There are a lot of hiking shoe brands out there but Salomon is my go to brand for just about any terrain. They fit great out of the box, the Quicklace system laces up quickly and easily and they are extremely durable. I wore these on all three of my Colorado 14ers and they protected my feet and kept them cushioned and comfortable the whole time.
When it comes to hiking you need a great pair of socks to provide cushion and wick away moisture. Wool not only wicks away moisture to prevent blisters, but it also limits odor. Because wool socks come in various weights and lengths I've permanently switched to wool for all my socks. Wool socks will cost you more but your feet will love you for it.
Trekking poles are an essential part of hiking and I don't go anywhere without mine. They help with stability, reduce impact and increase endurance. My Leki's have saved me more than once. I even bent one pole descending off Mt. Humphrey but it never broke. I prefer Leki over other brands because they are durable and I really like the feel of the grips.
Other than a good pair of workout shorts I prefer pants that move with me, especially when the mercury starts to drop. I wear a couple of different brands but I always find my way with Kuhl. The Renegade Rock hiking pants have a tapered fit, they don't bunch up or drag or make annoying slushing noises like some nylon pants.
Cooler temps means time to layer up, but once you get going your body temps will start to rise and you'll need to shed some of those layers to keep from perspiring too much. I wear a base layer from Mountain Hard Wear, its soft, stays dry and has thumbholes, which help keep sleeves in place when adding layers and it adds warmth.
Just like the base layer you need mid and outer layers to keep you warm as you start out and to shed once you get going and your body starts to create it's own heat. Mountain Hard Wear makes the microchill 2.0 jacket that is lightweight, breathable and because its polyester it will pull moisture away and help you stay dry, which in turn keeps you warm.
If there is one layer that is essential to alpine and cold weather hiking its the insulated down jacket. Just to be clear these are not ordinary jackets, these keep the heat in so you stay warm and comfortable when the mercury drops. I went with The North Face Summit Series 800 fill down jacket and its kept me warm when the temps were just 25 degrees.
Whether it is hot or cold outside, long hikes require good hydration, especially when hiking at altitude. I carry a minimum of 3 liters on most hikes with an added 32oz Nalgene bottle that I can use to add electrolyte tablets to replenish vital minerals lost from perspiring. If the weight is an issue consider the BeFree collapsible water filter bottle from Katadyn.
You need a good pack to organize and carry all your stuff. I use one by The North Face that has 30L of storage space and a special compartment for my hydration reservoir along with two outer pockets to hold additional water bottles. When day hiking its good to have a 20L to 30L pack that can handle your water, food, gear and clothing layers.
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