So,...What are you wearing?

Nature Talk
21

I’ve worn jeans on ~8h hikes and don’t recommend it…
Normally I just wear a hoodie and shorts, I recently picked up athletic hiking shoes and socks that are a little more durable (normal socks get worn out ridiculously quick)

I take a backpack with me but it normally just holds water and snacks, I bring a powerbank and a small amount of medical supplies as well. I’ve recently picked up a monocular telescope and macro lens to take on hikes though, and I have plans to buy 3 kinds of containers to temporarily hold insects & other invertebrates.

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22

I don’t know what’s worse between the chafing, the sweating or how long it takes to dry. The upside is you don’t have to care about brambles, nettles, etc. as much. Depending on weather I either go for thick cargo trousers that are made for hunting but still look normal enough not to get weird looks in town, or this season the kind of thin breathable synthetic hiking trousers (not bramble-proof by any means, but the heat currently doesn’t give much of a choice).

Good socks make all the difference! At first I was a bit reluctant to spend more than the bare minimum of them but it’s such a game-changer.

In the same vein, most of my clothing is hiking/hunting clothing with either a baseball cap or a large-brim hiking hat, I have a big photo backpack which isn’t really convenient but was the only thing I could find to hold the camera with a 150-600 lens and webbing outside for water and my macro lens and a chest holster for the camera to help distribute weight better than with a strap.

One thing I very much worry about is the fact that most of my clothing is now at least in part synthetic fiber, which is something I would rather avoid for environmental reasons, but honestly cotton does a terrible job with sweat and the alternatives are priced way beyond my means.

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23

I definitely do not want to be seen while I’m out observing/photographing (or anywhere else for that matter!), so I dress above all to be inconspicuous and comfortable. Earthy, planty sort of colours… whatever comes to hand on top, depending on how cold it is, then strictly mimetic trousers, not so much to camouflage myself (the plants and insects I mostly photograph are not too fussy), as to disguise the inevitable leaf and earth stains that are a constant as I’m mostly down on my knees in the mud and vegetation. It feels so much “me”, that I tend to also dress that way when I go to the shops, or even out to dinner. That’s me!

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24

Well, right now I’m rebuilding my kit. My field backpack was stolen at the beginning of September. Aside from that, though…

Hat: wide brim, the wider, the better. My usual summer / gardening hat would have looked at home on the 1st Class gangplank of Titanic in 1912. It needs some TLC after 10 years, though, so my current is a really neat cotton crochet of similar style, in army green.

T-shirt: usually some form of nerdy. Lots of black (go figure), but I like to mix it up. I also pack a lightweight long-sleeve button-up (cotton or linen) if the weather is predicted to be anything other than sunny and warm. Since getting caught in a rainstorm while on the trail up in the mountains, a rain poncho and water-resistant camera bag are being added to the mix.

Jeans or loose linen trousers. Emphasis is on easily washable.

If it’s cold or really muddy, I have an absurd number of pairs of boots. Otherwise, I default to sandals; usually one of the pairs that I picked up while working at the local Renaissance Festival.

In the backpack: more water than I think I’ll need, protein shake, protein or fruit & grain bars, peanut butter crackers*, bottled coffee (I was practically born in a coffeehouse, therefore it is a food group), compass, magnifying lens, binoculars, spare batteries, spare camera, extra memory cards, fingerless knit gloves, maps, my national parks pass, sunscreen, bug spray, hand sanitizer, and bog roll. (I can usually find a porta-potty, but I never trust to it being well stocked. Also useful as emergency lens cloth.)

*The vindictive part of me hopes that the jerk who stole my pack is violently allergic. I tell myself that nobody deserves that … and then I look at the police report, listing everything that was in my backpack—backup / macro camera with multiple photos on the card, spare SD cards, binoculars, compass, magnifying lens, parks pass, the perfect pair of knit half-finger gloves, aluminium water bottle that was a gift, plus other odds and ends—and I start thinking that maybe anaphylaxis isn’t too much to ask after all.

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25

Pretty much a year-round sandal fanatic myself, even when it’s 20⁰ and snowing. Can’t help it, just who I am…
:wolf::call_me_hand:

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26

Love the whole ‘inconspicuous’ mindset :wolf::+1:

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27

I’m going to be in ‘wear bright colors or else’ season soon since bow hunting season for deer just started

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28

Rabies-like symptoms seem to be indicated for whatever low-life piece of $%!? stole your kit. I hope you can rebuild it soon.
I really like how well-prepped you seem to be going out. I see far too many people out, totally unprepared for weather, hunger, thirst, or, considering my location near The Warzone, interactions with unfriendly humans.
Keep it up, and stay safe.
Now, go outside and play.
:wolf::+1:

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29

Yeah, def want the majority to see you. I hope you live in an area where the hunters have some common sense regarding the fact that not everthing they hear moving is an 8-point buck.
Stay safe.
:wolf::call_me_hand:

30

That sucks, sorry about the pack being stolen. I think it’s fair to hope that the thief gets what they deserve.

A friend of mine had a similar situation recently with a shop vac someone stole out of the back of his truck…https://www.inquirer.com/news/stolen-hornets-nest-philadelphia-bee-vacuum-20230927.html

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31

Jeans also (surprisingly) protect against this , which happens to me way more than I’d like…

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32

OUCH!!!
Yeah, good jeans…last longer than most marriages…

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33

I am similar, if it’s technically too cold for sandals I just wear socks :laughing:

Yes, me too, especially since one of our ducks was shot a few years back, people where I live will need some extra visual aid I guess :woman_shrugging: (Hopefully it was an accident, or else someone has a lot of explaining to do, but either way I am a lot more cautious.)

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35

This topic had some similarly good thoughts about kit gear.

What’s in your field kit?

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36

Man, the ‘Jungle Boots’ bring back memories, as does the addition of screws to the heels (a different pair of hikers, and I used sheet metal screws. Great for icy mud).
I tend to agree with the tactical location of thorns and other sharp, flesh-piercing fauna here on the East Coast. I tend to put emphasis on protecting my flanks and thighs, sometimes even incorporating a leather vest in particularly Hellspawned areas of the South.
Hey, thanks so much for sharing. I’m certainly gaining better insight into my fellow iNatters, and I hope all of us are dressed how best we want.
Stay safe.
:wolf::+1:

37

My friends and I were chuckling about that. Never change philly

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39

I DO prefer sandals (closed-toe) for the majority of my treks, but, yeah, that ankle support can only be accomplished by something more substantial than leather straps rivited to a sole made from a Goodrich radial.

40

Wrangler Riggs Workwear Ripstop pants! They are the only pants I’ve found that allow me to plunge into multi-flora rose without getting hacked to pieces. I can walk right into the stuff. I do a lot of invasive removals and these are wayyyy more protective than jeans or anything else I’ve found.

I would never wear them for hiking / backpacking… but they’re great for multi-flora rose removal.

I’ve actually come across some of my more interesting observations while working in honeysuckle and multi-flora.

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41

I’m a simple guy. To me, Carhartt pants are both durable and flexible enough for hiking. In the past I’ve worn milsurp pants that I found to be equally useful, especially with the added pockets. If it’s too hot for long pants I typically don’t hike, or keep the duration short. I’d rather have the protection of long pants than feel unprepared in case I take a tumble or get ambushed by a snake while walking through grass. Unfortunately being born with club foot, on top of years of abuse from skateboarding, biking, etc. has left me with arthritis in my right ankle at age 38. So high top boots and an ankle brace are a must for me, as I need the added support. T-shirts in the summer, flannels during shoulder season, and a heavy jacket in the winter completes the simple ensemble. Beyond that it’s just a matter of carrying a few useful accessories with me, depending on the time of year, weather (or potential weather) and hike duration.

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42

Hi, I’m in Blue Mountains near Sydney Australia. Always long sleeved shirts and pants for protection against skin cancers and scratches, I’m on blood thinners. Light linen or cotton in summer heat :fire: or denim jeans if more scratches likely. Heavier clothing for winter although it rarely gets to below freezing here. Ordinary track shoes or walkers or trail shoes if rougher or steeper roads / bushland. Always a broad-brimmed hat. Sunscreen, Deet and a walking stick for balance or getting up from the ground, close-ups.

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