I hiked south from May 23 to Oct and wore long pants on the first day and last day. Used a rain kilt during wet weather. Had a sleeveless t-shirt for hiking and a long sleeve pullover for camp. Then I had a base layer top and bottom for sleeping but only used the bottoms twice and the top maybe 5 times. Had a puffy coat that I used a few times in camp but never hiked in it. If I got cold when hiking, I would add the long sleeve pullover and my frogg togg ultra lightweight rain jacket. I also carried gloves and a watch cap. A spare set of underwear and two pairs of socks finished off my clothes bag.
I LOVE fleece for winter hiking. I live in the Midwest and I regularly go through times of ice, rain, sleet, and sun (all in the same day). Best solution is to layer and use a fleece. It works wonders.
My absolute least favorite part of being out for a week or more is having to put the previous day's grody hiking clothes back on when packing up in the morning. It might seem like a good idea to use some string to make a little clothes line for stuff to "air out" overnight, but it never helps...you just get dew on your clothes. At least in the humid summer months. If you have socks that get wet, you can pin them to the outside of your pack, and they may dry out in time. I agree the merino wool everything is the way to go for stink control.
Love you Dixie. You helped me so much at the beginning of the PCT! I hiked the AT after and hated the rain (and cell phone service). It was so different. Just sayin' you helped me. As an Alabama boy an AU grad and as certified hiker trash I preciate you so much Happy trails ✌️❤️
All great advice, Dixie, but that durn umbrella can be such a morale saver. Simple, weighs a bit, but when you need it, I think that it is worth the weight.
... Always first class information .. Followed you from the beginning .. a role model for all women ,, young and old .. and all around Badass Hikin' Woman ... making a lifestyle out of Natures Path ...
Ex Officio makes excellent undergarments - mine have taken their share of hikes and have held up very well. Frogg Toggs work very well for raingear and is cheap. Not very durable for going through heavy bushes but I've yet to have any issues.
I got my down puffy on ebay! NEVER FORGET second hand stuff! Especially with clothes, because often people buy clothes and never wear them, grow out of them, or whatever. So we've found AMAZING stuff. My friend got a Marmot down puffy at Value Village for about $20. Deal of the century!
Hello 👋 Dixie, greetings from Northern California. Thank you for sharing this informative video. You always do a great job. Please stay safe out there. I always look forward to your next exciting outdoor adventure 😀. 🤗 🖐
Great job, as always, but I'm a little disappointed that you didn't at least mention the idea of a poncho as rain gear. My GoLite SilNylon poncho weighs in at only 10.2oz and as someone who always battles overheating in most traditional raingear I've found it to be a godsend. It also completely covers my pack making it a bit of a twofer in terms of functionality. Keep up the great work, Dixie and I'll keep hoping to bump into you on the trail someday. (I just can't quite make it to Iceland right now.) 🙂
"Snowing, sleeting, raining" Welcome to Seattle Washington, USA on any given day! Sunglasses on/off. I remember folding my kids laundry-shorts/tanks while they played outside in the snow. Ya just never know!
Winton Porter the trail guru and previous owner of Mountain Crossings despised zip off pants and found them completely useless for the long distance hiker. He preferred running shorts over base layer bottoms. He helped thousand of NOBO hikers make it to Katahdin with his legendary pack shakedowns. He personally did mine in 2009. I made it to the Greatest Mountain in part by his help.
🤣, you forgot your Darn Tough Socks. Or were those covered in another video? Anyways, great information and itching to start piecing my gear together this winter for next spring and local hikes.
THIS is what i Love about Dixie's Videos.....some RUclipsr's videos show us the Economics (the Forest)....Dixie shows us the Microeconomics (the TREES)....on What we Need for Thru Hiking 👋🙏🥇
One thing we used to say was “If you can’t wear all your clothes at once, you are carrying too many clothes” We would try to get somewhat clean before going to bed - we found we slept warmer, unless it was freezing out. We carried a clean tshirt and nylon shorts in a plastic bag for “going to town clothes”, because we were so smelly that it was off putting. And finally, I remember sitting in a laundry mat in nothing but our rain coat and rainpants, waiting for our stuff to get clean and dry.
Comments from a warm sleeper: I used a 30 degree bag on the AT, a cotton t-shirt and long synthetic bottoms for sleep/camp clothes. For warmth I used a thin fleece. No puffy needed for me, but I had a thin wool hat. Used basically the same on the PCT, but with a 20 degree bag. Hiked in a long sleeved shirt and shorts on both trails. I find that really versatile and with long sleeves I mostly avoid having to use sun screen.
So useful for your incite Dixie. Here in the UK, where the climate fluctuates from day to day, my friends and I tend to go for brands that have proven abilities. They are often more expensive but tend to be more durable. I have brands (available world wide) , that I have used regularly for ten years or more and can wash and reproof annually. Love your channel and I LOVE your accent. Oldtimer Englishman from Shropshire.
This video was very informative for me. I hate cold weather and always dress in layers to beat the cold. I was used to wearing cotton tee shirts for my bottom layer but have since learned the error of my ways.
Have you tried Icebreaker's wool Siren Hipkini for underwear yet? I've been using them or a few years including not on trail and love them. Just wanted to pass them along to you and your viewers. They dry soooooo fast.
Wool underwear. Smartwool and Ibex. No swamp ass, no yeast infection. Can also rinse on trail and air dry on backpack. I have some that are going strong after 4 years of wearing as this is all I now wear. The first year I only had 4 I bought on sale so sometimes I hand washed these until I had enough clothes to do a load. I’m still wearing them.
Buy an Arc'teryx shell for the rain. It's not lightweight as the jackets you mentioned, but boy, it does a great job with the rain and it's breathable. I do use it the entire winter and I don't care if it's raining at all. I actually enjoy walking under the rain. When it's really cold I use a sleeveless down jacket, on top a much heavier down jacket, and then the shell. Not when I'm hacking, in general. All my jackets are packable, I'm a minimalist and I travel always ultralight.
I agree with Rain Gear. I personally wear a nylon type of rain pants and a Parka for the season I'm in. I don't like wearing cheap thin rain pants when I'm in 30 to 45 degree weather. I will sometimes wear just my boxers with my Nylon rain pant and a short sleeve shirt and parka to block the wind. I would also recommend you buying a lightweight open face fleece mask. (You can buy girl color rather than black ones) I'm old school and since I have worked outdoor in pouring rain, snow, and the freezing cold my complete career, I rather carry the weight and wear a rain Parka in place of a Puffy coat (for the cooler seasons I wear a lightweight open face fleece mask and a ball cap over it when it is raining. or when using my parka hood. Note: Always pack a small travel container of Petroleum Jelly or Sure Powder stick deodorant in your pack. Be preventive and use Petroleum Jelly or Sure on areas that chafing may occur. Or If you start to chafe, wash the area chafing first with soap and water, then apply the Petroleum Jelly on the chafing or welted area of the skin. Most of the time chafing is due to excess sweat sitting on the skin or rubbed by tight clothing straps, bands, or skin chafing together combined with sweat. The Petroleum Jelly will not allow the sweat to sit on your skin where your underwear, bra, or skin is rubbing together or is touching it. If your need to hike more miles in the day, remove your underwear or clothing item that is being affected by the combination of sweat and rubbing clothes together.. Try to wash nightly the area of your body like your underarms, underwear areas, or body areas where skin may rub together. Sleep with nothing on the affected area to help the swelling go down. Washing the skin will clean it, remove excess salt on skin, body chemicals from your sweat. (Rinse and clean your undergarments to remove sweat, salt and body dirt from them.) For the next couple of days apply a line of Petroleum Jelly on area that chafed up before. Note: Baby powder will not stop the chafing. Applying a thick coat of women's deodorant like Sure Powder on the area daily should also help stop chafing. Even as a man I find that Sure Powder stick deodorant is one of the best items to apply on areas that may chafe, or you can use Petroleum Jelly to prevent sweat from sitting on the skin.
I like merino wool for under garments. Both pants and bra. The bra is not what I would call terribly supportive (kinda like my ex-husband really) but keeps my boobs relatively where they should be and not flopping all over. 🤣 My frogged tongs pants seam blew out the first time I put them on and had to bend down to pick something up. But duct tape fixed em right up, easy peasy. the jacket never had any problem with. I could probably rip the arm pit seams for ventilation tho. 😁
I would be interested in a cottage company experimenting with a short sleeve raincoat .. in warmer weather, keeping the arms dry is unnecessary (and somewhat pointless) and being cooler would be wonderful. It's mostly keeping my core relatively dry and not cold that is wanted. Maybe removable sleeves (like convertible pants) 🤔
The worst sunburn I’ve had as an adult was from sitting under the shade of the trees all day. Always wear sun protection. PS - haven’t worn a bra more than 1-2 times since the beginning of the pandemic. The only times I’ve worn one was for high impact activities or it was super hot and wanted a little “lift” with some ventilation (not large on top).
I have e bad way off traveling , sometimes I travel to lite. It's the way I'm mostly like to hike . sometimes it's a good thing sometimes not. When I get up in the morning all have to do is start walking.
You should do a review on the Swiss Tech puffy from Walmart. While it's definitely not as nice as a quality one from REI, it keeps me warm and only costs $10 when on sale!
Do you plan on hiking other famous hikes of the world like the Himalayas or Pyrenees or Kilimanjaro or Alps and stuff? Because I think they are completely different from the US trails as an experience!
I'm bummed because I had a wool Carhart shirt that was GREAT because it would dry instantly and never stink (even when I did). But Carhart no longer sells them and I can't find anything that fits and is made of the same wool material. I always though wool = hot, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Somewhat embarrassing question. Underwear and breathable pants...Anyone have experience keeping bladder infections at bay? Do those pricey undies help? I had to quit a job because of constant problems due to high activity in humid, hot environment. Long hikes seem impossible in so.e way. Thx.
people take cranberry capsules and drink uva ursi tea all day. always pack 3 underwear and concentrated bio soap. (every day: wear one, wash one, keep one spare). wool underwear are the best for controlling bacteria and drying fast. carry a filled antibiotic prescription so you are ready.
You better be planning that far in advance. Saving up for the cost of the hike alone is going to take about a year unless you are rich. If you go at cold turkey and decide the day before you get on the trail that you are going to go down to REI and buy whatever you feel like will work then you are going to have a bad time :L
Cotton and other natural materials are actually superior to synthetics when used properly even in the winter. Combining natural fibers and synthetics can make for a very effective clothing system. Thanks for the video...
I hiked south from May 23 to Oct and wore long pants on the first day and last day. Used a rain kilt during wet weather. Had a sleeveless t-shirt for hiking and a long sleeve pullover for camp. Then I had a base layer top and bottom for sleeping but only used the bottoms twice and the top maybe 5 times. Had a puffy coat that I used a few times in camp but never hiked in it. If I got cold when hiking, I would add the long sleeve pullover and my frogg togg ultra lightweight rain jacket. I also carried gloves and a watch cap. A spare set of underwear and two pairs of socks finished off my clothes bag.
I LOVE fleece for winter hiking. I live in the Midwest and I regularly go through times of ice, rain, sleet, and sun (all in the same day). Best solution is to layer and use a fleece. It works wonders.
My absolute least favorite part of being out for a week or more is having to put the previous day's grody hiking clothes back on when packing up in the morning. It might seem like a good idea to use some string to make a little clothes line for stuff to "air out" overnight, but it never helps...you just get dew on your clothes. At least in the humid summer months. If you have socks that get wet, you can pin them to the outside of your pack, and they may dry out in time. I agree the merino wool everything is the way to go for stink control.
Love you Dixie. You helped me so much at the beginning of the PCT! I hiked the AT after and hated the rain (and cell phone service). It was so different. Just sayin' you helped me. As an Alabama boy an AU grad and as certified hiker trash I preciate you so much Happy trails ✌️❤️
All great advice, Dixie, but that durn umbrella can be such a morale saver. Simple, weighs a bit, but when you need it, I think that it is worth the weight.
... Always first class information .. Followed you from the beginning .. a role model for all women ,, young and old .. and all around Badass Hikin' Woman ... making a lifestyle out of Natures Path ...
I'm really enjoying this series. Thanks Dixie!
Ex Officio makes excellent undergarments - mine have taken their share of hikes and have held up very well. Frogg Toggs work very well for raingear and is cheap. Not very durable for going through heavy bushes but I've yet to have any issues.
I got my down puffy on ebay! NEVER FORGET second hand stuff! Especially with clothes, because often people buy clothes and never wear them, grow out of them, or whatever. So we've found AMAZING stuff. My friend got a Marmot down puffy at Value Village for about $20. Deal of the century!
Hello 👋 Dixie, greetings from Northern California. Thank you for sharing this informative video. You always do a great job. Please stay safe out there. I always look forward to your next exciting outdoor adventure 😀. 🤗 🖐
Great job, as always, but I'm a little disappointed that you didn't at least mention the idea of a poncho as rain gear. My GoLite SilNylon poncho weighs in at only 10.2oz and as someone who always battles overheating in most traditional raingear I've found it to be a godsend. It also completely covers my pack making it a bit of a twofer in terms of functionality.
Keep up the great work, Dixie and I'll keep hoping to bump into you on the trail someday. (I just can't quite make it to Iceland right now.) 🙂
"Snowing, sleeting, raining" Welcome to Seattle Washington, USA on any given day! Sunglasses on/off. I remember folding my kids laundry-shorts/tanks while they played outside in the snow. Ya just never know!
Winton Porter the trail guru and previous owner of Mountain Crossings despised zip off pants and found them completely useless for the long distance hiker. He preferred running shorts over base layer bottoms. He helped thousand of NOBO hikers make it to Katahdin with his legendary pack shakedowns. He personally did mine in 2009. I made it to the Greatest Mountain in part by his help.
🤣, you forgot your Darn Tough Socks. Or were those covered in another video? Anyways, great information and itching to start piecing my gear together this winter for next spring and local hikes.
THIS is what i Love about Dixie's Videos.....some RUclipsr's videos show us the Economics (the Forest)....Dixie shows us the Microeconomics (the TREES)....on What we Need for Thru Hiking 👋🙏🥇
Very nice and versatile explanation of hiking clothes good job!
One thing we used to say was “If you can’t wear all your clothes at once, you are carrying too many clothes”
We would try to get somewhat clean before going to bed - we found we slept warmer, unless it was freezing out.
We carried a clean tshirt and nylon shorts in a plastic bag for “going to town clothes”, because we were so smelly that it was off putting. And finally, I remember sitting in a laundry mat in nothing but our rain coat and rainpants, waiting for our stuff to get clean and dry.
Comments from a warm sleeper: I used a 30 degree bag on the AT, a cotton t-shirt and long synthetic bottoms for sleep/camp clothes. For warmth I used a thin fleece. No puffy needed for me, but I had a thin wool hat. Used basically the same on the PCT, but with a 20 degree bag. Hiked in a long sleeved shirt and shorts on both trails. I find that really versatile and with long sleeves I mostly avoid having to use sun screen.
Cotton might kill but thoughts of hiking always warms my heart.
Well that and the anticipation of your next post.
"Hey y’all Dixie here" has made the last couple years easier. I "hike" along with her here in America as things get tough. (NO politics, please.)
@@stanbyme7874 politics...
Poli... many
Tics... blood sucking insects
Steve cook...
Cotton is only a problem if you don't use it correctly..
So useful for your incite Dixie. Here in the UK, where the climate fluctuates from day to day, my friends and I tend to go for brands that have proven abilities. They are often more expensive but tend to be more durable. I have brands (available world wide) , that I have used regularly for ten years or more and can wash and reproof annually. Love your channel and I LOVE your accent. Oldtimer Englishman from Shropshire.
Injini liner + DT microlight = heaven
This video was very informative for me. I hate cold weather and always dress in layers to beat the cold. I was used to wearing cotton tee shirts for my bottom layer but have since learned the error of my ways.
Have you tried Icebreaker's wool Siren Hipkini for underwear yet? I've been using them or a few years including not on trail and love them. Just wanted to pass them along to you and your viewers. They dry soooooo fast.
Wool underwear. Smartwool and Ibex. No swamp ass, no yeast infection. Can also rinse on trail and air dry on backpack. I have some that are going strong after 4 years of wearing as this is all I now wear. The first year I only had 4 I bought on sale so sometimes I hand washed these until I had enough clothes to do a load. I’m still wearing them.
This is helpful, thanks Dixie!
Nurse's Scrubs are light weight, quick drying, and there are a lot of options. Cargo scrub pants for the win ♥
I wore those blue gloves in Alaska with Black Diamond liners and the combo was awesome!! First time my fingers haven’t been cold!!
Buy an Arc'teryx shell for the rain. It's not lightweight as the jackets you mentioned, but boy, it does a great job with the rain and it's breathable. I do use it the entire winter and I don't care if it's raining at all. I actually enjoy walking under the rain. When it's really cold I use a sleeveless down jacket, on top a much heavier down jacket, and then the shell. Not when I'm hacking, in general. All my jackets are packable, I'm a minimalist and I travel always ultralight.
I agree with Rain Gear. I personally wear a nylon type of rain pants and a Parka for the season I'm in. I don't like wearing cheap thin rain pants when I'm in 30 to 45 degree weather. I will sometimes wear just my boxers with my Nylon rain pant and a short sleeve shirt and parka to block the wind. I would also recommend you buying a lightweight open face fleece mask. (You can buy girl color rather than black ones) I'm old school and since I have worked outdoor in pouring rain, snow, and the freezing cold my complete career, I rather carry the weight and wear a rain Parka in place of a Puffy coat (for the cooler seasons I wear a lightweight open face fleece mask and a ball cap over it when it is raining. or when using my parka hood.
Note: Always pack a small travel container of Petroleum Jelly or Sure Powder stick deodorant in your pack. Be preventive and use Petroleum Jelly or Sure on areas that chafing may occur. Or If you start to chafe, wash the area chafing first with soap and water, then apply the Petroleum Jelly on the chafing or welted area of the skin. Most of the time chafing is due to excess sweat sitting on the skin or rubbed by tight clothing straps, bands, or skin chafing together combined with sweat. The Petroleum Jelly will not allow the sweat to sit on your skin where your underwear, bra, or skin is rubbing together or is touching it. If your need to hike more miles in the day, remove your underwear or clothing item that is being affected by the combination of sweat and rubbing clothes together.. Try to wash nightly the area of your body like your underarms, underwear areas, or body areas where skin may rub together. Sleep with nothing on the affected area to help the swelling go down. Washing the skin will clean it, remove excess salt on skin, body chemicals from your sweat. (Rinse and clean your undergarments to remove sweat, salt and body dirt from them.) For the next couple of days apply a line of Petroleum Jelly on area that chafed up before. Note: Baby powder will not stop the chafing. Applying a thick coat of women's deodorant like Sure Powder on the area daily should also help stop chafing. Even as a man I find that Sure Powder stick deodorant is one of the best items to apply on areas that may chafe, or you can use Petroleum Jelly to prevent sweat from sitting on the skin.
I like merino wool for under garments. Both pants and bra. The bra is not what I would call terribly supportive (kinda like my ex-husband really) but keeps my boobs relatively where they should be and not flopping all over. 🤣
My frogged tongs pants seam blew out the first time I put them on and had to bend down to pick something up. But duct tape fixed em right up, easy peasy. the jacket never had any problem with. I could probably rip the arm pit seams for ventilation tho. 😁
Here for my Dixie fix. 🥾
I would be interested in a cottage company experimenting with a short sleeve raincoat .. in warmer weather, keeping the arms dry is unnecessary (and somewhat pointless) and being cooler would be wonderful. It's mostly keeping my core relatively dry and not cold that is wanted. Maybe removable sleeves (like convertible pants) 🤔
Thank you! Your videos are super helpful, heading to Idaho this October
Many people are allergic to down. Synthetics are a great alternative for jackets and sleeping bags. Also less problematic if they get wet.
The worst sunburn I’ve had as an adult was from sitting under the shade of the trees all day. Always wear sun protection. PS - haven’t worn a bra more than 1-2 times since the beginning of the pandemic. The only times I’ve worn one was for high impact activities or it was super hot and wanted a little “lift” with some ventilation (not large on top).
Hi
If you have your old gear from AT, compare it to the CDT. As you improved your gear selection.
Macpac Primaloft is my go-to 'puffer'
I have e bad way off traveling , sometimes I travel to lite. It's the way I'm mostly like to hike . sometimes it's a good thing sometimes not. When I get up in the morning all have to do is start walking.
Decathlon puffy coat is the best deal
You should do a review on the Swiss Tech puffy from Walmart. While it's definitely not as nice as a quality one from REI, it keeps me warm and only costs $10 when on sale!
Do you plan on hiking other famous hikes of the world like the Himalayas or Pyrenees or Kilimanjaro or Alps and stuff? Because I think they are completely different from the US trails as an experience!
good job talking to the camera. you’re really good at it.
Hi Dixie, have you ever heard of sealskinz glove. They are waterproof.
Waterproof All Weather Ultra Grip Knitted Glove
Thanks for the video :)
Thanks for this Jessica! I think I worry about clothes more than anything. I have changed things up SO many times already lol.
Have you ever hiked the Long Trail in Vermont?
Looking so good hearing two sure….
I'm in Love...Wish I could do the things that you do.
Cheers!
Always good, Dixie. Thanks. :>)
I done the trail in 50 days. Wore the same clothes every day.
Wise words.
What shoes did you wear to cross creeks / swampy areas?
I'm bummed because I had a wool Carhart shirt that was GREAT because it would dry instantly and never stink (even when I did). But Carhart no longer sells them and I can't find anything that fits and is made of the same wool material. I always though wool = hot, but nothing could be further from the truth.
If you wear it then it doesn't count towards your base weight!!! **proceeds to attempt to turn pack into a pair of pants**
🦋
Young folks protect your skin.
Somewhat embarrassing question. Underwear and breathable pants...Anyone have experience keeping bladder infections at bay? Do those pricey undies help? I had to quit a job because of constant problems due to high activity in humid, hot environment. Long hikes seem impossible in so.e way. Thx.
people take cranberry capsules and drink uva ursi tea all day. always pack 3 underwear and concentrated bio soap. (every day: wear one, wash one, keep one spare). wool underwear are the best for controlling bacteria and drying fast. carry a filled antibiotic prescription so you are ready.
Prolly not gonna hike in a sports bra... 😁
What clothing layers? All you need is a tank top.
♥️
Hi, I'm Jiemeu and I love your channel I hope to discuss business cooperation with you
Don’t laugh, but those medical exam gloves doubled up, two on each hand, will keep your hands warm when it’s cold. And heavy gloves are to much.
Why release AT-focused videos in August? Do people genuinely play that far in advance?
Some people plan for years, some weeks. Releasing the videos now means they’ll be available whenever anyone wants to start planning
You better be planning that far in advance. Saving up for the cost of the hike alone is going to take about a year unless you are rich. If you go at cold turkey and decide the day before you get on the trail that you are going to go down to REI and buy whatever you feel like will work then you are going to have a bad time :L
Absolutely. Can apply to other hikes. I also will add to my REI Wish List. Then as holidays come I can look out or look for any used gear online.
Yes
I miss the big tooth :o)
All good advice as usual . . .
Cotton and other natural materials are actually superior to synthetics when used properly even in the winter. Combining natural fibers and synthetics can make for a very effective clothing system.
Thanks for the video...