What to Wear Hiking (by an outdoors guide!)

January 22, 2025

Looking for what you should wear day hiking as a beginner? For everything from how to get into hiking without breaking the bank, to finding the best hiking near you and what to wear hiking, continue reading!

why this blog? Hi there! My name is Maddy, and I’ve got almost seven years of experience working as an outdoors guide and now outdoor/travel writer, but I’m always a guide first. That means I’m focused on providing you the best possible information to keep you safe and comfortable outside. My mission is to make outdoor information and resources as easy to access and digest as possible. I’m happy your hear! Have a look around.

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Ultimate Guide to What to Wear Hiking (for beginners!)

I’m going to let you in on a secret: you do not need to buy anything new to start hiking. In fact, you probably have everything you need right in your closet, and can and probably should start there before investing in anything new. Here’s where you’ll want to start:

1) Best underwear to wear hiking (for women!)

Let’s start at the beginning! Choosing the right underwear to hike in can be make or break. Really the key to comfortable hiking underwear is to wear something that won’t chafe, and something that will feel dry the longest. Depending on the situation, it can be more comfortable to wear no underwear at all and hike in shorts with built-in under ware.

A lot of people really like wool based under ware for sweat-wicking and warmth. Personally, I just am not quite on board with the wool under wear thing yet, and instead recommend synthetic options like the REI Active Hipsters, which have enough coverage to double as swim-bottoms on hikes with lakes, or the Athleta Ritual bikinis, which pack down to nothing and I own in bulk.

best places to swim in the pictured rocks, swimmer in "the coves"

For the best hiking sports bras, I generally want something thin enough that it doesn’t feel cumbersome, but with decent support and enough coverage that I’m comfortable hiking in just the sports bra or swimming in it.

Bottom line: under wear that are comfortable to wear while moving. If it’s cold out, stay away from cotton since it tends to keep you cold when wet.

2) Best shorts to wear hiking

For me, it’s really important for the shorts I hike in to have a 5″ inseam. Otherwise as I hike the shorts and my thighs will chafe and I will literally get open sores on my thighs. Beyond that, it’s important to me that the shorts are baggy to allow comfortable airflow and dry quickly if it rains, if I sweat a lot, or if I decide to go for a swim. I like Patagonia Baggies for this, or the Stio Goodwin shorts which have a built- in belt.

hiking near ely minnesota Kawishiwi Falls

a hiker on a trail near Kawishiwi Falls, Minnesota, Ely

Bottom line: lightweight, and nothing that will hold moisture. I would stay away from denim shorts, but I have definitely been known to hike in jeans in a pinch on shorter hikes.

3) Best pants to wear hiking

The best kinds of hiking pants in my opinion are leggings with pockets, or loose-fitting pants with adjustable waistbands. I especially recommend the REI Trailmade pants for a budget-friendly option that doesn’t make you look like a bird watcher (no shade to bird watchers but you know what I mean, right?). For me, what makes a good pair of hiking pants is that they’ll fit my body continuously and comfortably as my size fluctuates throughout the hiking season (bigger in the spring, smaller by fall after lots of hiking.

READ: The Best Hiking Pants for Women (that AREN’T leggings)

Bottom Line: The best pants will be loose fitting to help keep bugs from biting through, and will not chafe.

4) Best shirts and tops to wear hiking

Personally, I recommend wearing a long sleeve shirt hiking pretty much always. Here’s why: a long sleeve shirt offers additional protection from bugs and sun, and sleeves can always be rolled up. Even without rolling up sleeves, paired with the right sports bra you can simply hike in a sports bra instead if you get too hot.

For causal hiking though, truly any light-colored t-shirt is a good fit– darker colors can be hotter in the sun. I often hike in a loose cotton t-shirt in the summer months. Still, in most seasons a thin merino wool long sleeve is my favorite top to hike in.

READ: Best Women’s Baselayers

Bottom line: Long sleeves are great for sun and bug protection, and wool and synthetic fabrics will stay warmer when wet while cotton will stay cool when wet.

5) Pack extra layers

No matter the season, it’s a good idea to pack extra layers in case the temperature changes on your hike! This is especially true when hiking in areas you aren’t familiar with, for example if you are hiking in the Rocky Mountains on vacation.

I recommend packing a solid midlayer, and a sturdy raincoat no matter what the forecast is on any hike in an area you aren’t familiar with, especially if that hike is longer than two miles. It doesn’t hurt to also pack an extra pair of socks

Bottom line: pack extra layers in case of emergency!

6) Footwear: Best socks and hiking boots to wear hiking

What you wear on your feet is probably the most important part of hiking, and blisters can make or break a trip. To be totally honest, generally speaking hiking in a pair of running shoes you are comfortable in is a smarter choice than buying a new pair of hiking boots just for one vacation. With new hiking boots, you’re likely to get blisters.

There are two common approaches to hiking boots/shoes:

One approach is to get a good pair of trail runners and use these instead of hiking boots. Trail runners are often lighter on your feet and dry more quickly than clunky hiking boots; trail runners are also popular with the ultralight crowd. Some people also choose to hike in adventure sandals.

Personally, I’m a hiking boot person. I deeply love my Bridger Mids, which I’ve had for over five years and put over a thousand miles on and are still kicking. I like the extra ankle support and extra warmth since I live somewhere cold where a lot of the trails I hike tend to be rugged and not regularly maintained with roots and technical footing. Also, I just like the look of the classic, clunky hiking boot. Very 1980’s. I’m sticking with it, sue me.

As for the best hiking socks, it really depends on temperature and activity. Personally, I like the Darn Tough mid-weight hiker socks, but keep in mind that too thick of socks can cause your foot to sweat leading to blisters.

Bottom line: The best hiking footwear is the shoe that works for you!

7) Best backpacks for day hiking

It’s always a good idea to bring a backpack with you on a hike. This way you can pack water, snacks, extra layers, a map and compass, your extra layers, and safety gear like a whistle, lighter and headlamp. It’s also a good idea to pack a first aid kit, multitool, and some sort of emergency shelter. Check out the 10 essentials for hiking here.

My favorite backpacks for day hiking are the Cotopaxi Luzon 18, which packs down to nothing and the Gregory Juno, which is better suited to longer day hikes. For hikes shorter than four miles in areas I’m familiar with, I’ll sometimes simply pack a hip pack and attach my water to the strap.

Bottom line: A good hiking day pack is one that fits everything you need and doesn’t hurt to wear for a long time!

What to go overnight? READ: Beginner’s Guide to Backpacking

8) To trekking pole, or not to pole?

Since I got more into longer day hikes pushing 10-18 miles, trekking poles have been a game changer. If you’re hiking in an area with lots of hills, rugged terrain, or significant elevation gain, trekking poles can make a huge difference and distribute the wear and tear of hiking throughout your body.

Bottom line: Trekking poles aren’t necessary, but can make your hiking easier on your body!

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Beginner Hiking FAQs:

Diving into hiking as a beginner can be hard, but truth be told it is one of the most easily accessible forms of outdoor recreation. Whether you live in the big city or the country, odds are you can find hiking somewhere near you! If you have a car and are willing to drive for it on the weekends, the world is your oyster!

Q: How do I find hiking near me?

Finding hiking near you can be as simple as typing in “hiking trails” to Google Maps! Here, you can often find the best hiking near you. Beyond that, consider investing in Guidebooks. Blogs (like the one you’re reading now!) are also a really good resource for finding hiking. Try searching “best hiking [your region]” and check out the top few results. Community pages like Reddit and AllTrails can also be a good place to find hiking trails near you.

Left to right: hiking in the Porcupine Mountains, Michigan. Hiking in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky. Hiking in Interstate State Park, Wisconsin.

Q: I want to get into hiking, but I don’t want to go alone. How can I make outdoorsy friends?

The hardest part of getting into hiking and outdoor sports can be finding a community of like-minded people. I’ve found that one of the best ways to make friends to hike with is Facebook groups! Check out your local hiking group on Facebook and consider joining a group hike. Another great way to get into the outdoors are classes and events. Many small local outfitters host events and beginner classes, which can be a great way to make friends and build skills.

Q: Is it safe to hike alone as a woman?

This is a really hard question to answer, because what I consider safe for me might not be what you consider safe. Personally, I have been hiking solo since I was 21, and only once, on a very crowded trail, did I feel unsafe. (This is of course, subjective).

What makes me feel safe as a solo female hiker is coming prepared, with a first aid kit, map and compass, snacks, and everything I might need in an emergency. Lots of experience hiking solo and as an outdoor guide has led to me feeling really confident in the outdoors, and I think over all that’s made me less of a target. Which I think is the best advice I can give to becoming confident solo hiking as a woman– come confident, and come prepared.

What I will say is if you want to get into solo hiking, do it! Stay alert, but don’t let fear keep you from having meaningful experiences in the outdoors.

READ: Ultimate Guide to a Solo Female Road Trip

Q: How do I get into car camping and weekend hiking trips?

One of the best ways to dive into hiking and outdoor sports is to start out with car camping weekends in the summer! To do this, I recommend starting by booking a campsite at a state park you are interested in exploring. From here, look into what hiking trails you can access from where you’re camping directly, and what trails are a short drive. For example, if you’re staying in Tettegouche State Park in Minnesota, it’s really easy to plan a whole weekend of hiking completely from your car camping set up without needing to drive and leave the campsite. Alternately, there are plenty of great hikes within a 15 minute drive of the campground.