Hot Weather Gear

“I live in West Central Texas in what scientists have labeled a succulent desert. That means it is damn hot but we have some cactus and mesquite trees. This is a big hunting area and of the two Outdoor stores we have, neither carry very decent, lightweight hiking boots or much warm weather gear. They are geared toward white tail hunters mostly, and the deer season begins in late fall and lasts until the beginning of winter, so most everything I find is not for warm or hot weather hiking.

Aside from the very obvious hydration needs, what else would I need in my immediate future for day hikes in temperatures from say 80-100*F? I've been doing a lot of looking on the web and some of the lightweight clothing made to wick moisture sounds fantastic. I already have a CamelBak from when I used to ride Mountain Bikes in college, but I know I'll want some Nalgene bottles as well.

So, bearing all of that in mind, what would you say is most needed? The main aim of all of this is to work my way up to longer and longer hikes, then weekends, 3 day weekends, then (hopefully) thru hiking for 4-7 days at a stretch on some of the West and Central Texas trails and eventually saving some money for a nice trip to the cooler trails like the PCT or something.

The nearest REI store is in Austin, which is 3 and a half hours away by car, so I am sort of screwed in that regard. I'll likely plan a trip there for some good boots once I've squirreled away enough cash and can plan a weekend trip. Thanks in advance for your advice and any hot weather tips and tricks!”

“skin, you know the flesh color.”

“personally, i like gatoraide bottles better than nalgenes.

cheaper and lighter. might not sound like much weight, but i think two nalgenes are about a half pound empty.

also, this way if you want a drink mix in them and you have trouble cleaning them out real good just toss them and get new ones next trip.”

“I only use Nalgene's when I am concerened about freezing. Empty gatorade or soda bottles save weight and money.

I hike when it is hot and humid and in the 80-100 range. I love the light wicking fabrices. It pays to get them wet from time to time (might even want to take some extra water if you are crossing any water sources). In hot weather, I dip my shirt into almost any moving water source or any large body of water. It cools me off very nicely (actually... at the point I sometimes wish I had cotton, since it would hold more moisture).

Sun protection would be important.

Your backpack would be an important thing to consider. Some backpacks are contoured to allow more air flow through the back. That can help a lot. Some people even choose external frame backpacks because of the increased air flow. A backpack which stays close to your skin is like wearing a blanket.”

“http://web.utk.edu/~gwynne/maslow.HTM

So, deal with the physiological, then think SAFETY!

Some items will meet both levels, like clothing and hydration....prepare for the unexpected, like an unintended overnighter...Water,Food, Clothing, Shelter, then items such as first aid kit, signal devices, and most importantly, a hiking plan, (2 Copies) one goes with you, one stays with a person of trust, so if you come up missing the searchers know where to look.

Specific item of gear to acquire? The cheapest and best item to acquire is Knowledge....Read online for free, buy the books, download maps from Topozone.com or another similar site of the area you intend to hike...then, make a list of ideas and skills you read about, and actually DO them a few at a time during your dayhikes to proof the principles...just because some writer behind a desk says you can do this or that in a survival situation doesn't mean it's actually doable...

GPS, map and a compass for backup...learn to use them all. Extra water storage at basecamp, nothing like returning to camp or the vehicle not only to water, but ICE water in a cooler....

Now as fer the next level of needs, LOVE, well...I'll let the other TT'ers fill ya in all about thet...
last edited: 6/14/05 3:39:40 PM”

“Hi Harlock...
Welcome Mr. Troll! ;-)
If you fill out your profile, people will be less likely to call you a troll... :-)

All kidding aside...

My hubby Thinkbubelz & I had our first experience with hot weather hiking when going to the Grand Canyon in 2001 (just before 9/11) The NPS website for the Grand Canyon has a lot of good advice about what to do in warm desert-like climates... :-) (They have warnings everywhere on the site about "HEat Kills") Make sure that if you are drinking water, you eat salty snacks. Sports drinks like gatorade also help-- make sure you replace the salts lost while sweating or you'll be in trouble... Dehydration and too much water (hyponatrimia) are both bad for you...

It was the first time we ever flew with our "gi-normous" car-camping equipment and we learned quite a lot. Some things we learned as relative newbies...

1) Wear good shoes and socks (NO COTTON!) We had a wool sock with a thin liner sock inside. Make sure your shoes fit well and give your foot a little extra space for swelling (inevitable in the heat).

2) Hats are great! We like the Columbia hat with the mesh on the part that fits the head-- it packs well and keeps the head and neck cool.. If your head is too hot, you'll feel very warm.

3) neck coolers (made from a bandana with absorbant gel sewn in.) really help in hot dry weather--it is amazing how a little bit of cool moisture on your neck in dry hot weather keeps the body cool!

4) We recently got a REI HalfDome2 tent. Really love it! :-) Reasonably priced for backpacking...Nice for 2 people-- decent amount of space and 2 vestibules makes is easier for 2 people to get in... It's not the lightest tent, but better than a car-camping tent...

5) the self-inflating Thermarest pads are good and will save your back if you're on a hard ground... (trust me we spent one night on the hard rock of the Grand Canyon area with a sleeping bag, but no pads-- it REALLY sucked..) Closed cell foam pads also work and may be cheaper... We now use a combination of both... Thermarests come in a variety of price ranges (and weights)... :-)

We have a little Primus Stove that uses cannisters (I think it's the "yellowstone" stove) again, light, but not the lightest, but reasonably priced and we really like the "piazo lighter" (it doesn't require any matches that way).

We also have a small Primus lantern that runs on the cans as well. Both fit into our small mess kit.

Whatever you do, make sure you get a decent backpack that fits you well... :-)

We've been doing the same thing--slowly accumulating new and lighter-weight equipment every year... and now we have enough lighter weight things (not ultra light) to really enjoy our hiking experiences.

Oh!! A great (and funny) book about making your backpacking experiences more fun is "Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backpackin' Book" (by Allen O'Bannon) It gives a lot of great pointers (and how not to break your bank.)

Good luck and have fun! :-)””