DRESS FOR SUCCESS

HERE at Great Walks we love banging on about awesome hiking equipment, but there’s something you’ll need before you start thinking about the loft of your down or the R-value of your mat. Yes, apart from one day of the year (World Nude Hiking Day – June 21st), you’re going to need some clothes before hitting the trail. Of course, you can use the ones already hanging in your wardrobe, and that’s fine for a while, but you’ll soon begin to recognise their deficiencies in the great outdoors, then you’ll be salivating over modern lightweight fabrics that wick moisture, dry quickly and let your body breathe. That’s where we come in. Here are a handful of contenders from each of the basic categories.

Outdoor Research Astroman

This is a minimalist hiking shirt, so minimalist in fact, that it barely feels like you have anything on at all. The 85% nylon/15% spandex blend is unbelievably light and comfortable on the skin, yet is still rated UPF50. The movement-mirroring, four-way stretch is designed for climbers (Astroman is a famous route in Yosemite Valley) but works just as well for any full body activity. I liked the button-free stud closure, and Outdoor Research’s pedigree would suggest they won’t break like the shonky plastic ones on your K-Mart doona cover. If you’re after features though, you might feel short-changed: a simple, flat chest pocket and throat protecting Sun Snap Collar is where they end. The pocket is marketed as ‘concealed’ but, and maybe my eyesight is better than theirs, it seems pretty obvious to me! This shirt