a women, be sure to get a hydration pack specifically designed for women. We need a sternum strap that goes above the girls, not one that squishes them flat....we'll let our sports bras do that. I love that my CamelBak has lots of room for a day hike. I carry snacks, first aid kit, flashlights (2), more snacks, extra socks, camera, emergency Mylar blanket, maps, visor, sunscreen, more snacks, ChapStick, emergency whistle, a trash bag, phone, keys, a waterproof layer, hat & gloves, lunch and much more along with me. My pack, when fully loaded, weighs about 14 lbs. I also take extra precautions and use a carabiner just to keep the zipper pulls together, in case a pocket tries to get jostled open accidentally. Wouldn't want to lose any of my snacks!! I'm convinced that I'm going to get lost and if I do, I'll be able to feed everyone with me....or hog all of the snacks for myself, depending on the kind of mood I'm in.

When shopping for a pack, take your time, try it one, have the clerk load it down, adjust the straps, jog around with it if that's how you will be using it. Be sure to get a good feel for how it fits on your body. That being said, I love my CamelBak. It keeps my hands free to take pictures, put on ChapStick, eat a snack, and most importantly, to catch myself if I fall!  Drink, drink, drink!!! Busy kidneys are happy kidneys.

PS  Hillary reminded me that I forgot to list "pepper spray". It's always in my packs front pocket or my vest pocket in the winter. I've only had to bust it out once when two loose big dogs, (one Lab and one Rottweiler) were circling me on my bike. Fortunately, they ran off with just my  yelling "Get, go home!" and waving my jacket at them.

CamelBak L.U.X.E 3L

TREKKING POLES
I have some New Balance Expert trekking poles that I received for Mothers Day. I haven't used them yet, but I will be using them this coming week. I can imagine how helpful they will be (especially to someone with a falling habit), when fording any creeks or rivers. Mine have adjustable height and built-in shock absorbers. They are supposed to give your arms a good workout, too. I imagine they'd be pretty good for fighting off any misbehaving dogs or wildlife or even naughty people, too.  I'll keep you posted.

New Balance Expert trekking poles

Don't forget a hat and sun glasses! Protect your eyes, you've only got two and they need to last you a long, long time. Especially important around snow and water, which reflect the sun.

That's about all for now.  I'm sure that I have forgotten something. Remember, buy what works for YOU, don't give in to peer pressure. I'd also love to hear what YOUR favorite gear is.

Happy Hiking!